Experiments !

Aims of a study highlight what the researcher intends to investigate, whereas aims of a hypothesis highlights what the researchers predict will be the outcome.

Researchers manipulating the independant variable

Experimental and control conditions

Establishing cause and effect relationships

Ensuring that variables are in a form that can easily be tested. For example, a concept such as 'educational attainment' needs to be specified more clearly in order to investigate it. For example, it could be operationalised to 'gcse maths' 

A set of procedures that are the same for all participants are important because they strengthen the validity of research and enable the researchers to repeat the study,

For example, Raine et al's research was carefully designed, involving a large sample and matched controls. However, Raine et al only compared the six schizophrenics to a further six schizophrenics, meaning the other controls used for comparision did not have any history of psychiatric illness. 

It is important to control extraneous variables in a study as they could  effect the dependant variable in a systematic way that can alter the results of the study if not considered. 

Extraneous variables are factors, such as iq, that could  effect the results of a study. Confounding variables, such as psychiatric history, are factors that would  effect the study and the outcomes produced. 

Not a 'true' experiment because the researcher can not manipulate the IV.

Features include participants 'naturally' selected. 

A type of observartional study inwhich behaviour is inderectly observed in written/obsereved artifacts. E.g a diary. 

Where the observer is part of a group being observed. The observer may be a 'participant' unknowist to the people being observed.

Where the observer is part of a group being observed. The observer may be a 'participant' unknowist to the people being observed.

Where an observer is simply watching/listening to the behaviour of others from a distance, and does not interact with the participants.