Aims, variables and hypothesis Flashcards
What is an aim?
The statement of what the researcher intended to find out in the study
What is included in the aim?
-outline purpose of study, be clear and concise
-not a question
Give an example of an aim
to investigate…
whether listening to classical music makes a difference in your a level grades
What are the two types of variables?
Independent and dependent
What is the independent variable?
What the researcher changes
eg. classical music or not
What is the dependent variable?
what is measured
eg. the a level grade achieved
How to opterinalise variables *
make something measurable
what is the hypothesis?
a precise and testable statement of prediction about the outcome of an experiment
What are the types of hypothesis?
experimental/alternative, null, directional and non directional
What is an experimental hypothesis?
hypothesis that predicts something will happen in the experiment
-difference between two groups
eg. diff. in a level grades by student who did/didn’t listen to classical music
What is a null hypothesis?
Predicts there will be no difference between the groups
-the experiment can be either
-it will always be one
What is a directional hypothesis?
predicts which group will do better/worse
What is a non-directional hypothesis?
Predicts a difference but doesn’t say which group will do better/worse
What should a good hypothesis include?
Compare groups of interest
-have to say both groups
dependent variable mentioned
-measurable
predict an outcome
