Research Methods

  • Operationalised Variables

  • Hypothesis Writing - directional & nondirectional

  • Ethics - identifying/delaying ethical issues

  • Informed Consent & debriefing

  • Experiments - strengths and weaknesses

  • Experimental design - strengths and weaknesses

  • Sampling methods

  • Observations - strengths and weaknesses

  • Observational designs - strengths and weaknesses


Observationalised Variables

Independent Variable (IV) = an aspect that is manipulated to measure the effect on the DV

Dependent Varibale (DV) = the outcome of the research, measurable, expected to change due to IV

For example:

In a memory study the IV is whether participants revise in silence or with background noise, and the dependent variable is the number of words that they remember.


Operationalisation = To be able to interpret from a question and being able to be precise and clear about what is being manipulated or measured. Make it testable and repeatable.

  1. Male participants throw a rugby ball further than female participants

IV = Gender of participant

DV = Distance the rugby ball travelled in metres


Hypothesis Writing

Hypothesis = a precise and testable statement of the relationship between two variables, stating what you believe is true.

Directional Hypothesis

“Participants who IV will state how their DV will differ compared to participants whoIV