QUIZ 1 Flashcards
Basic Research
Conducted for knowledge’s sake.
Evaluates theories and answers empirical questions.
Little emphasis on real-world applications.
explores the “why” and “how” of natural phenomena to expand our scientific understanding, without immediate practical applications.
Applied Research
Focuses on addressing real-world problems or developing practical solutions based on existing knowledge and principles.
Overlaps with basic research and informs each other
example– developing educational technology tools to enhance learning outcomes.
Four Goals of Science
Description: What happens in a given situation.
Variability: How people differ or respond to different situations.
Explanation: Why events occur and why people respond differently.
Prediction: Making hypotheses about when and how events will occur.
Control: Changing behavior or conditions to improve outcomes (highest level).
Method of Authority
Consulting authoritative sources or experts.
Useful for generating hypotheses and theories.
Empirical Explanations
Based on systematic observations and data.
Scientific explanations are empirical and testable.
Primary Sources
Full research reports with method details
Secondary Sources
Summarize information from primary sources
Correlational Research
Examines relationships between variables.
Doesn’t imply causality.
Experimental Research
Manipulate one variable to see if it causes a change in another variable
Possible to infer causality
Quasi-Experimental Designs
Resemble experiments but lack a true independent variable.
Often used when randomization is impractical or unethical.
Cannot establish causality.
like experiments but not as controlled. They’re used when it’s hard to control all the variables
Internal Validity
Concerns the quality of the study.
Address alternative explanations for findings.
Probability Sampling
Simple Random Sampling, Stratified Random Sampling, Oversampling.
Simple Random Sampling
Randomly select a sample from the population
- E.g., Random digit dialing
- Reduces systematic bias, but does not guarantee a representative sample it’s all based on chance
Stratified Random Sampling
Population is divided into demographic strata
- A random sample taken from each stratum in proportion to the makeup of the population
Oversampling
Population divided into demographic strata
- A random sample is taken from each stratum
- Equally sized random samples are drawn from each stratum
different from stratified random sampling because some groups may be over/under represented
Cluster Sampling
Used when populations are very large
- The unit of sampling is a group rather than individuals
o A whole class instead of a student
Temporal sequencing
chronological order in which events or actions occur. It involves understanding the sequence or timing of events, where one event happens before or after another.
Covariation
when one thing changes, another thing changes along with it. It’s about observing how two or more things tend to go up or down together.
Unsystematic Observation
observation of everyday behavior
Watching people in a park and noting the different activities they engage in without a specific plan or checklist
Systematic Observation
Planned observation of real-world behavior
Counting the number of students who raise their hands to answer questions in a classroom
Tentative
They’re never accepted as absolutely correct
conclusions that are not firmly established and may require further research or evidence to confirm
Parsimonious
Provide the simplest explanation using the fewest possible assumptions
Statistical Significance
p < .05 is good
Confirmational Strategy
Straightforward test of a prediction from a theory
Disconfirmational Strategy
Focus on a result that, according to the theory, should not occur and try to see if you can get it to happen
Strong Inference
Design an experiment where if the results turn out one way, it supports theory A and if it turns out the other way it supports theory B
Putting two theories against each other
Covariation
Changes in the cause correspond to changes in the effect
Directionality problem
a situation in which it is unclear which variable in an association came first
3rd variable problem
When two variables correlate it might be because there both caused by a third variable
The Golden Rule of experimental design
Change one thing at a time
Extraneous Variables
any variables other than the independent variable that seem likely to influence the dependent variable in a specific study
External Validity
how well the findings of a study can be applied to or represent the real world and different situations or people.
whether the study’s results can be trusted beyond the specific conditions it was conducted in.
External validity is threatened by
Factors that make the research setting unlike the “real world”
Problems with the sample for your study
