Writing a research report in APA-style Vesalius College

Writing a research report in APA-style Vesalius College SOC-203

Scientific research Descriptive Secundary sources Natural observation Case studies Correlational studies Ex Post Facto research Survey Participant observation Experimental Cause and effect relations through Controlled experiments

Main features of the scientific method Control n External (intermediating) variables are excluded OR kept constant in order to understand causes ofobservations Operational definitions n n Terms defined by operations required to measure them improves communication, minimal ambiguity Replication n Reliability of results: does replication lead to the same results? (inter-group, inter-subject, intrasubject, …)

Operational definitions Not-operational Hunger Good salesman Fear Operational 8 h without food Sells a lot, provides client with correct information, helpful, … Answers to fear questionnaire, Galvanic Skin Response, Amount of droppings in rats Problem is established in verbal concepts (notoperational), then operationalised. Conclusions are stated in verbal concepts

Goals of science DESCRIBE and EXPLAIN phenomena and so be able to PREDICT and CONTROL them DESCRIBE (ex Piaget, Freud) EXPLAIN (antecedents and causes) PREDICT (ex “weather”, “succeeding in college”) CONTROL (trigger wanted phenomena by manipulation of causes)

Scientific method research is a stepwise process Problem identification – Hypothesis formation Make research problem “researchable” Experimental design control / measurement of all relevant variables Execution of experiment participants, instructions, staff, debriefing, data Hypothesis testing “suitable” data-analyse, interpretation of results Communication of results scientific publication

Research process and research report Research process Hypothesis Design Experiment Testing Reporting Problem definition Approach to problem Research design Field work Data preparation & Analysis Report preparation & Presentation Results Conclusion Research report Title Abstract Introduction Methods References Appendix

Figure 19. 3 The Report Preparation and Presentation Process Problem Definition, Approach, Research Design, and Field Work Data Analysis Interpretation, Conclusions, and Recommendations Report Preparation Oral Presentation Reading of the Report by the Client Research Follow-up

A report in APA-style Title page Abstract Body (introduction, method, results, conclusion) References Tables and Pictures Extras: content / index, appendix, …

APA-formatted references Journal articles n Roy, A. (1982). Suicide in chronic schizophrenia. British Journal of Child and Family Studies, 141, 171 -177. Book n Struck, W. , Jr. , & White, E. B. (1979). The elements of style (3 rd ed. ). New York: Macmillan. Web page, no author, no date n GVU’s 8 th WWW user suvey. (n. d. ) Retrieved September 19, 2001, from http: //www. cc. gatech. edu/gvu/user_surveys/survey 1997 -10/

APA-formatted figure Figure Caption Figure 1. JPEG image of child and bipolar adjectives rating scale. Please rate the child [Laurie, Larry, no name] on each of the following items, placing a mark in the space nearest the adjective you feel best describes the child. firm: __: __: __: soft big: __: __: __: little strong: __: __: __: weak hardy: __: __: __: delicate well-coordinated: __: __: __: awkward beautiful: __: __: __: plain

Figure 19. 4 Pie Chart of Total Hewlett Packard Sales Other 3% IT Services 14% Imaging and Printing Systems 41% Computing Systems 42%

Billions of Dollars Figure 19. 5 Line Chart of Total Hewlett Packard Sales

Figure 19. 6 A Pictograph of Hewlett Packard Sales

Figure 19. 7 Histogram of Hewlett Packard’s Sales 60 50 Billions of Dollars 40 30 20 10 0 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

APA-formatted table

Information & LINKS Publication manual of the APA n American Psychological Association (2001). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association. - 5 th ed. - Washington (D. C. ) : APA 439 p. : ill. ISBN 1 -55798 -790 -4 VUB library: Centrale Bibliotheek: 159. 9 B APA 2001 Essentials n http: //www. vanguard. edu/faculty/ddegelman/index. cfm? doc_id=796 Summary of Publication Manual n http: //www. wooster. edu/psychology/apa-crib. html General information n http: //www. apastyle. org Q&A n http: //webster. commnet. edu/apa_index. htm Examples for references n n http: //www. crk. umn. edu/library/links/apa 5 th. htm http: //www. lib. usm. edu/~instruct/guides/apa. html