Research Methods A2

Question 1

Longitudinal Study

Answer 1

The study of a group of individuals at regular intervals over a relatively long period of time.

Question 2

Advantages of a Longitudinal Study

Answer 2

• High in validity

- Evaluate long term effects or issues

Question 3

Disadvantages of a Longitudinal Study

Answer 3

• Time consuming
• Subject attrition
• Needs a large sample to be representative

Question 4

Case Study

Answer 4

A detailed study into an individual, institute or event. Which can include; interviews, tests, observations and experiments. They are longitudinal studies carried out over an extended time.

Question 5

Advantages of Case Studies

Answer 5

• Allows exploration and solutions to complex issues

- Gathers in depth detail on individual cases

Question 6

Disadvantages of Case Studies

Answer 6

• Can lead to lower validity as a result of inappropriate results
• Experimenter Bias
• Hawthorne Effect

Question 7

Questionnaire Administration

Answer 7

-Face to face (private/public place)
-Post
-Internet
Telephone

Question 8

Question types within a Questionnaire

Answer 8

• Open, collects qualitative data and allows participants to answer however they want
• Closed, collects quantitative data and it restricts the participant to a set question with a number of set responses

Question 9

Advantages of a Questionnaire

Answer 9

• Can collect a large sample
• Relatively quick
• Cost-effective
• Can be conducted privately (most honest answers typically)

Question 10

Disadvantages of a Questionnaire

Answer 10

• Low response rate, hard to generalise to target population
• Response Bias, only specific types of people will return the questionnaire
• Cannot monitor answers, reduce validity
• Participants may misunderstand question, reduce validity

Question 11

Interview Types

Answer 11

• Structured, set format of standardised questions
• Semi-structured, set questions but these can be varied and expanded upon
• Unstructured, no set format and allows the interviewer to follow the natural progression of the conversation

Question 12

Advantages of a Interview

Answer 12

• Detailed, in depth information can be obtained

- Unstructured encourages openness in answers

Question 13

Disadvantages of a Interview

Answer 13

• Difficult to analyse
• Time consuming
• Can be expensive
• Interviewer effect

Question 14

Laboratory Study

Answer 14

Artificial environment with tight controls over variables

Question 15

Advantages of Lab Studies

Answer 15

• Tight control over variables (extraneous)
• Cause and effect can be established
• Replicable

Question 16

Disadvantages of Lab Studies

Answer 16

• Demand characteristics (aware of experiment and may change behaviour)
• Artificial environment (low ecological validity)
• Experimenter effects (expectations affect behaviour)

Question 17

Field Experiment

Answer 17

Conducted in “real world”, can take place anywhere in a natural setting.

• school
• hospital

Question 18

Advantages of a Field Experiment

Answer 18

• High validity
• Generalisable results (easier)
• High Ecological validity

Question 19

Disadvantages of a Field Experiment

Answer 19

• Weak control of extraneous variables
• Less replicable
• Less reliable
• Time consuming
• relatively costly

Question 20

Natural Experiment

Answer 20

Conducted in “real world”, using phenomena which would occur without experimenter manipulation.

Question 21

Advantages of a Natural Experiment

Answer 21

• Can study ethically unacceptable areas of manipulation of the independent variable.
• Less chance of demand characteristics
• Less chance of experimenter bias

Question 22

Disadvantages of a Natural Experiment

Answer 22

• No control over extraneous variables

- Cause and effect can be difficult to establish

Question 23

Correlational Studies

Answer 23

Looking for a relationship between variables

• positive correlation
• negative correlation
• no correlation

Question 24

Positive Correlation

Answer 24

Close to +1.00

Question 25

Negative Correlation

Answer 25

Close to -1.00

Question 26

No Correlation

Answer 26

Coefficient to 0

Question 27

Correlation Coefficient

Answer 27

Measure of the correlation strength, can range from -1.00 to +1.00

Question 28

Advantages of a Correlational Study

Answer 28

- Can be done with large sets of data | - Easily replicated

Question 29

Disadvantages of a Correlational Study

Answer 29

-Lack internal/external validity as other factor can explain link between variables too

Question 30

Hypothesis

Answer 30

A precise, testable statement or prediction about the expected outcome of an investigation

Question 31

Null Hypothesis

Answer 31

States that the results are due to chance and are not significant in terms of supporting the idea being investigated -"There will be no significant relationship..."

Question 32

One tailed Hypothesis

Answer 32

Directional | -"There will be a significant positive relationship..."

Question 33

Two tailed Hypothesis

Answer 33

Non Directional | -"There will be a significant correlation..."

Question 34

Independent Variable

Answer 34

What you manipulate

Question 35

Dependent Variable

Answer 35

What you measure

Question 36

Extraneous Variables

Answer 36

Variables that are not the IV that COULD affect the DV

Question 37

Confounding Variables

Answer 37

Variables that are not the IV that MAY affect the DV