For this assignment, you are required to answer three short essay questions on general design and
methodological issues. Under no circumstances should any single answer be more than 500 words
long (approximately one standard A4 page), and you must provide a word count at the end of each
answer. Some questions may require a longer answer than others, and don’t feel as though you have
to write 500 words for each answer—that is the absolute maximum.
Please answer the questions in full text form rather than by using bullet points and other summarising
methods. All reference material must be cited and referenced in correct APA style. Feel free to cite
websites, but if you do so, reference and cite them correctly.
1) What is the best design for an intervention study, and why?
– Describe a hypothetical intervention study and outline how you would design such a study.
– Make sure that you describe all of the essential features of the design that you choose.
2) Why are reliability and validity such important principles in psychological measurement?
– Make sure you clearly define both terms in your answer.
– In answering this question, consider a scenario where an important decision is made about a
person on the basis of a psychological test.
Why would reliability and validity be important in this situation, and what might be the consequence of using a test with poor psychometric properties?
3) “When—if ever—is deception acceptable in psychological research?”
– Describe the ethical principles that support your position.
– Give an example of the use of deception in psychological research (either real or fabricated) to illustrate your answer and support your view.
