Your Own Research Method and Materials

Procedure BATs Write a method Create materials such as - consent forms, standardised instructions, questionnaire, debrief, results table Collect qualitative and quantitative data using a questionnaire or other method

Starter Look at each other’s Introduction (last week’s homework) To what extent would you be able to ascertain the aim and hypothesis of this piece of research?

Writing a Method Your method should include descriptions of the following: Design Materials Variables Sample Ethical Issues and how they have been addressed Procedure. See pages 280, 282/3, 284 and your AS revision guide I could get someone to read my method and ask them if they could confidently replicate it

Writing a Method A crucial section of the report. Must make it possible for the reader to replicate your investigation. Outline from start to finish what your participants did without exception, and end with you thanking them and thoroughly debriefing each participant. A step-step guide of what to do. (Like a recipe in a cookbook all steps would need to be followed in order to make that perfect soufflé!!!) Thanks to Lana Crosbie!

Creating Materials for your research You will need … A consent form – with right to withdraw, guarantee of confidentiality Questionnaire – no names!! Code number? Debrief slip – reiterating right to withdraw and thanking participant A table to collect data You may need standardised instructions – why?

Questionnaire Relevant to study – age, gender e.t.c Choose a variety of types of question – Closed – gives possibility to quantify E.g. Likert scale – rating Yes/no Give options – they pick those most appropriate to them - Open – provides qualitative data See p298-9

Over to you The expectation is that you will have the following completed by break.. Rough method drawn up Materials completed Start to give out questionnaires at break – ready for collection in next 2- 3 days HOMEWORK – collect data and record in a suitable table

Lesson 3 – Analysing Data Descriptive Stats – These are the first calculations we complete with the raw data. Mean- Add all scores together and divide by number of participants. Median- The Middle value. Mode- The most frequent answer. Range- The highest value minus the lowest value. Standard Deviation – more precise than range Percentage See pages AS revision guide

Lesson 3 – Analysing Data Displaying Data You could display your results via a bar chart, histogram, pie chart scatter gram..

Finishing Off Homework Collect data and record in a suitable table Descriptive stats Display stats Now – write up your method in more detail, think about what descriptive stats will be most appropriate and how you will display your data NEXT WEEK Inferential statistics and a discussion – so data must be available!!! Ask someone from another group to read your method