Summary
complete summary methods and techniques
- Course
- Institution
- Book
complete summary of the first year course methods and techniques of research
[Show more]
Connected book
Book Title:
Author(s):
- Edition:
- ISBN:
- Edition:
2 reviews
By: lilybeckers1 • 1 year ago
By: iman0512 • 3 year ago
Seller
Followveracreemers
Reviews received
Content preview
Samenvatting methods and techniquesProblem 1 welcome to science
Science= a set of methods to collect information about phenomena in a
particular area of interest, building reliable base of knowledge about them.
Knowledge acquired through research; scientists identify phenomena to
study, develop hypothesis, conduct study, analyze data and disseminate
results.
Nothing in science is taken as absolute truthscientific observations,
conclusions and theories are always open to modification or abandonment
as new evidence arises.
Scientist= someone who does science, person who adopts methods of
science. Scientist approaches problem by defining parameters, seeking
out relevant information, subjecting proposed solutions to rigorous testing.
Empirical evidence= evidence based on observation or experimentation.
Basic and applied research
Basic research= investigate issues relevant confirmation or
disconfirmation theoretical or empirical positions. Main goal; acquire
general knowledge about phenomenon.
Applied research= primary goal is to generate information that can be
applied directly to real-world problems
Overlap:
Some research areas both basic and applied aspects, applied research is
not independent of theories.
Problems in scientific terms
Everyday strategies lack rigor to qualify as truly scientific approaches, if
we give more thought to explanations, often still based on hearsay,
conjecture, anecdotal evidence.
Confirmation bias= tendency to look for info that confirms prior beliefs and
assumptions and ignore or downplay info that doesn’t conform w/ own
beliefs and assumptions.
to avoid trap of easy untested explanations scientific method.
Exploring the causes of behavior
Psychology is the science of behavior and mental processes, main goals;
Build organized body of knowledge about subject matter
Describe mental and behavioral processes, develop reliable
explanations processes.
,principal method for acquiring knowledge and uncovering causes of
behavior is research.
Explaining behavior
Science, protoscience, nonscience and pseudoscience
True science= relies on established scientific methods to acquire
information and adheres to certain rules when determining validity
of info acquired.
Protoscience= science at the edge of current scientific
understanding.
o Uses scientific method
o Has potential to develop into true science if phenomena
receive legitimate scientific support
o Can become pseudoscience if claims can not be empirically
verified.
o Epigenetics, computer science…
Nonscience= legitimate academic discipline
o Uses systematic techniques to acquire info
o Supports positions through logical argument
o Lack empirical testing
Pseudoscience= false science
o Puts forth ideas as scientific when they are not
o Shares characteristics w/ science
o Methods not up to standards true science
o Qualities that define pseudoscience;
Situation-specific hypothesis explain away falsification
No mechanisms for self-correction
Relying on confirming one’s beliefs
Shift burden of proof to skeptics
Relying on nonscientific anecdotal evidence
Avoiding peer-review
Failing to build on existing base of knowledge
Using impressive sounding jargon
Failing to specify conditions under which ideas/ claims
not true.
Scientific explanations
Empirical= explanation based on objective and systematic
observation. Events capable of verification by others
Rational= follow rules of logic, consistent w/ known facts
Testable
Parsimonious= explanation that explains behavior w/ fewest nr.
Assumptions
General
Tentative= willingness to entertain possibility explanation is faulty
, Rigorously evaluated= constantly evaluated for consistency
evidence and known principles
Commonsense explanations
Limited information
Previous experience
Based on own sense what is true
Accepted at face value
Lacking generality
Belief-based explanations
Accepted as absolute truth
Come from ‘trusted’ source
No evidence required
Evidence explanation incorrect evidence disregarded or ignored
Lacks generality
Fails to produce testable predictions
Assumes common occurrence highly unlikely events
When scientific explanations fail
Faulty inference
Wrong conclusion w/ observation; incorrectly inferring underlying
mechanisms that control behavior
Pseudoexplanations
Rely on faith
Circular explanation/ tautology
Provides label rather than true explanation
Avoid are there independent measures of behavior of interest and
proposed explanatory concept
Methods of inquiry
Knowledge about behavior can be acquired by several methods
Method of authority= info from sources perceived to be expert
o Useful early stages acquiring knowledge
o Doesn’t always give valid answers;
Source possibly not truly authoritative
Source can be biased.
Rational method=logically deduce conclusions from self-evident
truths
o Logical reasoning
o One of the assumptions in deducing incorrect conclusion
incorrect
, o Still important role science; ideas about relationships often
deduced from earlier assumptions
Scientific method= series of 4 cyclical steps
o 1. Observing phenomenon;
Identify variables= any characteristic or quantity that
can take on 2 or more values
o Formulating tentative explanations’
Hypothesis has to be testable w/ empirical research
How changes in value one variable will affect changes
value other variable
o Further observing and experimenting;
Rule out alternative explanations
Design research study to test proposed relationship
o Refining and retesting explanations;
the steps of the research process
1. Developing a research idea and hypothesis
2. Choosing a research design
3. Choosing subjects
4. Deciding on what to observe and appropriate measures;
a. Might be necessary to conduct pilot study
5. Conduct study
6. Analyzing results
7. Reporting results
8. Starting the whole process over again
What is a theory?
Theory= a plausible or scientifically acceptable, well-substantiated
explanation of some aspect of the natural world.
Partially verified statement concerning a relationship among variables, set
of interrelated propositions and corollaries specifying how variables relate
to phenomena.
What is a hypothesis?
Hypothesis= a tentative explanation for an observation, phenomenon or
scientific problem, that can be tested by further investigation;
Must be posed in a form that allows it to be rejected
Not well-substantiated
Educated guesses
Specific events under specific circumstances
Relatively simple
Law= relationship substantial support, not subject disconfirmation
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller veracreemers. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $9.73. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
60904 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now