RM SS3+SS4

Question 1

Qualititive Date

Answer 1

Data in words, acquired in form of media eg newspaper, movies etc

+Detailed
-Subjective interpretations

Question 2

Quantative Data

Answer 2

Numerical data eg percentages

+Objective data
- Lacks depth

Question 3

Primary Data

Answer 3

Collected by the researcher

+Research can fit the aim
-More time consuming

Question 4

Secondary Data

Answer 4

Collected by someone else other than the researcher (ie meta-analysis)

+Less expensive, minimal effort
-The research may not fully match aims
-The research may not be of high quality

Question 5

Mean

Answer 5

+ takes into account all data

• affected by extreme values

Question 6

Median

Answer 6

+ not affected by extreme values

• doesn’t take into account all values

Question 7

Mode

Answer 7

+ not affected by extreme values

• doesn’t take into account all values
• sometimes there isn’t one

Question 8

Ways of measuring the spread of the data:

Answer 8

Range: biggest take smallest
+ Easy to work out
- Affected by extreme values
Standard deviation
+ Not affected by extreme values
- Complicated to work out

Question 9

What does the spread of data tell us?

Answer 9

-How consistent the data is
-The smaller the spread, the more consistent, the fewer individual differences
-Therefore smaller = better!

Question 10

Normal distribution curve

Answer 10

-A symmetrical spread of frequency data
-Forms a bell-shaped pattern.
-Mean, median and mode are all located at the highest peak.

Question 11

Positive skew

Answer 11

Long tail is on the positive (right side) of the peak, distribution concentrated to the left.

Question 12

Negative skew

Answer 12

Long tail is on the left side of the peak, distribution concentrated to the right.

Question 13

How can you present data?

Answer 13

Tables:
-Can present data in a summary table.
-Report raw scores and descriptive statistics.

Bar charts:
-A type of graph where the frequency of each variable is represented by height of the bars.

Scattergrams:
-A type of graph that represents the strength and direction of a relationship between co-variables in a correlational analysis.

Histogram:
-Shows continuous data.
-X-axis has equal-sized intervals of a single category.
-E.g. percentages in a test (intervals of 0-9, 10-19 etc)
-Y-axis represents frequency within each interval.

Line graph/frequency polygon:
-Shows continuous data.
-Points connected by a line to show how something changes in value, e.g. over time.

Question 14

Nominal data

Answer 14

Numbers of participants falling into various categories

Question 15

Ordinal Data

Answer 15

Data is place in rank order from lowest to highest. Measured on scales of unequal interval

Question 16

Interval/ Ratio

Answer 16

Fixed equal intervals between the units of measurement on a continuous (established) scale

Question 17

Independent Group Design

Answer 17

-Two groups
-Conditions
-Randomisation
-Individual differences
-Takes less time
-No order effects

Question 18

Matched Pairs Design

Answer 18

-Matched
-Key characteristics
-Questionnaire
-Condition
-Less individual differences
-No order effects
-Some individual differences

Question 19

Repeated Measure

Answer 19

-Both conditions
-One after the other
-No individual differences
-Order effects
-Counterbalancing
-ABBA

Question 20

Type 1 error

Answer 20

False positive (reject null when it’s true)
- this is more likely if your significance level is too high (eg p<0.10)

Question 21

Type 2 error

Answer 21

False negative (retain null when it’s false)
- this is more likely if your significance level is too low (eg p<0.01

Question 22

Why do you set your significance level at p<0.05?

Answer 22

To avoid type 1 and 2 errors

Question 23

The FEATURES of science

Answer 23

1. Objectivity
   – dealing with facts in a way that is unaffected by feelings or opinions
2. Falsifiability
   
   • the notion that theories can be potentially disproven
3. Paradigm
   
   • a general theoretical perspective is accepted by most
4. Replicability
   
   • the extent to which the findings can be repeated
5. Empiricism
   
   • the practice of basing ideas and theories on direct observation and experience
6. Theory construction and hypothesis testing
   
   • following a scientific process and testing operationalised hypotheses

Question 24

Process Of Peer Review

Answer 24

1) Assessment of scientific work by others who are experts in the field
2) A number of unpaid anonymous reviewers will do this
Independently
3) Assess appropriateness of methods and designs
4) Can accept, reject or accept with revisions
5) Editor then makes the final decision based on reviewers comments