Week 1 - Introduction

Question 1

Non-scientific methods

Answer 1

Belief perseverance (tenacity), intuition, authority (faith), rational method (logic), empiricism (observation)

Question 2

Key features of science

Answer 2

Testable hypotheses, willingness to abandon unsupported ideas
Brutal objectivity
Science is true whether or not we believe it
Empiricism

Question 3

Steps in research process

Answer 3

Establish RQ - select general topic and review literature
Theory to hypothesis - hypothetico-deductive model, hypotheses must be logical, testable, falsifiable, positive
Define/operationalise variables - what will we measure and how?
Identify participants - try and avoid bias or inappropriate sample
Select research strategy - depends on RQ and hypotheses
Measure > analyse > evaluate theory

Question 4

Correlational vs experimental method

Answer 4

Correlational method (describing events) - relationships between variables
Experimental method (explaining events) - inferring causality, manipulating variables

Question 5

Two sources of measurement error

Answer 5

Random error (stochastic factors) - may be fluctuations in instrument or environment, reduces change of sig. result
Systematic error (consistently different from true) - form of bias, non-zero mean, may cause sig. result that isn’t there or eliminate a real difference

Question 6

Precision vs accuracy

Answer 6

Precision - repeated measurements showing the same results (low precision reflects random error)
Accuracy - degree of conformity of measured value to true value (low accuracy reflects systematic error)