Reporting Psychological Investigations

Question 1

What are the 7 sections which make up a scientific report?

Answer 1

Abstract, introduction, method, results, discussion, referencing, appendix

Question 2

What is an abstract?

Answer 2

A short summary of all the major elements of the study (aim, hypothesis, methods, results and conclusion). Written after report is complete. Means researchers don’t have to read hundreds of full reports

Question 3

What is an introduction?

Answer 3

A literature review of the general area of investigation- looks at past research on a similar topic.
Includes the aim and hypothesis

Question 4

What is the method?

Answer 4

A description of what the researcher did including design, sample, apparatus/materials, procedure and ethics.
Must show replicability

Question 5

What are the results?

Answer 5

A summary of the key findings of the investigation, including descriptive and inferential statistics

Question 6

What is the discussion?

Answer 6

Discussing the results in the context of the evidence presented in the introduction. Includes awareness of limitations of study and suggests how to address these. Includes the wider implications of the research

Question 7

What are the references?

Answer 7

A list of sources that are referred to or quoted in the articles

Question 8

What format does the reference of a book have?

Answer 8

author(s), date, title of book (in italics), place of publication, publisher

Question 9

What format does the reference of a journal article have?

Answer 9

Author(s), date, title of article, journal title (in italics), volume (issue number) (italics), page numbers

Question 10

What are 3 purposes for having a references section?

Answer 10

1. Avoid plagiarism
2. Credit other researchers’ work
3. Allow readers to look up and read studies mentioned in report

Question 11

What is the appendix of a study?

Answer 11

Any material used for any part of the research. - consent forms, debrief forms, questionnaires, raw data ect.)