SQA Higher Psychology Research: a complete overview of research methods, ethics, data analysis and the assignment

What this area actually demands

The Research area is the toolkit behind the whole course. It asks you to know the methods psychologists use, the concepts that make a study trustworthy and acceptable, and how data are analysed, then to apply all of this when evaluating studies and producing the assignment. The examiners reward precise definitions and, above all, the ability to use these ideas to judge real research.

This guide walks through the four research dot points, then sets out the patterns the SQA repeats. Each has a matching dot-point page with practice questions; this overview ties them together.

Research methods and the experiment

The first dot point covers the main research methods, the experiment (manipulating an independent variable to measure a dependent variable, allowing cause and effect), hypotheses (alternative and null), variables (extraneous and confounding), and the three experimental designs (independent groups, repeated measures, matched pairs), with the strengths and weaknesses of each method.

Sampling, ethics, reliability and validity

The second dot point covers sampling methods (random, opportunity, self-selected, systematic, stratified), the ethical guidelines (consent, deception, right to withdraw, protection from harm, confidentiality, debrief), and the key quality concepts of reliability (consistency) and validity (accuracy, including internal and ecological validity).

Analysing and presenting data

The third dot point covers qualitative and quantitative data, the descriptive statistics (the mean, median and mode for central tendency, the range and standard deviation for dispersion), methods of presenting data (tables, bar charts, histograms, scattergrams), and drawing justified conclusions, including why a correlation cannot be reported as cause.

The assignment

The fourth dot point is an overview of the assignment, the researched report worth 40 marks that applies all the research skills: a focused research question, an appropriate method, accurate analysis, and an evaluated conclusion, completed under controlled conditions.

How this area is examined

A typical SQA profile for the Research area:

• Describe questions. Defining a method, a variable, a sampling method or a statistic.
• Explain questions. Setting out ethical issues, or the difference between reliability and validity.
• Apply and interpret. Reading data, choosing a statistic, or judging a study's quality.
• Assignment. Applying the skills to produce and evaluate a researched report.

Check your knowledge

A mix of recall and explanation questions covering the area. Attempt them, then check against the solutions.

1. Define the independent variable and the dependent variable. (2 marks)
2. Name two sampling methods. (2 marks)
3. State two ethical guidelines a psychologist must follow. (2 marks)
4. Explain the difference between reliability and validity. (4 marks)
5. Name the three measures of central tendency. (3 marks)