Crossword of key terms in research methods

The researcher’s area of interest – what they are looking at (e.g. to investigate helping behaviour).
In-depth investigation of a single person, group or event, where data are gathered from a variety of sources and by using several different methods (e.g. observations & interviews).
Questions where there are fixed choices of responses e.g. yes/no. They generate quantitative data.
Unless agreed beforehand, participants have the right to expect that all data collected during a research study will remain confidential and anonymous.
A group that is treated normally and gives us a measure of how people behave when they are not exposed to the experimental treatment (e.g. allowed to sleep normally).
Whether something is true – measures what it sets out to measure.
Involves misleading participants about the purpose of s study.
The variable that is measured to tell you the outcome.
Analysis of data that helps describe, show or summarize data in a meaningful way.
The extent to which the findings of a research study are able to be generalized to real-life settings.
These are provided by the BPS - they are the ‘rules’ by which all psychologists should operate, including those carrying out research.
There are 3 main ethical issues that occur in psychological research – deception, lack of informed consent and lack of protection of participants.
The group that received the experimental treatment (e.g. sleep deprivation).
Whether it is possible to generalise the results beyond the experimental setting.
Variables that if not controlled may affect the DV and provide a false impression than an IV has produced changes when it hasn’t.
An experiment that takes place in a natural setting where the experimenter manipulates the IV and measures the DV.
An experimental design where each participants only takes part in one condition of the IV.
An experimental design where pairs of participants are matched on important characteristics and one member allocated to each condition of the IV.
Questions where there is no fixed response and participants can give any answer they like. They generate qualitative data.
A sampling technique where participants are chosen because they are easily available.
A small scale study conducted to ensure the method will work according to plan. If it doesn’t then amendments can be made.
Information that can be measured and written down with numbers.
A sampling technique where everyone in the target population has an equal chance of being selected.
A measure of dispersion which involves subtracting the lowest score from the highest score in a set of data.
An experimental design where each participants takes part in both/all conditions of the IV.
A group of people that are drawn from the target population to take part in a research investigation.
A sampling technique where groups of participants are selected in proportion to their frequency in the target population.