Year 7 WJEC Psychology: Key Experiment & Practical Assessment Points | WJEC 七年级心理学：实验与实践考核要点

📚 Year 7 WJEC Psychology: Key Experiment & Practical Assessment Points | WJEC 七年级心理学：实验与实践考核要点

This guide covers the essential knowledge and skills you need to excel in your Year 7 WJEC Psychology experiment or practical assessment. You will learn how to plan, carry out, and evaluate a simple investigation just like a real psychologist. Read each section carefully and make sure you can explain every point in your own words.

本指南涵盖你在七年级 WJEC 心理学实验或实践考核中取得优异成绩所需的关键知识和技能。你将学习如何像真正的心理学家一样，计划、实施和评估一项简单的调查。仔细阅读每一部分，并确保你能用自己的话解释每一点。

1. The Scientific Approach in Psychology | 心理学中的科学方法

Psychology is not just about opinions — it is a science. For your practical assessment, you need to show that you follow a systematic method: start with a question, form a hypothesis, design a fair test, collect data, and draw evidence‑based conclusions.

心理学不只是观点——它是一门科学。在你的实践考核中，你需要展示你遵循系统的方法：从一个问题开始，形成假设，设计公平的测试，收集数据，然后得出基于证据的结论。

Always use the term ‘investigation’ rather than ‘experiment’ if you are observing or measuring without deliberately changing anything. This shows the examiner you understand different types of research.

如果你进行的是观察或测量而没有刻意改变任何条件，请始终使用“调查”而不是“实验”这个词。这能向考官展示你理解不同类型的研究。

2. Writing a Testable Hypothesis | 写出可检验的假设

A hypothesis is a clear, testable prediction about the outcome of your investigation. It usually states how you think the independent variable will affect the dependent variable. For example: ‘Pupils who listen to music while revising will recall fewer words than pupils who revise in silence.’

假设是关于调查结果的一个清晰、可检验的预测。它通常会说明你认为自变量将如何影响因变量。例如：“复习时听音乐的学生能回忆起的单词少于在安静环境中复习的学生。”

In Year 7, you are expected to write a directional hypothesis — one that says one condition will be higher, lower, faster or slower. Avoid vague phrases such as ‘will have an effect’; be specific.

在七年级，你需要写出一个方向性假设——即指明某一种情况会更高、更低、更快或更慢。避免使用“会产生影响”这类模糊的说法；要具体明确。

3. Identifying Variables Clearly | 清晰识别变量

The independent variable (IV) is the thing you change or compare. The dependent variable (DV) is the thing you measure. All other variables that could affect the DV must be controlled (kept the same) to make the test fair. These are called control variables.

自变量（IV）是你改变或比较的因素。因变量（DV）是你测量的结果。所有其他可能影响因变量的因素都必须控制（保持不变），以保证测试公平。这些因素称为控制变量。

In the hypothesis above, the IV is whether music is present or absent during revision, and the DV is the number of words recalled. Control variables would include the same time given to revise, the same list of words, and the same age group of participants.

在上述假设中，自变量是复习时是否有音乐，因变量是回忆单词的数量。控制变量则包括相同的复习时间、相同的单词列表以及相同年龄段的参与者。

4. Choosing an Experimental Design | 选择实验设计

You need to decide how to allocate participants to conditions. The three WJEC‑recognised designs are independent groups, repeated measures, and matched pairs. Each has strengths and weaknesses you may be asked to discuss.

你需要决定如何将参与者分配到不同条件。WJEC 认可的三种设计是独立组设计、重复测量设计和配对组设计。每一种都有其优缺点，你可能会被要求讨论。

Independent groups: Different participants in each condition. Avoids order effects, but participant variables (individual differences) can bias results.

独立组：每个条件使用不同的参与者。避免了顺序效应，但参与者变量（个体差异）可能使结果产生偏差。
Repeated measures: The same participants take part in all conditions. Fewer participants needed, but order effects such as fatigue or practice can influence performance.

重复测量：同一组参与者参与所有条件。所需参与者较少，但疲劳效应或练习效应等顺序效应可能影响表现。
Matched pairs: Participants are paired on a key characteristic (e.g., memory score), then split across conditions. Reduces participant variables, but is time‑consuming.

配对组：根据一个关键特征（如记忆分数）将参与者配对，然后分配到不同条件。减少了参与者变量，但耗时较长。

5. Sampling Participants Fairly | 公平选取参与者

Your sample is the group of people who take part. You should describe how they were chosen and why. Common methods for Year 7 are opportunity sampling (asking people who are available) or volunteer sampling (people who choose to join).

你的样本是参与研究的那群人。你应该说明他们是如何被选中的以及为什么。七年级常用的方法有机会抽样（询问有空的人）或志愿者抽样（人们自己选择加入）。

Be honest about the limitations: an opportunity sample of your classmates is quick but may not represent the wider population. Mentioning this shows critical thinking.

诚实地说明局限性：用你的同学做机会样本很快，但可能无法代表更广泛的人群。提及这一点能展示你的批判性思维。

6. Following Ethical Guidelines | 遵守伦理准则

Ethics are rules that protect participants. In your practical, you must show you have considered informed consent (telling people what they will do), confidentiality (not naming them), the right to withdraw (they can stop at any time), and protection from harm (no stress or embarrassment).

伦理是保护参与者的规则。在你的实践中，你必须表明你考虑了知情同意（告知人们他们将做什么）、保密（不公开姓名）、退出权（他们可以随时停止）以及免受伤害（没有压力或尴尬）。

Always include a line in your procedure about how you gained consent and debriefed participants afterwards. For instance: ‘I read a brief information sheet and asked each participant to tick a box if they agreed to take part.’

在你的步骤中，始终包含一句你是如何获得同意以及事后向参与者解释情况的说明。例如：“我阅读了一份简短的信息表，并请每位同意参加的参与者在方框内打钩。”

7. Describing a Standardised Procedure | 描述标准化程序

A standardised procedure means that every participant experiences exactly the same instructions, timing, and environment. This is crucial for reliability — if you repeated the study, you would get similar results.

标准化程序意味着每位参与者接受完全相同的指导语、时间和环境。这对信度至关重要——如果你重复这项研究，你会得到相似的结果。

Write your procedure as a series of numbered steps. Include precise timings (e.g., ‘revise for 2 minutes’), the exact words you said, and what you did to minimise distractions. The examiner wants enough detail so someone else could copy your study.

将你的程序写成一系列编号步骤。包括精确的时间（如“复习 2 分钟”）、你所说的确切话语以及你为减少干扰所做的事。考官需要足够的细节，以便其他人可以复制你的研究。

8. Collecting and Recording Results | 收集与记录结果

Data can be quantitative (numbers, such as scores on a memory test) or qualitative (words, such as descriptions of feelings). For most Year 7 practicals, you will collect quantitative data because it is easier to analyse and present in a graph.

数据可以是定量的（数字，如记忆测试的分数）或定性的（文字，如感受的描述）。在大多数七年级实践中，你会收集定量数据，因为它更容易分析并用图表呈现。

Create a raw data table before you start. Label rows and columns clearly, and include units of measurement. Always design your table on the plan before the investigation — examiners award marks for well‑organised recording.

在开始之前创建原始数据表格。清楚地给行和列加上标签，并写上测量单位。始终在调查前于计划中设计好表格——考官会给组织良好的记录加分。

9. Presenting Findings with Graphs and Charts | 用图形和图表展示结果

After collecting data, you need to present it in a way that is easy to understand. For comparing two conditions, a bar chart is often the best choice. Never use a line graph to compare separate categories unless you are showing change over time.

收集数据后，你需要以便于理解的方式呈现数据。对于比较两种条件的情况，条形图通常是最佳选择。除非你要展示随时间变化的情况，否则不要用折线图来比较独立的类别。

Remember to label both axes, give the chart a clear title, and use the same scale for the y‑axis across multiple charts if you are comparing results. A small, neat chart scores higher than a messy one.

记住给两个坐标轴贴上标签，给图表起一个明确的标题，并且如果你比较多个结果，纵轴要使用相同的刻度。一个整洁的小图表比杂乱的图表得分更高。

10. Drawing Conclusions and Evaluating the Study | 得出结论并评价研究

Your conclusion should state whether your hypothesis was supported or not, referring directly to the data. For example: ‘The mean number of words recalled in silence was 12, compared with 8 in the music condition, so the results support the hypothesis.’

你的结论应该说明你的假设是否得到支持，并直接引用数据。例如：“在安静条件下回忆单词的平均数量是 12 个，而在音乐条件下是 8 个，因此结果支持假设。”

Evaluation is where you think about what went well and what could be improved. Discuss limitations such as a small sample size, possible demand characteristics, or lack of ecological validity (how true‑to‑life the task is). Then suggest a realistic improvement for each point.

评价部分是你思考哪些方面做得好、哪些可以改进的地方。讨论局限性，例如样本量小、可能存在需求特征或生态效度不足（任务有多贴近真实生活）。然后为每一点提出一个切实可行的改进建议。

11. Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them | 常见陷阱及避免方法

Forgetting control variables. Write a checklist before you start and keep the room and materials identical for all participants.

忘记控制变量。在开始前列一份检查清单，确保房间和材料对所有参与者完全相同。
Using subjective measurement. Be as objective as possible — count correct words rather than asking participants if they ‘felt’ they did well.

使用主观测量。尽可能客观——数一下正确的单词数量，而不是问参与者是否“感觉”自己表现好。
Ignoring order effects. If using repeated measures, always mention how you countered order effects (e.g., counterbalancing or a rest break).

忽略顺序效应。如果使用重复测量，务必提及你是如何应对顺序效应的（例如，平衡顺序或安排休息）。
Muddling the IV and DV. Practise stating them in a single sentence: ‘The IV is ____ and the DV is ____.’ This avoids confusion in the exam.

混淆自变量和因变量。练习用一句话说明：“自变量是____，因变量是____。”这样能避免考试中的混淆。

12. Revision Checklist for the Practical Assessment | 实践考核复习清单

Can you describe the steps of the scientific method? Can you write an operationalised hypothesis that clearly states the IV and DV? Can you name at least three control variables, one ethical issue and a way to address it, and one strength and one weakness of your chosen design? If you can do all of these, you are well prepared for the practical assessment.

你能描述科学方法的步骤吗？你能写出一个操作化的假设，清楚地指出自变量和因变量吗？你能说出至少三个控制变量、一个伦理问题及其解决方式，以及你所选设计的一个优点和一个缺点吗？如果你能做到所有这些，你就为实践考核做好了充分准备。

Finally, always refer back to the WJEC marking criteria provided by your teacher. Use the key terms (e.g., ‘standardisation’, ‘reliability’, ‘validity’) appropriately, and you will demonstrate a real understanding of how psychologists work.

最后，始终回看老师提供的 WJEC 评分标准。恰当地使用关键术语（例如“标准化”、“信度”、“效度”），你就能展示出对心理学家工作方式的真正理解。

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Year 7 WJEC Psychology: Key Experiment & Practical Assessment Points | WJEC 七年级心理学：实验与实践考核要点