Which of the following best describes the goal of a control group?

The goal of a control group is to serve as a baseline for comparison with the experimental group. This allows researchers to determine the effects of the treatment or intervention by providing a standard against which the outcomes of the experimental group can be measured. By not receiving the treatment or receiving a standard treatment, the control group helps to isolate the impact of the experimental variable, revealing whether any changes observed in the experimental group are due to that treatment rather than external factors or random variations.

In research designs, having a control group is essential for establishing causality and ensuring the validity of the conclusions drawn from the study. It provides a basis for understanding any observed effects and supports the integrity of the research results.