Research methods

• How is systematic sampling conducted?

  The population is arranged in a list, selecting every nth item
• What is an advantage of systematic sampling?

  It avoids bias and leads to a representative sample
• How does stratified sampling work?

  The population is divided into groups, then sampled randomly
• What is an advantage of stratified sampling?

  It avoids bias by replicating population ratios
• What is a disadvantage of stratified sampling?

  Chosen strata may not perfectly represent the population
• What does the independent variable (IV) do?

  It is manipulated by the experimenter
• What is the dependent variable (DV)?

  It depends on the independent variable
• Why must variables be operationalised?

  To define them in a testable way
• How might 'educational attainment' be operationalised?

  By specifying GCSE grades as a measure
• What is the aim of a study?

  A statement of what the researcher intends to investigate
• What is a hypothesis?

  A precise and testable statement about variables
• What is a directional hypothesis?

  It states the direction of the predicted difference
• What is a non-directional hypothesis?

  It predicts a difference without stating the direction
• What are demand characteristics?

  Cues that make participants aware of expectations
• What is an extraneous variable (EV)?

  Any variable that may affect the DV
• What are order effects?

  Effects arising from the order of conditions presented
• What is a practice effect?

  Participants perform better due to practice
• What is random allocation?

  Allocating participants to groups using random techniques
• What does 'control' refer to in research?

  The extent to which variables are held constant
• Why are extraneous variables controlled?

  To attribute effects solely to the IV
• What are participant variables?

  Variables like age and intelligence affecting results
• What are situational variables?

  Variables like time and temperature affecting results
• What are investigator effects?

  When an investigator communicates information unintentionally
• How do demand characteristics affect participants?

  They trigger predictable responses from participants
• What is the single blind technique?

  Participants don't know the true aims of a study
• What is the double blind technique?

  Both investigators and participants don't know the aims
• What is counterbalancing used for?

  To deal with order effects in repeated measures design
• How does counterbalancing work?

  The sample is divided to balance order effects
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of systematic and stratified sampling?

  Advantages:

  • Systematic: Avoids bias, representative sample
  • Stratified: Replicates population ratios, avoids bias

  
  

  Disadvantages:

  • Systematic: May miss certain population segments
  • Stratified: Chosen strata may not represent population perfectly
• What are the key concepts related to variables in research?

  • Independent Variable (IV): Manipulated by the researcher
  • Dependent Variable (DV): Depends on the IV
  • Extraneous Variables (EV): Affect the DV, must be controlled
  • Operationalisation: Defining variables for testing
• What are the methods to prevent investigator effects and demand characteristics?

  • Single blind technique: Participants unaware of study aims
  • Double blind technique: Both participants and investigators unaware
  • Counterbalancing: Balances order effects in repeated measures
• What is quantitative data?

  Quantitative data involves measurable numerical information.   
• What is qualitative data?

  qualitative data is descriptive, like language, feelings, and experiences 
• What can you use to get quantitative data?

  • Bar charts
  • Graphs, including correlational
  • Pie charts
  • Statistics
  • Tallies
• How can you get qualitative data?

  open questions allow for follow-up and detail in questions and answers
• What are independent group designs?

  Where different participants take part in each experimental condition (they will be allocated randomly).
• What is one strength of independent groups?

  Order effects cannot be observed, as no participants will be used in more than one condition.
• What is a weaknesse of independent group designs?

  There is a risk of participant variables (individual differences between participants) affecting the results between conditions, rather than solely manipulation of the independent variable.
• What are matched pair designs?

  Where participants take part in only one experimental condition, but they are recruited specifically to be similar in relevant characteristics (e.g. intelligence, gender, age) to ‘matched’ participants in the other condition(s).
• What is a strength of matched pair designs?

  Order effects will not be observed as participants only take part in one condition.