Introduction to research methods

• What is the starting point to develop a research question?

  A comprehensive literature search
• Why is it important to find a balance when developing a research question?

  To avoid starting the study design too early
• What are the criteria of a good research question?

  • Focus: balance between general and specific
  • Relevant: provides practical benefits or improves understanding
  • Realistic: sufficient resources/time to find answers
  • Safety check: literature review
• What should be considered when evaluating sources in a literature review?

  Specificity, generalizability, and validity of the research
• What is an independent variable?

  The variable that is controlled and manipulated by the experimenter
• What is a dependent variable?

  The variable that is measured by the experimenter
• What types of data are needed for dependent variables?

  Nominal, ordinal, interval, or ratio data
• What are confounding variables?

  Variables related to both the independent and dependent variables that cannot be controlled
• What are extraneous variables and their types?

  • Participant variables: individual characteristics affecting responses
  • Situational variables: environmental factors impacting responses
• What are the types of research designs?

  • Observational: records behavior as is
  • Archival: uses existing data
  • Case Study: examines existing situations
  • Survey/Interview: records responses as received
• What is the limitation of non-experimental research?

  It cannot determine cause and effect
• What are the characteristics of true experiments?

  • Complete control by researchers
  • Random assignment to conditions
  • Requires a control group
  • Involves independent variables
• What does a single-factor design mean?

  Only one independent variable is used
• What is a factorial design?

  A design that involves two or more independent variables
• What does experimental control mean?

  • Standard for comparison (control group)
  • Minimizing variability
• How can experimental control be increased?

  • Use a lab setting
  • Refine measurement instruments
  • Replicate findings
• What is a within-subjects design?

  • Each participant serves as their own control
  • Includes control and experimental conditions
• What are the benefits of a within-subjects design?

  Economical and sensitive to manipulation effects
• What is a disadvantage of a within-subjects design?

  Potential carry-over effects
• What is a between-subjects design?

  • Involves two different groups of people
  • Experimental group receives the IV, control group does not
• What is random assignment?

  Every participant has an equal chance to be in a group
• What is matching in research design?

  Ensuring experimental and control groups are equal on certain variables before the experiment
• What is quasi-experimental research?

  • Lacks complete control over study conditions
  • Participants are selected rather than randomly assigned
• What is an alternative hypothesis?

  A testable statement predicting the relationship between variables
• What is a null hypothesis?

  It states there is no difference between groups or no relationship between variables
• What is the difference between one-tailed and two-tailed hypotheses?

  One-tailed specifies direction, while two-tailed does not
• What are subject variables?

  • Self-selecting variables (e.g., sex, intelligence)
  • Cannot be controlled or manipulated
• What are parametric tests?

  • Tests that assume population parameters
  • Require interval or ratio scale data
• What are non-parametric tests?

  • Tests that make no assumptions about population parameters
  • Use categorical data (nominal and ordinal)
• What is a frequently used non-parametric test for nominal data?

  Chi-Square test (χ²)