Reseach Methods - Aims And Hypothesis

Question 1

What is the first thing to do when conducting research?

Answer 1

Deciding upon an aim

Question 2

What is an aim

Answer 2

A precise statement about the purpose of the study and what it intends to find out
It should include what is being studied and what the study is trying to achieve

Question 3

What is the second step of conducting a research?

Answer 3

Operationalising the independent and dependent variable
E.g. IV would be the type of chocolate and how much is consumed and DV would be the participants rating their mood on a scale of 1-10

Question 4

What is the third step of conducting an experiment?

Answer 4

Deciding a hypothesis and operationalise it

Question 5

What is a hypothesis?

Answer 5

A precise, testable statement about the expected outcome of an experiment

Question 6

What are significant diffferences

Answer 6

Differences in the DV resulting from the manipulation of the IV, if it has been shown the difference are highly unlikely due to chance

Question 7

What are the 2 types of hypothesis

Answer 7

Null hypothesis
Alternative/experimental hypothesis

Question 8

Null hypothesis

Answer 8

Predicts the IV will have no effect on the DV
E.g. chocolate will have no effect on a persons mood

Question 9

Alternative/experimental hypothesis

Answer 9

This predicts that the IV will have an effect on the DV e.g. chocolate will have an effect on the mood

Question 10

What are the two types of alternative hypothesis?

Answer 10

Non directional hypothesis - two tailed
Directional hypothesis - one tailed

Question 11

Non directional hypothesis, two tailed

Answer 11

This does not state the direction of the predicate differences between the condition
E.g. eating chocolate will significantly affect a persons mood

Question 12

Directional hypothesis, one tailed

Answer 12

This states the direction of the predicted difference between the two conditions
e.g. eating chocolate will increase a persons mood