Reasearch Methods Section Flashcards
What is Spearmans RHO?
Spearmans Rho can be used in the following scenario: A study teasting for a relationship, using ordinal/interval data.
What is mode?
Data Collection - Mode
Mode: Most common value.
Data: Type: Nominal.
Pros: Useful for categorised data.
Cons: Not useful if there are several common values in the data.
Mode is a measure of central tendency.
What are Wilcoxon’s Test pairs?
Wilcoxon T can be used only in the following scenario: A study testing for a difference, using repeated measures or matched pairs with ordinal/interval data.
What is the sign test?
Sign Test can be used only in the following scenario: A study testing for a difference, using repeated measures or matched pairs with nominal data.
What is Mann Whitney U?
Mann Whitney U can be used only in the following scenario: A study testing for a difference, using independent groups with ordinal/interval data.
What is Chi squared?s
Chi Square can be used in two scenarios. It is always used for nominalisation data. It can be used for either studies testing for a relationship or difference. If it is used in the case of testing for a difference then it must also be used when independent groups are.
To summarise: Independent Groups? Chi Square (if the following)
Nominal? Chi Square
What is a Bar chart used for?
Bar Chart = Nominal/Ordinal data.
What is a Histogram used for?
Histogram = Interval/Ratio data.
What is a scatter graph used for?
Scattergraph = Correlational
All about Range
Data Collection - Range
Range: The difference between the highest and lowest value.
Data Type: Ordinal.
Pros: It’s easy to calculate/provides direct information.
Cons: Affected by extreme values.
Range is a measure of dispersion.
All about Standard Deviation
Data Collection - Standard Deviation
Standard Deviation: Displays the spread of data around the mean.
Data Type: Interval/Ratio.
Pros: All the data is taken into account which gives it precision.
Cons: It can hide parts of the data e.g. extreme values.
Standard deviation is a measure of dispersion.
All about Mode
Data Collection - Mode Mode: Most common value. Data: Type: Nominal. Pros: Useful for categorised data. Cons: Not useful if there are several common values in the data. Mode is a measure of central tendency.
All about median
Data Collection - Median
Median: The centre value in an ordered list.
Data Type: Ordinal.
Pros: Is not affected by extreme parts of data.
Cons: Not as sensitive to values in the data (e.g. compared to the mean).
Median is a measure of central tendency.
All about Mean
Data Collection - Mean
Mean: Add up all the numbers and then divide by the quantity of numbers.
Data Type: Interval/Ratio.
Pros: Uses all of the values in the data set.
Cons: It can misrepresent data if there are numbers extremely high or low.
Mean is a measure of central tendency.
What is interval/ratio data?
Data that is separated by exact intervals. The difference between interval and ratio data is that interval data has no true zero point whereas ratio data does. E.g. measuring everyone’s height in cm to accurately know the differences between heights.
What is ordinal data?
Data that is ranked by order. E.g. Lining people up by height where the difference between each person is not necessarily the same.
What is nominal data?
Data that is categorised. E.g. putting people into groups according to height, “short, average, tall”.
What are the pros and cons of Quota sampling?
Less time consuming than other sample methods (e.g. stratified sample).
May be biased due to it’s opportunity nature.
What are the pros and cons of stratified sampling?
It’s more representative of the target population than other methods (e.g. volunteer sample).
It can be more time consuming to work out the strata than other methods (e.g. opportunity sample).
What are the pros and cons of systematic sampling?
Less biased than other sampling methods (e.g. volunteer) as participants are selected using an objective method
Lists may not be available or easily constructed of the target population
What are the pro and cons of random sampling?
Can be more representative than other methods (e.g. volunteer) as each member of the target population has equal chance of being selected
People chosen to take part not want to which could still lead to a biased sample
What are the pros and cons of volunteer sampling?
Can avoid potential ethical issues e.g. lack of consent.
Biased because extraneous factors may influence why they chose to volunteer e.g. only the highly motivated/people with time available (Volunteer Bias
What are the pros and cons of opportunity sampling?
More practical than other methods (e.g. quota sampling)
Creates a biased sample due to only using people available at a specific time, often in a specific location.
What is quota sampling?
A stratified sample except not randomly selecting participants (usually volunteer or opportunity).
Still try to ensure important proportions of the target population however any number of the target population is acceptable.
E.g. if you are asked to be a part of their study then you are a member of their target population but if you’re not stopped then they’ve probably fulfilled their quota that you fit into or they don’t need you as a part of their target population.
Researcher: Whatup we need 21 males to every 20 females but Idc about their hair colours so let’s not ratio that.
