Tips for the AAQ

Structure you can use for every single point

1. Define the term/concept briefly for clarity

2. Apply it specifically to the scenario in the article (mention specific people, behaviors, variables, etc)

Research method point

• Identify if it is an experiment, correlational study, case study, etc

  • Case study: detailed study on a small group/individual that is often unique

  • Correlational study: studies the level of relationship between two variables (no manipulation or causation)

  • Meta analysis: combination of many studies for an analysis of results

  • Experiment: Measures a manipulated independent variable’s effect on a dependent variable (causation, random assignment)

• Example: ‘the research method used was an experiment. i know this because the researchers manipulated [independent variable] to see its affect on [dependent variable]

Research variable point

• State the operational definition

• Do not be vague, use a measurable or quantifiable definition

• Bad example: ‘they measured aggression’

• Good example: ‘the variable was aggression, which was operationally defined as the number of times a child hit a doll in a 5-minute period’

Statistic interpretation point

• Statistical significance (p-value)

  • If p < 0.05, the results are significant (not due to chance)

• Correlation coefficient (r)

  • +1 = perfect positive (as one goes up, the other goes up)

  • -1 = perfect negative (as one goes up, the other goes down)

  • 0 = no relationship

• Standard deviation: how spread out the scores are

  • High = lots of variey

  • Low = everyone scored similarly

• Example: ‘the study reported a p-value of 0.03. this means the difference in memory scores between the two groups is statistically significant and likely due to the manipulation, not random chance.’

Ethical guidelines point

• Find the specific ethical rule the researchers followed

• Informed consent: participants agree before the study starts and know what they are getting into

• Debriefing: participants are told the truth after the study is over

• Confidentiality: the data is anonymous and names are not released

• Example: ‘the researches applied the guideline of debriefing. the text states that after the experiment, the participants were told the true nature of the study and that the ‘shocks’ were fake.’

What to do from minutes 0-5

• Read the questions first

• Read the article with a purpose (find independent variable, dependent variable, numbers, paperwork/talking to participants/secrecy)

What to do from minutes 5-20

• Use paragraph breaks

• Don’t write an introduction or a conclusion, just answer the question

• Mention context

  • Bad: ‘the variable is how much they sleep’

  • Good: ‘the variable is the self-reported hours of sleep recorded in the participants’ journals

What to do from minutes 20-25

• Check if you used the word ‘because’

• Make sure you referenced the specific topic of the study in every single paragraph

Ways to enhance your writing

• Use vocab

  • ‘Mean’ instead of ‘average’

  • ‘Experimental group’ instead of ‘the group that got cookies’

• If the study involves children, the parents give consent, the kids give assent