Research methods

• What do researchers need to carry out research?

  Participants representing the target population
• What is the target population in research?

  The group researchers want to generalize results to
• How does sample size affect representation of the target population?

  Larger samples reduce participant variable effects
• What should you explain regarding sampling methods?

  The implications for bias and generalization
• What is random sampling?

  Selecting people indiscriminately from a group
• What must every member of the target population have in random sampling?

  An equal chance of being selected
• How can names be selected in random sampling?

  From a hat or a computer database
• What is a strength of random sampling?

  It likely produces a representative sample
• How does random sampling reduce researcher bias?

  By selecting participants indiscriminately
• What is a weakness of random sampling?

  It can be hard to gather population details
• What is another weakness of random sampling?

  Sample can still end up biased
• What is systematic sampling?

  Participants are selected from an ordered frame
• How are participants chosen in systematic sampling?

  Every nth person on an ordered list
• What is a strength of systematic sampling?

  It has a low chance of researcher bias
• What is a weakness of systematic sampling?

  The population must have randomness to work
• What happens if the first participant in systematic sampling is biased?

  It may introduce bias into the sample
• What is stratified sampling?

  Dividing population into subcategories and sampling
• How are participants selected in stratified sampling?

  Randomly in proportion to their occurrence
• What is a strength of stratified sampling?

  It has the best chance of being representative
• How does stratified sampling reduce researcher bias?

  By reflecting the population accurately
• What is a weakness of stratified sampling?

  It may not perfectly represent every strata
• Why can stratified sampling be difficult?

  It requires specific information about strata
• What is opportunity sampling?

  Using participants who are available and willing
• What is a strength of opportunity sampling?

  It is convenient and quick
• What is a weakness of opportunity sampling?

  It may not be representative of the population
• What is volunteer sampling?

  Using those who respond to an advertisement
• What is a strength of volunteer sampling?

  It is cheap and easy to gather participants
• What is a weakness of volunteer sampling?

  It can lead to volunteer bias
• What is volunteer bias?

  Participants may have specific interests or traits
• How might volunteer bias affect research outcomes?

  It may lead to different behaviors than the general population
• What is the purpose of operationalizing variables?

  To specify how variables will be measured
• Why is it important to operationalize the independent and dependent variables?

  To ensure clarity and precision in measurement
• How would you operationalize the statement "Watching violent TV gives children nightmares"?

  Count number of nightmares over a set time
• What distinguishes a laboratory experiment from a field experiment?

  A laboratory experiment is conducted in a controlled environment
• What is a natural experiment?

  Conducted in a natural environment without manipulation
• What is the main advantage of a field experiment?

  It takes place in a natural environment
• What are the disadvantages of laboratory experiments?

  Low external validity and potential demand characteristics
• What is a quasi-experiment?

  An experiment without random allocation of participants
• What is the purpose of correlational analysis?

  To investigate relationships between variables
• What does a positive correlation indicate?

  Both variables increase or decrease together