Reporting results: APA style

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

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 • 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 • 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 • Communicate with clarity

11. 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 APA style: Parts of a research report Title Page Adolescent Depression 1 Running Head: ADOLESCENT DEPRESSION Adolescent Depression and Attachment Ima G. Student and Soyam Eye Purdue University

12. Title Page 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 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 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 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 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. Start broad Body • Hourglass shape • Background • Literature Review

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

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

21. Broaden Body • Hourglass shape • 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) • Design (optional) • Suggested if you have a complex experimental design, often combined with Materials section • Participants

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

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, 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 • 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