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PYC3704- 2017PYC3704 (2017)
Psychological
Research
Study Notes
IMPORTANT: Read through your UNISA study guide first!
Get an overview of the module and then study each Topic individually
Use this guide in conjunction with the UNISA guide- it is NOT a substitute
If you have previous question papers- PLEASE DON’T RELY ON THESE, you
need to UNDERSTAND the content of this module if you want to pass and
carry on to complete your Honours!
PLEASE NOTE THE Zp and Zc test statistics are NO longer part of your
syllabus, I have however included them in my notes to assist you when
working through the past exam papers (prior to 2012).
So you only need to know the following test statistics: Zx Tx Tc Td, Pearson’s
r and Xp². Refer to the flow chart on p.177 in the UNISA guide.
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Table of Contents
1. What to memorise for the exam……………………………………………….…………………… P. 3
2. Table of symbols……………………………………………………………….……………………… P. 4
3. Basic overview of the steps taken in research………………………….……………………….. P. 5
4. Topic 1: QUANTITATIVE METHODS: THEORY, HYPOTHESIS AND RESEARCH DESIGNS P. 6
5. Topic 2: PROBABILITY.…………………………………………………….………………………… P. 10
6. Topic 3: GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF HYPOTHESIS TESTING……….………………………… P. 22
7. Topic 4: STATISTICAL HYPOTHESIS TESTING: MEANS FOR A SINGLE SAMPLE…..…… P. 29
8. Topic 5: STATISTICAL HYPOTHESIS TESTING: COMPARING TWO SAMPLES….…..….… P. 30
9. Topic 6: STATISTICAL HYPOTHESIS TESTING: CORRELATION DESIGNS………….……… P. 32
10. ADDITIONAL NOTES: Degrees of Freedom and Effect Size…………………………………..P 33
11. APPENDIX A: List of formulae….………………………………………………………………… P. 35
12. List of formulae to memorise for the exam……………………………………………………. P. 36
13. APPENDIX B: Flow chart from the old UNISA guide………………………………………… P. 37
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Dear UNISA Student
I understand that this is a difficult module and many students close their study guides about half way through the second
topic! However, I know that if you work through this guide and dedicate the time and energy to this module not only will you
pass but if you put in the hours you can achieve a DISTINCTION! Which is not an easy task for a third year module…
So take a deep breath and work systematically throughout the semester so you don’t end up trying to come to terms with tricky
concepts a week before you write your exam.
The UNISA guide can be very confusing and the language used is quite complex- so I am going to try to relate all the difficult
concepts back to things you would use in your daily life so you can easily memorise and most importantly UNDERSTAND
what is going on in the strange but interesting world of statistics.
Many students have not done maths beyond standard 6 or 8 (or completed school many years ago!) and get thrown when
they see all the formulae in the study guide. Please note that you only need a very basic level of maths to do the calculations
(your calculator will do all the work if you know how to use it). The best news is there are usually only about 5-6 calculations
in the exam so you can leave them out if you are really not comfortable doing calculations and still do really well :) Please see
the list of formula on page 36 that you NEED to know and use in the exam!
If you spot any errors or typos in this guide please email me: taryn.elise.herselman@gmail.com so I can correct future versions.
Good luck and may the force be with you!!
1. WHAT TO MEMORISE FOR YOUR EXAM:
1. The decision rule (Unisa Study Guide p.83, second paragraph) - MANY of the exam questions are a restatement of the decision rule so
make sure you know it well!
2. The meaning of the various symbols, e.g. p (p-value), s (standard deviation), µ (mean) etc. Use the table on page 161 (Appendix C) as a
guide and add any extra symbols from Topic 3-6 that you come across. You will see a chart that I have started for you on the next page.
3. The Appendix F table (Flow Chart) at the back of your UNISA Study Guide. P.177 Make a big, colourful poster and stick it up on your
wall. You can also refer to the flow chart in my notes on page 37 which gives a bit more detail on how to choose the correct statistic
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2. TABLE OF THE SYMBOLS USED IN THIS MODULE
POPULATIONS (Hypothesis) SAMPLES TEST
**PARAMETER** **STATISTIC** STATISTICS
µ ͞ₓ
ARITHMETIC MEAN
STANDARD DEVIATION
σ s
VARIANCE
σ² s² (s= √s2}
STD ERROR OF THE MEAN
Also called:
σ ͞ₓ = (σ/√n) s ͞ₓ = (s/√n)
Standard deviation of the sampling distribution of the
mean
OR
Standard deviation of the sample means
MEAN OF ALL MEANS
Also called:
µ ͞ₓ -
Mean of sampling distribution of the mean
This is equal to the mean under Hₒ the Null Hypothesis
Z score for means
- z ͞ₓ
Difference between scores
D d
Pearson’s R
ρ (Rho looks like a small p) r
Squared correlation
Can be used as indication of effect size
r²
Proportions
P p
P-value (probability value associated with a test
statistic)
- p
Level of significance (alpha)
Set by the researcher at the start of the project
- α
Beta
Refers to the probability of making a type II error
- β
Z-test / T-test (independent and dependent groups) /
Chi- squared *(See the flow chart on p.36 for the full list) - - Tc/ Td / Z ͞ₓ/𝑿𝒑²
Statistical Hypotheses (Null and Alternative) which
ALWAYS refer to a population never a sample! H0 and H1 -
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