report writing

Abstract

• brief overview of aims, hypothesis, method, results and conclusion

• gives reader quick understanding of study and results

Introduction

• outline previous research- starting with most broad and funelling down to more specfic or relevant

• research review- coherent explanation of why you have decided to conduct this research- justify

• outline aims, research prediction and hypothesis (justify whether one or two tailed)

Method

• detailed description of everything researcher did so can be easily replicated

  1. experimental design- type of experiment, design, IV, DV- justify

  2. Ps used - sampling technique, who took part (job, how many etc.)

  3. Apparatus- materials used

  4. Standardised procedure- step by step method, including instructions, briefing and debriefing

  5. Ethics- any ethical issues and how these were addressed

Results

Summarise key findings, include

• descriptive stats- key findings outlined in straightforward way, include tables, graphs, measures of central tendency and dispersion

• inferential stats- statistical test (justify which one chosen), state calculated and critcial value, significance level, one or two tailed, whethere or not you accept or reject alternative hypothesis

Discussion

1. summarise results

2. relationship to background research- does your research align?

3. limitations and modification

4. implications and suggestions for further research

Referencing for journal articles

author’s name- date- title of article- journal title- volume- page no.

Referencing for books

author’s name- date- title of book- place of publishing- publisher