Research Methods Flashcards
Random sampling
Every member has equal chance
Systematic sampling
Every nth person is selected
Reliability
The consistency of a measurement
Internal reliability
Internal consistency of a measure
Split-half
Date collected and split in half results of each half compared
External reliability
Consistency with different measures of in the same one text to another
Test- retest
Re-administering some test to some people under some conditions but different occasions
Inter- rater
Subjectively leading to bias
Inter-observer
Doing study and getting second researcher to study compare correlation coalition of + 0.80
Validity
The extent to a result reflects a true findings is real world
Internal validity
findings related to the manipulation of independent variables
External validity
Can be generalised beyond the study
Population validity
Can results be generalised by general population
Ecological validity
Results be generalised to real world and real life
Mundane realism
Task be generalised to real world and real life
Temporal validity
Can results be generated across different times
Face validity
Simple technique to test for validity
Concurrent validity
Comparing new procedure with similar procedures that been done before
Stratified sampling
Population divided into distinct stat and specific numbers
Opportunity sampling
Happen able to get regardless of representation
Volunteer sampling
Volunteer when asked
Ordinal data sampling
Qualities categories all natural order
Ordinal data sampling
Qualities categories all natural order
British psychological society
Responsible for promotion of excellences ethical practice
Informed consent
Participant not given all the aims of the study stop demand characteristics
Presumptive consent
Informing group of individuals similar to research participants about aims of study
Prior general consent
Informing participants that may be deceived in some way
Retrospective consent
Participants gives consent for their data to be used in research once debriefed
Deception
Prevents participants to give informed consent
Right to withdraw
It leave during study lead to bias
participants who receive money or uni credits may feel less able to
Protection from physical and psychological ham
Scientists difficult to guarantee from protection harm
Confidentially
Researcher wish publish findings but data protection act make confidentiality right
Privacy
Only research is observing the study
Pilot studies
Small trial version of proposal study
Can identify potential issues early
Laboratory experiment: strengths
In controlled environment
high control over confounding and extraneous variables.
Researcher ensure effect on DV’s be result of manipulation of IV.
be more certain demonstrating cause and effect
Replication more possible because of high control ensure new extraneous variable not introduced when repeating experiment
Laboratory experiment: weaknesses
Lack of generalisation
Environment be artificial not like everyday life
Un familiar area participants may behave in unusual was so behaviour not always be generalised beyond research setting low external validity
Participants know being tested cause unnatural behaviour demand characteristics
Not represent everyday experiences mundane realism
Field experiments
Researcher goes to participants usual environment
IV manipulated in a natural everyday setting
Field experiment: strengths
High mundane realism because environment more natural
Produce behaviour that more valid and authentic
Participant be unaware being studied high external validity
Field experiment: weaknesses
Increase realism = loss of control of CVs and EVs
Can cause effect between IV and DV St in field studies be more difficult to establish and precise replication not possible
Ethical issue
Natural experiment
Measure effect IV on a DV
Researcher no control over the IV and cannot change it
Someone or something else causes it to vary
Natural experiment: strengths
Provide opportunities for research that may not otherwise be undertaken for practical or ethical reasons
High external validity because involves real world issues and problems
Natural experiment: weaknesses
Event only happens rarely reducing opportunities for research
Limits scope of generalising finding to other situations
Participants may not be randomly allocated to
Experimental conditions
Quasi experiments
Having as IV that based on existing difference between people
no one manipulates the variable
Just exists
The IV can not be changed
Quasi experiments: strengths and weaknesses
Carried out controlled conditions
An not randomly allocate participants to conditions therefore may be confounding variables
IV not deliberately changed by researcher
Operationalised
To be precise and clear about what is being manipulated or measured
Research aims.
A general statement about what the researcher intends to investigate
Hypotheses
A statement of what you believe is true
Precise and testable
Directional hypothesis
States the direction of the predicted difference between two conditions or two groups of people
Directional hypothesis: template
Participant who complete condition A will score higher on DV compared to participants who complete condition B
Non-directional hypothesis
A hypothesis that not give direction of the prediction
Non-directional hypothesis: template
There will be a difference in DV sores between condition A and condition B
Extraneous variables
The variable that isn’t the IV but could affect the dependant variable it not controlled
Participant variables
Any characteristics of participant that can impact result of the study
Demand characteristics
Participants works out aim of study and change behaviour
Investigator effect
When researcher unintentionally or unconsciously influence the outcome
Situational variables
Features of the experiment that can effect the results
Experimental hypothesis
Researcher controls /manipulates the IV in order to measure effect on DV
Can measure cause and effect
Hypothesis States a difference
Correlations
No manipulation of one variable
Measuring two co-variables
Not establish cause and effect
Hypothesis States a ‘ relationship’ or ‘association’
Correlation coefficients
A number between -1 and +1
Strengths and weaknesses of correlation
In one note under correlation
Matching pairs
Different participants in each condition
Matched on important variables
Like age, sex and personality
Independent groups/ measures
Different participants in each group
Repeated measures
All participants do task with both audience and then without
Order effect
Occurs when participants responses in the various conditions are effected by the order of conditioning to which were exposed
Counter balancing
Half participants do task with audience then without
Others do conditions but other way around
Sections of a science report: Abstract
- first section in journal article
- short summary
- 150-200 words
- includes brief overview of all major element
- aims and hypotheses
- methods/procedures
- results
- conclusions
Sections of science report: introduction
- literature review of relevant theories and studies related to current study
- gradually become more specific towards current study
- includes and aims and hypotheses
Sections of science report: method
Should include sufficient detail so other researchers can replicate the study
- design
-sample= target population, size of sample
- Apparatus/materials
- procedure= a ‘recipe-style’ list of everything that happening from beginning to end, including briefing,standardised instructions and debriefing
- ethics= have these been addressed
Sections of science report: results
- summarise key findings
- descriptive statistics
- inferential statistics
Qualitative data= analysis of theme and / or categories - no raw data in this section
Sections of a science report: discussion
- summarise key results and conclusions in context of the evidence from introduction to other relevant research
- limitations of the study and how they might be addressed in future study
- wider implications
Sections of a science report: references
- full details of any source materials cut4rd in report
- important to avoid plagiarism
- books
Author (date) title of book. Place of publication, publisher - journal articles
Author(s) (date). Article title. Journal name, volume (issues), page number
Sections of a science report: appendices (sometimes)
- include additional resources/information which may be of internet e..g:
- raw data tables
- copy of questionare/interview schedule
- ethics application
Peer review
GO TO ONE NOTE
Primary data
Collected yourself
Original data collected specially for that purpose
Secondary data
Collected by someone other than person doing the study
Qualitative data
Data expressed in words
Quantitative data
Data expressed numerically
Quantitative data
Data expressed numerically
