This document contains a teacher's key with answers to questions about research methods. It includes definitions for terms like validity, limitations, variables, experimenter bias, independent variables, and pilot testing. It also summarizes issues with different research methods, like access problems that may occur when studying classrooms, and differences between open-ended and closed questions in surveys.

1. Teacher's Key
Name: _________________________ Date: _____________________
Review All of all things Methods Related
Task: Answer the questions to the best of your ability.
1)A true or genuine picture of what something is like.
2)Time; money; requirements of funding bodies; researcher’s personal skills or characteristics; the
nature of the subject matter or group being studied.
3)(a) True; (b) false.
4) Legal Issues(1), Ethics (2) & Problems of Access(3):
1.Access to classrooms is restricted; classrooms are controlled environments, in terms of
behaviour, dress, layout etc
2.Young people may find it harder to understand or respond to questions; the way in which
or extent to which young people may be questioned can be limited; they may be wary of
being frank with adults of higher status; they may be particularly susceptible to peer
pressure.
3.Heads or governors may refuse permission to access the school; areas of school life
may be ‘off limits’ to researchers; teachers may not be cooperative; certain questions (eg
about pupils’ views of teachers) may not be allowed.
5)Environment (or situation); manipulate (or control); variables (or factors).
6)True.
7)(a) An independent variable is a factor that is altered by the researcher, in order to discover its
effects; (b) experimenter bias refers to the ways in which the researcher’s own views or behaviour
may influence the result of an experiment.
8)It avoids artificiality; can be used to study past events; poses no ethical problems such as harming
or deceiving the subjects.
9)Closed: respondents must choose their answer from a limited range of possible answers that the
researcher has decided upon in advance. Open: respondents are free to give whatever answer they
wish.
10)An aim is a statement of what the researcher intends to investigate or find out; a hypothesis is a
statement of an explanation that is to be tested against evidence.
11)A trial run carried out on a small sample before the actual survey to iron out problems, clarify
questions, give interviewers practice etc.
12)The process of defining a concept in such a way that it can be measured.