Paper 2: Research Methods

Information below taken from AQA Specification. Page last updated 2017

What’s assessed? Compulsory content of Approaches, Biopsychology and Research Methods.
How is it assessed? Written exam: 2 hours • 96 marks in total • 33.3% of A-level
What type of questions? Section A&B: multiple choice, short answer and extended writing maximum 16 marks, each section totalling 24 marks. Section C: multiple choice, short answer and extended writing maximum 16 marks, section totalling 48 marks.

Research Methods Lessons

AQA Psychology: PSY2 Research Methods Lesson 01: Aims of Research	AQA Psychology: PSY2 Research Methods Lesson 02: Our Variables	AQA Psychology: PSY2 Research Methods Lesson 03: Hyp Writing	AQA Psychology: PSY2 Research Methods Lesson 04: Lab Experiments	AQA Psychology: PSY2 Research Methods Lesson 05: Other Experiments
AQA Psychology: PSY2 Research Methods Lesson 06: Exp Design	AQA Psychology: PSY2 Research Methods Lesson 07: Reliable & Valid	AQA Psychology: PSY2 Research Methods Lesson 08: Extra Variables	AQA Psychology: PSY2 Research Methods Lesson 09: Extra Variables	AQA Psychology: PSY2 Research Methods Lesson 10: Control of EVs
AQA Psychology: PSY2 Research Methods Lesson 11: Ethical Issues	AQA Psychology: PSY2 Research Methods Lesson 12: Ethical Issues	AQA Psychology: PSY2 Research Methods Lesson 13: Central Tendency	AQA Psychology: PSY2 Research Methods Lesson 14: Dispersion	AQA Psychology: PSY2 Research Methods Lesson 15: Graphs
AQA Psychology: PSY2 Research Methods Lesson 16: Distribution	AQA Psychology: PSY2 Research Methods Lesson 17: Sampling	AQA Psychology: PSY2 Research Methods Lesson 18: Correlations	AQA Psychology: PSY2 Research Methods Lesson 19: You Lemon	AQA Psychology: PSY2 Research Methods Lesson 20: Observation
AQA Psychology: PSY2 Research Methods Lesson 21: Design Obs	AQA Psychology: PSY2 Research Methods Lesson 22: Self Report	AQA Psychology: PSY2 Research Methods Lesson 23: Design Questions	AQA Psychology: PSY2 Research Methods Lesson 24: Case Studies	AQA Psychology: PSY2 Research Methods Lesson 25: Case Studies
AQA Psychology: PSY2 Research Methods Lesson 26: Prob & Sig	AQA Psychology: PSY2 Research Methods Lesson 27: Choose Tests	AQA Psychology: PSY2 Research Methods Lesson 28: Sign Test	AQA Psychology: PSY2 Research Methods Lesson 29: Test Significance	AQA Psychology: PSY2 Research Methods Lesson 30: Mid Unit Test
AQA Psychology: PSY2 Research Methods Lesson 00: TBC Lesson	AQA Psychology: PSY2 Research Methods Lesson 00: TBC Lesson	AQA Psychology: PSY2 Research Methods Lesson 00: TBC Lesson	AQA Psychology: PSY2 Research Methods Lesson 00: TBC Lesson	AQA Psychology: PSY2 Research Methods Lesson 00: TBC Lesson
AQA Psychology: PSY2 Research Methods Lesson 00: TBC Lesson	AQA Psychology: PSY2 Research Methods Lesson 00: TBC Lesson	AQA Psychology: PSY2 Research Methods Lesson 00: TBC Lesson	AQA Psychology: PSY2 Research Methods Lesson 00: TBC Lesson	AQA Psychology: PSY2 Research Methods Lesson 00: TBC Lesson

Students will be expected to:

• demonstrate knowledge and understanding of psychological concepts, theories, research studies, research methods and ethical issues in relation to the specified Paper 2 content.
• apply psychological knowledge and understanding of the specified Paper 2 content in a range of contexts
• analyse, interpret and evaluate psychological concepts, theories, research studies and research methods in relation to the specified Paper 2 content
• evaluate therapies and treatments including in terms of their appropriateness and effectiveness.

Assessment Objectives (% of overall A Level)

• AO1 = 7–10 %
• AO2 = 16–19 %
• AO3 = 7–9 %

4.2.3 Research methods

• Experimental method. Types of experiment, laboratory and field experiments; natural and quasi-experiments.
• Observational techniques. Types of observation: naturalistic and controlled observation; covert and overt observation; participant and non-participant observation.
• Self-report techniques. Questionnaires; interviews, structured and unstructured.
• Correlations. Analysis of the relationship between co-variables. The difference between correlations and experiments.
• Content analysis.
• Case studies.

4.2.3.1 Scientific processes

• Aims: stating aims, the difference between aims and hypotheses.
• Hypotheses: directional and non-directional.
• Sampling: the difference between population and sample; sampling techniques including: random, systematic, stratified, opportunity and volunteer; implications of sampling techniques, including bias and generalisation.
• Pilot studies and the aims of piloting.
• Experimental designs: repeated measures, independent groups, matched pairs.
• Observational design: behavioural categories; event sampling; time sampling.
• Questionnaire construction, including use of open and closed questions; design of interviews.
• Variables: manipulation and control of variables, including independent, dependent, extraneous, confounding; operationalisation of variables.
• Control: random allocation and counterbalancing, randomisation and standardisation.
• Demand characteristics and investigator effects.
• Ethics, including the role of the British Psychological Society’s code of ethics; ethical issues in the design and conduct of psychological studies; dealing with ethical issues in research.
• The role of peer review in the scientific process.
• The implications of psychological research for the economy.
• Reliability across all methods of investigation. Ways of assessing reliability: test-retest and inter-observer; improving reliability.
• Types of validity across all methods of investigation: face validity, concurrent validity, ecological validity and temporal validity. Assessment of validity. Improving validity.
• Features of science: objectivity and the empirical method; replicability and falsifiability; theory construction and hypothesis testing; paradigms and paradigm shifts.
• Reporting psychological investigations. Sections of a scientific report: abstract, introduction, method, results, discussion and referencing.

4.2.3.2 Data handling and analysis

• Quantitative and qualitative data; the distinction between qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques.
• Primary and secondary data, including meta-analysis.
• Descriptive statistics: measures of central tendency – mean, median, mode; calculation of mean, median and mode; measures of dispersion; range and standard deviation; calculation of range; calculation of percentages; positive, negative and zero correlations.
• Presentation and display of quantitative data: graphs, tables, scattergrams, bar charts, histograms.
• Distributions: normal and skewed distributions; characteristics of normal and skewed distributions.
• Analysis and interpretation of correlation, including correlation coefficients.
• Levels of measurement: nominal, ordinal and interval.
• Content analysis and coding. Thematic analysis.

4.2.3.3 Inferential testing

• Introduction to statistical testing; the sign test.
• Probability and significance: use of statistical tables and critical values in interpretation of significance; Type I and Type II errors.
• Factors affecting the choice of statistical test, including level of measurement and experimental design.
• When to use the following tests: Spearman’s rho, Pearson’s r, Wilcoxon, Mann-Whitney, related t-test, unrelated t-test and Chi-Squared test.