Research methods in psychology worksheet with answers

A hypothesis that predicts the direction of an effect is called:

1. AAn operational hypothesis
2. BDirectional (one-tailed)
3. CNon-directional (two-tailed)
4. DA null hypothesis

A small-scale trial run of a study before the main research is called:

1. AA field experiment
2. BA pilot study
3. CA meta-analysis
4. DA replication

Which sampling method selects people who happen to be available at the time, such as students in a canteen?

1. ASystematic sampling
2. BRandom sampling
3. CStratified sampling
4. DOpportunity sampling

In a normal distribution, approximately what percentage of scores lie within one standard deviation of the mean?

1. A95%
2. B68%
3. C99.7%
4. D50%

Standardised instructions are used in an experiment so that:

1. AAll participants receive the same information in the same way
2. BParticipants can choose their own conditions
3. CThe results become statistically significant
4. DThe researcher can adapt the procedure to suit each participant's needs

To obtain a sample with the same proportions of first-, second- and third-year students as the university population, a researcher should use:

1. AVolunteer sampling
2. BStratified sampling
3. COpportunity sampling
4. DSnowball sampling

Effect size measures such as Cohen's d are reported because they:

1. ATell how many participants dropped out
2. BReplace the need for any hypothesis
3. CShow whether the result is statistically significant at the chosen alpha level
4. DShow how large an effect is, regardless of sample size

A researcher compares three or more group means. Why is a one-way ANOVA used instead of several t-tests?

1. AANOVA always finds larger effects than the equivalent set of t-tests would
2. BMultiple t-tests inflate the overall Type I error rate
3. Ct-tests need qualitative data
4. Dt-tests cannot handle numbers above 100