research methods

Question 1

empirical methods

Answer 1

collecting data from sensory experience

gathered from observation

Question 2

replicability

Answer 2

repeating an experiment

Question 3

falsifiability

Answer 3

logical possibility that an assertion hypothesis can be shown to be false

Question 4

theory construction

Answer 4

facts are meaningless

needs explanations to accompany them

Question 5

aim & hypothesis

Answer 5

aim - general description of research

hypothesis - clear testable statements

Question 6

content analysis

Answer 6

way to analyse qualitative data

transforms qualitative data to quantitative data

Question 7

control of extraneous variables

Answer 7

extraneous variables - unwanted factors that may effect research negatively
participant variables - minimising difference between pp’s
research variables - behaviours appearance , gender
situational variables - control of setting

Question 8

operationalisation

Answer 8

a variable is defined by the researcher and a way of measuring that research

Question 9

investigator effects

Answer 9

when a researcher unintentionally influences outcome of research

• non verbal communication
• physical characteristics
• bias in interpretation of data

Question 10

systematic sampling

Answer 10

selecting from a target group e.g every fourth person in the list can be used

Question 11

stratified sample

Answer 11

divides target group into sections , each section sampled individually

Question 12

opportunity sample

Answer 12

participants willing to take part are targeted

Question 13

volunteer sample

Answer 13

people who have volunteered to take part