Yr2 Research methods

Question 1

What are descriptive statistics?

Answer 1

summary statistics that identify trends and analyse sets of data

Question 2

What are the 3 types of descriptive stats?

Answer 2

measures of central tendency
measures of dispersion
graphs and tables

Question 3

What is an inference?

Answer 3

a reasonable conclusion that can be drawn from information presented

Question 4

What is inferential stats?

Answer 4

the use of stats tests that tell whether or not the differences/ relationships that have been found are statistically significant or not
helps decide which hypothesis to accept = alternative/ null

Question 5

What is a statistically significant result?

Answer 5

a statistically significant result is one that is unlikely to have occured by chance = reject the null hypothesis

Question 6

Is P<0.01 more or less stringent?

Answer 6

more stringent = testing at a harsher probability level

Question 7

What is probability?

Answer 7

the likelihood or chance that something is the case or will happen

Question 8

Why is a P=0.05 level of significance used?

Answer 8

it represents a reasonable balancing point between the chances of making a type 1 or type 2 error

Question 9

What is a Type 1 error?

Answer 9

occurs when a null hypothesis is rejected when it is in fact true = a less stringent level of significance was used

Question 10

What is a Type 2 error?

Answer 10

when a null hypothesis is accepted when it is in fact false = a more stringent level of significance was used

Question 11

What factors affect the choice of stats test?

Answer 11

the type of data
the type of research design
is it a parametric test

Question 12

What are the 3 levels of measurement?

Answer 12

nominal
ordinal
interval

Question 13

What is nominal data?

Answer 13

the data is in separate categories

Question 14

What is ordinal data?

Answer 14

data is ordered in some way but there is not equal measurement between score , they are simply numbers

Question 15

What is interval data?

Answer 15

data is measured uing units of equal measurement

Question 16

What are related designs?

Answer 16

matched pairs and repeated measures

Question 17

What is an unrelated design?

Answer 17

independant measures

Question 18

What is an experiment?

Answer 18

testing for a difference between the samples of data

Question 19

What is a correlation?

Answer 19

a test that detects relationships in samples of paired data

Question 20

Why are parametric tests more powerful than non-parametric tests?

Answer 20

they are better at detecting significant differences/relationships = uses means and SD rather than rank-ordring and nominal data

Question 21

What criteria must be met to use a parametric test?

Answer 21

the level of measurement must be interval
data comes from a population that has a normal distribution
the variances of the 2 samples are similar

Question 22

How do you identify which stats test was used?

Answer 22

1. is it looking for a difference or relationship?
2. unrelated or related data?
3. nominal, ordinal or interval data?

Question 23

Name all the stats tests.

Answer 23

chi squared
sign test
mann-whitney
wilcoxon
spearman’s rho
unrelated t test
related t test
pearson’s r test

Question 24

What is the criteria for a chi squared?

Answer 24

test of difference
unrelated data
nominal data

Question 25

What is the criteria for a sign test?

Answer 25

test of difference
related data
nominal data

Question 26

What is the criteria for a Mann-Whitney?

Answer 26

test of difference
unrelated data
ordinal data

Question 27

What is the criteria for a Wilcoxon?

Answer 27

test of difference
related data
ordinal data

Question 28

What is the criteria for a Spearman’s rho?

Answer 28

test or correlation
related data
ordinal data

Question 29

What is the criteria for a unrelated t test?

Answer 29

test of difference
unrelated data
interval data

Question 30

What is the criteria for a related t test?

Answer 30

test of difference
related data
interval data

Question 31

What is the criteria for a pearson’s r test?

Answer 31

test of correlation
related data
interval data

Question 32

How do you find the calculated value of T for a Wilcoxon test?

Answer 32

find the rank of differences - if not done for you
the less frequent sign - add up the ranks

Question 33

What is reliability?

Answer 33

how consistent the findings from an investigation of measuring device are

Question 34

What are the 2 ways of assessing reliability?

Answer 34

Test-retest method
inter-(observer/rater/observer) reliability

Question 35

What type of methods is the test-retest used for?

Answer 35

questionaires
psych tests/ experiments
interviews

Question 36

What does inter-rater reliability assess the reliability of?

Answer 36

content analysis

Question 37

How is a test-retest carried out?

Answer 37

assess the same person using the same testing method on 2 separate occassions
2 sets of results are correlated and if the correlation coefficient is at least +0.8 then the results are reliable

Question 38

What is the method of inter-observer reliability as a way of assessing reliability?

Answer 38

the same event is being observed by 2 observers at the same time but independently of each other
data is correlated, if correlation coefficient is at least +0.8 then it is assumed that the behavioural categories were reliable

Question 39

How can you improve the reliability of questionaires?

Answer 39

some questions may need to be taken out or rewritten
remove ambiguous/ complex Qs
change open Qs to closed

Question 40

How can you improve the reliability of interviews?

Answer 40

better training for interviewers
use structured
use the same interviewer