Research Methods Flashcards
Outline Respect as an ethical requirement
Treating participants or animals in a humane, fair and unprejudiced way
Describe Confidentiality as an ethical requirement
The participants’ identity must be kept anonymous and data must be recorded as unidentifiable using pseudonyms
Describe Deception as an ethical requirement
Participants are misled or wrongly informed about the aims of the research. This includes: deliberate misleading (lying) and failure to disclose (omission) of full information about the study.
Describe Informed Consent as an ethical requirement
Permission must be obtained for participants to consent in the research study.
An adult (18+) can provide consent or parents/legal guardians of minors can also provide consent to allow their children to participate in a study
Describe the Right to Withdraw as an ethical guideline
Participants should be able to leave a study at any time if they feel uncomfortable.
They should also be allowed to withdraw their data and must be told at the start of the study that they have the right to withdraw.
Describe Debriefing as an ethical requirement
After the research is over, the researcher will explain the purpose, procedure and findings to the participant to minimise the impact of harm and distress.
Define ‘aim’
A statement of a study’s purpose
What is an independent variable?
A variable directly manipulated by the researcher (cause).
What is a dependent variable?
The variable which will be affected by the change in the IV (effect).
Define operationalised
Describing the process by which the variable is measured (units, scale or definitions).
What is a null hypothesis?
The hypothesis you assume to be true in your study. A prediction that there will be no relationship or no significant difference between the IV and DV
What is an alternative hypothesis?
The hypothesis which is accepted if the data proves the null hypothesis to be rejected. A prediction that there will be a relationship or a significant difference between the IV and DV.
What is a directional hypothesis?
A hypothesis which predicts the direction of the difference or relationship between the variables
What is a non-directional hypothesis?
A hypothesis which does not state the direction of the outcome for the variables being studied
What are confounding variables?
Variables which are not the IV and are shown to be influencing the DV
What are questionnaires?
A type of self-report data which is useful for surveying attitudes, beliefs and behaviours that can provide both quantitative and qualitative data
What are Closed Questions?
The participants are limited in their responses, for example ticking a box or choosing an option. Quantitative data which is easier to analyse is obtained however responses are in lesser depth and detail.
What are Open Questions?
The participants are invited to respond in any way, in their own words producing detailed qualitative data which is difficult to analyse.
What is a Structured Interview?
The interviewer has a pre-written set of questions which they do not deviate from; all participants are asked the same questions in the same order
What is an Unstructured Interview?
The interviewer may have a few general questions in mind but there are no set questions; there is instead flexibility to pick up on issues in the participant’s comments and for them to expand on their responses
What is a semi-structured interview?
The interview is between the two types described. It has a set of pre-determined questions but the respondent is free to expand on their responses. The interviewee is free to ask follow up questions as and when deemed necessary.
Strengths of questionnaires
+ Shows what people think/feel
+ Easily repeated
+ Respondents feel anonymous
Weakness of questionnaires
- Social desirability bias
- Possible biased sample
Strengths of open questions
+ Rich detail of response
+ Unexpected results
Weaknesses of open questions
- Harder to draw conclusions
- Interpretation is subjective
Strengths of using closed questions
+ Easy to analyse (quantitative)
+ Answers are more objective
Weaknesses of using closed questions
- Pps cannot express feelings
- Oversimplifies reality
Strengths of using a ranked scale
+ Objective
+ Produces quantitative data
Weaknesses of using a ranked scale
- Social desirability bias
Describe random sampling
Strengths of random sampling
Weaknesses of random sampling
Describe systematic sampling
Strengths of systematic sampling
Weaknesses of systematic sampling
Describe stratified sampling
Strengths of stratified sampling
Weaknesses of stratified sampling
Describe opportunity sampling
Strengths of opportunity sampling
Weaknesses of opportunity sampling
Describe volunteer sampling