APA Style & Scientific Writing - I

Elif Aysimi Duman

PSY 304 Experimental Psychology
Feb 25, 2015

Scientific Writing
Scientific writing should be:

-Objective
-Organized
-Professional
Different types exist: empirical, lit review, meta-analysis,

case studies, etc.

For APA-style writing

APA publication manual, 6th Edition, not the first print!
Online resources
APA: www.apastyle.org
Purdue Online Writing Lab: check examples and sample

papers! http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

Sections of a research report

In order of appearance:
Title page
Abstract
Introduction
Method
Results
Discussion
References
Tables and figures
Appendix

Title page
Title: a simple and concise description of the main idea of

your paper. Avoid unnecessary words.

Effect of maltreatment on depression VS.
Effect of childhood maltreatment on the number of depressive symptoms in Asian
female adolescents.

Shows the variables or theories of interest.

Max. 12 words.
Centered, uppercase & lowercase letters (The Effect of)
Placed in the upper half of the page.
Author name: Jane Smith (no title or degrees)
Author affiliation: Bogazici University
Running head: summary of title on the header, max 50 letters

including spaces.
Page number: on the right upper corner.

Taken from: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

Abstract
Maximum ~ 200 words. Centered Abstract, following

paragraph first line NO indentation.

Brief but gives the whole summary of the report.
Non-evaluative, accurate, concise, clear.
Has to include:
Brief background/reasoning for research: problem?
Hypothesis
IV and DV
Main procedure/methods
Main results
Implications/future directions

Taken from: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

Introduction
From general to specific:
1- Introduce the problem:

Why we do the research?

2- Lit review:

Whats been done before?

3- Purpose of the study and hypotheses:

What youll do about it?

(with connections to previous research)

Purpose of an Introduction
(2-3 pages in length)
To introduce the problem
Develop the background
State your hypothesis(es)

Purpose: In detail
To introduce the reader to this area of research
To educate the reader about key terms, models and

existing theories
To provide the larger context into which your specific

question fits
To establish the reasoning behind your specific question

Organization of Introduction
Questions to think about as you organize your
Introduction:
What is the purpose of my study?
What terms do I need to define?
How does my study build on or derive from other

studies?
What is my hypothesis?

Organization: The inverted triangle approach

The beginning of the intro is
Introduction to topic
Concise literature
review
Statement of
hypotheses
Intro to
method

broad, introducing issues being

studied from a historical and
conceptual point of view.
The focus is then narrowed as the

investigator addresses the

relationship between previous
studies and present research.
As the end of the introduction

approaches, the focus narrows

further still to the specific
hypotheses being tested and the
general methods used to test
them.

Organization of Introduction, cont.

First paragraph:

Introduce the problem more broadly

The following paragraphs:
Describe the literature in more detaildescribe past

studies designs, methods, and important findings

(and maybe design flaws that may make interpretation of
their results difficult or make your study needed).

The last paragraph:

State your hypothesis and the variables you will use. You

also need to be clear on WHY you formulated your

hypothesis the way you did (from previous studies on this
topic, one would also expect)

Writing the Introduction

The Opening paragraph - Get the readers attention by

introducing the broad topic. Tell the reader why this topic is
important. Ex: Approximately 4 million Americans are presently
affected by Dementia of the Alzheimers type, also known as
Alzheimers Disease (AD).
Following Paragraphs : Background/Literature Review

The literature review is a logical argument for your current study.

A. Avoid unnecessary detail. Include overall findings and
relevant methodological details.
B. Be sure to define concepts that may not be clear to all
your readers (not all readers will be familiar with your topic).
C. Remember to use references.

Writing the Introduction

Paragraph before last Paragraph - Write a detailed description of

why youre proposing this study, taking into account the research
you just reviewed. Make sure the reader can understand your
reasoning not just what you expect, but why.

The Final Paragraph

A. Define (operationally) your IV and DV (or correlational

variables).
B. Write out your hypothesis (or hypotheses). Be specific!
Include all of your predictions.
C. This paragraph should be very specific and very clear. Often
this paragraph begins with something like: The present study was
designed to or The purpose of the present study was to.

Formats for Introduction

Model 1:
New way of looking at an old question
Model 2:
Testing a new theory
Model 3:
Making a small modification to a recent study
and trying to justify it

Example 1:
New way of looking at an old question
First paragraph:

For example: Previous research has examined ______

and has typically found _____, but a recently designed
technique may suggest something different.
Following paragraphs:

Related research (highlight methods used).

Summary of previous research
Results may be related to prior method used
Shortcomings of prior method
How current study with new method addresses
shortcomings

Example 2: Testing a new theory

Paragraph 1:

For example: A new approach to understanding (insert

your question) is the ____ theory, which challenges
several key assumptions of previous theories.
Following paragraphs:
Discuss previous theories
Research in support of each theory
Research demonstrating problems with previous

theories
Potential strengths of new theory

Example 3: Small modifications to recent study

Paragraph 1:

For example: Previous research examining

______ has found ____, but few of these
studies looked at the role of _____.
Following paragraphs:
Variables used in previous studies
Previous demonstrated effects
Reasons why it is important to modify previous studies

Following paragraphs
Biggest part of introductionthe middle!
Each paragraph should have its own main point and

supporting evidence.
There is a logical progression from one paragraph to the

next leading from the broad idea to narrow hypothesis.

Specific testable hypothesis

Current hypothesis is related to previous research

findings
Hypothesis is framed as a testable question
Usually an IF-THEN statement
Need to state directions: increase/decrease, etc.

AVOID.
Contractions (dont, cant)
Personal statements
Stating opinions as facts
prove
Ambiguous terms or slang

Overgeneralizations
Making readers work too hard

Quick things
12-point font, double-spaced
Times New Roman
1-inch margins
Left-justified paragraphs

References & Citations

One author (Author, Year).
Two authors (Author1 & Author2, Year)
More than 2 authors (Up to 6)
1st time (Author1, Author2, Author3, Year)
2nd time (Author1 et al., Year)

More than 6 authors (Author1 et al., Year)

Or if part of sentence, can say Author1 and Author 2

(Year) found that

Reminder for Introduction writing

ALL facts that you include need a citation after them.

For example:
Many adolescents get involved in romantic
relationships for the first time during high school
(Furman, 1996).

Citations in Text
One author:
An association was reported between .. (Jones, 1999)
Jones (1999) reported an association ..

Two authors:
An association was reported between .. (Jones & Smith, 1999)
Jones and Smith (1999) reported an association ..

Citations in Text
Three to six authors:

The first time, list all the authors names:

Jones, Smith, Beck, and Rosen (1999) reported..
Results support the original hypothesis (Jones, Smith,
Beck, & Rosen, 1999).
All subsequent times, only list the first author and then
et al.

Jones et al. (1999) reported

Results support the original hypothesis (Jones et al.,

1999).
More than six authors:
Only list the first author and et al. (even if its the first
time youre citing the reference).

Introduction Technical details

1.
2.

3.
4.

12 pt font (Times New Roman), double spaced

Use 1-inch margins on all sides.
Each new paragraph should be indented.
Title use papers title as heading for
Introduction. Title should be centered and main
words capitalized.

5.

One space after all forms of punctuation. , ; ?

Next class...
APA-style: Method, Results, Discussion
1st experiment: Feb 27, in-class
Do not miss! (-20% off your 1st report)
1st reports due 11/03
Stats review 04/03
Drafts for peer feedback 06/03

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