Research Methods & Data Interpretation

Operational Definition

Very detailed instructions that lay out the steps and procedure in the study and defines the variable.

Research Methods

Non-Experimental Options

• Case Study

• Naturalist Observation

• Correlational Study

• Meta-Analysis

Experimental Options

• Experiment

Population

The entire group of people that shows certain characteristics that you want to study.

Sampling Bias

“Occurs when the sample used in the study doesn’t accurately represent the larger population which can lead to misleading conclusions.“

Convenience Sample

Where participants are selected based on their easy accessibility or availability to the researcher, rather than being chosen randomly from the entire population.

Case study

An in-dept analysis of a single individual or a small group of individuals, typically focusing on a unique or rare case.

Naturalistic Observation

A research method in which the researcher observes and records behavior in a natural setting without interfering with or manipulating the situation.

Correlational Research

Examines the relationship between variables showing how changes in one factor predicts changes in another- without any manipulation of the variables.

Directionality Problem

When it is unclear which variable causes the other.

Ex: Happiness = Good Sleep

Meta-Analysis

Combines results from multiple studies to form a conclusion.

Cross Sectional Study

Study that analyzes data from a population at a specific time.

Longitudinal Study

Study that analyzes data of the same group over a long period of time.

Experiments

A research method in which experimenter can determine cause and effect through the manipulation of the independent variable.

Hypothesis

A prediction

Theory

Something that is already tested and researched.

Falsifiability

When one forms a hypothesis, it should be something that can be tested and potentially proven false.

Independent variable

The variable which is manipulated by the researcher.

Dependent variable

What’s being measured

Reliability

Replication (Operational definitions)

Validity

Did the researcher measure what they set out to measure?

Confounding Variable

Unaccounted for factor “whose presence affects the variable being studied so that the results you get do not reflect the actual relationship between the independent & dependent variables.“

Placebo

Allows a researcher to measure if their experimental treatment drug works by comparing how both groups react if they both have the same reaction - improvement or not - the experimental treatment drug is deemed not to work.

Placebo Effect

Occurs when a participant’s health or behavior improves due to the belief that they are receiving an actual drug treatment, even though they’re taking a placebo.

Single-Blind Experiment

Limits the effects of participant/ subject bias.

Participant Subject Variables

Characteristics or traits of the individuals in a study that can vary from people and may confound the results of the experiments.

Double- Blind Experiment

Limits the effect of participant bias & researcher bias.

Peer Review

The process of submitting a researcher’s findings for evaluation by experts in the same field.

Survey

A technique used for obtaining the self-reported attitudes or behaviors of a particular group, usually by QUESTIONING a representative, random sample of the group.

Self-Report Bias

When people don’t accurately report or remember their their behaviors.

Quantitative Research

• Uses numbers (quality)

Qualitative Research

Typically uses words to describe qualities, opinions, experiences or feelings.

Descriptive Statistic

To SUMMARIZE or DESCRIBE the main features of a dataset.

Measure of Central Tendency

Mean, Median, Mode

Measure of Variability

Range & standard deviation

Measures of Variability

Frequency & Shape of Distribution

Frequency & Shape of Distribution

Normal distribution, positive/negative skew

Inferential Statistics

Before you can infer/generalize the data from your sample to the larger population, you need to be confident that your findings are NOT just accidental but reflect a real effect that is unlikely to have occurred by chance or luck.

Statistical Significance

The results of a study did not likely occur by chance.