Lab report writing Flashcards
What should a title contain?
- Include independent and dependent variables, bit of method
- Use title to summarise results
- Do not use abbreviations or extra words that serve no purpose
What should an abstract contain and what is its function?
- Function = summarise your study
- Written last
- One short paragraph (150 words)
- Should include aims, predictions, method used, main results and explanations and conclusion
- Preferably no citations - 1 at the most of a key study that your study is building on
What should an introduction contain and what is its function?
- Function - justify your study using previous research (provide rationale for your study)
- Describe previous studies
- Describe present study
How should previous studies be described in an introduction?
- Briefly describe methodology, results and conclusion
- Only include information that is essential for understanding take-home message of the study
- Evaluate the study
- Say how this is relevant to your study
How should your present study be described in an introduction?
- Explain the purpose of your study
- Present hypotheses/ predictions
- Briefly describe the method of the study
- Use past tense
- If present study replicates previous study, explain why this is needed
What is the funnel method of writing an introduction?
- Begin general - briefly discuss general issues
- Review relevant literature, theoretical/ experimental background and relate these to your study
- Provide justification for the study based on review
- Aims and research questions
Does there need to be a subheading for ‘introduction’?
No - just study title
What is the function and content of a methods section?
- Function - so someone can read it and perform your study (replicability)
- Provide sufficient details for this
- Should include: participants, design, stimuli and procedure
- Optional - how were extraneous variables controlled and how were participants grouped?
What should be included in stimuli section?
- State everything presented to ppts - tasks used
- Include citations
- Not a list
What should be included in the procedure section?
- Explain what ppts did from beginning to end
- State how much ppts were told about the study (if applicable)
- Not a list
What is the function and content of a results section?
- Function - describe analyses and report results
- Describe raw data
- Processing of raw data (e.g. averaging across trials, removing outliers)
- Descriptive statistics (Ms and SDs)
- Inferential statistics
When and how should tables and figures be used in a results section?
- May be helpful for summarising and visualising results
- Number them - seperate series for tables and figures
- Refer to them in main text
- Follow APA guidelines
What should be avoided in a results section?
- Simply copy and pasting all figures and tables from JASP output
- Provide results in a list
- Repeat the same information in main text and tables/ figures
- Provide psychological interpretation of results (save for discussion)
What is the function of a discussion section?
Interpret results and explain findings
(assess results in terms of aims of study)
What content should be included in a discussion section?
- Restate research questions and hypotheses
- Summarise and interpret results
- Provide psychological interpretation
(No need for numbers)
