How to write psychology papers

Title, abstract, and general• 10-12 word title

• Leave in important words, out unneeded ones

• Abstract is about 120 words—problem statement, who did what, main findings, what they mean

• Make the paper an hourglass

• Write for a lower level audience

• Tell (an interesting) story

Introduction tips• Start broadly and w/o jargon

• Start strong—cut 1st 2 sentences

• Tell us why we should care

• Use examples

• Focus on findings and relevant methodology

• Keep it balanced

More intro tips• Keep people in ()• Criticize softly• Write simply and directly• Organize conceptually, not chronologically• Keep a focus throughout—provide a roadmap• Use topic sentences• Cite generously, especially important and

primary sources

General format for paragraph in the introduction section

• Topic sentence—what does this paragraph add to our knowledge?

• Summary of findings and relevant methodology of studies supporting your topic sentence

• Sum it up with what this means or suggests

The social inhibition of responsible behavioris not limited to emergencies. Individualsbecome slower or less likely to pick up droppedobjects in elevators (Latan£ & Dabbs, 1975), toanswer the telephone (Levy et al., 1972), or evento respond to a knock on the door (Freeman,1974, as cited in Latane, 1981), as the number ofothers able to respond increases. Even such aroutine behavior as tipping in restaurants is aninverse function of group size: The larger thegroup that shares in the responsibility forcoming up with a tip, the smaller the percentagecontributed (Freeman, Walker, Borden, & Latane',1975).

Harkins & Latané, 1998

Your lit review should• Define and clarify the problem

• Summarize previous research

• Identify inconsistencies, gaps, controversies

• Keep your terminology consistent

• Suggest the next steps (your study!)

• The last part of this section should address how your study adds to previous research (what’s new) and what your hypothesis/research question is.

More intro• Criticize ideas, not researchers

• Keep the tone in perspective (don’t get all high and mighty)

Hypothesis• Hypotheses should state a testable relationship

(direction and operational definitions)• Parental English language skills might correlate

with successful transition to kindergarten.• My hypothesis is to prove that parental English

language skills will correlate with children’s successful transition to kindergarten.

• Parental English language skills will influence successful transition to kindergarten.

Method section• In the participants section, address recruitment

• Name things with meaningful names (e.g., no “Group 1”)

• Report reliability/validity and samples for each scale used

• Make operational definitions clear

• Write the procedures section in “time order”—this happened, then this, then this…

Results section

• Manipulation checks, recodings

• Plan of analysis

• Start with central findings, then more peripheral

• Start with more general, then more specifics

• Explain in words and then in numbers

• Get to know your data and their story

More for the results section

• Reference figures and tables, which should add to but be independent of the text

• Point out what people should notice in f/t

• Tell a story—explain what the results mean

Discussion section• Start with a summary of the results

• Compare results with previous studies

• Explain unexpected findings

• Address limitations in terms of why they aren’t that bad and how future research could address them

• Give implications for theory and practice

• End strong! With a clear take home message

General style stuff

• Get rid of words that don’t do anything – The results showed that– X and Y found that– Be concise!

• Avoid metacomments• Use parallel constructions—especially lists• Be careful with terminology and make

meanings clear—no “believed,” “felt”

General style stuff 2

• Avoid passive voice—”I” is okay, so is “we” if there is a “we”

• Past tense when referring directly to a study or describing yours

• Present tense for general findings or present results

• Avoid biased language (opposite sex, he)

General style stuff 3

• Compared to vs. compared with

• Data are plural

• Different from, not than

• Since vs. because

• That vs. which vs. who

• While vs. whereas

• Effect vs. affect

General style stuff 4

• Tell us where you’re going, go there, and remind us of where you’ve been.

• Use APA style

• Use positive statements (instead of saying what things are not)

• Check noun/pronoun agreement

• Be clear, not flowery

Misconceptions• Writing is easy

• What matters is what you say, not how you say it

• Longer is better

• Just give the facts (pull things together)

• Inform, don’t persuade

• Provide “support” for your theory by cutting down another one

More Misconceptions

• Negative results are just as important– When are failures to replicate

important/interesting?

• The paper you should write is the one you intended to write (vs. HARKing)

Proofreading techniques

• Read it after a break

• Read it out loud

• Have someone else read it

• Remember, if they say something’s unclear, it is!

• Don’t get too attached—reorganize if necessary

In response to “reviews”

• Don’t be discouraged or let too much time pass

• Don’t be defensive or refuse to revise

• Complain to your friends and dog, then just “do it”

• If there is a reason that it shouldn’t be done, then explain that. Otherwise, suck it up.