RME 500 – Research Methods and Ethics
Week 5 Homework Answers: Scientific Reasoning and Research Design
Instructor: Demet Gülsoy
Type: Individual assignment
Objective: To apply what you learned about inductive/deductive reasoning, variables,
and experimental design.
Master’s Candidate: Fatma Türkü TATAR - 202569006
Part 1 – Reasoning Practice
For each statement below, decide whether it represents inductive or deductive
reasoning. Explain your choice in one sentence.
1. Every time I heat a metal rod, it expands. Therefore, all metals expand when
heated.
Reasoning Type: Inductive
Why?: A general rule (all metals expand) is drawn from repeated specific
observations (heating a metal rod).
2. All mammals have lungs. Whales are mammals. Therefore, whales have lungs.
Reasoning Type: Deductive
Why?: A specific conclusion (whales have lungs) logically follows from two
accepted general premises.
3. My three friends who sleep less than 5 hours are always tired. Therefore,
sleeping less than 5 hours causes tiredness.
Reasoning Type: Inductive
Why?: A general causal claim (less sleep causes tiredness) is concluded based
on a limited number of specific instances.
4. If exposure to sunlight increases plant growth, then plants kept in shade will grow
less.
Reasoning Type: Deductive
Why?: A specific prediction (plants in shade grow less) is derived from a general
hypothesis (sunlight increases growth).
5. The boiling point of pure water is 100°C at sea level. Therefore, if the
temperature reaches 100°C, the water will boil.
Reasoning Type: Deductive
Why?: A specific outcome (water will boil) is predicted using an established
general scientific principle water boils at 100 degrees Celcius.
Part 2 – Identifying Variables
For each research statement, identify the independent (IV) and dependent variable (DV).
You can underline the IV and DV.
1. The amount of caffeine affects students’ concentration levels.
IV: amount of caffeine
DV: concentration levels
2. The time spent studying influences exam performance.
IV: time spent studying
DV: exam performance
3. Music tempo changes heart rate during exercise.
IV: music tempo
DV: heart rate
4. Fertilizer use increases tomato plant yield.
IV: fertilizer use
DV: tomato plant yield
5. Light exposure affects the sleeping pattern of adults.
IV: Light exposure
DV: sleeping pattern of adults
Part 3 – Experimental Design Scenario
Scenario: A psychologist believes that listening to classical music improves memory
performance.
Design a simple experiment to test this hypothesis. Include the following:
- Independent variable (IV): Presence or absence of classical music (The variable being
manipulated).
- Dependent variable (DV): Memory performance (The variable being measured).
- Control group: A group of participants who take the memory test in silence or while
listening to a neutral stimulus (e.g., white noise or nature sounds) instead of classical
music.
- How will you collect data? (Briefly explain): Randomly assign participants to the
classical music group (experimental) or the control group. Both groups will complete the
same standardized memory test (e.g., a list of words to recall) immediately after or while
listening to their assigned stimulus. Memory performance will be measured by the
number of correctly recalled items.
Part 4 – Reflection
Why is scientific knowledge considered tentative? Give one real-life or historical example
that shows how scientific understanding can change over time.
Scientific knowledge is considered tentative because it is built upon observations,
hypotheses, and theories that are the best explanations available currently, but are
always open to revision or refutation based on new evidence, improved technology, or
different perspectives. It is not an absolute, final truth.
A notable historical example is the shift from the Ptolemaic (Geocentric) model to the
Copernican (Heliocentric) model of the solar system. For over a thousand years, the
Ptolemaic model (earth-centered) was the accepted scientific view. This understanding
was fundamentally changed by the accumulating observations and mathematical work of
Copernicus, Galileo, and Kepler, which strongly supported the Heliocentric model (sun-
centered). This demonstrated that even a deeply entrenched, long-standing scientific
understanding could be entirely replaced by one that better explains the evidence.
Part 5 –Formulating Research Questions or Hypotheses
Below are sets of independent (IV) and dependent (DV) variables. For each pair, write
one hypothesis or problem statement that is:
• clear and researchable,
• shows a logical relationship between the variables, and
• could be tested in a scientific study.
Try to vary your sentence types — some 'What is the relationship…' (problem form),
some 'If/then' (hypothesis form), and some 'As… increases…' style (directional).
1.
IV: Leadership style of team supervisors
DV: Employee creativity in engineering projects
Hypothesis or problem statement: (Hypothesis) If team supervisors adopt a
transformational leadership style, then their employees will exhibit higher levels of
creativity in engineering projects compared to those under a transactional style.
2.
IV: Exposure to misinformation on social media
DV: Confidence in scientific evidence
Hypothesis or problem statement: (Problem statement) What is the relationship
between the frequency of exposure to misinformation on social media platforms and an
individual's confidence in the validity of scientific evidence?
3.
IV: Frequency of ethical dilemma discussions in class
DV: Students’ moral reasoning ability
Hypothesis or problem statement: (Hypothesis) As the frequency of classroom ethical
dilemma discussions increases, the complexity of students' moral reasoning ability will
significantly improve.
4.
IV: Use of AI-based feedback tools during thesis writing
DV: Graduate students’ academic self-efficacy
Hypothesis or problem statement: (Hypothesis) Graduate students who utilize AI-
based feedback tools while writing their thesis will report higher academic self-efficacy
compared to students who rely solely on traditional supervisor feedback.
5.
IV: Duration of sensory isolation (e.g., no phone or sound)
DV: Level of cognitive focus in task performance
Hypothesis or problem statement: (Problem statement) What is the effect of a specific
duration of sensory isolation (e.g., 30 minutes without mobile phone) on the subsequent
level of cognitive focus demonstrated in a complex task performance?
💡 Tip: Avoid “yes/no” questions — your statement should suggest a measurable
relationship between variables.