Introduction
Learning a series of words using mnemonic devices is a popular studying strategy. However, there is little evidence of the proven effectiveness of this method. The study proposes a model for an experiment designed to determine how effective mnemonic techniques are for the learning process and memorization mechanism. As an example of a mnemonic technique, a song, used to remember the order of the planets in the solar system is chosen.
Definition of the Target Group
The target group will be children aged 9-10 who do not yet know by heart the structure of the solar system. It is important not to give a large difference in age, as this can introduce discord in the results, since children of different ages perceive information in diverse manners. The size of the control and experimental groups will be 50 people in order to minimize the influence of individual memory mechanisms. The stage of selection of participants in the experiment is critical for the study, since its reliability directly depends on it. The closer the participants are matched to the hypothesis, the more valid the data will be.
Distribution of Subjects by Control and Experimental Groups
After the stage of selection of participants, it is necessary to distribute them into two groups – control and experimental. It is assumed that each group will have an equal number of participants, 25 respectively. Groups will be drawn randomly to ensure the purity of the experiment (Maxfield & Babbie, 2010). Participants in both groups will not know which group they are in and what will be the difference in their tasks. Validity is enhanced by random distribution of participants, minimizing individual differences.
Pre-Testing
The pre-testing phase is important to verify that the selected participants fit the experiment being conducted. It is necessary to check whether the participants know the order of the planets of the solar system. The pre-test will consist of a survey of participants asking them to name the planets of the solar system in order. The importance of this step in the process of ensuring validity lies in the last check for the ability to individually influence its results.
Experiment
The experiment itself is to test the effectiveness of the chosen mnemonic technique. The control group will try to memorize the planets of the solar system by having a list in front of them. The experimental group will not receive sheets; during the experiment they will listen to a mnemonic song. The experiment is important to ensure validity, as it is the only step capable of providing practical data.
Post-Experimental Testing
Post-experimental testing will reveal the success of the experiment and confirm or disprove the theory. Both groups will be tested on their knowledge of the order of the planets in the solar system. It is assumed that the participants in the experimental group will show higher memorization results. The result of the experiment will be the final number of participants who successfully completed the task in both groups. The post-experimental testing step is important to ensure validity, as it transparently summarizes the results and marks the fit of the hypothesis.
Quasi-Experiment
The difference between this experiment and the quasi-experiment lies in greater reliability. A quasi-experiment may skip some steps, such as pre-testing. If preliminary testing is excluded, the results of the entire experiment may be called into question. Some people may have a certain advantage in order to successfully complete the task. This situation will not allow to draw clear conclusions and the experiment may be unproven.
Conclusion
All stages of the experiment are critical to ensure its validity. The preparation stage includes determining the target audience and sample size. This is a critical point that will ensure validity by checking that the sample fits the purpose of the experiment. Pretesting and grouping are important to ensure the integrity and purity of the experiment. The clarity of the results and the possibility of considering the study successful depend on the very stage of conducting and post-testing.
Reference
Maxfield, M. G., & Babbie, E. R. (2010). Research methods for criminal justice and criminology. Cengage Learning.