paper two - research methods

Question 1

what is an aim

Answer 1

a statement of what the researchers intend to find out in a research study

Question 2

what is a hypothesis

Answer 2

• what the study is designed to test
• predicts which direction the results will go
• precise and testable statement
• operationalisation is a key part of making testable

Question 3

what is a directional hypothesis (1 tailed)

Answer 3

• prediction regarding a positive or negative change, relationship or difference between two variables based on past research

Question 4

what is a non directional hypothesis (2 tailed)

Answer 4

• predicts the independent variable will have an effect on the dependent variable
• direction of effect is not specified as no data has been collected before

Question 5

what is a null hypothesis

Answer 5

says there will be no change no effect and findings are due to chance

Question 6

what is an experiment

Answer 6

a research method where casual conclusions can be made because an independent variable has been deliberately manipulated to observe the effect on the dependent variable

Question 7

what is an extraneous variable and name the three types

Answer 7

an extraneous variable have an affect on the DV without being an alternate IV, nuisance variables and get in the way and make it difficult to observe change
PIS
p) participant variables, variables connected with the participants eg. age and sex
I) investigator variables- variables of the investigator and how they are presented rg. moral fibre race and age
S) situational variables, those connected with the research settings eg. day or night and temp.

Question 8

what is operationalisation of variables

Answer 8

• ensuring the variables are in a format which are easy to test
• making them measurable/quantifiable or creating units

Question 9

explain the six part process of peer review

Answer 9

1) researcher writes paper and submits to editor of a journal
2) editor determines whether the article is of sufficient quality + appropriate, will accept or reject. If A, will pass onto being reviewed
3) the reviewers have specialist knowledge in area and will often be researchers, review for quality and find gaps making sure nothing is overlooked. Name of reviewer and researcher is kept anonymous
4) paper returned to editor with advice to accept, revise or reject it
5) article returned to researcher with advice and requests to revise it, must re submit and go through review process again
6) editor receives revised article and makes final decision to publish or not

Question 10

why is peer review needed

Answer 10

• essential check to prevent incorrect information or faulty data from entering the public domain (eg. MMR vaccine)
• needed to publish and therefor fund applications of the researcher and therefore the university department that fund them.
• adds to the validity and reliability of scientific research
• increases the credibility of the subject as an academic discipline and as a science subject

Question 11

name issues within peer review

Answer 11

• negative findings are not often published, we are only seeing pos correlations, file draw problem
• if biased 3rd parties are funding a massive specific area of research there may be publication bias
• can be academic bias from editors ( strongly held views from editors or reviewers)
• slow process (maybe a positive)
• political or monetary issues
• anonymity, people may be able to guess who has written the research, possibly steal ideas or reject.