A psychologist plans an experiment comparing pupils who sort 20 printed words into categories with pupils who copy the same 20 words. After this preparation task, all pupils study the words for one minute and then write down as many as they can remember in two minutes. A pilot study produced these mean scores:
| Preparation task | Mean number of words recalled from the 20-word list |
|---|---|
| Sorting the words into categories | 13.5 |
| Copying the words | 10.8 |
Using the pilot study results, state a directional alternative hypothesis for the experiment.
A pupil suggests this null hypothesis: 'Pupils who copy the 20 words will recall more words than pupils who sort the 20 words into categories.' Explain why this is not a valid null hypothesis for the experiment.
182 exam-style questions on OCR GCSE Psychology 7.1 Planning Research, covering 7.1.1 Hypotheses, 7.1.2 Variables, 7.1.3 Experimental Designs, 7.1.4 Populations and Sampling, 7.1.5 Ethical issues, and 7.1.6 Dealing with ethical issues and BPS Code. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.