PSY 101.

107 Critical Thinking Exercise #1: Research Design

At the start of this semester, we observed people in the cafeteria or other areas. Pick
one of the observations posted on Canvas, and then design both an experimental and
correlational study to investigate a hypothesis you come up with relating to that
behavior. If you pick a behavior that you can’t think of both experimental and
correlational studies for, then pick two different behaviors, and investigate one
experimentally and one with a correlational study. For the experimental study, choose
either a true experiment or a quasi-experiment. Be sure to address the following
information:

 What was the observed behavior?

 What is your hypothesis about that behavior? It should be something testable,
involving operational definitions.
 Design an experiment (either true or quasi) to investigate your hypothesis. In it,
include:
o Your independent variable, how you’re manipulating it, and what are its
levels.
o If a true experiment: How you would use random assignment.
o If a quasi-experiment: What makes it a quasi-experiment.
o Your dependent variable, and how you would measure it.
o How you would tell if your manipulation of the independent variable
affected the dependent variable.
 Design a correlational study to investigate your hypothesis. In it, include:
o The two variables you are seeking to find a relationship between.
o How you would measure those two variables.
o How you would determine if there’s a relationship between them.

This paper should be typed in a reasonable font (not Courier New), size 10 or 12,
double-spaced, with margins of 1’’ or 1.25’’. It should have a separate title page, with
your name, the title of your paper, and your class section included on it. There should
be 1-2 pages of text, not including the title page. Please write it in paragraph form (not
bullet points or an outline), and turn it in either in-class as a stapled hard-copy, or
through Canvas by uploading it in the “Assignments” area (not typing the paper into the
text box there).

It is due by the start of class Friday, September 14th, 2018.