Deck 1: The Basics of Research Design

Question 1

Scores on a maths test are an example of what type of data?

A) Nominal
B) Interval
C) Ratio
D) Ordinal

Answer 1

C

Question 2

If I wanted to conduct an experiment on the effect of caffeine consumption on memory scores, what types of data would I need to collect for my independent (IV) and dependent variable (DV)?

A) IV = Nominal & DV = Continuous
B) IV = Nominal & DV = Nominal
C) IV = Continuous & DV = Nominal
D) IV = Continuous & DV = Continuous

Answer 2

A

Question 3

What would be a correct way to describe a negative correlation between stress and well-being scores?

A) As stress levels increase, well-being scores increase.
B) As stress levels increase, well-being scores decrease.
C) Stress levels affect levels of well-being.
D) There is no relationship between stress and well-being.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

A key aim of qualitative research is to…

A) identify key themes in a dataset.
B) explore how one variable is related to another.
C) test for the effect of one variable on another.
D) collect quantifiable data.

Question 5

Which one of the following would be an example of qualitative data?

A) Scores on an intelligence test
B) One's annual income
C) Being male or female
D) Posts on a discussion forum

Question 6

If I was conducting a study on the effect of a new anti-depressant drug (compared to a placebo drug) on depression scores, which one of the following would be a suitable one-tailed hypothesis?

A) There will be an effect of drug type on depression scores.
B) Drug type and depression scores will be related.
C) Those who are given the new drug will show lower levels of depression in comparison to those given the placebo.
D) There will be no effect of drug type on depression scores.

Question 7

How closely a study resembles real-world scenarios is an example of which type of validity?

A) External validity
B) Construct validity
C) Ecological validity
D) Internal validity

Question 8

Which of the following would be a good example of internal consistency?

A) When a participant scores similarly on an IQ test across two different time points
B) When a participant responds similarly across items within a questionnaire that are aimed to assess the same thing
C) When two (or more) people score or code data in a similar fashion
D) When your measure is assessing the thing you want it to measure

Question 9

If your study required you to deceive your participants about its aims, how might you go about dealing with this issue ethically?

A) Nothing. There is nothing unethical about deception.
B) Change the study so that it no longer deceives participants.
C) Ensure your study includes a consent form.
D) Ensure your debrief explains the real aims of the study and why the deception was necessary.

Question 10

Where should the hypotheses of a study be presented in the write up of a psychological research paper?

A) At the end of the introduction section
B) At the beginning of the introduction section
C) In the results section before you analyse the data
D) In the design and analysis section of the methods