A social researcher is interested in studying patients sense

A social researcher is interested in studying patients\' sense of spirituality to see if it correlates with how well they respond to treatment. She only reviews archival data previously collected in a scientific manner. What type of research is this?

Solution

In an observational study, investigators observe subjects and measure variables of interest without assigning treatments to the subjects. Here, the researcher is only reviewing previous data. But since this original data was collected in a \"scientific manner\", suited to find correlation between sense of spirituality and treatment, this must have been experimental data. Thus, this is an experimental study (where investigators apply treatments to experimental units )