KEY INTEGRATED SCIENCE SKILLS

Question 1

Aim

Answer 1

Statement outlining the purpose of an investigation. eg The aim of this study is to investigate the role of high quality sleep on concentration.

Question 2

Investigation Question

Answer 2

Intends to solve/what the researcher is trying to figure out eg Does sleep quality affect concentration levels?

Question 3

Independent Variable (IV)

Answer 3

Variable where quantities are manipulated eg quality of sleep can be manipulated by a researcher (total hours of uninterrupted deep sleep)

Question 4

Dependent Variable (DV)

Answer 4

Variable which measures effects of the independent variable eg performance on tests of concentration, this is because it is what is being impacted by the IV (high quality sleep) and is measured

Question 5

Controlled Variables

Answer 5

Variable other then the IV that is kept at a constant eg the food eaten by participants on day of concentration test or caffeine consumption on day of test

Question 6

Hypothesis

Answer 6

Testable prediction about the outcome of an investigation eg It was hypothesised that high school students who had a high quality of sleep would perform better on tests of concentration than those who did not have a high quality of sleep

Question 7

Investigation Methodology

Answer 7

Any of the different processes ,techniques or types of studies researchers use to obtain information about psychological phenomena

Question 8

Case Studies

Answer 8

in-depth investigation of an individual, group, or particular phenomenon
(activity, behaviour, event, or problem) that contains a real or hypothetical situation and includes the complexities that would be encountered in the real world.

Advantages ~
* They provide highly detailed, rich information about a particular phenomenon under study.
* They can incorporate other scientific methodologies to gain data.

Disadvantages ~
* Results cannot be generalised (applied) to a wider population.
* Can be time-consuming.

Question 9

Classification and Identification

Question 10

Controlled Experiments

Answer 10

Type of investigation in which the causal relationship between two variables is tested in a controlled environment; more specifically, the effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable is tested while aiming to control all other variables

Advantages ~
* They allow researchers to infer causal
relationships between, and draw conclusions
about specific variables.
* They provide researchers with a high level of control over conditions and variables.

Disadvantages ~
* It can be time-consuming and expensive to
manipulate and measure certain variables.
* Confounding or extraneous variables can still occur.

Question 11

Within Subjects

Answer 11

An experimental design in which participants complete every experimental condition

Advantages ~
* Ensures that the results of the experiment are more likely due to the manipulation of the independent variable than any differences between participants that would occur if they were in separate
groups.
* Less people are needed because each participant completes each experimental condition.

Disadvantages ~
* It can produce order effects completing one experimental condition first and then the other/s may influence how participants perform in the latter condition/s.
* a participant dropping out of a within subjects experiment has a greater impact on the study as the experimenter loses two data points instead of one.

Question 12

Between Subjects

Answer 12

An experimental design in which individuals are divided into different groups and complete only one experimental condition

Advantages~
* May be less time-consuming than within-subjects design as different participants can complete the different conditions simultaneously and procedures do not need to be repeated.
* Does not create order effects.

Disadvantages~
* May require more participants
than a within-subjects design.
* Differences between participants (participant differences) across groups can affect results

Question 13

Mixed Design

Answer 13

An experimental design which combines the elements of within subjects and between subjects designs.

Advantages~
* Allows experimenters to
compare results both across
experimental conditions and
across individuals/participants/
groups over time.
* Allows multiple experimental
conditions to be compared to a
baseline control group.

Disadvantages~
* Can be more costly and time- consuming to plan, conduct, and then analyse results.
* Demanding for researchers and
assistants to be across multiple
methods.

Question 14

Population vs Sample

Question 15

Control Group vs experimental group

Question 16

Correlational Study

Question 17

Fieldwork

Answer 17

refers to any research involving observation and interaction with people and environments in real-world settings, conducted beyond the laboratory.

Question 18

Direct Observations

Question 19

Participant Observations

Question 20

Interviews

Answer 20

refers to any research involving
observation and interaction with people and environments in real-world settings, conducted beyond the laboratory.

Question 21

Questionaires

Answer 21

refers to any research involving observation and interaction with people and environments in real-world settings, conducted beyond the laboratory.

Question 22

Focus Groups

Answer 22

refers to any research involving observation and interaction with people and environments in real-world settings, conducted beyond the laboratory.

Question 23

Yarning Circle

Question 24

Literature Reviews

Question 25

Modelling

Question 26

Product, Process or System Development

Question 27

Simulation