APA- Abstract, Results & Discussion (Smith & Davis, 2005; Mitchell & Jolley, 2004)

APA- Abstract Abstract – The abstract of an experimental report consists of a brief (up to 120 words) one paragraph description of the research presented in your paper. should include a description of the intent and procedure (including participants and method) of your project, the results you obtained, and the project’s implications or applications. It is important to note that the abstract is typed in block form; there is not indentation on the first line. Your proposal… same except not in past tense (future) and will not have results to report only what you predict will happen

Abstract Brief summary of the paper Typically, no more than 6 sentences summarizing introduction, method, results, and discussion

Results (inferential) Results  As well as basic stats… – Descriptive statistics In order to give a full picture of the data, it is customary to present descriptive statistics in addition to the inferential statistics. Means and standard deviations typically allow readers to get a good feel for the data. With a small number of groups, you can present the descriptive statistics in the text. With many groups, it may be more efficient and clearer to present the descriptive statistics in either a table or a figure.

Sections of the APA-Format Paper Results – Descriptive statistics A figure is a pictorial representation of a set of results. It is likely that the majority of figures you will use will be line graphs or bar graphs. It may be easier to see an interaction in a line graph than in a bar graph. Be sure to refer to your figures in the text at an appropriate place. The advantage of a figure over a table is accessibility – the data, particularly the significant interaction, seem easier to understand and conceptualize in the pictorial presentation.

Figures & Captions

Tables Results – Descriptive statistics A table consists of a display of data, usually in numerical form. To use a table, your data display should be large enough that it would be difficult or confusing to present in the text. If you use a table in your paper, be sure to refer to it at the appropriate point.

Proposal – Results Section Results – YOU WILL NOT REPORT RESULTS… First list the design of the experiment A 3X4 between subjects design… Here write: “The Independent variables are…+ list the levels. Then list the DV….”The dependent variable is…” Then, the stats you will use…”The data will be analyzed with a two-way ANOVA Do not forget post hocs if applicable (exact one: Bonferroni etc…) The expected effect of your manipulations…but, do not go into the meaning or implications of your expected finding…this is left for the discussion section

APA Discussion Section Relate predicted results to the hypothesis Relate predicted results to previous research and theory Discuss limitations of study Discuss follow-up studies

Writing the Discussion Section Z Did the results support the hypothesis? Z What do the results mean in terms of the points you brought up in your introduction? Z What are the limitations of your study or alternative explanations for your results? Z What explanations do you have for any unexpected findings? Z What directions do you see for future research? Z What are the practical or theoretical implications of your findings?

Sections of the APA-Format Paper Discussion – The fourth major section of the APA-format paper. – Contains a summary of the experiment’s results, a comparison of those results to previous research, and the conclusion(s) from the experiment.

Discussion Discussion (for proposal same issues…) – You should be guided by three questions in the discussion section: What have I contributed here? How has my study helped to resolve the original problem? What conclusions and theoretical implications can I draw from my study? – Typically, authors answer these three questions by: Briefly restating their findings (hypothesis) Comparing and contrasting their findings to previous research cited in the introduction Giving their interpretation of their findings

Sections of the APA-Format Paper Discussion – Interpreting the results This portion of the discussion section gives you more of a free hand to engage in conjecture and speculation than any other portion of the experimental writeup. It is here that you draw the bottom line to your study: – What is the overall conclusion? – What are the implications of your results for any psychological theories? – How can your results be applied in various settings – the laboratory, the real world, our body of psychological knowledge? – What new research should grow out of this study?

Proposal Discussion – First present the expected results of your study Start this sentence with a rehash of your hypothesis Discuss the importance of your study – What is the overall conclusion? – What are the implications of your results for any psychological theories? – How can your results be applied in various settings – the laboratory, the real world, our body of psychological knowledge? Discuss the limitations: Start with the measures you are taking to control for possible threats to validity (the 9 evil), then cover the threats that you were not able to control for in your design and the trade offs…maybe external vs internal validity issues End your paper with a statement about why your study will add to existing knowledge and future directions for study in your topic area