Research Methods Psychological Reports

• What is a psychological report?

  A report written as part of psychological research
• Why is a psychological report important?

  It allows replication of studies for reliability
• What are the main components of a psychological report?

  • Abstract
  • Introduction
  • Method
  • Results
  • Discussion
  • References
  • Appendices
• What does the abstract of a report summarize?

  The entire study including aim and results
• What is the maximum word count for an abstract?

  200 words
• When should the abstract be written?

  After all information has been analyzed
• What is the purpose of the introduction in a psychological report?

  To provide background and context for the study
• What should the introduction include?

  Background theories, aims, and hypotheses
• What are the four key sections of the method in a psychological report?

  Design, Apparatus/Materials, Participants, Procedure
• Why is standardization important in the method section?

  To ensure the study is replicable
• What must be included in the design section?

  Type of design and participant allocation
• What details should be specified about the sample?

  Numbers, location, age range, and gender
• What does the materials and apparatus section specify?

  Equipment needed for the experiment
• What must the procedure section outline?

  Each step of the experiment chronologically
• What should the results section include?

  A summarised account of the data
• What types of statistics are included in the results?

  Mean, median, mode, and statistical results
• What is NOT included in the results section?

  Raw scores from the experiment
• What is discussed in the discussion section?

  Explanation of results and their implications
• What must the discussion link back to?

  Studies referenced in the introduction
• What referencing system is used in psychological reports?

  Harvard Referencing
• How do you reference a book in Harvard style?

  • Author's surname and initials
  • Year of publish
  • Title of book
  • Location of publish
  • Publisher
  • Page numbers used
• How do you reference a journal article in Harvard style?

  • Head psychologist's surname and initials
  • Year of study
  • Title of research
  • Name of journal (italics)
  • Journal volume number
  • Page numbers
• What is included in the appendices section?

  • Consent forms
  • Standardised instruction sheets
  • Statistical analysis
  • Raw data
  • Ethical considerations
• Why is peer review important in psychological research?

  To assess validity and avoid bias
• What can bias in peer reviews affect?

  The validity and success of the experiment
• How can bias in peer reviews be minimized?

  By analyzing research without knowing details