Research Methods Flashcards
iv
the variable for which quantities are manipulated by the researcher, and the variable that is assumed to have a direct effect on the dependent variable
hypothesis
a testable prediction
about the outcome of an investigation. includes: population, variables, and a prediction about the ‘direction’ of results
dv
s the variable the researcher measures in an experiment for changes it may experience due to the effect of the independent variable.
ev
any variable that is not the independent variable but may cause an unwanted effect on the dependent variable
sampling methods
convenience
random
stratified
cv
confounding variable - has directly and systematically
affected the dependent
variable, apart from the
independent variable
experimental vs control group
experimental: the group of participants in an experiment who are exposed to a manipulated independent variable
control: the group of participants in an experiment who receive no experimental treatment or intervention in order to serve as a baseline for comparison
operationalised definition + examples
in depth, specific
aim
an aim is a statement outlining the purpose of the investigation
research question
a question that a study or experiment aims to answer
scientific method
theory, hypothesis, research, conclusion
theory
A theory is a proposition or set of principles that is used to explain something or make predictions about cause and effect.
model
A model is a representation of a concept, process, or behaviour, often made to simplify or make
something easier to understand.
operationalised variables
Operationalising variables refers to specifying exactly how the variables will be manipulated or measured in a particular controlled experiment
eg. ‘quality of sleep’, this may be operationalised as ‘the hours of REM, NREM, and total sleep as measured by EEG recordings’
controlled variables
variables other than the IV that a researcher holds constant (controls) in an investigation, to ensure that changes in the DV are solely due to changes in the IV. not part of the investigation
controlled experiment
a type of investigation which measures the causal relationship between one or more independent variables and a dependent variable, whilst controlling for all
other variables.
case study
an in-depth investigation of an individual, group, or particular phenomenon
(activity, behaviour, event, or problem) that contains a real or hypothetical situation and
includes the complexities that would be encountered in the real world
correlational study
a type of non-experimental study in which researchers observe and measure the relationship between two or more variables without any active control or manipulation of them. variables are only measured and not manipulated
classification
the arrangement of phenomena, objects, or events into manageable sets
identification
a process of recognition of phenomena as belonging to particular sets or possibly being part of a new or unique set
fieldwork
any research involving observation and interaction with people and environments in real-world settings, conducted beyond the laboratory
literature view
the process of collating and analysing secondary data related to other people’s scientific findings and/or viewpoints, in order to answer a question or provide
background information to help explain observed events, or as preparation for an investigation to generate primary data
modelling
the construction and/or manipulation of either a physical model, such as
a small- or large-scale representation of an object, or a conceptual model that represents a system, involving concepts that help people know, understand, or simulate the system.
simulation
the process of using a model to study the behaviour of a real or theoretical system. Simulations are useful for understanding how different variables operate in a system
Product, process, or system development
the design or evaluation of an artefact, process, or system to meet a human need, which may involve
technological applications, in addition to scientific knowledge and procedures
designs in controlled experiments
within subjects: participants complete every experimental condition
between subjects: individuals are divided into
different groups and complete only one experimental condition
mixed design: s of within-subjects and between-subjects designs. This allows experimenters to note differences that occur within
each experimental group over time, and also compare differences across experimental groups
allocation
the process of assigning participants to experimental conditions or groups
pseudoscience
beliefs,
theories, and practices
that are mistakenly
regarded as, or claim to
be scientific, but are not
because they do not use
the methods of science
