Research Methods: correlations

Question 1

How can you tell straight away if it is a correlational study or not?

Answer 1

Are two things being measured.

Question 2

What are the strengths of correlations?

Answer 2

Can establish the strength and direction of the relationship between variables

Allows researchers to statistically analyse naturally occurring phenomenon which could not be set up ethically or practically

Quick and cheap

Less time consuming than experiments

Uses secondary data

Question 3

What are the limitations of correlations?

Answer 3

No cause and effect

Doesn’t control extraneous variables

Variables have to be quantified which means the measures may lack construct validity

Question 4

When drawing a graph what are the three marks for?

Answer 4

Labelled axis

Accuracy

Title

Question 5

What are the key differences between a correlation and an experiment (test of difference)?

Answer 5

Correlations simply describe patterns of relationships between pairs of data whilst experiments enable us to establish cause and effect while investigating a difference between 2 variables.

There is no IV in a correlational study but two DVs whereas in an experiment there is an IV and a DV and comparisons are made between two groups.

There is quite often a third intervening variable influencing the results whereas in an experiment extraneous variables are controlled.