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Reporting results: APA style

Reporting results: APA style. Psych 231: Research Methods in Psychology. Journal Summary assignment 1 d ue in labs this week Nairne, J. S., Pandeirada, J. N. S., & Thompson, S. R. (2008).

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Reporting results: APA style

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

  2. Journal Summary assignment1 due in labs this week • Nairne, J. S., Pandeirada, J. N. S., & Thompson, S. R. (2008). • Bring your textbook (or APA style manual if you’ve got one) to lab this week (using chapter 16 on APA style) Announcements

  3. Reporting results: APA style

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

  5. 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 all that is important, how you say it isn’t important • Good writing leads to higher chance of accomplishing your goals Misconceptions about Scientific writing

  6. 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 Why a structured format?

  7. The ultimate resource for APA style is the APA Publication manual • Chapter 16 of your textbook is good too. • Also websites to help too. • “APA style” - Google hits 1,970,000 - added “5th edition” 139,000 hits Writing resources

  8. 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. Writing resources

  9. 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 Writing style

  10. Communicate with clarity Major goal: Clarity

  11. Communicate with clarity Major goal: Clarity

  12. 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 Major goal: Clarity

  13. Communicate with clarity • Avoid • 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) Major goal: Clarity

  14. Use concrete words and examples • Check your work! • Read it over, make sure that you say what you mean to say • 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 • Communicate with clarity Major goal: Clarity

  15. 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. • Abstract • Body 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, 185-202. 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, 86-93. • References • Authors Notes • Footnotes • Tables • Figure Captions • Figures • Title Page Adolescent Depression 1 Running Head: ADOLESCENT DEPRESSION Adolescent Depression and Attachment Ima G. Student and Soyam Eye Purdue University APA style: Parts of a research report

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

  17. 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 Title Page

  18. 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 Title Page

  19. 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 Title Page

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

  21. 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 Abstract

  22. Start broad • Hourglass shape • Background • Literature Review Body

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

  24. Most focused • Hourglass shape - Methods - Results Body

  25. Broaden • Hourglass shape • Discussion • Conclusions • Implications Body

  26. Be cohesive • Be relevant (why are the reviewed studies relevant?) • Work on the transitions (make the flow logical) • Introduction • Issue and Background • What is it? Why is it interesting/important? • Literature Review • What has been done? What theories are out there? • Statement of purpose • What are you going to do and why? • Specific hypotheses (at least at conceptual level) • What do you predict will happen in your research? Body

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

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

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

  30. 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. Body

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

  32. References • Author’s name • Year • Title of work • Publication information • Journal • Issue • Pages 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, 185-202. 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, 86-93. When something odd comes up, don’t guess. Look it up! The rest

  33. References • Authors Notes • Footnotes • Tables • Figure Captions • Figures The rest

  34. Chapter 8 • 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 Figures and tables

  35. Clarity • Acknowledge the work of others (avoid plagiarism) • Active vs. passive voice • Active: Bock and Coey (2007) hypothesized that speakers use to much passive voice • Passive: It was hypothesized by Bock and Coey (2007) that speakers use to much passive voice Checklist - things to watch for

  36. 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 Checklist - things to watch for

  37. Variables: • Read chapters 3&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 Next time

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