Reporting psychological investigations

• What are the 6 key aspects?

  • Abstract
  • Introduction
  • Method
  • Results
  • Discussion
  • Referencing
• Abstract- summary of the study:

  A short summary that includes all the major elements: the aims and hypotheses, method/procedure, results and conclusions
• Introduction- a literature review:

  A look at relevant theories, concepts and studies that are related to the current study

  The research review should follow a logical progression- beginning broadly and becoming more specific until the aims and hypotheses are presented
• The method should be detailed enough for other researchers to be able to replicate the study
• Method:

  • Design: eg. independent groups, naturalistic observation etc. and reasons given for the choice
  • Sample- how many participants, biographical/demographical information (as long as this does not compromise anonymity), the sampling method and target population
  • Apparatus- any assessment instruments used and other materials
  • Procedure- list of everything that happened in the investigation. Verbatim record of things said to participants: briefing, standardised instructions and debriefing
  • Ethics- how they were addressed in the study
• Results- summary of key findings from the investigation:

  • Descriptive statistics such as tables, graphs and charts, measures of central tendency and measures of dispersion
  • Inferential statistics including reference to the choice of statistical test, calculated and critical values, the level of significance and the final outcome (i.e. which hypothesis rejected and which retained)
  • Any raw data that was collected and any calculations appear in an appendix rather than the main body of the report
• Discussion:

  • Summary of findings in verbal, rather than statistical, form
  • Relationship of the results to previous research (this research may have been presented in the introduction)
  • Consideration of the limitations of the study, plus suggestions of how these might be addressed in a future study
  • Wider real-world implications of the research are considered
• Referencing:

  May include journal articles, books, websites etc.

  Example:

  Flanagan, C. and Berry, D. (2016) A level Psychology, Cheltenham. Illuminate publishing