How to do science well

Question 1

Characteristics of Scientific Theories - what should a good theory have or do?

Answer 1

• Parsimony
• Explanatory relevance (logical link between theory and what is to be tested)
• Testability (possibility of failing an empirical test)
• Account for (most) data
• Prediction of novel events

Question 2

Strong inference

Answer 2

ruling out alternative explanations

Question 3

Confirmation

Answer 3

Only use in starting phase

Question 4

Disconfirmation

Answer 4

When a positive outcome that would prove theory wrong could be found bit isn’t it means the theory is strong.

Question 5

Ethics: Informed consent

Answer 5

• Knowledge over nature, purpose and duration of research
  • Ability to withdraw with foreseeable consequence
  • Foreseeable risks
  • Prospective research benefits
  • Confidentiality (anonymity)
  • Contact person in case of questions

Question 6

What is deception?

Answer 6

Giving false information about research or part of it to participants

Question 7

What are conditions for use of deception? or other possibilities?

Answer 7

• Only used as a last resort
• There is sufficient evidence that the results
from this research will be useful • Great effort to predict possible
vulnerabilities of participants has been
shown
• debriefing

Other possibilities:
• Using Role-Play (no deception needed)
• prior consent to be deceived

Question 8

Exam question- which statement is false?

A. Hypothesis need to be formulated in a positive way
B. When two theories explain the same phenomenon the simpler one should be chosen
C. A theory needs to account for all the available data
D. It is useful to try to confirm a theory initially but the disconfirmation strategy is the preferred way to
test theories.

Answer 8

Answer C

Question 9

Exam question - Which statement is correct?
I. When conducting a research, anonymity of the participants has to be ensured at each step of the experiment.
II. Deception of the participants should be avoided, because participants will perform differently if they are not informed about all aspects of the research.

A. Both I and II are false
B. Only I is correct
C. Only II is correct
D. Both I and II are correct

Answer 9

Answer A