aims, hypothesis, IVs and DVs

• experimental methods


  concerns the manipulation of an independent variable to have an effect on dependent variable which is measured
• aim


  a general statement which tells us the purpose of a study
• hypothesis 


  clearly states the relationship between the variables investigated
• directional/one tailed hypothesis


  predicts the specific nature (direction) of the difference between two or more variables e.g. higher, lower, increase or decrease
• non directional/two tailed hypothesis


  predicts that a difference will exist between two or more variables without predicting the exact direction of the difference
• independent variable 


  has been manipulated by the researcher to have an effect on the DV - what the researcher changes
• dependent variable 


  measured by the researcher and has been caused due to the change of the IV
• operationalisation


  clearly defining the variables in terms of how they are measured