Deciding on the research question

Question 1

Aim

Answer 1

An aim identifies the purpose of the investigation

Question 2

Alternative hypothesis

Answer 2

Any hypothesis except null hypothesis

Question 3

Null hypothesis

Answer 3

The assumption of no relationship between variables being studied

Question 4

Directional hypothesis

Answer 4

States the direction of the predicted difference between two conditions or two groups of people

Question 5

Non-directional hypothesis

Answer 5

States a difference, correlation or association between two variables but doesn’t specify the direction of such a relationship

Question 6

Independent variable

Answer 6

An event that is directly manipulated by an experimenter in order to test its effect on the dependent variable

Question 7

Dependent variable

Answer 7

The variable measured by the experimenter

Question 8

Co-variables

Answer 8

Variables in a correlation that must be continuous and related

Question 9

Operationalization

Answer 9

Creating measurements for a hypothesis

Question 10

Confounding variables

Answer 10

Variables that are not the independent variable under study but may cause changes to the behaviour of the dependent variable

Question 11

Extraneous variables

Answer 11

Nuisance variables that make it more difficult to detect a significant effect