Aims, Hypothesis and Sampling Flashcards
What research methods are Aims used for?
Observation and Self Report
What research methods are Hypothesis used for?
Experiments and Correlation
What is a One Tailed Hypothesis?
Where you predict the direction of the relationship between the two varibles
What is a Two-Tailed Hypothesis?
Where you think there will be a relationship, but you don’t know the direction of the relationship.
What is Sampling..
How you get people to take part in your study
It takes too long to study everyone what can you do?
Use a sample to be a representative of the population which can then be generalised back
What is the population?
The group of people from whom the sample is drawn. Can only be generalised back to the target population.
What is Opportunity Sampling?
You take the sample from people who are available at the time of the study and fit the criteria you’re looking for
Advantages of Opportunity Sampling?
- Easy to do
- Cheap
- Quick
Disadvantages of Opportunity Sampling ?
Sample is not representative which reduces the generalisability of it as not everyone is there
What is Random Sampling?
Involves identifying everyone in the target population and then selecting the number of participants you need in a way that gives everyone an equal chance of being picked.
Advantages of Random Sampling
Representative (everyone has a chance increases Generalisability)
Disadvantages of Random Sampling
- Time consuming to do
- Expensive
- People may not want to take part
- No control over who is selected (freak sample)
What is Self-Selecting Sampling?
Participants become part of the study because they volunteered when asked or in response to an advert
Advantages of Self-Selecting Sampling
- Less likely to drop out (given informed consent)
- Quicker
- Cheap
- Easy
Disadvantages of Self-Selecting Sampling
Sample is less representative as you’ve only got people who volunteered (reduces generalisability)
What is Snowball Sampling ?
For hard to reach groups. People ask other people to take part- people who know each other
Advantages of Snowball Sampling
Helps gather hard to reach groups
Disadvantages of Snowball Sampling
- Not representative ( as its people they know)
- Word might not get around
- Time consuming
Formulating aims and hypotheses - Research aim and question
A general research area you want to investigate, can be investigating a difference or similarity.
If you are writing an aim in an exam, begin the sentence with “ To investigate…”
eg. to investigate the relationship between the height and length that people can jump in the long jump
Formulating aims and hypotheses - Hypothesis
- A statement of what you think you will find in your study
- Needs to be clear, testable, precise and operationalised
- If doing experiment = Experimental Hypothesis
- If doing any other thing = Alternative Hypothesis
- Hypotheses will either look for a difference between variables or relationship
Formulating aims and hypotheses - Null hypotheses
- The hypothesis that says there will be no difference between conditions
- Every piece of research has a null hypothesis
- Researchers should aim to support the null hypothesis to avoid researcher bias
Formulating aims and hypotheses - Directional/One tailed Hypothesis
When you say what the direction of the effect will be.
Eg, Men will throw MORE punches than women
Formulating aims and hypotheses - Non-directional/ two-tailed Hypothesis
When you do not mention what direction the effect will be.
Eg there will be a difference in the number of punches men throw and women throw
Target population
The whole group you want to study
Representativeness
This is whether the sample reflects the target population
Generalisability
Can the results from a study be applied to the target population?
