Aims, hypothesis tests, variables, sampling, pilots,

Question 1

What is experimental method?

Answer 1

While all other variables are held constant, one variable is manipulated and the effect of this on another variable is measured

Question 2

What is non experimental method?

Answer 2

Researchers collect data without intervening or introducing treatments.

Question 3

What is an aim?

Answer 3

A general statement of the direction of the study and what the research intends to investigate.

Question 4

What is a hypothesis?

Answer 4

A clear, precise, testable statement that states the relationship between the variables to be investigated.

Question 5

What is a directional hypothesis?

Answer 5

States the direction or difference of relationship.

Question 6

What is a non-directional hypothesis?

Answer 6

States the relationship exists, but not the direction or difference.

Question 7

What is a null hypothesis?

Answer 7

States the two variables are not related.

Question 8

When are different hypothesis used?

Answer 8

If prior research- directional, if no prior research- non-directional.

Question 9

What are the two levels of the IV?

Answer 9

Experimental condition and control condition.

Question 10

What is operisationalisation of variables?

Answer 10

makes them measurable or countable

Question 11

What is a pilot study?

Answer 11

A small-scale trial run of the actual investigation

Question 12

What is the purpose of a pilot study?

Answer 12

-Identify design flaws, time and cost.
-To test how effective the instructions are.
-To avoid the floor effect.

Question 13

What is the floor effect?

Answer 13

When a task is so difficult that all scores are very low

Question 14

Advantages of pilots?

Answer 14

-Increases research quality.
-Helps estimating time/resources.
-Collects preliminary data.

Question 15

Limitations of pilot studies?

Answer 15

-Requires extra resources.
-Doesn’t guarantee success.
-Small sample size.

Question 16

What is a sample?

Answer 16

A subset of the population that can be generalised

Question 17

What is the population?

Answer 17

the group the researcher is studying.

Question 17

What is random sampling?

Answer 17

everyone in the population has an equal chance of being studied.
-put everyone’s names in a random name generator.

Question 18

Advantages of random sampling?

Answer 18

Unbiased.

Question 19

Disadvantages of random sampling?

Answer 19

• Difficult to ensure everyone is available
• Some people might not want to take part in the study
• There can be bias in that there may be more of one group than the other, such as more male soldiers than female

Question 20

What is opportunity sampling?

Answer 20

Taking a sample of people who are available at the time that the study is being carried out and fit the criteria of the research.

Question 21

Advantages of opportunity sampling?

Answer 21

quick, easy inexpensive?

Question 22

Disadvantages of opportunity sampling?

Answer 22

Unlikely to provide a representative sample
Highly dependent on individual researcher

Question 23

What is volunteer sampling?

Answer 23

Involves participants selecting themselves to be part of the sample.
-Can be in response to an advert.

Question 24

Advantages of volunteer?

Answer 24

• More ethical as they chose to take part
• Volunteers are likely to be interested.
• Easy.

Question 25

Disadvantages of volunteer?

Answer 25

Takes long time to get sufficient numbers
- Volunteer bias- people are one type of personality (extroverted and outgoing). This affects generalisation.

Question 26

What is stratified sampling?

Answer 26

Dividing the population into subgroups then selecting a sample from each of these groups, so in the same proportions.

Question 27

Advantages of stratified sampling?

Answer 27

• Each group is represented, so conclusions can be drawn
• Efficient to ensure representation from each group

Question 28

Disadvantages of stratified?

Answer 28

Time consuming, can’t guarantee will be representative.

Question 29

What is systematic sampling?

Answer 29

The required elements are chosen at regular intervals from an ordered list

Question 30

Advantages of systematic?

Answer 30

-Objective so avoids bias.
-Easy to do for large populations.

Question 31

Disadvantages of systematic?

Answer 31

A sampling frame is needed
It can introduce bias if the sampling frame is not random or accurate.