Key points at a glance
- Specify the manipulation, comparator and outcome in advance.
- Test assignment and platform behaviour.
- Report attrition, exclusions and sampling limits.
Design a specific contrast
Example: Randomly show participants either a short or detailed task instruction, then measure comprehension in the same way. Hold other elements constant where possible. Ask whether the manipulation actually creates the intended contrast.
Check randomisation and measures
Test that the platform allocates conditions as planned and participants see the right pages. Define the outcome, manipulation check and duplicate-response rules. Avoid collecting unnecessary identifiers; resolve consent and ethics requirements first.
Pilot the technology
Try mobile layouts, loading, branching and data export. A broken page can create attrition unrelated to the treatment. Record changes after the pilot and freeze a stable main-study version.
Interpret within the design
Report assignments, dropouts and analysed cases by condition. Check whether the manipulation worked. Randomisation can strengthen the comparison among volunteers, but it does not make a volunteer sample representative of all students.
Final submission context
Formal details can feel like a separate writing task, but they matter just as much for a printed submission. Anything missing, misplaced or inconsistently formatted in the document will also appear in the bound copy.
Use this guide together with your cover page, table of contents, page numbers, source notes and appendices. Prepare the final PDF for printing and binding only after the complete file has been checked.
Practical check before PDF export
- Do headings, chapter structure and page numbers match?
- Are sources, figures and tables included completely?
- Are required elements such as declarations, appendices or the cover page included where required?
- Did you open and check the final PDF after exporting it?
Checklist
- Conditions differ as intended.
- Assignment tested.
- Measures and exclusions specified.
- Ethics and data minimisation checked.
Common mistakes
- Calling self-selection randomisation.
- Ignoring technical attrition.
- Generalising a volunteer sample to everyone.
Prepare the finished thesis for submission
Once the content and university requirements are checked, review your PDF and the available printing and binding options.
Review printing optionsRelated content
Explore related guidance on thesis structure, sources, formatting and final submission.
Frequently asked questions
Do I always need a control group?
You need an appropriate comparison; its form depends on the question.
Is an A/B test an experiment?
Only if assignment and condition control support the causal question.
Can it support causal inference?
Potentially for the manipulated contrast under design assumptions; external validity remains separate.