FSHD 117 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Statistical Power, Scientific Method, Dependent And Independent Variables
Document Summary
We generate hypotheses to test them -> allows us to make suggestions towards theories of development. Testing is done through systematically observing the results of our experiences. A best guess about how two phenomenon are related. An educated suggestion to how something occurs. A testable assumption about the causes and effects of process. Key terms related to the scientific method. Population: the group from which the sample is being pulled. Sample size: how many people are being researched. The larger the sample the greater the statistical power, but we must worry about drop out. Representative sample: a sample that truly represents the population as a whole. Random sample: a study sample that pulls people at random from a population. Dependent variables: the variables we expect to see change in. Independent variables: the variables we manipulate to predict change in the dependent variable. Random assignment: placement of participants into one of two or more groups for evaluation.