Research Methods: IV DV AIM

Question 1

What is an Independent variable?

Answer 1

The variable that changes OR is manipulated by the researcher to see if it has an effect on the DV.

Question 2

What is a dependent variable?

Answer 2

This is the variable that the researcher measures to see the effect of the IV.

Question 3

When identifying the IV in an experiment what must you look for?

Answer 3

Look for the different conditions - the factor that is changing will be the IV.

Question 4

Define operationalisation?

Answer 4

Operationalisation means to be specific and clear when defining the independent and dependent variable in an experiment, to make it easier to measure.

Question 5

Why is operationalising important?

Answer 5

If variables are vague (not operationalised) then it would not be possible to repeat the research to check for consistent results.

Question 6

How does operationalisation impact reliability?

Answer 6

Operationalisation increases reliability as if variables are operationalised the other researchers can repeat the research in the same way to check for consistent results.

Question 7

Practice: Operationalised ‘memory.’

Top tip: You need to provide the scale or measurement where possible.

Answer 7

e.g. number of words correctly recalled out of 30

Question 8

What is an aim?

Answer 8

This is a general statement of what the researcher intends to investigate, the purpose of the study.

Question 9

What is the difference between an aim and a hypothesis?

Answer 9

This is a general statement of what the researcher intends to investigate
whilst
a hypothesis is a specific testable statement in which the researcher predicts what will happen between the variables.

Question 10

An experiment was conducted under the following conditions:

Condition 1: 20 people learned and recalled Word list A in the same location.
Condition 2: The same 20 people learned Word list B in one location and recalled Word list B in a different location.

Identify the operationalised dependent variable in this study.

Answer 10

Number/amount of words recalled correctly (from word lists or word list A and word list B).

Question 11

The variable that changes OR is manipulated by the researcher to see if it has an effect on the DV is called what?

Answer 11

An independent variable

Question 12

What is the variable that the researcher measures to see the effect of the IV.

Answer 12

A dependent variable

Question 13

When someone thing is specific and clear when defining the independent and dependent variable, what is it called?

Answer 13

It is Operationalised.

Question 14

Why do we operationalise?

Answer 14

To make it easier to measure.

Question 15

What is a general statement of what the researcher intends to investigate called?

Answer 15

An Aim

Question 16

What is a hypothesis?

Answer 16

A hypothesis is a specific testable statement in which the researcher predicts what will happen between the variables.

Question 17

A researcher wanted to investigate the effect of room temperature on levels of aggression.​ Operationalise the DV (what you measure) in this study.

Answer 17

DV- score on a aggression questionnaire (score out of 50. 0 – being not aggressive and 50 being extremely aggressive

Question 18

A researcher wanted to investigate whether concentration is better in the mornings than the evenings. Operationalise the IV (what we manipulate).

Answer 18

Time memory test is taken (9am or 9 pm).