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Research Methods

Hypotheses, variables and experimental designs

  • 3 things to know
  • Components 01 and 02

Overview

Alternative and null hypotheses, independent, dependent and extraneous variables, co-variables, standardisation, repeated and independent measures designs, and counterbalancing.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

What is counterbalancing?

Key term

What is an alternative hypothesis?

Key term

What is a null hypothesis?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    What is an alternative hypothesis?

    Model answer

    An alternative hypothesis is a testable prediction that there will be a difference or a relationship. The alternative hypothesis states what the researcher expects to find.

  2. 2

    What is a null hypothesis?

    Model answer

    A null hypothesis predicts that there will be no difference or no relationship. Any difference or pattern that does appear is put down to chance.

  3. 3

    A researcher tests whether background music affects how many words people recall. Write an alternative hypothesis that predicts a difference.

    Model answer

    Participants will recall a different number of words from a list of 20 when music is playing than in silence.

  4. 4

    A researcher predicts that the more hours students sleep, the higher their test scores will be. What kind of hypothesis is this?

    Model answer

    The prediction is a correlational hypothesis. A correlational hypothesis predicts a relationship between two co-variables rather than a difference between conditions.

  5. 5

    Write a null hypothesis for a study of whether hours of sleep and test scores are related.

    Model answer

    The number of hours students sleep will show no relationship with their test scores. Any pattern found will be due to chance.

  6. 6

    What is an independent variable, and how is it manipulated?

    Model answer

    The independent variable is the factor a researcher changes to see its effect. The researcher manipulates it by creating different conditions, such as music versus silence.

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