4.2.3.1 REPORTING PSYCHOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS

Question 1

what is a scientific report?

Answer 1

• presents the findings of a piece of research which has been designed, conducted and then analysed by one or more researchers
• they follow a specific structure and use a standardised format

Question 2

what are the five sections that a scientific report consists of?
they are ALWAYS presented in this order

Answer 2

1) abstract
2) method
3) results
4) discussion
5) referencing

Question 3

what is the abstract section of the scientific report?

Answer 3

• the summary of the entire research process
• should be 150-200 words long
  (APA guidelines)
• reading an abstract can help to inform the reader as to whether or not the report is going to be useful for their purposes

Question 4

what is the method section of the scientific report?

Answer 4

• the sample is described
  eg) how many ppts, their age, gender, nationality, profession etc
  -> along with the sampling method that’s been used
  -> the choice of each is justified
• the design is described and the choice is justified
• the materials are described and their use explained
• the procedure is described using which should be standardised so that it’s easily replicable and to highlight that ethical guidelines have been adhered to
  eg) the ppts gave informed consent

Question 5

what is the results section of the scientific report?

Answer 5

• the results summarise the findings of the study measured
  -> as the performance of the ppts on the task set up by the researcher (experiments)
  -> their behaviour in a given context (observation)
  -> or their responses to questions (self-report methods)
• if the research has collected quantitate data this is analysed statistically via both descriptive and inferential statistics
• if the research has collected qualitative data this is analysed using appropriate methods such as thematic analysis/content analysis

Question 6

what is the discussion section of the scientific report?

Answer 6

• this section starts with a consideration of the results which are analysed in light of the aim of the research and the theory being investigated
• the discussion will present an evaluation of the research itself, identifying strengths and limitations of each aspect of it
• the discussion will conclude by considering the research in the light of wider contexts, the implications of the reserach, and what its potential applications are
  eg) in health settings, eduction, as a useful contribution to the understanding of the theory

Question 7

what is the referencing section of the scientific report?

Answer 7

• in order to avoid accusations of plagiarism the reserach must acknowledge all sources used throughout the process
• referencing must adhere to a particular convention and be consistent throughout the report, with different formats being used for journal articles, books, websites etc