Internal Assessment Necessities

Internal Assessment• Criterion A: Introduction, 5 marks, 3.6% of IB Grade • Criterion B: Method: Design, 2 marks, 1.4% of IB Grade • Criterion C: Method: Participants, 2 marks, 1.4% of IB

Grade • Criterion D: Method: Procedure, 2 marks, 1.4% of IB

Grade • Criterion E: Results: Descriptive, 2 marks, 1.4% of IB

Grade • Criterion F: Results: Inferential, 3 marks, 2.1% of IB

Grade • Criterion G: Discussion, 8 marks, 5.7% of IB Grade • Criterion H: Citation of sources, 2 marks, 1.4% of IB

Grade • Criterion I: Report format, 2 marks, 1.4% of IB Grade  

Criteria A: Introduction•Purpose: To provide background

information & rationale for the investigation.

•This section should first introduce the AREA of research (level of analysis: cognitive, biological, or socio-cultural) followed by the more SPECIFIC STUDIES that are directly related to the experiment (Kahneman & Tversky, 1979)

Advice for Writing your Introduction•Give a general introduction of the

psychological subject area you are investigating.

•Include a brief summary of the theory and KEY pieces of research associated with the topic in which you are investigating.

•DO NOT include more than 3 pieces of relevant research (more is not always better).▫This is NOT the same as sources!

•Research must be focused on your TOPIC and must logically lead to the investigation.

THEORY RESEARCH

• Ideas• Explanation about a

specific topic• Must be able to be tested,

proved/disproved• Broad range of concepts

on a given topic• Example: Big Bang Theory

• Evidence• Used to prove of disprove

the theory• Gather facts on a

subject/topic• Deals with some type of

argument/debate

Relevant Research and Theories MUST Be Included

End of Introduction•Statement of specific research hypothesis

which is clearly justified by research•Aim is stated

▫Due to suggestions by Loftus and Palmer’s study, the aim of this experiment is to determine…

▫Our experiment will be carried out by…•Be sure to write it in operationalized form

and is precisely testable•Null hypothesis should state that results

found were due to chance not manipulation of the IV

Method Sections:•Where you describe how your study was

designed and carried out•Demonstrate your understanding of the

experiment as a QUANTITATIVE METHODOLOGY (not qualitative.)

•Divided into four parts each with a LABEL▫Design (Criteria B)▫Participants (Criteria C)▫Materials (Criteria D)▫Procedure (Also, Criteria D)

Design: Criteria BDepending on what you are investigating, you need to choose between two basic designsIndependent Samples

Design Repeated Measures Design

• Two different groups of participants: Control group & experimental group

• Used when it is not possible to use the same participants in the two experimental conditions

• N=20 (10 participants for each group; even numbers in each group)

• SAME participants in both the treatment and the control group.

• Ex. Group is first asked to memorize and recall a list of words without music (control)

• Then they are asked to memorize and recall a list of words while listening to music (treatment)

• Order effect : using same participants and they learn what the first trial was therefore affecting the second trial

• N=10 (same 10 participants)

StrengthsIndependent Samples

Design Repeated Measures Design

• Participants are less likely to guess the hypothesis

• Less boredom and tired• Won’t improve skill due to

repetition (example of order effect)

• Same materials may be used for both groups (example: same list of words)

• Eliminates participant variability (differences between the two groups are due to natural situations as opposed to manipulation of the IV)

• Requires fewer participants

LimitationsIndependent Samples

Design Repeated Measures Design

• May be participant variability

• Doing the same task twice may cause order effects

• Demand characteristics (discover the aim and don’t act naturally in order to “help” or “hinder” your research) may occur

• Doesn’t work on studies with performance tasks

The Experiment•Goal: To establish a cause-and-effect

relationship between two variables.•Performed under HIGHLY controlled

conditions•Quantitative research, generates

numerical data▫Can be statistically tested for significance

in order to rule out the role of CHANCE in the results.

•Aim: Purpose of the study▫Indicates which behavior or mental process

will be studied.▫To see if one variable has an effect on

another variable.

Experimental VariablesIndependent (IV) Dependent (DV)

•Is manipulated, all other variables remain constant

•Measured after the manipulation

Both the IV and DV must be operationalized:Need to be written in a way that it is CLEAR what is being measured.Example: IV: High music at volume 35DV: Number of words remembered from a list of 20 words.

Hypothesis: Prediction of how the IV will impact the DV

Experimental (HI) Null (H0)

• Predicts the exact result of the manipulation of the IV (noise) on the DV (recall)

• Ex. Noise will decrease the number of words that an individual is able to recall from a list of words.

• Must have TWO conditions• Control condition is not

exposed to the IV▫ No noise is used

• Predicts that there will be no results or that the result will be due to chance

• Ex. Noise has not effect on an individual’s ability to recall a list of words

• Any change in the individual’s ability to recall a list of words is due to chance

• Research is carried out to refute the null hypothesis to show that the predicted cause-and-effect relationship between the IV & DV actually exists.

Goal Regarding the Hypotheses•We can never PROVE anything, we can only

DISPROVE things.•Sometimes the null hypothesis will be accepted

▫Example: There was no relationship between noise and recall of words

•To accept the null hypothesis▫We have to accept that there is NO

RELATIONSHIP between the two variables•Refute the null hypothesis•The experimental hypothesis can be

accepted ONLY if a researcher has demonstrated that the effect was due to the manipulation of the IV.

Cofounding Variables: Undesirable variables that influence the relationship between the IV & DV•1.) Demand characteristics:

▫Participants act differently because they know that they are in an experiment. May experience the Hawthorne Effect:

Participants may try to guess aim and act accordingly

▫Use a single blind control: Participants do not know what the study is about

•2.) Research bias/Observer bias:▫Experimenter sees what he or she is looking for;

expectations of the researcher consciously or unconsciously affect the findings of the study. Simple smile, nodding, treating the experimental

group differently▫Use a double-blind control to help reduce

Both the researchers and participants do not know whom is in the treatment or control group, and the person carrying out the experiment does not know the aim of the study

•3.) Participant variability:▫Characteristics of the sample affect the DV.

Controlled by using a random sample or randomly selecting the participants in the treatment and control groups

Reminders…in the Design section, be sure to include…•Explanation & justification of design

used (independent or repeated)•Describe the controls you have taken

in order to avoid extraneous variables (standardized instructions/briefing)

•Indentify the IV & DV•Documentation of how ethical

guidelines were followed (consent, how briefing & debriefing was conducted)▫Include in appendices

Consent Form•Written in a way that informs participants

of the nature of the experiment•If participants are 16+, informed consent

only•If participants are under 16, parental and

informed consent required•Include a copy in appendices

The following slide is an EXAMPLE

Please DO NOT COPY and paste the information and just switch out your

appropriate details!

Dear Participant,As part of my IB psychology Internal Assessment, I am

conducting a study on _____________ (memory). This study is going to test your ability to memorize a list of words while listening to music. After the briefing, I would ask you to sign the statement below:

• I have been informed of the nature of the experiment.• I understand that I have the right to withdraw from the

experiment at any time, and any information /data collected will remain confidential.

• My anonymity will be protected because my name will not be identifiable.

• The experiment will be conducted so that I will not be demeaned in any way.

• I will be debriefed at the end and have the opportunity to find out the results.

• I give my informed consent to participating in this experiment.

• Name___________________ Date____________

Standardized Briefing Notes•Reasoning: To ensure that you control any

extraneous variables that may interfere with the experiment.

•Written script of what you said to your participants before conducting the experiment▫Include in appendices

•Must include:•Aim and instructions regarding the

procedure of the study•Information about the ethical issues

Standardized Debriefing Notes•Written script that is used to debrief

participants after conducting the experiment▫Include copy in appendices

•Be sure to include:•What you expected to find in your study•Participants have the right to learn about

the conclusions drawn from the research once analysis of data is finalized

•Remind them that they may withdraw their data

Participants: Criteria C• Describes the sample and how it was obtained• Sample size of 20, any larger is strongly discouraged• Sampling procedure should be indentified and

justified• Saying that it was the easiest is acceptable• How the participants selected for control and

treatment group also needs to be explained• Relevant characteristics of sample should be

mentioned (limited English speaking, color-blindness)• Number of participants, age, and gender should be

included• Target population needs to be indentified (who you

are interested in and draw your sample from; IB students, non-native English speaking students, staff, etc.)▫Generalize the results to this specific group

Target Population• The group whose behavior you are investigating• Do not use quasi-experimental research because they

do not establish cause and effect relationships due to cofounding variables

• YOU MAY NOT USE:▫Gender▫Age▫Ethnicity

Examples include: AP students Non-Psychology IB students Bilingual Students Staff

Sampling Techniques•Goal: To obtain a sample that is

representative of the target population•Types of Sampling Techniques:

▫Opportunity sampling▫Self-selected sampling▫Snowball sampling▫Random sampling▫Stratified sampling

Opportunity Sampling•AKA convenience sampling•Pro: “Whoever happens to be there and

agrees to participate”•Con: Can lead to bias results and can

cause problems for generalization▫Certain types of people are at certain

locations for reasons

Self-Selected Sampling•Made up of volunteers (Sign-up sheet or

advertisement)•Pro: Relatively easy to obtain, sample

usually is highly motivated since they volunteered their time

•Con: Usually reflect a more general population=hard to make generalizations about target population

Snowball Sampling•Participants recruit other participants

▫“Bring a friend”

Random Sampling•Every member of target population has an

equal chance of being selected•Pull all names of target population and

then “draw” 20 names from a hat•Pro: Easier to generalize findings to a

larger population•Pro: Gets rid of selection bias•Con: Chance of limited variety

Stratified Sampling•Drawing random samples from

subpopulations of the target population•Give variety and reflection of distribution

of actual population

AP Student

s

Bilingual

Males

Females

One languag

e

Males

Females

Materials: Criteria D•List materials used•Basic materials should not included

▫Pencils, chairs, paper, etc.•Written materials used specifically for

experiment should be listed and referenced to a sample that needs to be included in the appendices▫Standardized briefing notes▫Informed consent letter▫Standardized debriefing notes▫Links to videos▫PowerPoint slides

Procedure: Criteria D •Carefully and ACCURATELY describe

how the experiment was conducted, STEP by STEP

•Enough details should be provided for replication

•Reference any ethical issues that were addressed▫When briefing and debriefing was carried

out▫Reference materials such as briefing notes,

consent forms, debriefing notes, etc.•May be written in paragraph or bullet-

point format (enough details still need to be provided)