Mnemonics

You'll remember I give out a few mnemonics for the research methods topic. For example, CROC - control, replication, operationalising, cause&effect - for the features of the experimental method. Maybe you could picture and experimenter wearing crocs, or perhaps a crocodile wearing a lab coat?



Anyway, use these and the other ones if you like...in terms of what you really need to know for Research Methods, let's simplify it as much as possible. Two or three 'features' of each method, plus one strength and one weakness for each should do it for questions such as 'Describe and evaluate the ___ method' - the longest type of question in this section.

The other common things which come up include:

- Design (e.g. Repeated Measures/Independent Measures)
- Sampling (Random v's Opportunity)
- Features of a good sample (large, unbiased, representative, random...)
- Hypotheses (be able to write an experimental/null hypothesis)
- Defining measures of central tendency (mean, mode, median) and distribution (range & SD).
- Graphs and charts - be able to identify pie chart, histogram etc and know their uses.

As mentioned in the previous post, past paper questions will be very useful preparation.

Looking ahead to the 2nd Prelim

As you are hopefully well aware, the 2nd Prelim for Psychology will take place next Friday (8th May). A provisional time and place - room A24, 10.30 to 1.00. Sorry about going into lunchtime, but it's either that or morning break! You are welcome to bring snacks with you - I don't want people leaving early beacause they get hungry.
This exam is very important, great preparation for the final exam, and doing well in it will mean we have a very strong case for an appeal if necessary.

You will be doing a lot of your revision by yourselves, due to the Monday holiday, plus I am away at a meeting on Thursday the 7th. From a revision point of view, focus on past papers...SQA advice is to use past paper questions in prelims. Some of these questions might be slightly modified, for example I could change a question on obedience into a question on conformity or whatever. So keep this in mind as you revise.

Make sure you know the format of the exam - any questions then check with me. As a basic quideline, it is more or less the same format as the 2008 exam, but the essay questions could be on Conf&Obed instead of Intelligence.

One last point - remember the importance of A&E marks. They add up to 40% overall, and each correct point you make gets you two marks. Extra A&E marks can also be carried over into K&U, so for example if you put in 50% A&E you can still get credited with all of these marks. (Note that although the paper as a whole has a 60-40 split between K&U and A&E, each individual question has its own mark allocation which you must take note of).

2nd Prelim

As you should know by now, we will be having a second prelim on 8th May. The reason for this exam is mainly to meet SQA requirements for appeals - it is no longer possible to be upgraded to an A or B grade on the basis of a 2-unit prelim. So like a lot of subjects, we now have to do a prelim which covers the whole course.

Although it is not ideal to have to fit in an extra assessment, there are many positives. It provides a good starting point for revision, with the possibility to sort out misunderstandings ahead of the final exam. It is the first time you will have done a complete practice exam, so will be very useful experience. It is also a chance for people who underachieved in January to redeem themselves!

Good luck.

2nd Prelim (again)

Of course all the papers are marked now, and well done to most of you who have achieved excellent results. To anyone for whom it didn't go well, I hope it was a useful process anyway, if only to highlight areas of difficulty in need of revision.

If you haven't seen me and want to know how you did, send me an email and I'll reply with your grade, although I'd rather see you in person and go over it.