RESEARCH METHODS EXAM QUESTIONS
WITH CORRECT ANSWERS
What is an experiment? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-An experiment is a
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research technique in which an IV is manipulated / and the effects of
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this on a DV are observed and measured. / Other (extraneous) variables
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are held constant. / A true experiment is one in which the IV is directly
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
under the experimenter's control (as in laboratory or field experiments).
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/ In natural and quasi-experiments the IV varies on its own and some
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would argue that, because of this, they are not really experiments. (5
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marks)
Identify one difference between an experiment and a correlation -
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CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-The main difference between an experiment
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and a correlation is that experiments enable us to talk about 'cause and
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effect' / whereas correlations simply describe patterns of linear
| | | | | | | | |
relationship between pairs of data / and do not allow us to make cause
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and effect statements. / In addition, an experiment is a research method
| | | | | | | | | | |
|/ but correlation is a technique of data analysis applied to data gathered
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|by some other means. (5 marks)
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What is an independent variable (IV)? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-An IV is
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the influencing factor / which a researcher manipulates in an
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experiment / in order to observe its effect on a DV / for example, in a
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
,study of the effect of alcohol on driving ability, the IV would be the
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amount of alcohol given to the drivers. (4 marks)
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What is a dependent variable (DV)? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-A DV is the
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factor in an experiment which is influenced by changes in the IV / and
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which is observed and measured by the researcher. / In the example
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given in 3, the DV would be driving ability. (3 marks)
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What is a confounding variable? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-A confounding
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variable is an influence in an experiment that is not the IV yet causes
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changes in the DV. / For example, researchers may find age affects IQ in
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that older people do less well than younger people. / However, this
| | | | | | | | | | | |
could be due to the confounding variable of how the test is approached.
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Older people may be more careful and less concerned about 'beating
| | | | | | | | | | | |
the clock' than are younger people, consequently, their scores are lower.
| | | | | | | | | |
(3 marks)
| |
What is an extraneous variable? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-Extraneous
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variables are all other variables apart from the IV and DV that need to
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
be controlled in an experiment / e.g. the testing environment, time of
| | | | | | | | | | | |
day, instructions to participants. / If extraneous variables are not taken
| | | | | | | | | | |
care of they could obscure the effect of the IV / or, if systematic, turn
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
into a confounding variable. (4 marks)
| | | | |
What is a control group? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-In a simple two-
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sample experiment, control group participants are affected by
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, everything the experimental group experiences with the exception of
| | | | | | | | |
the IV. / Scores from the control group thus provide baseline data /
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against which scores from the experimental group can be compared. (3
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marks)
Distinguish between independent groups, matched pairs and repeated
| | | | | | | |
measures designs - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-These are experimental
| | | | | | |
designs / used to control variation due to individual differences between
| | | | | | | | | |
|participants. / In a simple experiment comparing two conditions, the
| | | | | | | | | |
independent groups design consists of two different groups of
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participants / who have been allocated by chance to either of the two
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
conditions. / Matched pairs designs involve pairing participants on
| | | | | | | | |
variables relevant to the study / then splitting the pairs and randomly
| | | | | | | | | | | |
allocating the members of the pair to one or other condition. / In a
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repeated measures design, participants undergo both conditions in the
| | | | | | | | |
experiment. (7 marks) | |
What are practice effects? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-Practice effects
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occur in repeated measures designs / when participants carry over an
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improvement to the second experimental condition / as a result of
| | | | | | | | | | |
having done the first condition. / (In this case, practice becomes a
| | | | | | | | | | | |
confounding variable.) (4 marks) | | |
What are order effects? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-Order effects occur in
| | | | | | | | | |
repeated measures designs / when participants' performance in the
| | | | | | | | |
second condition is affected by them having done the first. / This could
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
WITH CORRECT ANSWERS
What is an experiment? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-An experiment is a
| | | | | | | | | |
research technique in which an IV is manipulated / and the effects of
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
this on a DV are observed and measured. / Other (extraneous) variables
| | | | | | | | | | | |
are held constant. / A true experiment is one in which the IV is directly
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
under the experimenter's control (as in laboratory or field experiments).
| | | | | | | | |
/ In natural and quasi-experiments the IV varies on its own and some
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
would argue that, because of this, they are not really experiments. (5
| | | | | | | | | | | |
marks)
Identify one difference between an experiment and a correlation -
| | | | | | | | | |
CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-The main difference between an experiment
| | | | | | |
and a correlation is that experiments enable us to talk about 'cause and
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
effect' / whereas correlations simply describe patterns of linear
| | | | | | | | |
relationship between pairs of data / and do not allow us to make cause
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
and effect statements. / In addition, an experiment is a research method
| | | | | | | | | | |
|/ but correlation is a technique of data analysis applied to data gathered
| | | | | | | | | | | |
|by some other means. (5 marks)
| | | | |
What is an independent variable (IV)? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-An IV is
| | | | | | | | | | |
the influencing factor / which a researcher manipulates in an
| | | | | | | | | |
experiment / in order to observe its effect on a DV / for example, in a
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
,study of the effect of alcohol on driving ability, the IV would be the
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
amount of alcohol given to the drivers. (4 marks)
| | | | | | | |
What is a dependent variable (DV)? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-A DV is the
| | | | | | | | | | | |
factor in an experiment which is influenced by changes in the IV / and
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
which is observed and measured by the researcher. / In the example
| | | | | | | | | | | |
given in 3, the DV would be driving ability. (3 marks)
| | | | | | | | | |
What is a confounding variable? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-A confounding
| | | | | | | |
variable is an influence in an experiment that is not the IV yet causes
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
changes in the DV. / For example, researchers may find age affects IQ in
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
that older people do less well than younger people. / However, this
| | | | | | | | | | | |
could be due to the confounding variable of how the test is approached.
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Older people may be more careful and less concerned about 'beating
| | | | | | | | | | | |
the clock' than are younger people, consequently, their scores are lower.
| | | | | | | | | |
(3 marks)
| |
What is an extraneous variable? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-Extraneous
| | | | | | | |
variables are all other variables apart from the IV and DV that need to
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
be controlled in an experiment / e.g. the testing environment, time of
| | | | | | | | | | | |
day, instructions to participants. / If extraneous variables are not taken
| | | | | | | | | | |
care of they could obscure the effect of the IV / or, if systematic, turn
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
into a confounding variable. (4 marks)
| | | | |
What is a control group? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-In a simple two-
| | | | | | | | | |
sample experiment, control group participants are affected by
| | | | | | | |
, everything the experimental group experiences with the exception of
| | | | | | | | |
the IV. / Scores from the control group thus provide baseline data /
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
against which scores from the experimental group can be compared. (3
| | | | | | | | | | |
marks)
Distinguish between independent groups, matched pairs and repeated
| | | | | | | |
measures designs - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-These are experimental
| | | | | | |
designs / used to control variation due to individual differences between
| | | | | | | | | |
|participants. / In a simple experiment comparing two conditions, the
| | | | | | | | | |
independent groups design consists of two different groups of
| | | | | | | | |
participants / who have been allocated by chance to either of the two
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
conditions. / Matched pairs designs involve pairing participants on
| | | | | | | | |
variables relevant to the study / then splitting the pairs and randomly
| | | | | | | | | | | |
allocating the members of the pair to one or other condition. / In a
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
repeated measures design, participants undergo both conditions in the
| | | | | | | | |
experiment. (7 marks) | |
What are practice effects? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-Practice effects
| | | | | | | |
occur in repeated measures designs / when participants carry over an
| | | | | | | | | | |
improvement to the second experimental condition / as a result of
| | | | | | | | | | |
having done the first condition. / (In this case, practice becomes a
| | | | | | | | | | | |
confounding variable.) (4 marks) | | |
What are order effects? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-Order effects occur in
| | | | | | | | | |
repeated measures designs / when participants' performance in the
| | | | | | | | |
second condition is affected by them having done the first. / This could
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
