Writing research reports or assignments is one of the basic professional skills that students or professionals are required to learn. Whether or not you are a freshman student or an up-and-rising advanced researcher, improving your academic writing skill is always a necessity in order to make effective and clear idea and findings transmission. Therefore, this paper will guide you on the normative principles of writing a psychology report or assignment from one process to another.
Aim of the Report
conveys the findings of an experiment, study, or literature review in psychology. It should be clear and worded in a way that the audience can clearly understand the research, methodology, findings, and their implications. Most of these assignments aim at testing whether the student comprehends the psychological theories and research methodologies and can apply them in a given situation appropriately.
To write a good psychological report, IMRAD format should be followed which include; Introduction, Method, Results and Discussion. These sections share different information and must be well explained and precise.
Title Page: title of the report, your name, institution and the date of submission. Title must not be too-descriptive and yet clearly indicating your area of concern. Abstract this is a summary of your report. It is generally a short paragraph in length, between 150 and 250 words. This section should contain the research question, methods employed, results, and conclusions. Even though this section is the first part of your report, you should write it last.
Introduction: This section introduces your study. From a general area of concern, you narrow the focus to the review of relevant literature before ending with the indication of the research question or hypothesis. Make clear your intentions for the study.
Method: Describes the experiment, procedure, and materials and participants if it was a study. This should be detailed enough that someone could replicate your work just by reading your report. Categories under this heading may vary.
Results: Here it is appropriate to present the results in this section, in words and with the help of tables and figures. Justified by the evidence here, you can allow the interpretation of the finding to follow. Findings could be evidence-supported in the statistical analysis; however, the evidence is labeled specific to it.
Discussion: Report what you did and describe what you found, and link this to your question and the literature. Infer the results, the possible limitations, and the recommendations related to the research relationship in the future.
References: Include here all sources cited in your report using APA format. Remember that in your reference list you must include all sources cited in the text of your report, and vice versa.
Appendices: Should be used to support argument not present material. Appendices may include raw data and very detailed but relevant tables. Every appendix should be clearly titled itself, and if discussed in the article, referred to in the text where appropriate.
Writing Style and Language
Written work in psychology needs to be formal and academic. Avoid colloquial language and be extremely careful with word choice. Use the past tense any time you describe an experiment you carried out or results you obtained, but use the present tense any time you refer to knowledge that already exists in the literature.
Clarity: Your writing must be clear; it must be such that others can read and understand it easily. You should avoid using many complex sentences and using jargon—other readers, those who are not a specialist in the writings.
Succinctness: In this regard, do not use many words where a few will do to convey the same information.
Objectivity: In your report, be objectively analytical. You are expected to be subjective only on implications or limitations of your study.
Assignment Writing in Psychology
Such an assignment submitted in any psychological perspective would be available in various forms such as essay, case studies, structure literature reviews, and many more. But the general principles that guide the structures are the following:
Understand the Question: Before you attempt to start writing, first understand the whole question to be addressed. Notice the keywords and any considerations or requirements you would have to put into account on how you would lay down the answer.
Research: Look through the topic given. You can do this through academic sources found in journals, books, and even from reputable websites. Note some points to guide you so that you don’t forget to document the citation details.
Plan the structure of your assignment before you write. The most general basic structure includes an introduction, body, and a conclusion, although these sections could have further sub-sectioning depending on the scope of the assignment. The general purposes of each section are as follows:
Introduction : Make present some background information of the topic; state the purpose and scope of the assignment; state the thesis or take a position.
Body: The body of the assignment must be clearly divided into paragraphs. Each paragraph would be aimed to explain a certain single idea or argument. You must give evidence for the points you make based on your research, critically analyze, and review your sources upon.
Conclusion: Summarise your assignment by restating your thesis based on the evidence you’ve reviewed. You are not supposed to introduce new information at this point.
Citation: Follow all the citations and references in APA format. Each source you allude to ought to be properly referenced in the text and well-outlined in the reference section.
After writing your assignment, it is always advisable to go through your work word by word. This can be done so that one is able to establish any spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, clarity of issues laid out, and coherence. One can also present the work to a peer or a tutor as a critical review.
Areas Where Students Go Wrong
Plagiarism: This is an academic misbehavior taken very seriously. Always ensure proper citation of the information sources you have used and avoid plagiarism. Tools to help in checking plagiarism are basic in confirming originality.
Complicated Language: Formal writing does require a level that doesn’t demand you complicate the language in your work. Make your writing accessible and focus on clear expression.
Not meeting the specification: Be aware of your individual lecturer’s or school’s specific requirements. It might be a requirement for the layout of the task, number of words, or the presentation of the task.
Lacks critical analysis: You cannot get away with just describing theories or research— that is insufficient in a written psychology task. You must evaluate the material, and similarly, your evidence is to be evaluated.
Conclusion
There is no other equally important skill in writing a research report or assignment based on psychological data than is practice. Adhering to the guidelines and tips given herein will go a great length in ensuring that you produce a report and assignment that is well-organized, coherent, and informational. Remember that planning, researching thoroughly, and presenting clearly are the secrets of success. These skills will indeed be invaluable in reporting many analyses of psychological theory during your academic as well as professional career.
Pingback: How to Write an Introduction to Report?