1. Reporting results: APA style
Psych 231: Research Methods in Psychology

2. Why present your research?
To get the work out there
To offer readers an interpretation your data (and perhaps persuade them to believe your theory)
To allow testing/falsifaction of your theory
To spur further research
To allow replication

3. Misconceptions about Scientific writing
Writing the paper is the routine part of the research process
Forces you to commit to your evidence and conclusions
Just the facts
The facts are just part of the argument that the author is making
What you say is more important than how you say it
Good writing leads to higher chance of accomplishing your goals

4. Why a structured format?
To ease communication of what was done
Forces a minimal amount of information
Provides a logical framework (for argument)
Provides consistent format within a discipline
People know what to expect
Where to find the information in the article
Allows readers to cross-reference your sources easily

5. Writing resources
The ultimate resource for APA style is the APA Publication manual
Also websites to help too.
Chapter 15 of your textbook is good too.

6. Writing resources A great book for Psychological writing
Sternberg, R. J. (2003). The psychologist’s companion: A guide to scientific writing for students and researchers. Cambridge University Press, NY.

7. Writing style
Psychological writing tends to differ from other academic writings
Not a creative writing exercise
Presenting an argument based on data and logical reasoning
Try to avoid using direct quotes, restate things in your own words.
Avoid digression
Footnotes are rare, they’re used to elaborate/clarify a point. Try to do so in the text.
If long digressions, use the appendix
Direct quotes are an easy cop out if you don’t understand something. Don’t cop out. Try to put it into your own words, it forces you to try harder to understand it

8. Major goal: Clarity Communicate with clarity Write for the reader
Think about your audience, what do they already know, what don’t they know
Avoid overstatements
Be conservative in your claims
Emphasize the positive
Focus on how the data supports a theory not just on how it refutes another theory

9. Major goal: Clarity Communicate with clarity Avoid Try to be concise
Jargon when possible
Slang and colloquialisms
Sexist and biased language
Try to be concise
Don’t use a whole paragraph when two sentences will do
Longer papers don’t mean better papers
Eliminate unnecessary redundancy
Use simple words (sentences) rather than complicated words (sentences)

10. Major goal: Clarity Communicate with clarity
Use concrete words and examples
Use a consistent format (APA style)
It helps your reader understand your arguments and the sources they’re built on.
It also helps you keep track of your sources as you build arguments

11. APA style: Parts of a research report
Adolescent Depression 1
Running Head: ADOLESCENT DEPRESSION
Adolescent Depression and Attachment
Ima G. Student and Soyam Eye
Purdue University
Title Page
Abstract
Adolescent Depression 2
We explored attachment in a family context
by applying family systems principles to the
investigation of multiple attachment relationships
within families. This study focused on maternal
adult attachment with respect to family of origin
experiences. We examined associations between
maternal adult attachment and three levels of
family functioning including individual maternal
depression symptoms, dyadic marital satisfaction
and family unit functioning. We found that attachment
security with respect to particular relationships was
differentially associated with different levels of
family functioning.
Body
References
Authors Notes
Footnotes
Tables
Figure Captions
Figures
Adolescent Depression 29
Barnett, P. A., & Gotlib, I. H. (1988). Psychosocial
functioning and depression: Distinguishing among
antecedents, concomitants, and consequences.
Psychological Bulletin, 104.
Beck, A. T. (1978). Beck Depression Inventory.
San Antonio, TX: Psychological Corporation.
Benoit, D., Vidovic, D., & Roman, J. (1991, April).
Transmission of attachment across three generations.
Paper presented at the Biennial Meeting of the Society
for Research in Child Development.
Benoit, D., Zeanah, C. H., & Barton, M. L. (1989).
Maternal attachment disturbances in failure to thrive.
Infant Mental Health Journal, 3,
Benoit, D., Zeanah, C. H., Boucher, C., & Minde, K.
(1989). Sleep disorders in early childhood: Association
with insecure maternal attachment. Journal of the
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry,
31,

12. Title Page Title should be maximally informative while short
Adolescent Depression 1
Running Head: ADOLESCENT DEPRESSION
Adolescent Depression and Attachment
Ima G. Student and Soyam Eye
Purdue University
Title should be maximally
informative while short
(10 to 12 words recommended)

13. Title Page Order of Authorship sometimes carries meaning
Adolescent Depression 1
Running Head: ADOLESCENT DEPRESSION
Adolescent Depression and Attachment
Ima G. Student and Soyam Eye
Purdue University
Order of Authorship sometimes
carries meaning

14. Title Page Affiliation – where the bulk of the research was done
Adolescent Depression 1
Running Head: ADOLESCENT DEPRESSION
Adolescent Depression and Attachment
Ima G. Student and Soyam Eye
Purdue University
Affiliation – where the bulk of
the research was done

15. Title Page Running head – will go on each page of published article,
Adolescent Depression 1
Running Head: ADOLESCENT DEPRESSION
Adolescent Depression and Attachment
Ima G. Student and Soyam Eye
Purdue University
Running head – will go on each
page of published article,
no more than 50 characters

16. Title Page Short title – goes in header (with
Adolescent Depression 1
Running Head: ADOLESCENT DEPRESSION
Adolescent Depression and Attachment
Ima G. Student and Soyam Eye
Purdue University
Short title – goes in header (with
page number) on each page of
the manuscript

17. Abstract Short summary of entire paper
100 to 120 words
The problem/issue
The method
The results
The major conclusions
Recommendation: write this after you’ve finished the rest of the paper

18. Body
Hourglass shape
Start broad
Background
Literature Review

19. Body Hourglass shape Narrow focus Statement of purpose
Specific hypotheses (at least at conceptual level)

20. Body
Hourglass shape
Most focused
- Methods
- Results

21. Body
Hourglass shape
Broaden
Discussion
Conclusions
Implications

22. Body Introduction Background Literature Review Statement of purpose
Specific hypotheses (at least at conceptual level)

23. Body
Methods (in enough detail that the reader can replicate the study)
Participants
How many, where they were selected from, any special selection requirements, details about those who didn’t complete the experiment

24. Body
Methods (in enough detail that the reader can replicate the study)
Participants
Design (optional)
Suggested if you have a complex experimental design, often combined with Materials section

25. Body
Methods (in enough detail that the reader can replicate the study)
Participants
Design
Apparatus/Materials
Procedure
What did each participant do? Other details, including the operational levels of your IV(s) and DV(s), counterbalancing, etc.

26. Body Results (state the results but don’t interpret them here)
Verbal statement of results
Tables and figures
These get referred to in the text, but actually get put into their own sections at the end of the manuscript
Statistical Outcomes
Means, standard deviations, t-tests, ANOVAs, correlations, etc.

27. Body Discussion (interpret the results)
Relationship between purpose and results
Theoretical (or methodological) contribution
Implications
Future directions (optional)

28. The rest
Adolescent Depression 29
References
Barnett, P. A., & Gotlib, I. H. (1988). Psychosocial
functioning and depression: Distinguishing among
antecedents, concomitants, and consequences.
Psychological Bulletin, 104.
Beck, A. T. (1978). Beck Depression Inventory.
San Antonio, TX: Psychological Corporation.
Benoit, D., Vidovic, D., & Roman, J. (1991, April).
Transmission of attachment across three generations.
Paper presented at the Biennial Meeting of the Society
for Research in Child Development.
Benoit, D., Zeanah, C. H., & Barton, M. L. (1989).
Maternal attachment disturbances in failure to thrive.
Infant Mental Health Journal, 3,
Benoit, D., Zeanah, C. H., Boucher, C., & Minde, K.
(1989). Sleep disorders in early childhood: Association
with insecure maternal attachment. Journal of the
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry,
31,
References
Author’s name
Year
Title of work
Publication information
Journal
Issue
Pages
When something odd comes up, don’t guess. Look it up!

29. The rest References Authors Notes Footnotes Tables Figure Captions
Figures

30. Figures and tables These are used to supplement the text.
To make a point clearer for the reader.
Typically used for:
The design
Examples of stimuli
Patterns of results

31. Checklist - things to watch for
Clarity
Acknowledge the work of others (avoid plagiarism)
Active vs. passive voice
Active: Monroe and Wahlheim (2003) hypothesized that speakers use to much passive voice
Passive: It was hypothesized by Monroe and Wahlheim (2003) that speakers use to much passive voice

32. Checklist - things to watch for
Avoid biased language
APA guidelines:
Accurate descriptions of individuals (e.g., Asian vs. Korean)
Be sensitive to labels (e.g., “Oriental”)
Appropriate use of headings
Correct citing and references
Good grammar
APA style checklist

33. Next time Read chapters 4&5.
Bring your APA Publication Manual to lab (if you’ve got one)
Don’t forget your first journal summary is due this week in lab