Operational Definition 

Operational Definition = Validity

Validity: Proof of what you are testing and/or studying.

Operational
  • Measurement
  • Score
Definition
  • Description of the test
Variable
  • What you are studying.
  • In a broader sense, anything that can be measured.

Case Study

Case Study: Usually used on people who have had a specific experience

  • Tests an extremely small sample.
  • Uses Historical Analysis
  • Interviews
  • Observations
  • Evidential Analysis

Benefits of a Case Study

  • Very good for a finite group of people.
  • Small Groups
  • For example, if there was a hurricane in Puerto Rico, it would be good to use a case study on that exact group of people who had their lives ruined to find common experiences.

Survey

Survey: Typically on a certain population that you want to get something from. In this day in age it is easier for these because we have the internet.

  • Typically have a population that we are concerned about.
  • Easy to get an answer because of technology.
      * Use a sample survey because we can’t reach every single person.

==Random Sample==

  • Is when you can’t reach everyone and still need it to be representative. Example, “How do the United States people feel about the terrible raid on President Trumps house?” Sending this to republicans would most likely have them say something that has been appearing on Fox News. Sending this to both democrats and republicans would be a true ==Random Sample.==
How Fair Is Your Survey?

It would not be fair if your survey is supposed to be geared towards unions and fair wages, but you only got one side of the argument, then claimed it went for how people thought on both sides of the argument.

Naturalistic Observation

Naturalistic Observation: Where lab studies are difficult or less useful, researches can observe subjects in their real-life environment.

  • What behaviors you can actually observe instead of putting things in the subjects daily life that aren’t normally there. Thatwouldnotbenatural.That would not be natural.

Correlation

Correlation: Is a relationship between two different Variables.

Variable: Anything in the world that can be measured.

For example, drinking and driving have a correlation to crashing.

Experiments

Experiments: Ways to study how different variables react.

Reliability

Reliability: How reliable an experiment is based off of how true the results are.

  • The more an experiment is done the higher chance it is true and correct.

Groups

Independent Variable: The variable that is being changed and manipulated.

Dependent Variable: The variable you are measuring.

Experimental Group: Gets treatment.

Control Group: Not being manipulated.

Test Tip

If asked, “How would you place people into the groups?” don’t just say random sample or random assignment. Explain how you are going to use a generator and (ex.) every other person is put into one group, or whatever number you want that applies to your study.

Double Blind Study: Researchers have no idea what group they are going to be in and neither do the participants.

Single Blind Study: One side of the study does not know where they are being placed, but the other does.