The research methodologies and ethical principles for Units 3 and 4 are:

• experimental research: construction of research hypotheses; identification and operationalisation of independent and dependent variables; identification of extraneous and potential confounding variables including individual participant differences, non-standardised instructions and procedures, order effects, experimenter effect, placebo effects; ways of minimising confounding and extraneous variables including type of sampling procedures, type of experiment, counterbalancing, single and double blind procedures, placebos, standardised instructions and procedures; evaluation of different types of experimental research designs including independent-groups, matched-participants, repeated-measures; reporting conventions as per American Psychological Association (APA) format

• sampling procedures in selection and allocation of participants: random sampling; stratified sampling; random-stratified sampling; convenience sampling; random allocation of participants to groups; control and experimental groups

• techniques of qualitative and quantitative data collection: case studies; observational studies; self- reports; questionnaires

• statistics: measures of central tendency including mean, median and mode; interpretation of p-values and conclusions; evaluation of research in terms of generalising the findings to the population • ethical principles and professional conduct: the role of the experimenter; protection and security of

participants’ rights; confidentiality; voluntary participation; withdrawal rights; informed consent procedures; use of deception in research; debriefing.

	Created by hbora over 11 years ago

12 Psychology Note on Study Design Psychology, created by hbora on 15/09/2013.