Specification

Self-reporting data 
  • Designing and conducting questionnaires and interviews, considering researcher effects. 
  • Primary and secondary data. 
  • Unstructured, semi-structured and structured interviews, open, closed (including ranked scale) questions.
  • Alternative hypotheses. 

Sample selection and sampling techniques 

  • Random, stratified, volunteer, and opportunity sampling techniques. 
Quantitative data 
  • (List A) Analysis of quantitative data: calculating measures of central tendency (mean, median, mode), data tables (frequency tables and summary tables), graphical presentation (bar chart, histogram), measures of dispersion (range and standard deviation), percentages, ratios, fractions. 
  • Normal and skewed distribution. 
  • Analysis of qualitative data using thematic analysis. 
Ethical guidelines 
  • British Psychological Society (BPS) code of ethics and conduct (2009), including risk management when carrying out research in psychology.