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Evaluating Research Questions
Researchers typically generate more research questions than they can investigate, requiring a systematic way to evaluate and select which ones to pursue. The two primary criteria used to evaluate the quality of a research question are its interestingness to the broader scientific community and the feasibility of successfully answering it.
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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU
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Falsifiability
Limitations of the Scientific Method
Non-Empirical Questions
Example of an Empirical Question
Conceptualizing Single Variable Research Questions
Evaluating Research Questions
Empirical Evidence
Which of the following best describes the defining characteristic of an empirical question?
A question about whether it is 'right' or 'wrong' to use animals in research is considered an empirical question because researchers can measure the animals' physiological stress levels.
Match each psychological research inquiry with the classification that best explains why it is, or is not, considered an empirical question.
A researcher is evaluating the inquiry: 'Does frequent social media use lead to lower self-esteem?' To confirm this is a valid empirical question, arrange the following steps in the logical sequence required to analyze the inquiry's structure.
A cognitive psychologist wants to transform the vague interest 'Does sleep affect the mind?' into a specific, testable empirical question. Arrange the following components in the logical order required to synthesize a complete inquiry that can be resolved through systematic, observable evidence.
The scope of the scientific method is strictly restricted to answering empirical questions because science relies on systematic, observable evidence.
A psychologist is designing a new research study. Which of the following best explains why the question 'Does practicing mindfulness meditation increase empathy in college students?' is classified as an empirical question, whereas the question 'Should college students be required to practice mindfulness meditation?' is not?
A researcher evaluates the inquiry 'Is it more ethical to use human or animal subjects?' and determines that it is not an empirical question. This judgment is correct because the 'ethicality' of a choice is a value-based decision that cannot be resolved through _____ evidence alone.
A research methods instructor presents four inquiries and asks students to identify the specific feature that determines whether each can be addressed using the scientific method. Match each inquiry to the feature that best explains its empirical or non-empirical status.
A student defends their proposed research question 'Are individuals who exercise regularly more likely to report lower stress levels than those who do not?' by arguing it qualifies as a valid empirical question suitable for scientific investigation. The student's justification is sound because this question asks about the way the world actually is and can be resolved by collecting and evaluating systematic, _____ evidence — the defining criterion that separates empirical questions from non-empirical ones such as value or aesthetic judgments.
Define what an empirical question is and explain why the scope of the scientific method is strictly restricted to addressing only these types of questions.
Based on the features of science and the definition of an empirical question, diagnose why the student's current question is not empirically testable, and explain how the student should modify their research focus to make it suitable for scientific inquiry.
A clinical psychologist wants to investigate mindfulness but starts with the question: 'Is mindfulness meditation a morally superior way to live compared to other lifestyles?' Apply the criteria for generating a valid empirical question to rewrite this inquiry so that it can be addressed using the scientific method.
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Feasibility of a Research Question
Interestingness of a Research Question
What are the two primary criteria researchers use to evaluate the quality of a potential research question?
When researchers systematically evaluate potential research questions, a question that is deeply interesting to the scientific community should be pursued even if it is not currently feasible to answer.
Researchers must systematically evaluate potential research questions to decide which ones to pursue. Match each research scenario with the primary reason it would be considered a poor or unsuitable research question based on the criteria of interestingness and feasibility.
A researcher has generated several ideas for a study on how social media affects teen self-esteem. Arrange the following steps of the researcher's systematic evaluation and selection process in the correct logical order, from the most fundamental requirement to the final decision.
A researcher is developing a study on the relationship between social media use and sleep quality. The scientific community is currently seeking research that distinguishes between 'active' engagement (such as posting and commenting) and 'passive' engagement (such as scrolling). The researcher has a budget of $0 and two weeks to collect data from a local group of volunteers. Which of the following research questions should the researcher create to best optimize both scientific interestingness and feasibility?
A researcher determines that a highly original and 'interesting' question is a 'poor' choice for their current study because it would take ten years to collect the necessary data, which is far beyond their available time and funding. This judgment reflects a critical evaluation that a research question's quality is fundamentally constrained by its _____.
When evaluating the quality of a potential research question, the two primary criteria that researchers must consider are its interestingness to the broader scientific community and its _____.
A psychology student proposes studying whether people blink more often when they are nervous. The study can be completed in a single lab session with 15 volunteers using only a webcam, but the answer to this question is already well-established across hundreds of published studies. Applying the two primary criteria for evaluating research questions, this question is suitable to pursue because it scores high on feasibility.
Researchers evaluate potential research questions using two primary criteria: interestingness to the broader scientific community and feasibility of successfully answering the question. Analyze each scenario below and match it to the criterion it most directly addresses.
A researcher has generated several candidate research questions and must apply the two primary evaluation criteria systematically to decide which one to pursue. Arrange the following steps in the most logically justified order for this evaluation and selection process.
Explain why researchers need a systematic way to evaluate the research questions they generate, and state the two primary criteria used to evaluate the quality of these questions.
Based on the standard criteria for evaluating research questions, diagnose the problems with Dr. Lin's selection method and explain how she should modify her evaluation to align with proper scientific research practices.
Imagine you are planning a research project for your undergraduate psychology class, and you have brainstormed three different research questions. Explain how you would apply the two primary criteria of evaluating research questions to choose the single best question for your class project.