1. Copyright Atomic Dog Publishing, 2007 Parts of a Research Report Abstract Introduction Method Results Discussion References

2. Copyright Atomic Dog Publishing, 2007 Abstract Brief summary of all essential features of the research 120 words or fewer Tells readers whether article is relevant to their scientific question  Six to eight sentences -Intro to general problem/question -Participants (sample size and selection) -Method and procedure (2 sentences) -Main results (1-2 sentences) -General conclusions/Implications (1-2 sentences)

3. Copyright Atomic Dog Publishing, 2007 Introduction Like a funnel – Broad at the top narrow at the end The overall goal is to connect the current literature to your proposed purpose and design  Introduce the problem/question  Develop the background information -Theory -Past Methodology  Statement of the rationale for the current study (final paragraph of intro) -Purpose -Hypothesis The tone is technical and descriptive, not creative or inflammatory. Avoid quotes and footnotes

4. Copyright Atomic Dog Publishing, 2007 Method Organized into separate subsections  Participants -#, demographics, how selected, how/if compensated -Did you exclude and participants?  Materials -Apparatus -Measures  Procedure -Highly detailed description of what was done from start to finish

5. Copyright Atomic Dog Publishing, 2007 Results Statistics to report outcome of the study precisely and concisely  Manipulation check if necessary  Describe the sample in terms of how they scored on DV -Descriptives  Test hypothesis -Specifically restate the hypothesis. -Report stats accurately in terms of form and number (refer to APA manual)

6. Copyright Atomic Dog Publishing, 2007 Discussion Describes the outcome of the research in words  Briefly summarize what you found Integrates the outcome of the study with previous research findings  Here is how you data fit in to the larger literature base Draws conclusions  Based on theory or practical application May present suggestions for future research  Limitations

7. Copyright Atomic Dog Publishing, 2007 References Details publication information of sources cited in the paper  Every paper you cite in the manuscript must be listed in references  Alphabetical by first author -When you have multiple articles by the same author, you alphabetize by the second author

8. Copyright Atomic Dog Publishing, 2007 Issues in Writing Plagiarism  Borrowing the words or ideas of another without crediting the source for those words or ideas. -Exact wording without quotes and citation -Changing a few words and not citing -Changing a few words and citing This is the most common in student writing and it is still plagiarism.