5 Research Methods

Natural Observations

example

Difference in risk taking between teenage boys and girls

strengths

Broad

avaliable

Description

Observe what we already have, and recording the results of the natural environment

limitations

inaccurate

no extroneous Variables

No controlled Variables

Time Consuming

Surveys

limitations

Human Influence

bias

Inaccurate

strengths

Flexible

Fast

Easy

Cheap

example

Most preferred type of food

Description

Questionners and surveys with the same set of questions

Case Studies

Strengths

Detailed

Informative

Desciption

A form of qualitative research that is used to look at individuals and a small group of participation

Limitations

Personalist

Not generalised

Example

Psychiotrists collecting statistics

Experimental

Description

is when we experiment the topic and control the variables to see final result ( tangible)

Strengths

Accurate

II.

Specific

III.

Faster

IV.

testable

Repeatable

Limitaions

Several Req.

Value Judgements

Not Flexible

Example

If we want know if water will freeze faster or slower with the addition of sugar.

Follow the scientific method:- Observation- Hypothesis- Dependant Variable- Independant Variable- Controlled Variables- Controlled Group- Conclousion- Theory

Correlation

Description

Tests for statistical relation bet. variables

Strenghts

Graphs

II.

Charts

III.

Organised

IV.

Comparisons

Limitations

Shows change in shadow of comparison (relative)

II.

Diff. variables

III.

Not-Objective

Examples

Studying results of two exp. in relation