A Level Psychology

YEAR 2
Research Methods –
Correlational study

2023-2024
Research project

Writing tips
 GUIDELINES
It is essential that you type your report. This makes it easier to alter any mistakes and saves you a lot of
time if you misplace your report. However, you need to be extremely careful not to make simple mistakes
with spell-check.

Always use third person in your report. In other words, you cannot use words like ‘I’, ‘me’, ‘we’, ‘our’, ‘my’
… Refer to yourself as the experimenter, or the researcher.

The whole report must be written in PAST TENSE.

Use the headings and side headings in this booklet to help you.

YOU must make sure your report is saved securely – not just at college, make sure you have saved it at
home or on a USB. If your work goes missing, your teacher is not responsible and YOU WILL HAVE TO DO IT
ALL AGAIN.

Clear line of argument Your report should be fluent and each paragraph should lead onto the next. These are basic
English skills that must be considered when writing your report. You may find that some
paragraphs affect the ‘story’ and so you may need to remove them entirely.

Well-structured Paragraphs can be used to show the reader firstly where different arguments are starting or
paragraphs stopping, and also provide a break between description and evaluation. Use them!
Paragraph tips:
Identify the point This ideas is supported by…. (See
psychology course guide for good
paragraph starters.
Justify the point Is this a good study/ point/ opinion – why?
Elaborate on it Is it supported?
Further elaboration i.e. Any other opposing views?
counter argument
Conclusion What is the end result?
If your arguments are good, you don’t need to add your own opinion.
Avoid personal opinion

Use the appropriate ‘They’, ‘we’ – who are you talking about?
language ‘People’ – which people?
Participants is better
The researcher is better

Avoid abbreviations i.e. = in other words

and contractions e.g. = for example
Avoid ‘can’t, won’t, isn’t etc – write it in full

Title
page Front cover should include:
 Title of YOUR project
  Your name
 Psychology Research Project 2021
 Teacher: Danielle Brockley
 OPTIONAL: A relevant picture

The
abstract This actually comes before the introduction in your final
report, but it is the last thing that you write. It is intended to
be a summary of your aim, method, results and conclusions. It should be no more than one
or two paragraphs long. Include only a sentence or two on each of the following points:

o State the aim, including a brief explanation of the study on which your research was
based.

o State the hypothesis.

o Relevant background literature – a very brief overview of the main studies that are
linked with yours.

o Summarise the method: method, design (if relevant), RPs and a brief procedure.
o Results, which hypothesis did you accept? Descriptive statistics?
o Conclusion, related to background research.
o Implications – what do your results mean beyond the study, what can we change?

Don’t forget to put this at the start of your project, before

your introduction, once you have completed it!!

The https://huddersfieldnewcollege352-
my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/
introdu dbrockley_huddnewcoll_ac_uk/

ction
ES6SdtPvZ95KjhqISjv4ZJcB9NBr8ufBuH8mNBhCoAJ37w?e=Wetzkb
PPT to help with this section

Literature review/ background information

The aim of the introduction is to provide the background to the research. It must include relevant
theories and studies. It should be 1 side long. You will need to research theories and background
studies from a text book or the internet. Follow these points, but ensure that your introduction
flows as one complete piece of writing (not in separate bullet points):

o Explain the theory that you are researching

o Include a background study which supports your research, or the study that you are
replicating. You will need to find this for yourself. Make a note of the full reference for
this study and DON’T LOSE IT!!!!! You will need to include it in your reference section
later and will lose marks if it is not there. Describe this study in detail.

o Briefly explain how the idea for your study developed from this background research (have
times changed? Does society function differently now and you are curious to see any
differences? Are you including different demographics in your study?

AIM
The aim of the introduction is to provide the reader with an overview and a literature review
(background research).

Hypothesis
Experimental hypothesis – either a directional OR a non-directional AND a null
NOTE: It is a correlation!

 Both V1 and V2 operationalised

 Following the template in your RM guides

 Explain why it is directional/non-directional.

 State the null hypothesis.

The
method Design

o State which research method you used (e.g. correlation) with justification.
 o Explain what V1 and V2 are.

o Explain all possible confounding variables (participant, experimenter and environmental

variables). Next to each one, explain how you controlled it. DO NOT INCLUDE ANY
THAT YOU COULDN’T CONTROL. Aim to include 3-4.

Participants

o How many participants? 20 - Report their age and gender only if this is relevant to your study.
What was the target population, and where did they come from?

o Sample method? Why did you use that method?

o How did you decide which participants were in which group (if independent groups or
counterbalancing was used)

o NOTE: If you use your friends and family – pretend you didn’t and tell us they were
people obtained the same way you would expect a researcher to do it.

Materials

o List everything that you used to carry out your research (eg questions, stopwatch, anything
else ….) Only include the things that you needed to CONDUCT your study. Do not include
the things you used to design your study, eg ‘computer to type up the questions’.

o This includes ethical forms and standardised instructions

o Need enough in here so that someone else can replicate the study.

o Explain any scoring system used.

o Copies of everything used should be placed in the appendix section (only one copy of each)

Ethical considerations
o Refer to all the ethical issues below and explain how they were addressed

o Informed consent, deception, right to withdraw, protection of participants, confidentiality

o You need to produce these yourself – using guidance from the RM guide and place ONE copy
of the debrief and informed consent (blank) in the appendices.
Procedure
Here, you need to report exactly how the study was conducted. The examiner is looking to see
whether your study could be replicated, so you need to include every little detail. TIP – once
complete ask someone else to read this to make sure that you have everything – if they understand
it then you are OK.

o The pilot study – note the results but the changes made etc.

o Where were potential research participants approached and recruited?

o Where were they taken to for the actual test?

o Were the participants tested alone or in groups?

o What were the standardised instructions (briefly – the full ones can be placed in the appendix)

o State exactly what you did with your participants, step-by-step. It is a good idea to use bullet
points here. (Eg asked participant if they would like to take part/took them to the library/read
standardised instructions/gave questionnaire …..)

o Explain how the test was completed by the participant. Was there a time limit?

o Debriefed RPs

The
findings The findings section is where you present the outcome of your
primary data in a logical sequence. You should not discuss or provide an interpretation of the findings
at this stage. Include the subheadings here:
Key results
Write a brief paragraph of the general results section, a couple of sentences max.

o Graph: you need to choose the most appropriate graph for your data – remember it is a
correlation. Titles for graphs are usually at the bottom of the graph. Can be hand drawn or
computer based. Label both axis!

o Write a paragraph to explain the patterns found here. Which condition got the highest
average? What does this mean? How much higher were they? (BRIEFLY)

Inferential statistics

 Here you need to explain what statistical test you have used and why
 You can ask your teacher to work out if the results are statistical for
you – in lesson and note down your statement if the results are
significant or not.
 The
discussi The purpose of a discussion section is to consider previously
mentioned research in relation to your own research. You will

on not introduce new research in this section.

o Explain the findings in relation to the hypothesis

o Do not just state the findings, explain them. It may help to discuss some
particular examples.
o Relate the findings to the aims/ hypothesis
o Do your results support previous research – refer to introduction section and
the research used.
o You could also add in any other interesting finding that you may not have
expected to find.
o Did you discover a pattern?
o Did you find any anomalous data? Could you explain why this may have
occurred?

o Strengths and limitations of your project

o This is general psychology evaluation and can include:
 Issues with the method, design, sampling
 Reliability and validity issues
 Structure paragraphs properly (use PEC evaluation)
 Include 4 evaluation points.

o Implications
o What other research could be done to further your investigation?
o What could we add into society to help/ change/ improve it?
 The
conclusi The conclusion is not just a summary of your work but an
analysis of what has been reported providing some

on generalisations that can be made.

o Brief recap of what you have covered in relation to the

essay title

o Reference to the larger issue

o Highlight the most important aspects

REFERENCES:
YOU NOW NEED A SEPARATE PAGE WITH ALL YOUR REFERENCES WRITTEN IN FULL
– ALPHABETICAL ORDER.

E.g.

Books:
 Eysenck, H.J. (1947). Dimensions of Personality. London. Routledge and Kegan Paul.

 CARDWELL, M. AND FLANAGAN, C. (2015), PSYCHOLOGY A LEVEL YEAR 1

AND AS. THE COMPLETE COMPANION STUDENT BOOK, FOURTH EDITION.
OXFORD; OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS

WEBSITES: MUST HAVE AUTHOR

 MCLEOD, S. (2018), WHAT ARE THE MOST INTERESTING IDEAS OF SIGNMUND
FREUD?. AVAILABLE AT: HTTPS://WWW.SIMPLYPSYCHOLOGY.ORG/SIGMUND-
FREUD.HTML [ACCESSED 24TH SEPTEMBER 2020]

The
Append
 ices

This is for information that the reader would want to see but that would be too bulky in the main
report. Make sure that anything you have in here is referenced in the main report – for example (see
appendix 1) can be included in a sentence when referring to the questionnaire, then the reader flicks to
the back and finds appendix 1 and there is the questionnaire.

Each appendix should be identified by a number and be in sequence – the order you mention it in the
report should be the order it is placed in here.

Your appendix may include:

1. Standardised instruction
2. Raw data
3. Consent forms
4. Debriefing scripts
5. Data analysis
6. Questionnaires

The
Abstrac
Reminder – You should do your Abstract now – but it is placed at
the beginning. Go back and find out how to write one and
remember to place it after the front cover before your introduction!

t
 Research Project Mark Scheme
Section Criteria
Abstract (2 2 The abstract was clear and precise.
marks) 1 The abstract was unclear, or lacked detail.
0 No abstract provided.
Introduction (3 3 The investigation was supported by relevant psychological literature.
marks) ,
2 The investigation was supported by some relevant psychological literature, although some
details were missed.
1 The investigation received minimal support from relevant psychological literature. 0 The
investigation received no support from relevant psychological literature.
Aims and 2 The statement of the aim(s) and hypothesis(es) demonstrated clarity and ease of testability.
hypotheses (2 1 The statement of the aim(s) and hypothesis(es) lacked clarity or would be difficult to test
marks) precisely.
0 The aim(s) and hypothesis(es) were incorrect or missing.
Design (5 marks) 5. Design decisions were appropriate and included: method, design, V2,V1, Control, Pilot
study – all justified with no obvious mistakes.
4. Given the aims of the investigation, design decisions were applied appropriately and
competently (there are no obvious mistakes in the design).
3. Most elements in the design section were included – 2 elements missing/ incorrect
2 Given the aims of the investigation, design decisions were applied appropriately with minor
exceptions.
1 Given the aims of the investigation, design decisions were applied weakly.
0 Given the aims of the investigation, design decisions were applied inappropriately.
Participants (2 2 Details of sample method and target population.
marks) 1 One of the above details incorrect or missing.
0 No correct information.
Materials (2 2 Full details of materials.
marks) 1 Partial details of materials.
0 Incorrect or missing.
Ethical Issues (5) 5 Appropriate consent and debrief form written and all ethical issues were discussed and
followed
4 Appropriate consent and debrief form written and all ethical issues were discussed and
followed – some detail was missing
3. Consent and debrief form written and included some of the correct elements OR one was
missing and all ethical issues were discussed and followed
2. Missing elements and discussion of ethics were not followed clearly.
1. Missing elements and ethical issues were not followed properly
0-no reference to ethical issues
Procedure (4 4 All aspects of the method used were precisely and clearly reported in detail. Full replication
marks) would be possible.
3 Reporting of the method was described in sufficient detail for reasonable replication of the
investigation to be possible.
2 Reporting of the method lacked detail and replication of the investigation would be difficult
1 Fundamental omissions in reporting the method mean that replication of the investigation
would be very difficult.
0 Replication of the investigation would be impossible because of the lack of information.

Presentation of 3 A clear graph clearly labelled with appropriate title

data (3 marks) 2 One criteria missing/incorrect/unclear.
1 Problems with clarity/most information lacking.
0 None of the above present/correct.
Explanation of 3 The outcome of the investigation was fully explained and related to the hypothesis.
findings (3 2 The outcome of the investigation was partly explained, or lacked clarity or was not related
marks) to the hypothesis
1 An attempt was made to explain the outcome of the investigation but this was weak.
0 No attempt was made to explain the outcome of the investigation or it was incorrect.
Evaluation (3 3 3-4 evaluation points explained to a high standard – PEC method
marks) 2 Some limitations of the investigation were reported
1 There was a partial awareness of limitations of the investigation, and/or occasional
modifications were suggested.
0 Limitations of the investigation were not reported or were reported.
Conclusion (2 2 Conclusion is appropriate.
marks) 1 Conclusion attempted
0 No conclusion included
Appendices (3 3: Appropriately labelled, included raw data, ethical forms, tests used
marks) 2: elements above missing
1: incomplete section
0: no appendices
Report style (3 3 The report was concisely written in an appropriate scientific style (using a broad range of
marks) specialist terms), logically organised into sections and characterised by the adequate
expression of ideas. There were only minor errors in grammar, punctuation and spelling.
2 The scientific style and logical structure of the report were substantially evident with the
use of a good range of specialist terms. There was an adequate expression of ideas and
adequate grammar, punctuation and spelling.
1 The report lacked structure and was written in a style that was inappropriate for a scientific
report with the use of a limited range of specialist terms and a poor expression of ideas. There
was poor grammar, punctuation and spelling.
0 It was extremely difficult to tell if the report was based on a psychological investigation and
the criteria for ideas, specialist terms and grammar, punctuation and spelling for 1 mark were
not met.

Total /42
A 34
B 30
C 25
D 21
E 17
U <17