OCR GCSE Psychology: Research methods overview (J203)
An overview of the research methods content in OCR GCSE Psychology (J203), which runs through both components, mapping planning and experiments, sampling and variables, data and descriptive statistics, ethics, and non-experimental methods (including correlations, reliability and validity), and how they are examined on both papers.
Reviewed by: AI editorial process; not yet individually human-reviewed
Jump to a section
Research methods is the content that runs through both components of OCR GCSE Psychology (specification J203). It is how psychologists design studies, collect and analyse data, and judge whether research is trustworthy, and it underpins every core study on the course. This page maps the content and links to a focused answer page for each part.
The research methods content
- Planning research and experiments
- Aims and hypotheses (directional, non-directional and null), the experimental methods (laboratory, field and natural) and the experimental designs (independent measures, repeated measures and matched pairs). See Planning research and experiments.
- Sampling and variables
- Sampling methods (random, opportunity, systematic and stratified) and variables (IV, DV, operationalisation, extraneous and confounding variables, controls). See Sampling and variables.
- Data and descriptive statistics
- Quantitative and qualitative data, primary and secondary data, the mean, median, mode and range, percentages and ratios, and presenting data. See Data and descriptive statistics.
- Ethics in psychological research
- Informed consent, deception, the right to withdraw, protection from harm, confidentiality and debriefing. See Ethics in psychological research.
- Non-experimental methods
- Observations, questionnaires and interviews, case studies and correlations, plus reliability and validity. See Non-experimental methods.
How this content is examined
Research methods is assessed on both papers (each 1 hour 30 minutes, 90 marks, 50 percent). J203/01 includes a task on designing an investigation; J203/02 includes a task interpreting a novel research source. Research methods questions, including the calculation questions that carry the maths marks (at least 10 percent of the total), appear throughout both papers. A calculator is allowed.
How to study research methods
- Learn the vocabulary precisely. Hypothesis types, experimental designs, sampling methods, variables, reliability and validity are marked on exact definitions.
- Drill the maths. Mean, median, mode, range, percentages and ratios, and reading tables and graphs.
- Practise designing an investigation end to end (hypothesis, method, design, sampling, controls, ethics).
- Practise interpreting an unseen source for Paper 2.
- Evaluate methods on reliability, validity and ethics.
For the official specification
OCR publishes the full specification, past papers and mark schemes at ocr.org.uk. Always revise from the current specification and OCR's own past papers, because question style is board-specific.
Sources & how we know this
- OCR GCSE (9-1) Psychology J203 specification — OCR (2017)