Notes for Candidates Writing a Practical Report (Unit 2543)

1. Notes for Candidates Writing a Practical Report (Unit 2543)

2. OCR Notes for Candidates Writing a Practical Report Format • The report should be no more than 1400 words, excluding graphs, tables, references and appendices • The report must be written under the headings • It is best to start each section on a fresh sheet of paper because this makes corrections easier

3. OCR Notes for Candidates Writing a Practical Report Abstract – 80 words • A summary of: • Aims • Method • Sample • results and conclusions • WRITE THIS LAST!

4. OCR Notes for Candidates Writing a Practical Report Background – 200 words This section gives a rationale (theoretical justification) for the aim and your choice of method. Points can include: • previous research (x1 or more); • terminology and concepts used in this area; • aims of the study; • how the hypotheses for this study were developed;

5. OCR Notes for Candidates Writing a Practical Report Hypotheses – 100 words Formally state: • the null and experimental hypotheses in operational terms (include IVs and DVs and how they are going to be measured)

6. OCR Notes for Candidates Writing a Practical Report Method – 300 words Divide into sub-headings: • Design: type of study • Participants: population, sampling framework, including number, type, age, allocation to conditions. • Procedure: how you approached subjects; standardised instructions; details of materials. • so that someone could repeat exactly what you did

7. OCR Notes for Candidates Writing a Practical Report Method – 300 words Divide into sub-headings: • Controls: e.g. choice of subjects; behaviour of the experimenters; standardised instructions; controlled time and place. • Measurement and analysis: how measured variables; why you chose this measurement technique; and how you have chosen to analyse the data. • Ethics: any ethical considerations that you had to consider and respond to.

8. OCR Notes for Candidates Writing a Practical Report Abstract – 80 words • A summary of: • Aims • Method • Sample • results and conclusions • WRITE THIS LAST!

9. OCR Notes for Candidates Writing a Practical Report Results – 300 words • Present as visually as possible; • Descriptive statistics: for example, the average scores, distribution of scores; pie charts, block graphs. • Inferential statistics: statistical tests to evaluate probability; reasons for the choice of test; significance level, significance statement. • Put the workings in appendix

10. OCR Notes for Candidates Writing a Practical Report Results – 300 words • Discussion – 400 words • In this section the following questions may be considered; • What do the results mean? • Can the null hypothesis be rejected? • What criticisms can be made of the method that was used? • choice of design? • choice of sample? • choice of procedure? • choice of location? • choice of controls? • If the method had been changed in some way, how would this have affected the results? • Were there any confounding variables? • Were there any ethical issues raised during the study? • How do the results relate to the theory that was described in the introduction? • Do the results agree with or challenge the theory in any way? • What modifications can be suggested to the theory in the light of this study? • Suggestions for further work.

11. OCR Notes for Candidates Writing a Practical Report Discussion – 400 words In this section the following questions may be considered; • What do the results mean? • Can the null hypothesis be rejected? • What criticisms can be made of the method that was used? Design; choice of sample; choice of procedure; choice of location; choice of controls • If the method had been changed in some way, how would this have affected the results? • Were there any confounding variables? • Were there any ethical issues raised during the study?