Psy 540 Research Methods In Psychology Paper

Research Methods in Psychology

PSY 540
September 9, 2013
Instructor:

Research Methods in Psychology
Descriptive statistics give us a way to sum up and express our data but do not allow one to make a judgment related to ones theory. When delivering a test of diversity there are two primary techniques of sum up the data using descriptive statistics. The primary direction to measure the central tendency for two conditions (mean, median or mode.) The second technique to show date is to calculate and measure dispersion; these measurements will show the extent of a data set. Dispersion can also be measured by calculating the range. The range difference is show in a set of scores by the order of the smallest to the largest.
Although it can be hard to measure dispersion because any one low scale or high scale score may distort data. Another good way to measure dispersion is the standard deviation; this will tell one haw many on average scores are different than the mean. When considering inferential and descriptive statistics one must consider a population, meaning a sample from a population. The variance connection for these types of statistics inferential and descriptive statistics is what these statistics do with a sample: Inferential statistics targets to explain decisions about the population from a current sample. For instance, inferential statistics might try to infer According to "Answers" (2013), “ the achievement level of a drug in treating high temperature, by taking a sample of patients, giving them the drug, and estimating the rate of effectiveness in the population using the rate of effectiveness in the sample” (What are the differences between descriptive and inferential statistics?). Descriptive statistics goal is for example: if one views a baseball team’s scores each game over a certain time and over a one year period. This assists to calculate the common score or variance. This also defines the statistical summary for this baseball team. This is what descriptive statistic is used for. It condenses a sample using statistical concepts. These concepts are median, standard deviation, average, etc. ("Answers", 2013). Descriptive statistics are best used when discussing the outcomes of an enormous data set. Any data that shows the average results are exhausting descriptive statistics. Inferential statistics are used to associate things to comprehend the variances between them ("Answers", 2013).
What are the similarities between single-case and small-N research designs in psychology? Single case research is the discovering of specific facts this is what idiographic means. When dealing with universal laws or statement this is defined as the nomothetic type of researching, The Similarities of Single case and Small-N research designs are surveying cases. Small-N research has some characteristics of Single case but Small-N research designs still idiographic (discover specific facts) (Applied Research Questions., 2013). What are the differences between single-case and small-N research designs in psychology? According to Applied Research Questions (2013), Differences of Single case designs are frequently used in neutro-psychology and clinical psychology to know the meaning of some social activities. Even though they are single case, they are a combination of archive data, clinical observation and self reports. Single case research is represented by two types of studies, single-subject experimental design and case study design. Single case study reports the results of a plan, a treatment organization in a simple description. Small-N research is simpler. Single case research is the Extreme case of small-n research. Single cases have limited validity (Applied Research Questions., 2013). When should single-case design be used in psychology? One should use Single-case design in psychology when a study wants to center on human performance for instance; w.,,,hen the subject matter serves as her/his individual control, rather than by means of an alternative group or individual. Researchers use single-subject design because these designs are responsive to individual organism differences vs. group plans which are receptive to averages of groups. Often there will be vast number of subjects in a research study using single-subject design, yet because the subject acts as his or her own control, this is still a single-subject design. These plans are used first and foremost to evaluate the effect of a variety of interventions in applied research (Applied Research Questions., 2013). When should small-N research design be used in psychology it should be used when the fact that the N = 1 design typically is not suitable for trying the possible connections of variables highlights the significance of decide on the research method that is mainly pertinent for responding to the specific question under examination (Applied Research Questions., 2013).
What are true experiments?
According to Applied Research Question., (2013), “A true experiment is when an experiment may be completed by chance or by random assignments. This is when a true experiment is capable of being labeled a true design. True experiment design requires more than one target formed group,” common measured result(s), and random assignment. “Ethnicity and sex do not satisfy this requirement since they cannot be purposively manipulated in this way” A true experimental designs transpire when the sample are randomly appointed to a comparison and planed groups. If the test being conducted may be completed by random assignments, this experiment program is capable of being considered a true design (Applied Research Questions., 2013). How are threats to internal validity controlled by true experiments? True experiments are directed by constricted range of the evaluation purposes the true experiment is addressing. Some threats to internal validity can occur “when the control group can be involuntarily be exposed to the program: such a threat also occurs when key aspects of the program also exit in the comparison group” (Applied Research Questions., 2013). How are true experiments in psychology different from experimental designs? True experiment is used to show cause and affect relationships and differs from experimental designs in the way the ethnicity, the population, and sex are designed and differ. The internal validity is threatened when the researcher’s
goal is to produce a wanted outcome of the experiment. Meaning this researcher already has a premeditated outcome in mind and a change in mind for the dependent variables to come out with the result that this researcher would like (Applied Research Questions., 2013).
What are quasi-experimental designs in psychology?
According to (Applied Research Questions, (2013) “Quasi-experimental design in psychology is a firsthand plan or design to estimate the casual impact of an intervention on the population being targeted,” Why are quasi-experimental designs important in psychology? These quasi- experimental designs are vital or important because of Randomization. These types of experiments allow the most reliability and validity of statistical estimates of treatment effects. These experiments are vital especially in experimental design and survey sampling (Applied Research Questions., 2013). How are quasi-experimental designs different from experimental design in psychology? According to Applied Research Questions, (2013), “In science randomized experiments are the experiments that allow the greatest reliability and validity of statistical estimates of treatment effects. Randomized based inference is especially important in experimental design and in survey sampling. Quasi-experimental designs are commonly employed in the evaluation of educational program when random assignment is not possible or practical.” Quasi experimental designs are posttest only and non-equivalent only. For instance, if a researcher wants to investigate the variations between two groups of learners who will study various topics, one group will study writing and one group will study grammar. At the end of this learning program, the pupils of both groups will have to pass
a posttest to evaluate which group studied better than the other. There is a threat of this quasi-experimental design because there is no way to find out or compare in details the real variations among these two groups”, there is no way to show who is more prepared, or if one group is better prior to the testing (Applied Research Questions., 2013).

References
Answers. (2013). Retrieved from http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_difference_between_descriptive_and_inferential_statistics
Applied Research Questions.(2013). Retrieved from http://chutattien.net/english/AppliedResearchQuestions.htm
Shaughnessy, J. J., Zechmeister, E. B., & Zechmeister, J. S. (2009). Research methods in psychology (8th ed.). New York: McGraw Hill.