Research Methods Flashcards
Primary data AO1
Information researcher gathers directly from a group of pps
Direct observation, survey or interviews
Secondary data AO1
Relies on evidence gathered by other researchers by accessing peer reviewed articles or public access statistics
Primary data AO3
More time consuming and ethical considerations
Expensive and difficult to acquire but is trustworthy
Secondary data AO3
Researcher has no way of knowing how reliable/ valid original research was
Conclusions drawn are originally flawed
Longitudinal research AO1
Takes place over a long time, compare single sample group with own performance over time
Longitudinal research AO3
Advantage
No difficulty with comparisons between diff people, removes individual differnces
Only way to reliably measure effect of time on behaviour, v important when considering if treatments can improve
Longitudinal research AO3
Disadvantage
Research takes a long time and patients may drop out making final outcome less valid
By the time conclusions can be made data may be irrelevant
Cross sectional studies AO1
Large group sample with a good cross section of whome target population
(Longitudinal study in a short space of time)
Cross section studies AO3
Advantage
Very quick and conclusions can be acted on rapidly
More likely results will be more valid as they will be reported at time they have application
Cross sectional study AO3
Disadvantage
Individual differences may have significant affects on conclusions drawn
May be cohort effects due to being raised at a certain time
Cross cultural methods AO1
Samples from diff cultural groups to draw comparisons between to consider how culture may impact on behaviour in question
Cross cultural method AO3
Strength
Allows researcher to gain understanding on how culture plays a role in validity and reliability of diagnoses
Can also reduce levels of ethnocentrism and improve generalisability of research
Meta analysis AO1
Secondary data from multiple studies by other researchers and drawing finding together to make overal conclusions
Used studies from a variety of places, cultures and times which have all tested the same area with aim to bring findings together
Meta analysis AO3
Advantages
Conclusions can be drawn from large areas and huge sample with less cost
No ethical concerns as not dealing w patients first hand
Meta analysis AO3
Weakness
No involvement in gathering data directly, may be undisclosed issues of validity/ reliability
May be publication bias which affects validity
Researchers may include unpublished work to make data more valid but also makes increased risk of using data as it hasn’t been scrutinised by peer review in the same way
