Research Topic 1: The relationship between self-esteem and test performance.

1.Design a correlational study to investigate the relationship between these two variables.What is your hypothesis?

a.What is your independent variable?What is your dependent variable?

b.How will you obtain a sample of participants?

c.What is your ontological and epistemological assumptions?

d.Assume that your study produces a correlation of .56 between the two variables.What are at least three possible explanations for this relationship?

2.Design an experimental study to investigate these variables.What is your hypothesis?

a.What is your independent variable?What is your dependent variable?

b.What type of hypotheses does the experimental method allow you to test that the correlational method does not?

c.How will you make sure that the study has high internal validity?

d.Does any ethical concerns about the treatment of participants emerge from your experimental design?

3.Design a single case study to investigate the relationship between these two variables. What is/are your research question/s?

a.What does the case study allow you to examine that the correlational method or the experimental study does not?

b.Does your finding have external validity (generalisability)? Why?

c.What is your ontological and epistemological assumptions?

Research Topic 2: The relationship between the amount of time couples spend together and their relationship satisfaction.

1.Design a correlational study to investigate the relationship between these two variables.What is your hypothesis?

a.What is your independent variable?What is your dependent variable?

b.How will you obtain a sample of participants?

c.What is your ontological and epistemological assumptions?

d.Assume that your study produces a correlation of .56 between the two variables.What are at least three possible explanations for this relationship?

2.Now design an experimental study to investigate these variables.What is your hypothesis?

a.What is your independent variable?What is your dependent variable?

b.What type of hypotheses does the experimental method allow you to test that the correlational method does not?

c.How will you make sure that the study has high internal validity?

d.Does any ethical concerns about the treatment of participants emerge from your experimental design?