Topics Covered

Thinking about research

  • The process of research
  • Reliability and objectivity in research
  • Ethics

Collecting data

  • Sampling
  • Questionnaires
  • Interviews
  • Focus groups

Data exploration

  • Descriptive statistics
  • Frequency distribution
  • Graphs and diagrams
  • Testing for normality
  • Testing for homogeneity of variance

Inferential statistics

  • Comparing two conditions/means
  • Comparing several conditions/means - one way ANOVA
  • Comparing several conditions/means - 2x2 between ANOVA
  • Comparing several conditions/means - 2x2 within ANOVA
  • Comparing several conditions/means - 2x2 mixed ANOVA
  • Comparing several conditions/means – overall questions
  • Categorical data analysis - chi-square
  • Correlation - Pearson & Spearman
  • Regression - 'simple' regression

Analysing narrative

  • Transcription, coding and analysis

Fundamental concepts in research

  • Independent and dependent variables
  • Levels of measurement
  • Populations and samples
  • The logic of testing: Type I/Type II
  • Descriptive and inferential statistics
  • Probability
  • One- and two-tailed tests
  • Significance levels
  • Effect sizes
  • Statistical power
  • Parametric and non-parametric tests
  • Hypothesis testing
  • Types of design
  • Confounding variables
  • Z-scores
  • Fundamental concepts overall practice questions

Basic Maths/Numeracy

  • Fractions
  • Decimals
  • Percentages
  • Averages
  • Basic operations and order of operations
  • Mathematical notation
  • Equation manipulation
  • Rounding numbers

SPSS basics: How to guides

  • Set up an SPSS file
  • Enter and manipulate data
  • Create coding variables
  • Select cases
  • Compute new variables
  • Use the output window
  • Save and retrieve files

Research scenario

Glossary of terms