VCAA solutions

[c23]

has anyone done vcaa 2003? the assessment report is not helping me mark the paper at all as there answer are not even there most of the time, just comments

does anyone have some alternative site that answered the vcaa 2003 paper?

thanks!

[Glockmeister]

no, but if you're not sure about a question, feel free to post it...

it's possible that the questions on the 2003 won't be examinable in this years papers (different study designs)

[c23]

oh k.

yeah, but my teacher told us to do vcaa papers, even the old stuff because there questions are more "perfect" that trial papers


could someone explain counterbalancing?

the definition i have is : where half the participants from the study are exposed to the control conditions first and the other half is exposed to the experimental conditions first, so as to control order effects.
is there more to this then i have to know?

thanks

[Glockmeister]

oh k.

yeah, but my teacher told us to do vcaa papers, even the old stuff because there questions are more "perfect" that trial papers


could someone explain counterbalancing?

the definition i have is : where half the participants from the study are exposed to the control conditions first and the other half is exposed to the experimental conditions first, so as to control order effects.
is there more to this then i have to know?

thanks

Well, strictly speaking, your definition isn't correct. Remember the split isn't necessarily half, because it's possible to have more than one experimental condition in an experiment (e.g. you are comparing multiple memory techniques to see which one is more effective). I'll quote the definition of Grivas, Down and Carter (2004), because it's probably a far better definition than what I can come up with.

Counterbalancing is "Arranging the order in which the conditions of a repeated measures experiment are experienced by participants so that each condition occurs equally often in each position"

You may want to note that of experimental design counterbalancing would typically be used for (repeated measures design) if you intend to remember your own definition (which I suppose is a good thing to do).

You may also need to know some of the limitations of counterbalancing (takes time, may not eliminate the order effects themselves etc.), although I'm not sure how deep they'll go in VCE Psychology (it has been over 2 yeas since I took the exam myself).

[c23]

thanks alot