Research Methods Formula Flashcards
Identify the IV in this study - 2 marks
1 mark - variable that CHANGES in this study
1 mark - operationalised (made measureable)
Identify the DV in this study - 2 marks
1 marks - variable that is MEASURED in this study
1 marks - operationalised (made measureable)
Write a suitable hypothesis for this study - 3 marks
1 mark - Operationalised IV
1 mark - Both levels of IV included
1 mark - Operationalised DV
(Written as either a directional (more or less than language) or non directional (neutral language))
Should the hypothesis be directional or non-directional for this study - 2 marks
1 mark - should or should not be directional
1 mark - there is or is not evidence that allows the psychologists to predict the direction of the result’s
(Contextualise to the study)
Explain how the psychologist would have obtained the participants for their STRATIFIED sample - 3 marks
1 mark - identify the strata required
1 mark - calculate the proportions required for each strata
1 mark - select X number each group using random sampling method
(Contextualise strata)
Explain how the psychologist would have obtained the participants for their RANDOM sample - 3 marks
1 mark - collect names of population
1 mark - put all names in a hat
1 mark - randomly pick X number
(Contextualise number and population)
Explain how the psychologist would have obtained the participants for their SYSTEMATIC sample - 3 marks
1 mark - collect names of population in a sampling frame
1 mark - work out what the Nth number is based on sample size
1 mark - identify every Nth person to be the sample
(Contextualise number and population)
Explain how the psychologist would have obtained the participants for their OPPORUNITY sample - 3 marks
1 mark - identify a location to ask members of the population
1 mark - ask members of the population if they are willing to take part in the study
1 mark - select X number of people who are willing or available to take part
(Contextualise number and population)
Explain how the psychologist would have obtained participants for their VOLUNTEER sample - 3 marks
1 mark - produce an advert asking for X number of volunteers
1 mark - place the advert in X location
1 mark - select X number of people who are willing or available to take part
(Contextualise number and population)
Explain how the psychologist would have randomly allocated the participants - 3 marks
1 mark - give each participant a number from X to X
1 mark - pick out X number from the hat and allocate to condition X
1 mark - put the remaining X number of participants into condition Y
(Contextualise number and conditions)
Name an appropriate statistical test for this study. Explain why it is suitable in this study - 5,6,7 marks
1 mark - identify appropriate test
1 mark - identify difference or correlation
1 mark - contextualise why it was this
1 mark - identify related or unrelated design
1 mark - contextualise why it was this
1 mark - identify level of measurement
1 mark - contextualise why it was this
Design a study question - 9,12 marks
1) identify his many categories
2) split number of marks by categories
3) create subheadings for each category
4) ensure information can be replicated
5) justify decisions - if thee was mire than one option, why have u gone for some and not others?
What do the measures of CENTRAL TENDENCY suggest? Justify your answer - 2 marks
1 mark - interpreting what the measure of central tendency suggests in relation to the study and conditions
1 mark - justification for the suggestion using data from the table
(Something must be done with the data, do not just restate from the table)
What did the measures of DISPERSION suggest? Justify your answer - 2 marks
1 mark - interpreting what the measure of dispersion suggests in relation to the study and conditions
1 mark - justification for the suggestion using data from the table
(Something must be done with the data, do not just restate from the table)
Explain how a content analysis could be used to analyse the data - 4 marks
1 mark - identify important categories to analyse the data source with
1 mark - provide a contextualised example of a category
1 mark - go through the data source and identify instances of the categories
1 mark - tally the number of occurrences of each category
(Contextualise the data source and categories)
Explain how inter-observer reliability could have been established - 4 marks
1 mark - a second person could independently perform a type of research method on the same data source
1 mark - the same categories would be used
1 mark - the tally charts would be compared to look for a correlation between the two sets of data’s
1 mark - the data would be correlated using a statistical test. A correlation of +0.8 between the two sets of data is accepted as significant and the data os reliable
(Contextualise the research methods, data source and categories)
Explain how test-retest reliability could have been established - 4 marks
1 mark - the type of research method would be repeated on a second occasion using the same data source
1 mark - the same categories would be used
1 mark - the tally charts would be compared to look for a correlation between the two sets of data
1 mark - the data would be correlated using a statistical test. A correlation of +0.8 between the two sets of data is accepted as significant and the data os reliable
(Contextualise the research methods, data source and categories)
Explain what is meant by X in the context of this study - 2 marks
1 mark - give a definition of X
1 mark - contextualise answer to this study
Explain how the researcher could create a matched pairs design - 4 marks
1 mark - identify an appropriate variable that the participants should be matched on
1 mark - explanation for how the participants should variable will be measured
1 mark - the two with the highest scores are paired together. The two with the next two highest scores are paired together. This continues until X number of pairs are created
1 mark - one person from each pair would be randomly allocated to condition A or B
(Contextualise appropriate variable, measurement of variable,
number of pairs and conditions)
Identify an extraneous variable. Explain why it was important to control. Explain how it could be controlled - 3 marks
1 mark - identify an appropriate extraneous variable
1 mark - explanation of how the extraneous variable spoiled impact the dependent variable
1 mark - for how the extraneous variable could be controlled
(Contextualise extraneous variable and dependent variable)
Are the results significant. Explain why - 4 marks
1 mark - yes, or no, the results are/arent significant
1 mark - because the calculated value of X is higher/lower than the critical value of Y
1 mark - at 0.05 for a one/two tailed hypothesis
1 mark - when N = A or DF = B
(Contextualise X, Y, type of hypothesis, number and DF. Remember to write this as a sentence)
Explain how the observers could use TIME sampling - 4 marks
1 mark – identify what the time interval is by dividing the length of the observation by the number of observations that need to be made.
1 mark – at the specified time interval of X, tally the behaviours observed in the behavioural checklist.
1 mark – contextualised examples of the behaviours that might have been observed and tallied.
1 mark – behaviours in between the specified time interval of X should be ignored and not recorded.
(Contextualise the specified time interval and examples of relevant behaviours)
Explain how the observers could use EVENT sampling - 4 marks
1 mark – create a behavioural checklist with behaviours appropriate to the observation.
1 mark – every time a behaviour is shown the behaviours should be tallied in the checklist.
1 mark - contextualised examples of the behaviours that might have been observed and tallied.
1 mark – all behaviours should be recorded; no behaviours should be ignored.
(Contextualise examples of relevant behaviours)
Explain how the psychologists counterbalanced - 3 marks
1 mark – divide the sample of X into two groups of Y using random allocation.
1 mark – group 1 completes Condition A followed by Condition B.
1 mark – group 2 complete Condition B followed by Condition A.
(Contextualise number in sample, number in each group, and the two conditions)
Explain what is meant by a type I error in the context of this study - 2 marks
1 mark - definition of a type I error
1 mark - contextualise answer in relation to a false positive and the operationalised IV and DV or co-variables
Explain what is meant by a type II error in the context of this study - 2 marks
1 mark - definition of a type II error
1 mark - contextualise answer in relation to a false negative and the operationalised IV and DV or co-variables
Explain how concurrent validity could have been established - 4 marks
1 mark – The participant would have completed the new measurement of X as well as the established measurement of X.
1 mark – A Spearman’s r or Pearson’s product moment should be used to correlate the two sets of scores.
1 mark – A correlation of +0.8 between the two sets of data is accepted as significant.
1 mark – This means that the new measurement of X is considered valid.
(Contextualise the measurement of X)
Explain how a thematic analysis could be used to analyse the data - 3 marks
1 mark - familiarisation with the data source must occur
1 mark - themes related to the data will emerge
1 mark - contextualised examples of the themes
(Make no reference to predetermined categories, counting, or tallying)
