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Report Writing
Scientific Data and Analysis (RC4111)
University of Chester
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Report Writing - Psychology Notes
Structure of a Report:
Abstract Introduction Method (design, sample, materials/apparatus, procedure) Results Discussion Conclusion References Appendices
Abstract - a summary of the entire investigation you have conducted. It is written at the end but put at the beginning. You need to include a: summary, aim, hypothesis, design used, variables, sample and sampling method, results, conclusion.
Introduction - explain where your hypothesis comes from, say how the research links to the aim and hypothesis of your study. Start with the general theory then say speciic research. Include your predictions of the results.
Method - write exactly what you did so someone could replicate it. Don’t justify why you did what you did. Include similar to what you put in the abstract about the design, sample and materials. Do a step by step list of instructions for the procedure.
Results - this is split into two sub-sections; descriptive and inferential statistics. Provide a summary of the data and results from any statistical tests. You need to include all measures of central tendency, as well as type of data, design and test used, but not individual scores/results from the participants.
Discussion - relate your results to your hypothesis, explain your inding, show weaknesses and changes for future research. Say how reliable your results are and how reliability could be increased in the future. Conclude this part with a statement of your indings.
Conclusion - this is a brief summary of the main indings and how they relate to the aims and hypothesis. Do not restate the results but clarify what they say so summarise what your experiment found out and how this adds on to previous studies.
References - use the Harvard Referencing system. This is a list of all the sources you have used. Every time you refer to a psychologist you have mentioned, you need to reference the original source. All references must be in alphabetical order at the back of your report.
Appendices - this is used to support our research and indings, although is not essential to the main body of the report. In the appendices, you would include: questionnaires, consent forms, self-reports, qualitative data, raw data and calculations.
Peer Review
A peer review is a process that takes place before a study to ensure that the research is of a high quality, contributes to the ield of research and is accurately presented. It ensures the high standards of the reports remain.
The process of writing a peer review:
- The research paper is submitted to a journal for consideration for publication
- The editor examines the topic and sends it to other experts in this ield of psychology
- Their critical appraisal is returned with recommendations about sustainability for publication
Problems of Peer Review:
Plagiarism - using the written or oral work of another person without properly acknowledging the source of the information and without proper permission, passing it of as your own.
Falsiication - changing research data to support claims, hypotheses or other data, manipulating research so that it supports the aim or hypotheses of the experiment.
Fabrication - adding data or observations that never occurred in the gathering of data in order to increase the amount collected or to support the aim or hypotheses.
Report Writing
Module: Scientific Data and Analysis (RC4111)
University: University of Chester
