What makes up a report?
- Abstract
- Introduction
- Method
- Results
- References
What is an abstract?
- It is the summary of the study covering the aims, hypothesis, the method, the results and conclusions (including the implications of the study)
- It is written after the report is complete
What is an introduction?
- The introduction is the section in a report/journal where the researcher reviews previous research (theories and studies) to provide background information and a rationale for the current research.
- It should be structured like a funnel (moving from the general to the specific) so that it leads logically to the aims and hypotheses of the current study.
What is the method?
The method is the section of a report/journal that contains a detailed description of the methodology.
This needs to be detailed enough to allow someone else to replicate the study.
It should includes details:
- of the design
- participants
- apparatus/materials
- procedure
- ethical considerations.
What are results?
The results are a section in a report of an investigation where the researcher includes details about what they found in their investigation.
It includes descriptive statistics (e.g. summary tables, graphs, measures of central tendency and dispersion) and inferential statistics (e.g. results of statistical tests, including calculated values and significance levels).
If qualitative research has been conducted, the results section would involve description of the categories and themes, along with examples.
What is referencing?
Referencing is an important aspect of psychological reports/journals.
The reference section of a journal includes full details of any sources, such as journal articles or books, that are used when writing a report.
