Recording Psychological Investigations

• What is the purpose of a psychology report?


  To inform psychologists about a study
• What key information does a report provide?

  Study purpose, method, findings, and implications
• What is the typical format of a psychology report?

  Abstract, introduction, method, results, discussion, references
• Why are abstracts important in research?

  They summarize the entire paper efficiently
• What does the abstract include?

  Aim, hypothesis, method, results, conclusions
• What is the role of the introduction in a report?

  To provide background theory and rationale
• What does the method section describe?

  A guide for replicating the study
• What are the components of the method section?

  • Design
  • Participants
  • Materials
  • Procedure
• Why is replication important in science?

  It verifies the reliability of results
• What should be included in the design of a study?

  Research methods and independent variable levels
• What information about participants is included in the method?

  Number and relevant personal characteristics
• What materials might be listed in the method section?

  Equipment like cameras and questionnaires
• What does the procedure section outline?

  A step-by-step guide for conducting the study
• What is the purpose of the results section?

  To summarize the data collected objectively
• What types of data are included in the results section?

  Descriptive statistics and relevant graphs
• What is discussed in the discussion section?

  Interpretation of results and implications
• What does the discussion section evaluate?

  Weaknesses and implications of the study
• What is the purpose of the references section?

  To credit sources and avoid plagiarism
• What format do psychologists use for references?

  Harvard referencing format
• How should references be formatted in the text?

  Author's surname, date, and page number
• What should you do when you first mention a researcher's ideas?

  Include their surname and publication date
• What should the reference section start with?

  Author's surname followed by initials
• What is a useful tip for creating a reference section?

  Start a Word document early for references
• How can you find related studies for essays?

  Check the reference section of articles
• What is the benefit of using cited by links?

  To find more modern studies and replications
• What are the key sections of a psychology report and their purposes?

  • Abstract: Summary of the study
  • Introduction: Background and rationale
  • Method: Replication guide
  • Results: Objective data summary
  • Discussion: Interpretation and implications
  • References: Credit sources and avoid plagiarism