1. Chapter 7 The Basics of Research Design
All statistical significance tests are really the same test. Statistics are used to describe groups and the dispersion of individual scores around the group mean

2. Designs
Univariate designs: have one dependent variable and one or more independent variables
Multivariate designs: have more than one dependent variable and one or more independent variable
We will focus on univariate designs

3. Group Differences
Do groups of the independent variable differ on levels of the dependent variable?

4. Validity associated with Methodology
Internal validity: how sure we are that the effects or changes we see in the dependent variable are due to changes in the independent variable
External validity: how closely the experimental situation corresponds to a real world situation

5. Attempts to improve or maximize one are likely to minimize the other
Reciprocity
There is a reciprocal relationship between internal validity and external validity:
Attempts to improve or maximize one are likely to minimize the other

6. Field Studies
Field studies produce high levels of external validity, but to do so must sacrifice at least some internal validity (experimental control)

7. Internal/External Validity
Field studies show that effects found in the lab occur in the world
Lab studies demonstrate the effects exist

8. Continuous Relationships
Survey-type methodologies produce questions and answers to relationships among variables
Both dependent and independent variables are continuous
Correlation = a bivariate descriptive statistic that measures the relationship between two variables