Research Methods

• What is an Aim?

  a general statement of the purpose of research
• What the two study types?

  Difference and Relationship
• What is a IV?


  Variable that you manipulate
• What is a DV?


  Variable that you measure
• What is a Hypothesis?


  A testable statement about the expected outcomes of an experiment
• What is an Experimental Hypothesis?

  Predicting the differences in the effect DV will be beyond chance - as a result of the IV
• What is a Null Hypothesis?

  Predicts no change between the conditions
• What is a Directional Hypothesis?

  Predicts there will be a change and predicts the direction
• What is a Non-Directional Hypothesis?

  Predicts there will be a change but not the direction
• What does population mean?


  A group with specified characteristics that the researcher wants
• What does sample mean?

  A subset of the population that is selected for a study
• What is sampling?


  Splitting up a target group as it may be too large
• What is Volunteer Sampling?


  Using people who have volenteered to be in a study
• What is Opportunity Sampling?


  Using people who are both accessible and willing to take part in a study
• What is Random Sampling?


  Gives every member of the target group an equal chance of being selected for the sample eg. names out of a hat
• What is Systematic Sampling?

  Divide the total population by the number of people needed. Then randomise your list and use every nth person
• What is Stratified Sampling?


  Divides target group into sections with key characteristcs
• What is Sampling Bias?

  Some members are more likely to be picked than others
• What is Generalisablity?


  If we can apply the findings to target population
• Issue with Random Sampling?

  Time consuming if using a large population
• Issue with Stratifed Sampling?

  Time consuming
• Issue with Volunteer Sampling?

  Unrepresentative - can lead to bias
• Issue with Opportunity Sampling?

  Unrepresentative - researcher bias
• Positives with Random Sampling?

  Unbias
• Positives with Stratified Sampling?


  Representitive
• Positives with Volenteer Sampling?

  Convient
• Positives with Opportunity Sampling?

  Convient
• What is a Pilot Study?


  Trail version of the study to test effectiveness and make improvements
• What five things would you want to check in a Pilot Study? (MULTI)

  Materials

  Understanding

  Location

  Time

  Investigators
• What is a control condition?

  A basline condition that is used to compare against with no IV
• What is Repeated Measures?


  Where each participant is tested in ALL conditions
• What is Independant groups?

  Where participants are only a part of ONE condition
• What is Matched Pairs?


  Matching participants based on key charateristics and place them in ONE condition
• What are strengths of Repeated Measures?

  Individual differences are eliminated
• What are strengths of Independant groups?

  No order effects

  Less likely to have boredom effects

  Reduces demand characteristics
• What are strengths of Matched Pairs?

  No order effects

  Controls individual differences
• What are limititations of Repeated Measures?


  Order effects

  Boredom effects

  Demand characteristics
• What are limitations of Independent Groups?

  Individual differences

  More people required
• What are limitations of Matched Pairs?

  Time consuming

  DIfficult to match exactly

  Requires more participants
• How do we Counter Balence?


  Half participants do C1 and other C2. Participants dont talk to each other and then complete the other condition.