Research Methodology Flashcards
Aim
The purpose of a study. Indicates which behavior or mental process will be studied.
Operationalize
Variables need to be written in a way that is clear about what is being measured.
Independent Variable
The variable that causes a change in the other variable.
Dependent Variable
The variable that is measured after the manipulation of the independent variable.
Single Blind
Participants do not know what the study is about
Double Blind
Participants do not know they are in the treatment or control group, and the person carrying out the experiment does not know the aim of the study or whether each group is the treatment, or control group.
Target Population
The group whose behavior the researcher wishes to investigate.
Sample
The nature of the group of participants.
Opportunity Sample
A sample of whoever happens to be there and agrees to participate.
Self-selected Sample
Made up of volunteers.
Snowball Sample
Participants recruit other participants from among their friends and acquaintances.
Random Sample
Every member of the target population has an equal chance of being selected. This is used to obtain a representative sample.
Stratified Sample
Used to have a sample that takes into consideration the diversity of a target population. Draws random samples from each subpopulation within the target population.
Participant Variables
The extent to which the participants share a common set of traits that can bias the outcome of the study.
Hawthorne Effect
When participants act differently simply because they know that they are in an experiment.
Validity
Whether the research does what it claims to do.
Ecological Validity
The study represents what happens in real life.
Reliability
The results can be replicated. Usually used in reference to experimental study.
Structured Interview
The interview schedule may state exactly what questions should be asked, as well as the order of the questions. Very controlled
Unstructured Interview
Interview schedule only specifies the topic and the available time.
Semi-Structured Interview
Could look like an informal conversation, but the interview does follow a schedule. Usually will have a set of questions that permits the respondent to answer more freely.
Case Studies
In a case study, the researcher observes the behavior of an individual or a group of individuals. Case studies allow researchers to investigate a topic in far more detail than if they were dealing with a large number of researchers.
