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Hypotheses and Predictions
Research problems formulated as general questions about behavior are informal . |
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However, when they are stated in formal terms, such as two or more variables are related to one another, this is called formal . |
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When they are formal, they are formulated on the basis of past findings and considerations. |
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The researcher wants to test the formal hypothesis(es) and does so by designing a study and making specific concerning the results of the study. |
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If, for example, the prediction is confirmed by the results, the hypothesis is or if the prediction is not confirmed by the results, the hypothesis is . |
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Who We Study: A Note on Terminology
There are a number of terms used to describe those we study or help researchers. For example, individuals who participate in research projects are referred to as both and subjects in psychological research. |
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However, the American Psychological Association Publication Manual (APA, 2001) recommends using the term when describing who take part in psychological research. |
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If, they take part in survey research, they are usually called . |
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Besides participants, sometimes people help researchers understand the dynamics of a particular culture or organizational setting and these individuals are referred to as . |
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Sources of Ideas
Good ideas come from many sources. In particular, the following are five sources of good ideas:
, of the world around us, of human behavior, past and problems. |
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Library Research
Before a research project is conducted, the researcher must have a thorough knowledge of previous findings. |
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The researcher then uses this knowledge to help refine and clarify the idea and the study. |
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Conducting a literature review on a topic requires an understanding of how to the literature and research reports in professional journals. |
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Library research in psychology is done primarily by using resources, such as Psyc Abstracts, , PsycLIT, PsycFIRST, the Science Citation Index, and the Social Sciences Citation Index. |
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Anatomy of a Research Article
The research articles in professional journals are usually divided into the following major sections: the and it is a summary of the overall research report that usually runs no more than 150 words in length; the that explains the problem under investigation and the specific hypotheses being tested; the section that describes the exact procedures, testing materials, and equipment used to conduct the study; the section that presents the findings of the study; and the section that presents reviews of the research from various perspectives, includes discussions about the research results and speculation about interpretations or potential explanations for the findings, and hypothesis, and suggestions for future research on the problem. |
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At the end of these sections, there is a list of all the that were cited in the report. |
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