Research Methods & Statistics Flashcards
6 cards from real LSP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Research Methods & Statistics flashcards as text
What is effect size and why is it important beyond p-values?
Answer: A measure of the magnitude of a treatment effect or relationship, indicating practical significance beyond statistical significance
While p-values indicate whether an effect exists, effect sizes (like Cohen's d or r) tell you how large the effect is. A statistically significant result can have a trivially small effect size with a large enough sample.
What is a control group in experimental research?
Answer: A group that does not receive the experimental treatment, serving as a baseline for comparison
The control group provides a baseline against which the experimental group's outcomes are compared, allowing researchers to attribute differences to the independent variable rather than extraneous factors.
What is internal validity in research?
Answer: The degree to which an experiment demonstrates that the independent variable caused changes in the dependent variable
Internal validity reflects confidence that observed effects are truly caused by the independent variable and not by confounding variables, measurement error, or other threats to the experimental design.
What is the difference between qualitative and quantitative research?
Answer: Quantitative uses numerical data and statistical analysis; qualitative uses non-numerical data like interviews and observations to understand experiences
Quantitative research tests hypotheses using numerical data and statistics. Qualitative research explores phenomena in depth through interviews, observations, and thematic analysis, providing rich contextual understanding.
What is the APA's ethical requirement regarding deception in research?
Answer: Deception is permitted only when no alternative exists, the study has significant value, and participants are debriefed as soon as possible
APA ethics allow deception only when the study cannot be conducted otherwise, the potential findings justify it, participants are not deceived about significant risks, and thorough debriefing occurs afterward.
What is a longitudinal study design?
Answer: A study that follows the same participants over an extended period to observe changes over time
Longitudinal studies collect data from the same participants at multiple time points, allowing researchers to study developmental changes, long-term outcomes, and causal relationships that cross-sectional designs cannot capture.