research methods - scientific processes

Question 1

aim meaning

Answer 1

general statement of purpose
what the study is trying to find out

Question 2

hypothesis meaning

Answer 2

prediction bout the variables in the study

Question 3

what must the hypothesis show

Answer 3

independent and dependent variable - must be operationalised

Question 4

types of hypothesis

Answer 4

directional, non-directional, null

Question 5

null hypothesis

Answer 5

• suggests that any difference or effect from the study occurs by chance
• not because of the variables that you have manipulated or the sample you have drawn

Question 6

how to write a null hypothesis

Answer 6

• ‘there will be no…’
• difference or correlation
• write operationalised dv
• depending on/compared to
• write operationalised iv conditions
• ‘and any difference observed will be due to chance’

Question 7

sample definition

Answer 7

small part or quantity intended to show what the whole is like

Question 8

target population

Answer 8

• whole group of individuals that the researcher is interested in
• researcher aims to take representative sample from target population, using a sampling method
• sample should be representative so the generalisations about the target population can be made on the basis of the sample

Question 9

types of sampling

Answer 9

• volunteer
• opportunity
• stratified
• systematic
• random

Question 10

volunteer sampling

Answer 10

• advertise in papers or online etc and people volunteer

Question 11

evaluation of volunteer sampling

Answer 11

• volunteer bias: certain type of people volunteer; more motivated, extra time on their hands etc
• access to a variety of ptps = less biased
• requires minimal input from researcher

Question 12

random sampling

Answer 12

• everyone in population is given the chance to be selected
• give each ptp a number and use a random number generator to pick a person

Question 13

evaluation of random sampling

Answer 13

• potentially unbiased
• enhances internal validity
• difficult to conduct
• time consuming

Question 14

systematic sampling

Answer 14

• researchers select members of the population at a regular interval e.g every 5th person

Question 15

evaluation of systematic sampling

Answer 15

• imitates benefits of simple random sampling
• objective: researcher has no influence over who’s chosen
• time consuming
• ptps may refuse: leads to volunteer sampling

Question 16

stratified sampling

Answer 16

• divide population into smaller subgroups or strata based on shared characteristics e.g age, sex, gender, race etc
• randomly select from these groups

Question 17

evaluation of stratified sampling

Answer 17

• representative sample
• accurately reflects population
• stratification isn’t perfect
• identified strata cannot reflect all the ways that people are different

Question 18

opportunity sample

Answer 18

• most readily available people

Question 19

evaluation of opportunity sampling

Answer 19

• convenient
• less costly
• inevitably biased: small part of population