You will need to write a 3000-word laboratory report (including title, abstract, text body, reference list). Because this is a research methods unit, the purpose of this laboratory report is to emphasize the procedure and methods and of conducting research, as well as the statistical approach.
This laboratory report is slightly different from the one you are used to doing in other units. In this report, you will choose a data set from three data sets we have provided and choose the appropriate statistical test to test a research question, run the analysis, and write the report. You can treat the data set as if you collected the data. Alternatively, you can state that you are trying to replicate the study. For the latter option, you need to reveal the source of the data. As pointed out, given that this is a research methods unit, we are not interested in the underlying theory or the research topic. What is important is that you demonstrate the understanding of the common problems scientists face when conducting research. You will also need to demonstrate that you understand how to interpret the findings and apply them in real life, not just report p-values.
Please, follow the instructions below. You will need to:
1) Choose a research question and an associated data set from a below list
2) Although our focus is research methods and data interpretation, you need to know the background information of each study. You will need to read the relevant papers for the study. The original papers which data sets are based on were provided on LMS. You should also demonstrate your ability to find relevant studies and use them to introduce your topic and formulate hypotheses in your introduction. The Same principle is applicable to your discussion. You need to compare your results with previous studies and back up your statements with evidence (i.e., empirical studies). You’re expected to include at least two additional papers for your lab report apart from the provided paper. 3) After checking normality of your data (you also need to make comments based on your SPSS outputs for normality: a. Run an appropriate statistical analysis b. Write the result and discussion sections based on your statistical results c. For discussion, you are required to discuss the sample size of the study in comparison to an estimated a priori sample size. For this, you will need to run a power analysis using G*Power. You can download G*Power for free: http://www.gpower.hhu.de/en.html. d. Include a sentence addressing ethics. Let’s assume that we obtained ethics approval from our ethics committee. You can use “2019/123″ for your ethics number. e. Discuss pros and cons of the research design the study you chose in the discussion
It is imperative that you include: 4) The appropriate effect size (for example, if you choose Cohen’s d, make sure it is the appropriate one). 5) An interpretation of the results in light of effect size and confidence interval NOT ONLY on the p-value. 6) You are required to submit your lab report through LMS
A list of studies You can choose one study from the following list for your lab report. 1. Does age influence depth of processing effects on recall (Study1_data.sav)? Please choose this.
Here is the overview of each study: Study 1: Does age influence depth of processing effects on recall? The data set for the study 1 is modified from a study reported by Howell [Howell, D.C. (2013). Fundamental statistics for the behavioural sciences (8th ed), Wadsworth: Australia]. As we age, it appeared that we struggle to remember things compared to when we were younger. Eysenck (1974) instructed participants to recall lists of words to which they had been exposed under conditions that required different levels of processing. He was interested in determining whether a number of words they can recall were related to the level at which material was processed initially. He was interested in whether level-of-processing notions using five different levels of processing could explain differences in recall between older and younger participants. If older participants do not process information as deeply, they might be expected to recall fewer items than would younger participants, especially in conditions that entail greater processing. The study included 50 participants 18 through 30 years of age and 50 participants 55 through 65 years of age.