Research Methods - AS

Question 1

What is the scientific process?

Answer 1

1) Aim
2) Hypothesis
3) Method
4) Results
5) Conclusion

Question 2

What are the features of science?

Answer 2

1) Hypothesis testing
2) Empirical evidence
3) Falsifiability
4) Replicability
5) Control
6) Objectivity

Question 3

What is hypothesis testing?

Answer 3

Using the scientific process to test the hypothesis. If the results of the experiment don’t match the original hypothesis, you adjust the hypothesis to fit the results.

Question 4

What is empirical evidence?

Answer 4

Having direct observation to therefore prove that the hypothesis is correct. If an experiment doesn’t have empirical evidence it wouldn’t work

Question 5

What is falsifiability?

Answer 5

To test a hypothesis it must be possible to be proven wrong

Question 6

What is replicability?

Answer 6

repeating the study to re-test the hypothesis

Question 7

What is control?

Answer 7

A level at which the IV is not being manipulated

Question 8

What is objectivity?

Answer 8

Not letting personal bias affect the way the experiment is being carried out

Question 9

What are extraneous variables?

Answer 9

Another variable other than the IV that can have an effect on the DV

Question 10

What can you do to limit the number of extraneous variables?

Answer 10

Control the extraneous variables however this will not completely eliminate them and therefore can still have an impact on the results of the experiment

Question 11

What is a confounding variable?

Answer 11

An EV that varies according to the level of the IV

Question 12

What is validity?

Answer 12

something is said to be valid if measures what it says it will measure

Question 13

How can a study lack validity?

Answer 13

• if the test doesn’t measure what it says it will measure

- if there is an extraneous/confounding variable

Question 14

What is face validity?

Answer 14

looking at the test to decide whether It claims to measure what you want it to measure

Question 15

What is concurrent validity?

Answer 15

Comparing the results obtained from a previous test of the same behaviour to the current test - If the result is the same it is said to be valid

Question 16

What is said to be reliable?

Answer 16

If the results of the study are consistent ever time it is repeated

Question 17

How can a study lack reliability?

Answer 17

• EV’s affecting the measurements

- the test or questionnaire used to measure the DV is unreliable itself

Question 18

What is internal reliability?

Answer 18

how consistent they are within each other - individual items in the test/questionnaire. High = same/similar results, Low = different results. - talked about mainly with questionnaires

Question 19

What is external reliability?

Answer 19

results of a study consistent everytime it is repeated

Question 20

How does someone test for internal reliability?

Answer 20

Split half method

Question 21

What is the split-half method?

Answer 21

Where the test into split into two and given to two groups of people and then compared to see whether the results between the two groups are the same/similar or different

Question 22

How do you know if it is or isn’t internally reliable through the split-half method?

Answer 22

If the results are consistent within the groups = internally reliable
if the results are different within the groups = not internally reliable

Question 23

How does someone test for external reliability?

Answer 23

Test re-test method

Question 24

What is the test re-test method?

Answer 24

getting the same participants to take the same questionnaire or test on two different occasions and comparing them

Question 25

What are the three types of EV?

Answer 25

• Participant variables
• investigator effects
• situational variables

Question 26

What are participant variables?

Answer 26

when personal characteristics of the participant may affect the DV

Question 27

What are investigator effects?

Answer 27

the researcher may influence the participant’s behaviour and therefore influence the results