Research Methods Extended

Response
VCAA 2013 Sample exam:
Question 4a:
Dr Nicholls research on organization of concepts in semantic memory resulted in
a p-value of 0.02. This means that the probability of the results (and DV) being
affected by chance factors was 2%. This is below a probability of 5%, and hence
is statistically significant. Therefore, her hypothesis that people will remember
more words if related words were paired is supported, demonstrating a cause
and effect relationship between the relatedness of the word pairs (organization of
concepts) and the number of words recalled (recall ability).
However, a generalization cannot be drawn from the results as the sample that
underwent the experiment was not selected through random sampling. The 20
first year university students were chosen through convenience sampling, which
is where not everyone in the population (people) had an equal chance of being
selected for the experiment. They may not be studying university and may never
have had the opportunity to participate. Thus, the sample was not a true
representative of people, creating various extraneous variables that may have
affected the results.
The experimental design used by Dr Nicholls was repeated-measures. This is
when each participant conducts both the experimental (related pairs) and control
conditions (unrelated pairs). Normally, this will lead to order effects, but due to
the counterbalancing of the design, all order effects and participant differences
were reduced. Nevertheless, there were flaws in the sampling methods of
experiment, as mentioned above. Non-random sampling was used instead of
random sampling. This is when not every member of the population (people) has
an equal chance of being selected, as did the 20 first year university students.
This leads to an untrue representative of the population. Thus, there could have
been differences in the number of women or men in the results or race, causing,
once again, results that cannot be generalized. This can be fixed by using
random-stratified sampling, where classes, races, gender are accounted for and
their resulting extraneous effects, reduced.
Question 4b:
I agree with Dr Nicholls, in that the research design she used, repeatedmeasures, was the most suitable for the study. Repeated-measures design is
when the same participants conduct both the experimental and control
conditions. Other designs that could have been used include:

Independent groups design

Where the sample is split into groups and each participant only
does one condition (either the experimental or the control)
Matched participants design
o When the participants are paired up with another participant of
certain similar characteristics (an extraneous variable). The pair is
then split up into the experimental and control condition and each
participant only does the experiment once.
o

However, repeated-measures design is the best for this particular study because:
Repeated-measures
It reduces all individual
participant differences in
the study as the same
participants conduct
each condition. The
experimental results are
compared to the same
persons control
conditions.

Independent groups
It does not reduce
individual differences as
the groups have different
participants, leading to
the extraneous variables
arising when comparing
the experimental group
to the control.

However, this leads to

order effects, as the
repetition of both
conditions could lead to
practice effects, fatigue
or boredom. Therefore,
these factors could affect
the results, positively or
negatively, and affect the
reliability of the study
It does not, however,
reduce the participant
effects, and in fact,
increases the likelihood
of it. This is because the
same participant is
exposed to both the
experimental and control
condition, and can figure
out what the study is on
and the IV and DV. Thus,
this could affect their
behavior during the
experiment.
It does not reduce
experimenter effects,
which could lead to the

This does not lead to

order effects as the
participant only performs
each experiment once.
Therefore, they will not
get any practice effect,
or likely to be subject of
boredom or fatigue.

Matched participants
It does not reduce
individual differences as
the groups have different
participants, and though
they are similar under
certain characteristics,
other factors could also
influence the differences
between the participants
and, thereby, groups
This does not lead to
order effects as the
participant only performs
each experiment once.
Therefore, they will not
get any practice effect, or
likely to be subject of
boredom or fatigue.

It does not reduce

participant effects, but
does not increase the
likelihood either. This is
because, the participant
only conducts the
experiment once and
thus is less likely to
guess what group they
are in, and what is tested
for.

It does not reduce

participant effects, but
does not increase the
likelihood either. This is
because, the participant
only conducts the
experiment once and
thus is less likely to
guess what group they
are in, and what is tested
for.

Also does not reduce

experimenter effects.

Like the two other

designs, it does not
reduce or increase

experimenter affecting
the data in an unwanted
way

likelihood of
experimenter effects.