preexperiment

1. not comparableBefore an experiment takes place.

plural preexperiments

1. A simple form of research that examines a group or groups before and after an event, to see whether there is change, but does not employ a control group.

   Campbell and Stanley describe three forms of preexperiments: the one-shot case study, the one-group pretest–posttest design, and the static-group comparison.

   2020, Earl R. Babbie, The Practice of Social Research, page 247

   1 more example

   A study that uses only a manipulation is considered a pre-experiment. As the name implies, a pre-experiment has not quite achieved the level of control necessary to be termed an experiment at all.

   2016, Marina Krcmar, David R. Ewoldsen, Ascan Koerner, Communication Science Theory and Research