Explain how the researcher should organize their variables into column headers, subheaders, and rows to construct a clear APA-style descriptive statistics table.
Case context: A researcher is conducting a study examining the effects of feedback type (praise vs. criticism) and task difficulty (easy vs. difficult) on two outcomes: participant motivation and task performance. They want to create a single APA-style table to present the means and standard deviations for all conditions, following the hierarchical layout exemplified in the study of mood and self-esteem.
Question: Explain how the researcher should organize their variables into column headers, subheaders, and rows to construct a clear APA-style descriptive statistics table.
Sample answer: To mirror the hierarchical layout, the researcher should organize the independent variables in the columns. One independent variable, such as feedback type (praise vs. criticism), should serve as the overarching column headings. These columns are then subdivided by the subheadings representing the levels of the second independent variable, task difficulty (easy vs. difficult). The rows should list the outcome variables: participant motivation and task performance. Finally, the means and standard deviations for these outcomes under each combination of conditions will fill the corresponding table cells, all structured with standard horizontal lines.
Key points:
- One independent variable (e.g., feedback type) is placed as the primary column headings.
- The second independent variable (e.g., task difficulty) is placed as column subheadings.
- The outcome variables (motivation and performance) are assigned as the row labels.
- Descriptive statistics (means and standard deviations) populate the cells under each condition header.
- Standard horizontal lines are used to separate sections of the table.
Rubric: The response must demonstrate comprehension of hierarchical table structures by correctly assigning: (1) feedback type to the overarching column headings, (2) task difficulty to the column subheadings, (3) participant motivation and task performance to the rows, and (4) means and standard deviations to the table cells.
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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU
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