Experimental method

• Aim

  • a general statement about what the research intends to investigate
• Variables

  independent = what is being changed

  dependant = what is being measured
• Operationalisation

  clearly defining variables in terms of how they can be measured
• Experimental groups

  the group of which something is changed
• Control group

  the group which is not exposed to the experimental treatment
• Extraneous Variables

  nuisance variables that can often be controlled before an experiment, such as temperature or time of day
• Confounding Variables

  • Any variable other than the IV which impacts the DV
  • researchers are often unaware that confounding variables are going to influence results until after the study
  • cant be prevented from impacting the DV
• Directional hypothesis

  • IV will have impact on the DV
  • research has been completed before
• Non directional Hypothesis

  • IV will have a general effect on the DV
  • research has not been done before
  • "there will be a difference...."
• Null hypothesis

  • IV will not have an effect on DV
  • "there will be no difference...."