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By Daniel Hansson

2. What to Include in your Method
a) Design
b) Participants
c) Materials
d) Procedure

3. Design Identify independent variable, dependent variable and controls
Identify and justify design
Ethical considerations

4. Do Not Forget!
The independent variable must be measured with ordinal data (data that can be quantified with measures of central tendency and dispersion; e.g. mean, mode, standard deviation, range)

5. Examples of Experimental designs
Repeated measures design (within subject design
Independent measures design (between subject design)

6. Repeated measures design
Each participant takes part in all conditions of the independent variable.
Justification: Individual variables are kept constant between conditions, fewer subjects are required

7. Independent Measures Design
Two or more separate groups take the various conditions of the independent variable.
Justification: No order/practice effects, more difficult for participants to guess the aim of the experiment, same test can be used for both groups (control)

8. Possible Ethical Considerations for your Experiment
Informed consent
Respect for participant´s integrity (anonymity and confidentiality of findings)
Minimal stress
Justification of deception
Right of withdrawal
Debriefing
Protect anonymity by not including the name of the school within the report

9. Participants Sampling method – must be sample of opportunity
Identification of target population
Characteristics of sample (number of participants, level of English, age, gender distribution)
Selection and allocation procedures must be identified and justified

10. Sampling
The process of selecting subjects to study from a target population (a group of people with particular characteristics)
Subjects must be randomly allocated to each condition/group

11. Opportunity Sample
Opportunity/convenience sampling: Choosing participants that are available and around
Justification: convenience, time constraints

12. Materials
Any material that was specifically developed for the experiment should be listed and referenced to a sample copy included in the appendices

13. Procedures
An accurate description of how the experiment was carried out
Chronological order, may be in bullet points
Enough detail so that the study can be replicated
Must include development of materials and how ethical guidelines have been applied (e.g. Informed consent and debriefing) It is recommended to use standardized instructions
Refer to the appendix for the consent form, debriefing notes, standardized instructions and developed materials