Methods (definitions)

Question 1

Correlation coefficient

Answer 1

A number between 1 and -1 which represents the strength and direction of a correlation

Question 2

Content analysis

Answer 2

The indirect study of behaviour through the systematic summary and description of communications that people produce (e.g. emails, magazines, speech)

Question 3

Coding

Answer 3

The stage of quantitative content analysis in which the communication is analysed by identifying each instance of the chosen categories (e.g. words, phrases)

Question 4

Thematic content analysis

Answer 4

A qualitative approach to content analysis which involves identifying prominent, recurring themes, which are usually more descriptive and general than coding categories

Question 5

Reliability

Answer 5

How consistent the findings from an investigation or measuring device are

Question 6

Validity

Answer 6

The extent to which a test measures what it intended to measure (internal), and can be generalised beyond the research setting (external)

Question 7

Face validity

Answer 7

Whether the test appears ‘on the face of it’ to measure what it intends to measure

Question 8

Concurrent validity

Answer 8

Whether the results of the test match the results of a similar, established test

Question 9

Interval data

Answer 9

Data based on established numerical scales that include units of equal, precisely defined size (e.g. time in seconds, length in mm)

Question 10

Ordinal data

Answer 10

Data that has been ordered in some way, with unequal intervals between units (e.g. attractiveness out of 10, test score grade)

Question 11

Nominal data

Answer 11

Discrete data represented as categories (e.g. favourite film genre, number of boys and girls)

Question 12

Parametric test

Answer 12

The most powerful, sensitive statistical tests which should be used when possible (related t, unrelated t, pearson’s r)

Question 13

Chi squared

Answer 13

Unrelated test of difference/correlation, nominal data

Question 14

Mann Whitney

Answer 14

Unrelated test of difference, ordinal data

Question 15

Wilcoxon

Answer 15

Related test of difference, ordinal data

Question 16

Spearman’s Rho

Answer 16

Correlation, ordinal data

Question 17

Sign test

Answer 17

Related test of difference, nominal data

Question 18

Unrelated t-test

Answer 18

Unrelated test of difference, interval data

Question 19

Related t-test

Answer 19

Related test of difference, interval data

Question 20

Pearson’s r

Answer 20

Correlation, interval data

Question 21

Alternative hypothesis

Answer 21

A hypothesis (directional or non directional) which states that the investigation will find a difference/change (H1)

Question 22

Null hypothesis

Answer 22

A hypothesis which states that the investigation will not find a difference/change (H0)

Question 23

Critical value

Answer 23

The numerical boundary between acceptance and rejection of the null hypothesis

Question 24

Type I error

Answer 24

Accepting the alternative hypothesis and rejecting the null hypothesis when it should have been the other way round (false positive)

Question 25

Type II error

Answer 25

Accepting the hull hypothesis and rejecting the alternative hypothesis when it should have been the other way round (false negative)

Question 26

The rule of R

Answer 26

Statistical tests with an ‘r’ in the name require the calculated value to be equal to or more that the critical value

Question 27

Degrees of freedom (chi-squared)

Answer 27

(Rows-1) x (columns-1)

Question 28

Degrees of freedom (related t-test)

Answer 28

N - 1

Question 29

Degrees of freedom (unrelated t-test)

Answer 29

N(condition 1) + N(condition 2) - 2

Question 30

Abstract

Answer 30

A short summary of the aims, hypotheses, procedure, results, and conclusions of the investigation at the beginning of a journal article

Question 31

Introduction

Answer 31

A review of the area of investigation, including theories, concepts and studies, beginning generally and narrowing in until the aims and hypotheses are presented

Question 32

Method

Answer 32

Sufficient procedural detail so that the study can be replicated - design, sample (inc. method and target population), materials, procedure (inc. brief, instructions, debrief), ethics

Question 33

Results

Answer 33

A summary of the findings: descriptive statistics, inferential statistics (statistical test, calculated and critical values, significance level), raw data, content analysis

Question 34

Discussion

Answer 34

A prosaic summary of the findings with discussion including context, limitations, and wider implications

Question 35

Referencing

Answer 35

Full details of any source material drawn upon or cited in the report, formally referenced

Question 36

Paradigm

Answer 36

A shared and accepted set of assumptions and methods within a scientific discipline

Question 37

Paradigm shift

Answer 37

A significant change in the dominant theory within a scientific discipline as a result of a scientific revolution

Question 38

Objectivity

Answer 38

When all sources of person bias are minimised so as not to influence the research process, something to strive for in scientific work

Question 39

The empirical method

Answer 39

Scientific approaches base on the gathering of evidence through direct observation and experience e.g. experiments, observations, interviews

Question 40

Replicability

Answer 40

The extent to which scientific research and findings can be repeated by other researchers across different contexts

Question 41

Falsifiability

Answer 41

The claim from Popper that a theory can only be considered scientific if there are means by which it would be proved wrong

Question 42

Pre-science

Answer 42

A variety of theories existing to explain a phenomenon, but there is no generally accepted theory/paradigm. Kuhn claimed that Psychology is a pre-science.

Question 43

Lie scale

Answer 43

A test incorporated in questionnaires to assess the consistency of the participant’s responses and to control for social desirability bias