PSYCHOLOGY COURSEWORK

1. PSYCHOLOGY COURSEWORK

2. Presentation of reports • There is no need for a separated sheet of paper before each section • Font size >12 should be used • Inclusion of more than one example of a questionnaire is penalized in 5b

3. Introduction (18)

4. 1a Background research (10) • Describe studies in terms of method and results • Refer to studies that are directly relevant • Studies that are too general are usually not relevant • The introduction should focus on studies that address the same research question as your own study

5. 1a Background research (10) • E.g. If gender is an IV there should be some research on gender differences • E.g. If the topic is categorization of information, the introduction should not be about levels of processing. There is no need to describe several theories of memory

6. 1b Rationale (4) • Many studies are justified as being replications of being studies described in the introduction this gains one mark. • You must explain WHY the study is being carried out • To do this you can explain differences in design, procedure, sampling

7. 1b Rationale (4) • You must also include the effect it is thought these differences will have on results • To see if memory has changed in 40 years is not a good rationale • E.g. a Powerpoint presentation was used to time the words instead of a tachistoscope

8. 1c Aims (2) • Should agree with the rationale and hypothesis • Well stated and snappy

9. 1d Hypotheses (2) • Write one clear hypothesis • Do not attempt to test several IV’s in one hypothesis • The hypothesis should be reflected in the IV and the DV • Include a null hypothesis

10. Method (14)

11. 2a Method and Design (2) • Naming method and design only gets one mark • Justify in relation to your study to get two marks • A controlled investigation carried out in laboratory conditions in school is a laboratory experiment not a field experiment

12. 2b Variables (2) • To gain two marks IV and DV need to be fully operationalised and identified • E.g. Interference or organization needs to be explained and described

13. 2c Sampling (2) • State accurate number of participants • For two marks the sampling method must be justified

14. 2c Sampling (2) • E.g. How did you opportunity sample? • E.g. It is not enough to state ‘opportunity sampling was used as it was easy’ • Nor is it enough to say there is not enough time for another method, insufficient time to gather data is an unacceptable “justification” which gains no credit

15. 2d Apparatus (2) • List of apparatus gains one only mark • Explain why you have chosen your materials • Eg. Why that number of questions, why those words, why that time …….

16. 2d Apparatus (2) • Failure to include a copy of a questionnaire, or how it was scored, a tally chart, or to identify a film clip or music used, limits the reliability of a study and impacts on 2e marks as well as gaining no marks for 2d • You need to mention how you intend to ‘score’ the results.

17. 2e Procedure (4) • Failure to identify where, when or how the procedure was carried out stopped many candidates gaining full marks • You must indicate how participants are allocated to conditions, and whether they were tested as a group or individually • All details must be included for full marks • Maximum 1 mark if materials for replication were not included in 2d or appendices

18. 2e Procedure (4) • Maximum 2 marks if co-workers details do not appear (give candidate number not name)

19. 2f Controls (2) • You must identify extraneous variables • Do not include participants’ names anywhere, including appendices

20. Results (11)

21. 3a Summary Table (2) • You must give units of measurement and explain conditions A or B • Include raw data in appendices • Calculations should be accurate to gain credit • Appropriate measure of central tendency/dispersion should be used where appropriate

22. 3b Summary table commentary (2) • Trends means explaining the table • E.g. what it means if the means/median are very different

23. 3c Additional graphical descriptions of results (2) • Graphs have to be fully labeled and titled as well as clear and neat • Computer generated graphs need to be appropriately scaled and easy to read • Data shown graphically should not normally be raw data except where nominal data has been collected

24. 3c Additional graphical descriptions of results (2) • The use of pie charts is discouraged by the board as they feel many students do not understand how to create them or comment on them • The analysis of variables other than those which are stated in the aim/hypotheses gains no credit i.e. primacy/recency effects or gender differences were often displayed with no link to the topic under investigation

25. 3d Descriptive statistics commentary (2) • Some students choose to comment on aspects of their findings which had nothing to do with their aim/hypothesis (often gender differences) this gains no credit

26. 3e Relationship of results to hypothesis (3) • Acceptance/rejection of hypothesis gains one mark • To gain the other marks you should refer to the level of support using the results obtained

27. Discussion (24)

28. 4a Validity (4) • Explanation of what is meant by validity gains no marks and leads to overlong reports • You must mention operationalisation of variables • Ecological validity tends to gain marks • Stronger candidates focus on internal validity i.e. the actual measure used eg no. of words

29. 4a Validity (4) • E.g. questionnaire to measure average number of hours spent sleeping nightly; is this an sensible measure when looking at the hypothesis on effects of age on sleep? – this relates to the IV being valid • Or - How good is counting the number of words remembered a measure of categorisation and memory – this relates to the DV being valid • Do your findings match up with those of previous experiments but perhaps done in different ways e.g. if looking at eyewitness testimony do your answers relate to Allport’s regarding witness factors?

30. 4b Improving validity (4) • To suggest a field study could be carried out is not sufficient to gain marks, particularly when the study is on memory • Better candidates suggested 2 changes and how these changes impacted on their results • To get three or more marks you must predict the effect on results

31. 4c Reliability (4) • No need to define reliability • Some students commented in their method section on how they controlled variables only to deny this in the discussion, this is unlikely to gain marks • Loads to talk about : sampling, word lists, video’s, extraneous variables, ( minimum 3)

32. 4d Improving reliability (4) • You can consider the design, the method and the how the materials were used to see what could be changed to improve reliability don’t say new participants in a memory test would give different results • Suggestions should also include predications of how these will affect participants’ scores

33. 4d Improving reliability (4) • E.g. Would the change lead to a smaller or larger difference between the experimental and control group and why?

34. 4e Implications (4) • Weak answers made brief links i.e. the results supported those of Bower • State the similarities and differences between your findings and those in the Introduction ( in terms of % ) • Give possible reasons for why there may be differences • Stronger answers were able to link their findings and conclusions to the findings of the all the research in their introduction

35. 4f Generalisation of findings (2) • Not well answered • What is your target population? • Many students stated that their results cannot be generalized as their sample consisted of international students, this is not enough • You need to show a greater understanding of what generalisation means

36. 4f Generalisation of findings (2) E.g. being aware that memory is a universal cognitive function and even though you have a small sample it is possible to generalise Think about how you can relate to sampling methods from your target population

37. 4g Application of study (2)What do I now know and how does that relate? • Some topics are easier to apply than others – think where your IV is already being used and what effect it is having on society. • Saying that the results could help revision is not going to get a mark unless some explanation of how this will work is given • Telling police about questioning techniques is too simplistic ( don’t you think they might already know ?) • Be creative – but not ridiculous – think technology, work-place, education, media

38. References (5)

39. 5a References and appendices • References must be full, alphabetically organized • References means for each and every psychologist you have mentioned – there must be an entry in this section for the research they did

40. Correct web referencing is also required • Referencing gains two marks • Full set of appendices gains another mark Date which the article published – in brackets Psychologists name – surname first, initials follow Name of publisher – in italics Title of the article Graham, J. (2005) Writing up a report. KGV Press

41. References • If you cannot find the reference – state in which book the study you are referring to was found • Write the book’s name CORRECTLY too

42. Bibliography • There must be a bibliography – which is the books, web sites you have used • In the same way as you wrote the references – write each and every book you used ( got something from ) • All web sites need to be mentioned too

43. 5b Presentation • You must stick to the word length to gain full marks here

44. Finally….

45. Use treasury tag to ensure your pages stay in order • Only include one copy of your questionnaire • Do not use red pen (it confuses the examiners) • Co-workers must be identified on the front sheet by candidate number • Co-workers contributions must be identified in the ‘Procedure’ section