Exam 2: D: The Research Process: Ideas to Innovations

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One method for generating a good research hypothesis is to consider matters of degree.This means that when thinking about a hypothesis it is often valuable to consider variables in terms of amounts rather than absolutes.Perhaps Carlita discovered that a variable can be beneficial,but at an extreme level it can be detrimental.This would mean that the matter of degree or amount of that variable influences its effect.Carlita can hypothesize the amount/intensity/degree at which that variable is optimally beneficial or at which it becomes detrimental.In this manner,her efforts to untangle the contradictory information would further the understanding of the variable under investigation.

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Research findings are based on probabilistic conclusions about the relationship between variables of interest.In psychology,scientists hold findings to a 95% certainty that results are not due to random chance.Because the threshold for significance is not set at 100%,statistically significant findings do not represent absolute truths.Accordingly,psychologists use words like "suggest" or "support" rather than "prove." Good scientists recognize the limitations in their research studies and avoid overstating the conclusions based on their results.

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A within-subjects design is a data collection method in which each participant is assessed on the dependent variable more than once.In this case,Martin is interested in understanding how students' academic performance changes from middle school to high school.If he is using a within-subjects research design,then he should assess his participants' academic performance when they are in middle school.He should then assess the academic performance of these same students once they are in high school.By conducting a longitudinal design he is able to compare each student with himself/herself at an earlier time.