Practical Investigation Flashcards
Abstract
A brief summary of the key elements of a research study which appears at the start of a report.
Aim
A statement communicating the intended purpose of a research investigation.
Allocation
The method by which researchers divide participants into experimental and control conditions.
Animal ethics in research
The moral principles that must be followed regarding the use of animals within psychological research.
Appendix
A section at the end of a research report including any question sheets, raw data or other supplementary information relevant to the research.
Bar chart
A graphical representation of data which displays the investigated quantities as solid blocks or ‘bars’.
Case study
An in-depth scientific investigation into a person, group, place or event which often involves multiple sources of data.
Conclusion
A summation and judgement about the meaningfulness of the results of an experiment that appears at the end of a report.
Confidentiality
An ethical principle stating that participants have the right to remain anonymous in published research and have any data regarding themselves stored securely.
Confounding Variable
An extraneous variable which has a systematic unwanted effect on the dependent variable.
Construct validity
The degree to which the instruments or research tools used in an experiment e ectively assess the topic of interest.
Control group
A group of participants in an experiment who are not exposed to the experimental conditions (independent variable), forming a baseline for comparison with the experimental group.
Convenience sampling
A method for selecting the sample for a research study in which participants are selected based on their accessibility and readiness to take part in the research.
Counterbalancing
A strategy adopted to control the order effect in which the order in which half of the participants are exposed to the experimental condition first and then the control condition and vice versa in a repeated measures design.
Cross sectional study
A type of study in which data is analysed at a particular point in time.
Debriefing
An ethical principle stating that at the conclusion of a research study, participants have the right to have results explained to them and to have any negative e ects of research participation removed.
Deception
A procedure that occurs when participants are not told the truth about the aims of a research study in order to avoid extraneous variables. In research, this should be avoided as much as possible in order to uphold ethical principles.
Dependent variable
The variable that is affected by the independent variable in an experiment which is measured to test the effect of the independent variable.
Descriptive statistic
A mathematical calculation that describes, organises and summarises raw data.
Discussion
A section of a research report in which the significance of the research findings are interpreted and described.
Double blind procedure
An experimental design technique in which both participants and researchers are unaware as to whether they have been assigned to the control or experimental group.
Effect of sample size
The impact that the number of participants used in a research study has on the reliability of the resulting findings.
Ethics committee
A group of experts who assess whether a research proposal can be conducted ethically to determine whether it should be conducted.
Experiment
A scientific procedure carried out to test a hypothesis where a researcher manipulates an independent variable to see the effect it has on the dependent variable.
Experimental group
A group of participants in an experiment who are exposed to the experimental conditions (independent variable).
Experimenter effect
A change in participant behaviour due to the experimenter’s treatment or influence.
External validity
The degree to which a study is done, and reported, in a way that findings can be applied to the wider population.
Extraneous variable
Any variable other than the independent variable that has an unwanted effect on the results and hence alters the dependent variable.
Generalisation
A statement that relates the findings of a research study to the wider population.
Hawthorne effect
An experimental effect in which a change in behaviour occurs because a participant is aware that they are being observed.
Implication
A conclusion that can be drawn from research findings that is not explicitly stated.
Independent groups design
An experimental design where each participant is randomly assigned to one of either the experimental or control groups.
Independent variable
The characteristic that a researcher manipulates or changes in an experiment to determine its effect on the dependent variable. This varies between the experimental and control groups.