Examine the role of research and statistics in the field of psychology

1. Define research and the scientific method
2. Compare and contrast the characteristics of primary and secondary data
3. Explain the role of statistics in research
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Hi,

Well, when we talk about the scientific method in terms of research, we’re talking about a multi-step process. Across different sources, you may see some variation in the steps or number of steps identified, but I typically identify 7 steps in the scientific method.

1. Come up with a research question you’d like to answer.
2. Form a specific hypothesis about the topic, complete with operational definitions.
3. Decide on the design of the study (e.g. correlational, experimental, longitudinal, etc.).
4. Collect the data.
5. Analyse and interpret the data.
6. Report your findings – either at a conference, a meeting, or in a journal article.
7. Come up with a new research question or hypothesis that builds on your …