Research methods in psychology worksheet with answers

Free printable Research methods in psychology worksheet: 8 problems from easy to exam level, with an answer key. Print it or save it as a PDF.

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Name: ____________________   Date: ____________

1.Easy

The median of the scores 3, 7, 8, 12, 20 is:

  1. A7
  2. B8
  3. C10
  4. D12
2.Easy

A case study is:

  1. AAn in-depth investigation of one person, group or event
  2. BA statistical review of many published studies
  3. CA laboratory experiment with two conditions
  4. DA survey of thousands of randomly selected people from the general population
3.Easy

In an experiment, the variable the researcher deliberately changes is the:

  1. AExtraneous variable
  2. BDependent variable
  3. CConfounding variable
  4. DIndependent variable
4.Medium

Ecological validity refers to:

  1. AHow well findings generalise to real-life settings
  2. BWhether a test predicts future behaviour
  3. CWhether the test looks like it measures the right thing
  4. DHow consistent a test is over time
5.Medium

In observational research, event sampling means:

  1. ARecording behaviour only at fixed time intervals
  2. BChoosing participants at random
  3. CRecording only events the participants report
  4. DRecording every time a specified behaviour occurs
6.Medium

Publication bias refers to:

  1. AJournals publishing only qualitative research
  2. BResearchers publishing the same study twice
  3. CStudies with significant results being more likely to be published than null results
  4. DReviewers favouring papers by authors from famous universities over lesser-known ones
7.Hard

Why do many researchers argue that p-values should be reported together with effect sizes and confidence intervals?

  1. AP-values show the probability the hypothesis is true
  2. BA p-value does not show how large or precise the effect is
  3. CConfidence intervals are only needed in qualitative research
  4. DEffect sizes make sample size irrelevant to significance
8.Hard

A researcher measures the effect of noise on concentration. Participants in the noise condition happened to be tested in the morning and the quiet condition in the afternoon. What is the problem?

  1. AThe data are at nominal level
  2. BThe study has too many conditions
  3. CTime of day is the dependent variable
  4. DTime of day is a confounding variable

Answer key

  1. 1. B · 8
  2. 2. A · An in-depth investigation of one person, group or event
  3. 3. D · Independent variable
  4. 4. A · How well findings generalise to real-life settings
  5. 5. D · Recording every time a specified behaviour occurs
  6. 6. C · Studies with significant results being more likely to be published than null results
  7. 7. B · A p-value does not show how large or precise the effect is
  8. 8. D · Time of day is a confounding variable

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