Choose a method for the question
Match a research question with a suitable way of gathering evidence.
The picture in words
- Case study
- Examine a particular case in depth.
- Survey
- Collect reports from a sample.
- Experiment
- Compare outcomes after changing a condition.
Reading the illustration
Read across the three tool trays to compare what each method records and the question it can address.
Try a question
Which approach could test the effect of two different study instructions?
Show the explanation
An experiment can vary the instruction while keeping other relevant features comparable. The method follows the question and the inference being tested.
Read the sources
- Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020). Psychology 2e. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/2-2-approaches-to-researchSelected rendered passages: Longitudinal/cross-sectional subsection.
- Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020). Psychology 2e. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/2-3-analyzing-findingsSelected rendered passages: Sampling/assignment, analysis, reliability/validity passages; operational definitions, replication, blinded scoring passages.