Experimental Method

• What does the experimental method involve?

  Manipulation of an independent variable to observe its effect on a dependent variable
• What is the purpose of an aim in research?

  To state what the researcher plans to investigate
• How are aims developed in research?

  Aims are developed from theories and previous research
• What is a hypothesis?

  A precise statement that describes the relationship between variables
• What are the two types of hypotheses?

  Directional and non-directional hypotheses
• What does a directional hypothesis indicate?

  It states the direction of the relationship between variables
• What is a non-directional hypothesis?

  A hypothesis that does not specify the direction of the relationship
• Give an example of a directional hypothesis related to sleep and memory.

  "The more sleep a participant has, the better their memory performance."
• Provide an example of a non-directional hypothesis related to sleep and memory.

  "The difference in the amount of hours of sleep will affect memory performance."
• When is a directional hypothesis typically used?

  When previous research suggests a particular outcome
• When is a non-directional hypothesis appropriate?

  When there is no previous research or the research is contradictory
• What is an independent variable (IV)?

  The variable manipulated by the researcher
• What is a dependent variable (DV)?

  The variable that is measured and affected by the IV
• Why is it important to control other variables in an experiment?

  To ensure that the effect on the DV is caused only by the IV
• What are the two conditions needed to test the effect of the IV?

  The experimental condition and the control condition
• What does operationalisation refer to in research?

  Clearly defining variables in terms of how they are measured
• Why is operationalisation important for hypotheses?

  It ensures that the variables are defined and measurable
• How could a directional hypothesis be further operationalised?

  By specifying the number of questions in a test and the maximum score