RESEARCH METHODS

what is an aim?

a general statement of what the researcher intends to investigate.

the purpose of the study.

define independent variable (IV)

the aspect of the experimental situation that is manipulated/changed by the researcher so the effect of the DV can be measured.

define dependant variable (DV)

the variable that is measured by the researcher. any effect of the dv should be caused by the change in the IV.

define operationalisation

ensuring variables are in a form that can be easily measured. Clearly defining variables in terms of how they can be tested.

hypotheses can be directional or non - directional, what’s the difference?

directional - makes a clear judgment of what may happen in the experiment. may include words like: ‘more’,’less’,’higher’,’lower’.

non - directional - only saying there will be difference as there is no previous research to guide the experiment into a specific direction.

how do you decide whether a hypothesis is directional or non - directional?

Based on previous research in the area.

define extraneous variable

any variable, other than the IV, that may have an effect on the DV if it’s not controlled. (a nuisance variable)

define demand characteristics

any cue from the researcher or research situation that may be interpreted by the participants as revealing the purpose of the investigation. this may lead to the participant changing their behaviour.

define investigator effects

any effect of the investigator’s behaviour on the outcome of the research.

define randomisation

the use of chance in order to control for the effect of bias when designing materials and designing materials and deciding the order of conditions.

define standardisation

using exactly the same formalised procedures and instructions for all participants in a research study

define control groups

in an experiment, control group is the group who receive the placebo. their behaviour provides a baseline for comparison, allowing researchers to see if changes in the experimental group are due to the IV.