2. ABSTRACT
This should include a brief and clear summary of the investigation
It should include;
Main aims and hypotheses of the investigation
The method – who your participants were and what you asked them to do.
The results (the test used and the actual results found in relation to the hypothesis)
The conclusion (did your results fit with the previous research)?
It is at the front of the report but it should be written last (therefore written in the past
tense).
3. INTRODUCTION
This should not just be all you know, you need to be specific.
Introduce previous relevant studies and theories.
Describe the research on which the investigation is based at the very end of the
introduction.
Then a complete linking sentence briefly describing what your research will involve.
Use the ‘funnel effect’ to create your introduction section.
6. METHOD
Design:
State the research method used and why you used it (if it was an
experiment, state the type of experimental design used)
Identify the variables under investigation (e.g. correlation = co=variables;
experiment = IV and DV)
Identify other variables (extraneous variables) and briefly describe the
steps you took to control them
Describe how the participants were allocated to the conditions.
Briefly discuss any ethical considerations and how you overcame these.
Participants:
Identify the target population (who were your participants? Where did
you get them from? How many males and how many females? Ages?)
The sampling method used.
No names and addresses should be given anywhere within the report.
You need to report exactly what was done in the investigation.
Ask someone who has not been involved in the investigation to read it. They should be
able to replicate the research study from the method section alone.
The Method section should be set out in a specific way using the sub-headings below;
(1) Design
(2) Participants
(3) Apparatus
(4) Procedure
7. Apparatus:
All apparatus/materials used in the investigation should be listed here
(not things such as a computer, pens etc…only things that were specific to
this investigation such as questionnaires etc…)
Refer the reader to the appendix for a copy of all the materials used (e.g.
questionnaires, word lists, standardised instructions etc…)
Procedure:
This should be a step by step description of exactly what happened
during the investigation.
The reader should be able to replicate the investigation from what you
have written.
8. RESULTS
Results must be presented clearly and simply.
Do not assume the reader knows that you are talking about.
Do not put raw data or calculations in here. These go in the appendix (at the back),
Results are divided into two sections;
(1) Descriptive
(2) Inferential
9. DISCUSSION
This section of the report is probably the most important and needs to be written
carefully.
There are four sections to the discussion;
(1) Explanation of the results
(2) Relationship to background research
(3) Limitations and modifications
(4) Implications and future research
10. CONCLUSIONS
A brief summary of the main findings of the investigation in relation to the aims and the
hypotheses.
11. REFERENCES
Any books/websites/journal/materials you have used must be referenced (including
page numbers and the dates in which you accessed the information from the websites).
If you do not reference other people’s work you will be seen to be passing it off as your
own. This is plagiarism.
All sources should be listed in alphabetical order.
It is normal to use the Harvard system of referencing.
