Research Methods Year 2 P2

Question 1

what is nominal data?

Answer 1

data that appears in categories

Question 2

what is ordinal data?

Answer 2

data that is ordered but the intervals between each value are unequal e.g. times in a race

Question 3

what is interval data?

Answer 3

data that can be ordered and between each value is equal

Question 4

what are the three parametric tests?

Answer 4

unrelated t-test, related t-test & persons

Question 5

Draw out or imagine the inferential statistical test table.

Answer 5

.

Question 6

define what is meant by a case study

Answer 6

involve a detailed study of one particular group or individual

Question 7

what 2 strength of there of a case study

Answer 7

1. detailed data is collected

2. allow in sight into situations that could not be created by researchers

Question 8

what 2 weaknesses of there of a case study

Answer 8

1. cannot replicate

2. impossible to generalise findings to a wider population

Question 9

what is content analysis

Answer 9

a form of indirect observation not observing people directly, observing artefacts they have produced

Question 10

what is an example of content analysis

Answer 10

analysing graffiti from toilet

Question 11

what are two ways the data could be collected in content analysis

Answer 11

coding - if quantitive or by themes if qualitative

Question 12

how is quantitive analysis carried out?

Answer 12

look on sheet

Question 13

how is qualitative analysis carried out?

Answer 13

through thematic analysis

Question 14

what are 2 strengths of content analysis?

Answer 14

1. very ethical way to conduct research

2. high ecological validity as observations are based on real artefacts produced by people

Question 15

what are 2 weaknesses of content analysis?

Answer 15

1. possible observer bias - different observers may interpret data in different ways
2. cultural bias - different cultures may interpret different behavioural categories differently

Question 16

what is meant by reliability?

Answer 16

refers to whether a set of findings are consistent

Question 17

what are 2 ways of testing reliability?

Answer 17

1. test-retest - repeated by the same pps

2. inter-observer reliability - whether researchers get consistent and similar observations

Question 18

how do we assess if results are similar

Answer 18

correlation - statistical test - if more than 0.8 it is considered similar

Question 19

how can reliability be improved through experiments?

Answer 19

use standardised procedures

Question 20

how can reliability be improved through questionnaires?

Answer 20

avoid leading and ambiguous questions

use closed questions instead of open questions

Question 21

how can reliability be improved through interviews?

Answer 21

use sam interviewer

use structured interview

Question 22

how can reliability be improved through observations?

Answer 22

make sure behavioural categories have been operationalised & behavioural categories should cover all possible categories

Question 23

what is meant by validity?

Answer 23

whether findings from a study are genuine or accurate - whether the researcher is measuring what they’re claiming to measure

Question 24

give 2 types of validity

Answer 24

1. internal validity - extraneous variables e.g. demand characteristics and investigator effects
2. external validity - e.g. ecological validity or temporal validity

Question 25

what are 2 ways we could assess validity?

Answer 25

1. face validity - experts to look at test to confirm it is measuring what it is supposed to 2. con-current validity - comparing a test measure or scale with an already established one pps take both tests and if results have a strong correlation - high validity

Question 26

how can validity be improved through experiments?

Answer 26

standardised procedures - reduce investigator effects

Question 27

how can validity be improved through questionnaires?

Answer 27

allow pps to remain anonymous

Question 28

how can validity be improved through interviews?

Answer 28

only include questions that measure what its supposed to measure

Question 29

how can validity be improved through observations?

Answer 29

ensure behavioural categories have been operationalised and do covert observations

Question 30

how can validity be improved through case studies?

Answer 30

use several methods to collect data e.g. interviews from parents and friends, observations, diary methods

Question 31

what are the 7 features of science

Answer 31

1. empiricism 2. objectivity 3. replicability 4. falsifiability 5. theory reconstruction 6. hypothesis testing 7. paradigms

Question 32

what is meant by empiricism?

Answer 32

data gathered directly through observation or experience

Question 33

what is meant by objectivity?

Answer 33

minimising all sources of bias e.g. double blind design, standardisation, random sampling

Question 34

what is meant by replicability?

Answer 34

the extent findings and procedures can be repeated - how consistent are the findings

Question 35

what is meant by falsifiability?

Answer 35

cannot be a science if it cannot be proven untrue - where the null hypothesis comes from

Question 36

what is meant by theory reconstruction?

Answer 36

theories must be open to testability - hypothesis testing

Question 37

what is meant by hypothesis testing?

Answer 37

a theory must be able to generate hypothesises where be can test them

Question 38

what is meant by paradigms?

Answer 38

a shared set of assumptions and agreed assumptions within a scientific discipline

Question 39

what is a paradigm shift?

Answer 39

a fundamental change in the belief we hold

Question 40

what is the point of the abstract in the psychological investigation report?

Answer 40

allows the reader to make a decision as to whether they want to read on or not. overview of aims and hypothesises

Question 41

what is the point of the introduction in the psychological investigation report?

Answer 41

to show the line of logic in reaching the aims & | background research that is relevant

Question 42

what is the point of the method in the psychological investigation report?

Answer 42

step by step account of what was done and how design/pps/materials/procedure/sampling happened

Question 43

what is the point of the results in the psychological investigation report?

Answer 43

check calculations and data & descriptive tables and graphs and inferential statistics

Question 44

what is the point of the discussion in the psychological investigation report?

Answer 44

offer opportunities for other researchers critic or improve

Question 45

if asked to write a discussion what 4 paragraphs would you write?

Answer 45

1. explanation of findings 2. relationship to background research 3. improvements 4. suggestions for further research

Question 46

what is the point of the references in the psychological investigation report?

Answer 46

avoid plagiarism

Question 47

what is the point of the appendices in the psychological investigation report?

Answer 47

includes all original data and calculations | for replicability

Question 48

what is meant by a type 1 error?

Answer 48

level of significance is 0.10 - researcher has been too lenient - rejecting the null hypothesis

Question 49

what is meant by a type 2 error?

Answer 49

level of significance is too stringent at 0.01 - researcher has been too cautious

Question 50

why are histograms used?

Answer 50

to represent continuous data

Question 51

what does one tailed mean?

Answer 51

you are stating the direction of effect the result will have e.g. go up or down

Question 52

what does two tailed mean?

Answer 52

when you do not state the direction of difference