PY 251 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Dependent And Independent Variables, Psyclit, Psycinfo
Py 251: Research Design and Analysis I
Prof: Rand Ziegler
Fall 2016
Note Taker: Blythe Smith
Class notes –Week Two (5/9-9/9)
Terms and Concepts that are Need to Know
o Quasi-experiment
o True experiment
o Subject (participant) variable
o Random selection
o Random assignment
o Extraneous variable
o Confounding variables
Anytime someone can be randomly assigned that is a true experiment
Quasi-experiments are also used when a true experiment is unethical
Extraneous variables are background noise and affect all groups
Confounding variables are an outside variable that can skew your study due to it’s influence on one
group (Kiss of death)
Chapter 2: pages 30-54
Selecting a problem
Look at current treatments/research of something you’re interested in
Find a current theory of interest and norrow it down
Observe/choose what you find interesting
Practical problems
Reviewing the literature
Literature rveiw: search of poblished studies to have a grasp on research that has been done and its
relevant library research
o Librarians are to traind to help find information
o Journals
Not a magazine
Research set to editor to be peer-reviewed and then possibly published
Many studies rejected and not published in journals
Usually best research in the area due to peer-review
Abstracts- summary of a study done
o psychInfo and psychlit
Document Summary
Terms and concepts that are need to know: quasi-experiment, true experiment, subject (participant) variable, random selection, random assignment, extraneous variable, confounding variables. Anytime someone can be randomly assigned that is a true experiment. Quasi-experiments are also used when a true experiment is unethical. Extraneous variables are background noise and affect all groups. Co(cid:374)fou(cid:374)di(cid:374)g (cid:448)aria(cid:271)les are a(cid:374) outside (cid:448)aria(cid:271)le that (cid:272)a(cid:374) ske(cid:449) your study due to it"s i(cid:374)flue(cid:374)(cid:272)e o(cid:374) o(cid:374)e group (kiss of death) Look at (cid:272)urre(cid:374)t treat(cid:373)e(cid:374)ts/resear(cid:272)h of so(cid:373)ethi(cid:374)g you"re i(cid:374)terested i(cid:374) Find a current theory of interest and norrow it down. Literature rveiw: search of poblished studies to have a grasp on research that has been done and its relevant library research: librarians are to traind to help find information. Research set to editor to be peer-reviewed and then possibly published. Many studies rejected and not published in journals. Usually best research in the area due to peer-review. Abstracts- summary of a study done: psychinfo and psychlit.
