AP PSYCHOLOGY - How to answer AAQs
Research Methods
The two main categories of research methods are non-experimental and experimental.
Case study (Non-experimental Research)
In-depth investigations of one individual or small group, often due to rare characteristics.
Naturalistic Observation
Investigates behavior in natural settings without direct interaction with participants.
Meta-Analysis
Combines data from similar studies to improve conclusions and generalizability.
Correlational Research
Aims to find trends between two variables, often presented in scatter plots.
Experimental Research
Designed to determine if one variable causes a change in another variable.
Operational Definitions
Precise and often numerical descriptions of how variables are measured in a study.
Ethical Guidelines
Standards ensuring participant safety, informed consent, and confidentiality in research.
Mean
The average score in a dataset, indicating overall performance.
Median
The middle score in a dataset after arranging values in order.
Mode
The most frequently occurring score in a dataset.
Range
The difference between the largest and smallest values in a dataset.
Standard Deviation
A measure of how much scores vary from the mean in a dataset.
Percentile
Indicates how a score compares to the entire distribution of scores.
Percentage
A proportion of a larger number, expressed as a fraction of 100.
Correlation Coefficient
A measurement indicating the strength of the relationship between two variables.
Statistical Significance
Results that are unlikely to have occurred by chance in a study.
Generalizability
The extent to which research findings can be applied to a larger population.
Support or Refute
Explaining how research findings support or contradict a hypothesis or concept.