Research Methods 1 Flashcards
What is reliability?
When something can be repeated to get the same results
What is validity?
How confident are we that the test or measurement is actually doing the job it is supposed to do
What is the research aim?
What you aim to find out
What is the research question?
Pretty much the aim, but phrased as a question
What is standardisation?
This means making things the same (standard) for each condition.
What is counterbalancing and how can hit help an experiment?
This is used in repeated measure designs. This is when you change the order in which the participant takes part in the conditions. This can help to control order effects
What is randomization?
This is the process of choosing the order or use of variables by chance.
What is the strengths of an opportunity sample?
The easiest method as you use the first participants you see
What is the weakness of an opportunity sample?
Bias, the method as the sample is drawn from a small part of the population
What are the strengths of a random sample?
Unbiased as all members of the target population have an equal chance of being selected
Weaknesses of the random sample?
Impossible to carry out a random sample, unless the population is small, the sampling frame may be bias
What is the strength of a self-selecting sample?
Access to a wide variety of participants
What are the weaknesses of self-selecting?
Volunteer bias, Participants may have extra time on their hands or be highly motivated
What is the strength of a stratified sample?
More representative than opportunity sample as groups are proportionately represented
What are the weaknesses of a stratified sample?
Time-consuming to complete
