Scientific Research Week 2 Flashcards
List why scientific research is so important
- obtaining new important knowledge
- answering important questions
- finding out whether something works, like an intervention
- helping to understand causal relationships
List the characteristics of scientific method
- data collection
- objective
- no bias
- addresses answerable questions
- reproducible
- falsifiable
What is falsifiability?
(Karl Popper)
When a theory can be shown to be false e.g all swans are white, and then you see a black one.
What is quantitative research?
- numerically focused
- numbers represent phenomena
- mathematical and stats techniques
What is qualitative research?
- subjective experience/language
- can suggest new directions
- human processes/reasoning
What is a theory?
A well established explanation of what is going on in an environment
What is a research question?
a specific analytical question grounded in theory or practice that is answerable
A good hypothesis should -
- be parsimonious
- be testable
- be consistent
What is an independent variable?
The independent variable is the ‘cause’ in a study - the predictor
What is a dependent variable?
The ‘effect’ or outcome variable in a study
Describe the features of an experimental design
- two groups, separate conditions
- participants randomly allocated to conditions
- control vs. experimental
What makes a quasi experimental design different to an experimental design?
participants are not randomly allocated; they are pre-assigned to their groups by something like gender, neighbourhood etc
What are the characteristics of a correlational design?
- no cause and effect, just relationships
What is a control group?
A group in a true experimental design where they do not receive the treatment. Used as a baseline to which the treatment group can be compared.
Why should we randomly allocate people to groups?
It makes sure that other influences - sources of error - are randomly spread amongst groups
What is variance?
The averaged squared differences between each data point and the mean
Why do we use a control group?
- to provide a baseline against which we can assess the impact of the treatment
- if you do not have a control group you cant isolate the effect of the treatment from the effects of other influences
What is an example of a quasi experimental study?
One that looks at sex difference studies because sex is predetermined.
What is a disadvantage of quasi experimental studies?
They are not as powerful as true experimental, because you cannot conclude cause and effect
What is the role of descriptive statistics?
To capture the essential features of the results in an easily comprehensible form
What are the two basic types of variability?
- variability due to the effect of the IV
- variability due to error
