Research Paper and Poster Session Guidelines

A set of vocabulary flashcards based on lecture instructions for writing a psychological research paper, conducting results analysis, and preparing a poster presentation.

Literature Review

A summary of what research has already been found in a specific field, used to provide background before identifies gaps for a new study.

Gap

The specific area in research that has not yet been examined, which an experimenter identifies to explain why their study stands out and adds to the literature.

Abstract

A brief summary of the paper that is not included in the $5$ to $7$ page limit and is evaluated on how well it summarizes the study.

Research Hypothesis

A specific prediction that must explicitly state both levels of the Independent Variable ($IV$) and the Dependent Variable ($DV$) to receive full marks.

Replication

The standard for a procedure section where an instruction manual is provided so clearly that another student could take the paper and run the study directly.

Participant Characteristics

Descriptive information about the study subjects, such as being second-year psychology students at $UBC$ aged between $19$ and $25$.

Materials Section

A description of relevant pieces of information used in a study, such as well-established measures from literature or custom-created dossiers and resumes.

Measure of Central Tendency

A statistic, typically the mean, that represents the center of the data in the results section and should be rounded to correct decimal places.

Measure of Variability

A statistic, such as standard deviation, that describes the spread of data in the results section.

Box Plot

A fancy type of plot, sometimes referred to as an ion plot, used for numeric data to show both central tendency and spread.

Bar Graph

The basic required visual representation of data, typically showing the means for the experimental and control groups.

Discussion Section

The part of the paper where results are interpreted, summarized, and compared to the past work cited in the introduction.

Limitations

The section of the discussion where researchers do not hide problems but instead apply what they learned to critique their own experiment's mistakes.

Null Results

Findings that show no difference between groups; they still contribute to science by stopping researchers from pursuing non-viable paths.

Generalizability

The extent to which results apply to the general population, which is often limited in studies testing only university or high school students.

Generalization Cop-out

The act of stating a study is not generalizable because it used university students without providing a concrete explanation of why that population differs from others.

Trifold

A type of cardboard display recommended for the poster session to help the presentation stand up easier during the science fair style session.

Poster Session Grading

A grade calculated from a combination of peer judgments and at least two evaluations by the instructor.

Poster Format

A visual presentation style that avoids big blocks of text and uses point form summaries so viewers can scan information easily.

SAPs

The specific testing scores used in the lecture's example to measure the potential boosting effects of consuming $Pepsi$ versus water.