Sections of a Scientific Report
- Psychological reports need to be written in a conventional way that allows for replication by other researchers
- The basic requirement of a scientific report answer the four following questions
- What was done?
- Why was it done?
- What were the findings?
- What do the findings mean?
- The most common way to set out a scientific report is;
Title
- The title of the report must be clear, relevant and fully informative
Contents page
- The contents page should be clear, include page numbers and include everything that is in the report, including the different appendices
Abstract
- This is a summary of the research
- It usually explains why wanted to complete the research, usually briefly mentioning previous research in the area
- It also outlines the aims of the research, the method and the outcome
- The abstract will also identify possible ideas for future research
Introduction
- The introduction explains why the research was conducted
- It will describe previous theoretical research conducted on the same area
- Looking at relevant and concise material on the previous research and identifying those that are most important to the study
- By ensuring it is only the relevant theoretical studies being used, it narrows down the area of research and helps lead the researcher to the aims and hypothesis of the research
- Aims
- The aim/s of the research are stated concisely, clearly and precisely in the report
- Hypothesis
- Both the null and directional hypothesis are stated
- Justification of the directional hypothesis is also included
Method
- The method is an outline of what is done, step by step to allow for the research to be replicated
- All materials used (such as consent forms, standardised instructions, questionnaires, debriefs, will be included in the appendices)
- The method is split into subsections;
- The design of research:
- Including which method was used
- The design chosen, techniques used,
- Identification of the variables (both the independent variable and dependent variable, also any extraneous variables that may be there)
- Any ethical concerns and considerations
- Participants
- The sampling method chosen
- The target population desired
- The actual sample, including their characteristics
- How participants are allocated to the conditions
- Materials used
- Description of any materials used
- This includes all materials used in the research that are relevant to the study
- Standardised procedure
- This is a step by step procedure that allows for reproduction
- Explains details of where the study was conducted
- Includes debriefing explanations
- Controls
- Details of any controls used to conduct the research
- It also explains what steps were taking to avoid bias in both the sampling and experimental techniques
- The design of research:
Findings
- Presentation of what was found
- Raw data is referenced and included in the appendices
- Raw data is presented usually as graphs
- Written explanations follow
- The findings include both
- Descriptive statistics:
- Outline key findings
- Numerical statistics (mean, mode, median)
- The measure of dispersion (the range, standard deviation)
- The graph included should be clear and simple to understand
- Inferential statistics:
- Statistical test chosen
- Explanation as to why that test was chosen
- The actual calculations are presented (physically in the appendices)
- The outcome of statistical analysis
- The significance test and outcome
- Explanation if it was a one or two tailed test
- The outcome explains whether the experimental/null hypothesis is accepted or rejected
- Descriptive statistics:
Discussion
- The discussion explains what the results mean
- it is broken into subsections
- Explanations of findings
- Key findings relating to the aims and hypothesis are explained
- All findings are presented
- Explanation of what the findings show
- Relationship to background research
- Looking at similarities and differences to previous research in the area
- Limitations and modifications
- Explanation of possible sources of errors
- ideas for modifications to improve the research and findings
- Explanations of findings
Conclusion
- This is concise paragraph that summarises the findings of the research and the key conclusions drawn
Referencing
- Full details of all those referenced are included
- including;
- Those who had conducted previous research mentioned in the report
- any information used to conduct the report, including previous questions, standardised instructions or interviews
- This allows others to identify and find the information
Appendices
- Appendices are numbered and presented clearly
- Appendices included are
- Full instructions given to participants
- Raw data
- Calculations made
- Materials used
- Anything else used within the research