Research methods

• Self-report techniques: Any method in which a person is asked to state or explain their own feelings, opinions, behaviours and experiences related to a given topic.
• Questionnaire: A set of written questions (sometimes called items) used to access a persons' thoughts/experiences
• Strengths of questionnaires: + Cost effective

  + Can gather large amounts of data quickly

  + Can be completed without the researcher being present
• Weaknesses of questionnaires: - Can produce response bias

  - P.ps may misunderstand the question or read it incorrectly

  - Demand Characteristics / Social Desirability may occur
• Single-blind review: -usual form of peer review

  - involves the names of reviewers not being revealed to the researcher
• Open review: the reviewers and the researcher being known to each other
• Double-blind review: both the reviewers and the researcher are anonymous
• Questionnaire construction: Aims, length, previous questionnaires, question formation, pilot study, measurement scale
• AO3 of Open Questions: + Get more information

  + Produces qualitative data - depth and detail

  - People can miss them out as they can't be bothered to answer them

  - Harder to analyse
• Closed Question: Questions with a fixed answer/ the choice of response is determined by the question setter.
• AO3 of Closed Questions: + People have to same perception of the Q&A

  + Quick and easy to answer

  + Quantitative data is easier to analyse

  - Not detailed or in depth answers

  - Don't find out the meaning behind the answer
• Interview: A live encounter (face to face or on the phone) where one person asks a set of questions to assess an interviewees thoughts/experiences. They can be structured, semi structured or unstructured.
• Structured Interview: Made up of pre-determined questions and are asked in a fixed order. Basically like a questionnaire but conducted face to face.
• Unstructured Interview: Works like a conversation. There are no set questions. There is a general aim that a certain topic will be discussed and interaction tends to be free flowing.
• Semi-structured Interview: There is a list of questions that have been worked out in advance but interviewers are also free to ask follow up questions when they feel it is appropriate.
• AO3 of Structured Interviews: + Straight forward to replicate

  + Reduces differences between interviews

  + Easier to analyse

  + Get answers you're looking for

  - Get less information as P.ps can't deviate from the point

  - Don't find out people's worldwide views
• AO3 of Unstructured Interviews: + Can get more detailed answers as people can elaborate

  + More flexible as you can gain insight

  - Not easy to replicate

  - Not easy to analyse as you get irrelevant information

  - Experimenter effects can occur
• Leading Questions: Encourages P.ps to give a particular answer e.g. don't you think...?
• Ambiguity: Questions which can be interpreted in various ways. They can mean different things to different people.
• Loaded Questions: They are questions which contain emotive language which is likely to produce an emotional reaction in the respondent.
• Double-barrelled Questions: They contain two options within a single question.
• Aim: A general statement that the researcher intends to investigate.
• Hypothesis: A detailed statement which is clear, precise and testable that states the relationship between variables being tested.
• Directional Hypothesis: The researcher makes it clear what difference is anticipated between the 2 conditions or groups.

  (One tailed).
• Non-directional Hypothesis: Simply states that there is a difference but not what the difference will be.
• Null Hypothesis: There will be no relationship between the 2 variables.
• Meta-analysis: A particular form of research method that uses secondary data. Data from a large number of studies which have involved the same research question and method are combined.
• Quantitative Data: Data that focuses on numbers and frequencies which can be counted. e.g. experiments, questionnaires and psychometric tests.
• Qualitative Data: Data that describes meaning and experiences which is expresses in words e.g. case studies, interviews and observations.
• Primary Data: Information that has been obtained first hand by the researcher. It is also known as field research.
• Secondary Data: Information that has already been collected by previous researchers. It is also known as 'desk research' and can be found in journal articles, books or websites.
• Ethical guidelines: the rules governing the conduct of researchers in investigations
• BPS

  British Psychological Society
• Informed Consent: Participants should be told what they are letting themselves in for. Only then they are in a position to give informed consent. If under 16 consent must be obtained from their parents.
• Deception: Information is withheld from participants: they misled about the purpose of the study and what will happen during it.
• Right to Withdraw: Participants should be told this at the start of the research. No attempt should be made to encourage them to remain.
• Protection from harm: Participants should not be put through anything they wouldn't normally be expected to.
• Adequate briefing/ debriefing: all relevant details of a study should be explained to participants before and afterwards
• Observational research: observations are only made in public places where people might expect to be observed by strangers
• incentives to take part: participants should not be offered bribes or promised rewards for their participation