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?:definition
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A physical entity which is the primary unit of interest in a specific research objective. 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. [example from the CDISC/HL7 Study Participation message] A human may have 10 patches of skin each considered an experimental unit. A product may have 10 bearings in it, each considered an experimental unit. Alternatively, the whole human or product may be an experimental unit. OTHER NAME(S): 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. 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.
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