Aims, hypotheses & variables

Cards (14)

  • What is an aim in research?
    A general expression of what the research intends to investigate
  • What is an independent variable (IV)?
    The part of the experiment that you change
  • What is a dependent variable (DV)?
    The part of the experiment that you measure, which depends on the independent variable
  • What is an extraneous variable (EV)?
    An additional factor that is not the independent variable but may affect the dependent variable
  • What is a hypothesis?
    A precise, testable statement predicting the outcome of the research
  • What does operationalisation mean in research?
    Defining variables in specific terms that allow them to be measured or manipulated
  • What are the types of hypotheses in research?
    • Null hypothesis (H0)
    • Alternative hypothesis (H1)
    • Directional hypothesis (one-tailed)
    • Non-directional hypothesis (two-tailed)
  • What does a null hypothesis predict?
    It predicts no difference or relationship between groups
  • What does an alternative hypothesis predict?
    It predicts a difference or relationship between groups
  • What is a directional hypothesis?
    It predicts a difference or relationship and states the direction of that difference
  • What is a non-directional hypothesis?
    It predicts a difference or relationship but does not state the direction of that difference
  • When do you use a directional hypothesis?
    When you have a previous hypothesis that states the difference
  • When do you use a non-directional hypothesis?
    When you predict some difference but do not specify the direction
  • What are the key components of aims and hypotheses in research methods?
    • Aims: General expression of what the research intends to investigate
    • Hypotheses: Precise, testable statements predicting outcomes
    • Types: Null, Alternative (Directional, Non-directional)