reporting psychological investigations Flashcards
(26 cards)
What is the purpose of the abstract in a scientific report?
To provide a short summary (150–200 words) including aims, hypotheses, method, procedure, results, and conclusions.
What does the introduction of a scientific report contain?
A literature review of the general area of research, relevant theories, concepts, and studies related to the current study.
What is the main goal of the introduction section?
To begin broadly and gradually become more specific until the aims and hypotheses are presented.
What should the method section allow other researchers to do?
Replicate the study if they wish.
What are the main subsections of the method section?
Design, Sample, Apparatus/materials, Procedure, Ethics.
What does the ‘Design’ subsection describe?
The design used (e.g., independent groups, naturalistic observation) and justification for the choice.
What does the ‘Sample’ subsection include?
Information about the people involved, such as how many and demographic information.
What is included in the ‘Apparatus/materials’ subsection?
Details of any equipment/materials used.
What is the purpose of the ‘Procedure’ subsection?
To provide a step-by-step account of everything that happened in the investigation, including instructions and debriefing.
What should be mentioned in the ‘Ethics’ subsection?
How ethical issues were addressed within the study.
What does the results section summarize?
The key findings from the investigation.
What types of statistics are likely to be found in the results section?
Descriptive statistics such as tables, graphs, charts, measures of central tendency, and measures of dispersion.
What should the inferential statistics section include?
Choice of statistical test, calculated and critical values, level of significance, and the final outcome (which hypothesis was rejected).
Where should raw data be included?
In an appendix rather than the main body of the report.
What is reported if qualitative methods are used?
Analysis of themes and/or categories.
What is the purpose of the discussion section?
To summarize results/findings, relate them to previous research, discuss limitations, and consider implications.
What should be discussed in relation to previous research in the discussion section?
Whether the findings support or contradict previous research.
What should be included about limitations in the discussion section?
Limitations of the present investigation and suggestions for future research.
What is the final element of the discussion section?
Implications of the research, including real-world applications and contributions to knowledge.
What does the referencing section include?
Full details of any source material cited in the report.
How should a journal reference be formatted?
Author(s), date, article title, journal name (in italics), volume/issue, and page numbers.
How should a book reference be formatted?
Author(s), date, title of book (in italics), place of publication, and publisher.
How should a web reference be formatted?
Source, date, title, weblink, and date accessed.
What is the purpose of providing references?
To give credit to original sources and allow readers to find the material.
