Research Methods Flashcards
Define experimental method
The experimental method concerns the manipulation of an independent variable (IV) to have an effect on the dependent variable (DV) which is measured and stated in results
What is the difference between a directional and non-directional hypothesis?
A directional hypothesis states the direction of the impact of independent variable (IV) on the dependent variable (DV) whereas non-directional does not state the direction of the relationship between the IV and the DV
Identify 5 types of sampling methods
1) Opportunity sampling
2) Random sampling
3) Systematic sampling
4) Stratified sampling
5) Volunteer sampling
Outline how you would take a stratified sample
1) Identify the strata
2) Calculate the required proportion for each stratum based on the size of the target population
3) Select the sample at random from each stratum
4) To do this, you can use a random selection method (e.g. using a computer)
Explain one advantage of using a stratified sample
The sample is able to be more representative of the target population compared to other types of sampling
Explain what is meant by operationalisation
Operationalisation is the process by which a researcher defines how a concept is measured, observed, or manipulated within a particular study. For example, social anxiety can be operationally defined in terms of self-rating scores, behavioural avoidance of crowded places, or physical anxiety symptoms in social situations
What is the difference between the independent variable and the dependent variable?
IV is the variable that is manipulated to observe its effect on the DV whereas the DV is the variable that is being measured and is affected by the DV
Explain the difference between the aim and the hypothesis
The aim of the study tells us what the study is investigating whereas the hypothesis is a statement that predicts the relationship between the IV and the DV
Identify the 4 types of experiments
1) Labatory
2) Field
3) Quasi
4) Natural
Describe the process of carrying out a peer review
1) To allocate research fundings to projects that is worthwhile
2) To make sure the research is of good quality and is relevant
3) To be able to suggest improvements so that faulty or incorrect data is not released to the public
Define the two types of skewed distributions
Positively skewed distributions- when plotted on a graph, the data has a long tail on the right
Negatively skewed distributions- when plotted on a graph, the data has a long tail on the left
Give 2 strengths of conducting a content analysis
1) It has high mundane realism and external validity as what is being studied is already out there in the real world.
2) Produces a large data set of both qualitative and quantitative data that is easy to analyse
Give two limitations of a content analysis
1) Casualty cannot be established as it merely describes the data
2) As it only describes the data it cannot extract any deeper meaning or explanation for the data patterns arising from
Give three limitations of conducting a case study
1) As it only concerns one person it is not really generalisable to wider population
2) Retrospective studies may rely on memory which can be unreliable
3) They are time consuming
Define reliability
It is a measure of consistency, for example if a particular measurement is replicable then that measurement is described as being reliable
Describe the difference between a single-blind procedure and a double-blind procedure
In a double-blind procedure, neither the researcher nor the participant are aware of the aims, procedures and conditions of the study. In a single-blind procedure it’s only the participant who isn’t aware of them- the researcher is
Describe the difference between unstructured and structured observation
An unstructured observation consists of continuous recording where everything the researcher sees is written down, whereas structured observation has a predetermined list of behaviours and sampling methods with which the researcher quantifies their observations (e.g. notes the number of times a participant crosses their arms)
Describe how correlations differ from experiments
Firstly, with correlation variables are simply measured not manipulated. Secondly, there is no DV or IV involved which means there is no cause and effect relationship found, only an association is found.
Identify three measures of central tendency
1) Mode
2) Median
3) Mean
Describe the difference between primary and secondary data
Primary data is obtained firsthand by the researcher whereas secondary data has already been collected by someone else other than the researcher
Outline three things a researcher should think about when constructing a questionnaire
1) Clarity- the researcher should make sure it is clear what each of the questions are asking
2) Analysis- the questionnaire should be written in a way that can be easily analysed
3) Sequencing questions- the researcher should think about the order of questions, maybe easy ones first then harder ones last to build up confidence of participants
Give two strengths of conducting an unstructured interview
1) Lots of data is collected which has more depth and detail
2) It can tailored to individuals giving more insight into the subjective experience of the person being interviewed
Identify various types of observation
1) Naturalistic
2) Controlled
3) Overt
4) Covert
5) Participant
6) Non-participant
What are the different ethical issues that research may present?
1) Informed consent
2) Deception
3) Protection from harm
4) Privacy and confidentiality
