Overview of the Final Project and Searching the Literature

Questions we will address today

1. What are good research topics?

2. What comprises an APA-style research report?

3. How to search the literature?

Choosing a Research TopicSome “rules of thumb”:

1. Two kinds of studies:

Experimental – Set up conditions, have participants perform task under these conditions, see performance change under different conditions.

Non-experimental – find or make up a survey, have participants evaluate something and/or do something and correlate evaluations or behaviors.

2. Studies should have at least three measured properties:

Experimental – minimally, two IV’s and at least one DV.

Non-experimental – minimally, two predictors and at least one outcome

Other variables may be measured to answer other questions

Choosing a Research Topic (cont’d)More “rules of thumb”:

Project should interest you. Should be able to complete project in one

semester. Can be a “replication”. Should have a “ready” literature base.

Because your peers may be be participants, certain topics are off-limits:

Drinking Sex Mental illness

What others types topics are problematic?

Possible research topics Prayer – effects on mental health Exercise – effects on cognitive performance, effects

on mood Sleep – effects on memory, mood, academic

performance Animal memory – change in maze running

performance with changes in maze design Internet usage – effects on interpersonal behavior,

mood, memory Group behavior – effects on stereotyping and other

social judgment Age – effects on judgments of job competence,

memory, mood

APA-style research reports

Good communicationclear, complete description of

relevant information Consistent presentation

may seem arbitrary, but ultimately easier for readers

Sections of an APA-style research report Four Major Sections

Introduction: sets up research question Methods: describes how research

conducted Results: presents data from study Discussion: interprets research results

Other important things References: lists all sources used Appendix: presents all materials used

Research articles often lack appendix Required for all Final Project assignments

Introduction

Sets up research question(s) Critical review of relevant research

Describes existing theories What is known about topic area –

summary and critical evaluation What controversies exist What interesting questions remain

unanswered Presents current research

question(s)

Introduction: Q’s

What are the relevant theories? What are the relevant variables and

research questions? Are there pertinent results? Who are the prominent researchers? Are there important resources? Goal: build upon and extend

previous theory and research; need to do more than merely replicate.

Methods Describes how research was conducted Provides information about

Participants Design Materials Procedure

Provide enough specific detail so that someone could completely replicate research if necessary Scientific research is objectively verifiable

Methods: Q’s How are variables operationally

defined? Are there existing measures? Are there existing manipulations?

Who are appropriate participants? How should we minimize

confounds/alternative explanations? Your goal: The best possible test of

research question; don’t need to “reinvent the wheel”

Results

Presents data from study Organized around specific

hypotheses Describes unexpected findings as

well Statistical analyses

Results: Q’s

What patterns of relationship exist?

Are there sources of new hypotheses? Are there counterintuitive results? Are there unexpected results? Are there conflicting results?

Discussion

Interprets research results Accounts for why results are

consistent with hypotheses Discusses the theoretical and

clinical/applied implications Speculates about why unexpected

results occured Identifies problems with current

study Identifies next steps and future

research questions

Discussion: Q’s Why did results occur that are in keeping

with your hypotheses?

What are the sources of new hypotheses? What may account for surprising/unexpected

results? Do the results suggest a theoretical

controversy? How might you resolve problems in existing

research? Are there any suggestions for future research?

Literature search PsycInfo

Great start, but use iteratively; progressively sharpen search

Other sources Other databases, e.g., Medline, Ageline, etc. Experts Textbooks, book chapters Recent review articles in Psychological Bulletin,

Psychological Review, Annals of Internal Medicine, etc. Other review sources, e.g., Annual Review of

Psychology, Handbooks. Quality matters!!!

Beware of bad research and bad journals, e.g., Psychological Reports

Using PsycInfo No idea where to start – Use keywords

Brainstorm keywords PsycInfo thesaurus to obtain subject terms Descriptors/keywords from relevant article

If search yields too few hits Use broader keywords Do broader search (e.g., “or” operator,

more years) If search yields too many hits

Use more specific keywords Use a narrow search (“and” & “not”, fewer

years, specific journals)

Literature search and writing…

Should be ongoing and interactive.

Relevant articles are the best source of other relevant articles

Need to copy reference pages Recent articles most helpful Need to continually update what you say, particularly

in the Introduction and Discussion in light of what you read.

Continue to get an read articles throughout entire research process