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Experimental Unit
Definition 1
A physical entity which is the primary unit of interest in a specific research objective. In an interventional study, the experimental unit is assigned to an intervention. The experimental unit is also the unit of primary statistical analysis. Commonly the individual study subject (animal, person or product) is the experimental unit. Different experimental units must be capable of receiving different experimental interventions. (NCI Thesaurus)
Definition 2
A physical entity which is the primary unit of interest in a specific research objective. In an interventional study, the experimental unit is assigned to an intervention. The experimental unit is also the unit of primary statistical analysis. Commonly the individual study subject (animal, person or product) is the experimental unit. Different experimental units must be capable of receiving different experimental interventions. EXAMPLE(S): EXAMPLE(S):If all pigs in a pen receive the same intervention in their feed, and the primary observations and analyses of interest are associated with the entire pen (e.g. total feed consumed, total weight of all pigs combined), then the pen of pigs rather than the individual animal is the experimental unit. [CDISC/HL7 Study Participation RMIM, PORT_RM100001UV]A human StudySubject may have 10 patches of skin each considered an ExperimentalUnit, or a Product StudySubject may have 10 bearings in it, each considered an ExperimentalUnit. Alternatively, each StudySubject may be an ExperimentalUnit. NOTE(S): Depending on the research objectives, a single study may have multiple levels of experimental units, such as whole people and patches of skin. (NCI Thesaurus/BRIDG)