RESEARCH METHODS EXAM QUESTIONS, ANSWERS & MARKS
What is an experiment? ANS: 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 ANS: 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)? ANS: 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)? ANS: 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? ANS: 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? ANS: 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? ANS: 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 ANS: 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? ANS: 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? ANS: Order effects occur in repeated measures designs / when participants'
performance in the second condition is affected by them having done the first. / This could include
improvements, as in practice effects, / but it also includes the detrimental effects of fatigue or boredom.
(4 marks)
What is counterbalancing? ANS: Counterbalancing is routinely built into repeated measures designs / as
a precaution against order or practice effects. / Half the participants do condition A first followed by B,
and half do B first followed by A, / hence the term ABBA design. (4 marks)
What is randomisation? ANS: Randomisation can refer to the random allocation of participants to
conditions to help control for variation due to participants. / Secondly, it can refer to randomising the
order in which participants take part in conditions (thus achieving a similar effect to counterbalancing). /
Thirdly, it can refer to randomising the order of stimulus materials for each participant e.g. a word list in
a memory experiment might be given on a different order to each participant. (3 marks)
Write out a hypothesis for a study comparing imagery and repetition as aids to memory: ANS: The
population / mean for imagery scores is higher than the / population / mean for repetition scores. (4
marks)
Provide a null hypothesis to go with it ANS: The difference between the / population / means for
imagery and repetition is zero. (3 marks)
What is a directional hypothesis and when would it be used? ANS: A directional hypothesis predicts the
direction in which results will fall / e.g. the population mean of sample A is higher than the mean of
sample B / or the correlation between C and D is positive. / Such hypotheses are used only when we
have good reason to predict the direction of the results / e.g. when previous research or careful
reasoning suggest it. (5 marks)
What is a non-directional hypothesis and when would it be used? ANS: A non-directional hypothesis
does not predict the direction in which results will fall / e.g. the population means of sample A and
sample B differ / or there is a correlation between C and D. / Such hypotheses may be used when there
is no prior reason to suppose that the results will turn out a particular way. (4 marks)
When would a one-tailed test be applied? ANS: A one-tailed test is used with a directional hypothesis.
(1 mark)
When would a two-tailed test be applied? ANS: A two-tailed test is used with a non-directional
hypothesis. (1 mark)
What is meant by 'operationalising' variables? Suggest two ways in which aggression could be
operationalised ANS: Operationalisation means precisely defining a variable / so that it can be
measured. / Aggression could be operationalised as the number if incidences of verbal abuse per hour. /
Alternatively, aggression could be measured as the number of incidences of physical violence per hour.
(4 marks)
What is an experiment? ANS: 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 ANS: 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)? ANS: 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)? ANS: 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? ANS: 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? ANS: 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? ANS: 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 ANS: 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? ANS: 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? ANS: Order effects occur in repeated measures designs / when participants'
performance in the second condition is affected by them having done the first. / This could include
improvements, as in practice effects, / but it also includes the detrimental effects of fatigue or boredom.
(4 marks)
What is counterbalancing? ANS: Counterbalancing is routinely built into repeated measures designs / as
a precaution against order or practice effects. / Half the participants do condition A first followed by B,
and half do B first followed by A, / hence the term ABBA design. (4 marks)
What is randomisation? ANS: Randomisation can refer to the random allocation of participants to
conditions to help control for variation due to participants. / Secondly, it can refer to randomising the
order in which participants take part in conditions (thus achieving a similar effect to counterbalancing). /
Thirdly, it can refer to randomising the order of stimulus materials for each participant e.g. a word list in
a memory experiment might be given on a different order to each participant. (3 marks)
Write out a hypothesis for a study comparing imagery and repetition as aids to memory: ANS: The
population / mean for imagery scores is higher than the / population / mean for repetition scores. (4
marks)
Provide a null hypothesis to go with it ANS: The difference between the / population / means for
imagery and repetition is zero. (3 marks)
What is a directional hypothesis and when would it be used? ANS: A directional hypothesis predicts the
direction in which results will fall / e.g. the population mean of sample A is higher than the mean of
sample B / or the correlation between C and D is positive. / Such hypotheses are used only when we
have good reason to predict the direction of the results / e.g. when previous research or careful
reasoning suggest it. (5 marks)
What is a non-directional hypothesis and when would it be used? ANS: A non-directional hypothesis
does not predict the direction in which results will fall / e.g. the population means of sample A and
sample B differ / or there is a correlation between C and D. / Such hypotheses may be used when there
is no prior reason to suppose that the results will turn out a particular way. (4 marks)
When would a one-tailed test be applied? ANS: A one-tailed test is used with a directional hypothesis.
(1 mark)
When would a two-tailed test be applied? ANS: A two-tailed test is used with a non-directional
hypothesis. (1 mark)
What is meant by 'operationalising' variables? Suggest two ways in which aggression could be
operationalised ANS: Operationalisation means precisely defining a variable / so that it can be
measured. / Aggression could be operationalised as the number if incidences of verbal abuse per hour. /
Alternatively, aggression could be measured as the number of incidences of physical violence per hour.
(4 marks)
