SPED102 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Standard Deviation, External Validity, Statistical Hypothesis Testing
2 Jun 2018
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Research Methods – Week 6 SPED102
The process of research
• Scientific methods involve procedures used for collecting/interpreting
information that minimise bias and provides dependable and generalizable
findings
• The goal is to provide conclusions that are as objective as possible and
minimize personal bias
• It attempts to compensate for human flaws and biases
• Theory or practically based research question
• Design a study to examine this question
• Run this study and collect the data
• Analyse and write up the data
• Disseminate findings (publish in peer-reviewed journal)
Terminology: Variables
• Aspects of research that can have different values
• Two flavours:
o Independent variable
▪ An independent variable is the variable that is manipulated by
the researcher (or the presumed cause)
▪ E.g.: paracetamol, memory training task, cognitive anxiety
training
o Dependent variable
▪ The dependent variable is the variable that is measured by the
researcher (or presumed effect)
▪ E.g.: reported level of pain or amount of pain medication used,
time to complete a memory task, anxiety level
o E.g. if we wanted to investigate the effects on classroom on-task
behaviour in children of prior exercise?
▪ DV = on-task behaviour
▪ IV = prior exercise
o Confounding variables:
▪ A variable other than those controlled by the researcher that
may impact on the results
▪ Some people drink more coffee than others and may respond
differently
▪ Individual differences may impact on the experiment and
influence the outcome
Types of research
• Research → qualitative and quantitative
• Quantitative → experimental and non-experimental
o Involves systematic objective measurement – tries to minimize
observer effects (bias)
o Relies on objective measurement and predetermined scientific methods
o Some methods suited to evaluating cause-effect relationships and
efficacy of interventions
o Non-experimental research:
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
The process of research: scientific methods involve procedures used for collecting/interpreting information that minimise bias and provides dependable and generalizable findings, the goal is to provide conclusions that are as objective as possible and minimize personal bias. Terminology: variables: aspects of research that can have different values, two flavours, independent variable, an independent variable is the variable that is manipulated by the researcher (or the presumed cause, e. g. : paracetamol, memory training task, cognitive anxiety training: dependent variable, the dependent variable is the variable that is measured by the researcher (or presumed effect, e. g. Iv = prior exercise: confounding variables, a variable other than those controlled by the researcher that may impact on the results, some people drink more coffee than others and may respond differently. Individual differences may impact on the experiment and influence the outcome. Statistical analysis: basic statistics, two flavours, descriptive describes the data you have collected.
