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Lab 11: How to Write an APA Results and Discussion

Lab 11: How to Write an APA Results and Discussion. Andrew Reineberg 11-16-2011. Today we will:. Learn how to write an APA-styled results and discussion section. APA Results. For reporting the results of the data analyses used to test your hypotheses. I dentify data analysis technique

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Lab 11: How to Write an APA Results and Discussion

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  1. Lab 11: How to Write an APA Results and Discussion Andrew Reineberg 11-16-2011

  2. Today we will: • Learn how to write an APA-styled results and discussion section

  3. APA Results • For reporting the results of the data analyses used to test your hypotheses. • Identify data analysis technique • Report your test statistics • Put numerical results in word-form • Provide visual representation of data • Analyses should be related to your hypotheses • If not, state that they are exploratory

  4. General Things To Do • Start off with general statistics if you have any • For example: • “Overall, average performance on the memory task was well above chance (M = 93.52, SD = 7.32).” • “Data for two participants was below chance (50%), thus the analyses reported include data for the full set minus 2 (30 participants).”

  5. 1. ID Data Analysis Technique • General statement about how you tested your hypothesis • For example: • “A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted to test the hypothesis that there are gender (male vs. female) differences in the ability to recall single digits.” • “To investigate the effects of emotionality and gender on face perception, a 2 (positive words vs. negative words) x 2 (male vs. female) ANOVA was performed.”

  6. 2. Report Your Test Statistics • Report: • the descriptive statistics - means (M), standard deviation(SD) • the test statistic (t value) • degrees of freedom (df = ), • and the probability of the result occurring by chance (p value)

  7. Formatting • All decimal places (for p & t values) should be consistent throughout whole paper • usually we use 2 decimal places • All statistical symbols that are not Greek letters should be italicized • M, SD, t, p, etc. • When reporting a significant difference between two conditions, indicate the direction of this difference (see next slide)

  8. 2 & 3. Examples • “Results indicated a significant difference in male’s ability to recall single digits versus female’s, t(29) = 1.25, p = .08, such that , on average, men (M = 8.4, SD = 1.3) recalled more digits than females (M = 4.2, SD = 3.1).” • “Results indicated that the average number of errors was significantly lower in the silence condition (M = 8.11, SD = 4.32) than were those in the white noise condition (M= 12.4, SD = 2.26), F(1, 27) = 8.90, p = .011.”

  9. Notes • Usually we report exact p values unless they are smaller than .001. • Just say p < .001 if that happens • If your p values is less than .10 but greater than .05, it is okay to report • There was a marginally significant effect of gender…

  10. Hypothesis Testing • Reminder: • p values are important for conveying your results, but do not overinterpret them • p value is the chance that the result you observed was due to chance alone, not the probability that your null hypothesis is false • p of .05 is not sacred, but is widely accepted

  11. 4. Visual Representation • Use simple graphics with easy to read labels and colors/patterns • DO NOT use 3D graphs • No one can read them

  12. Good Example

  13. Bad Examples

  14. Discussion • The last content section of a paper • To discuss the interpretation and implications of your study • evaluate in respect to your hypotheses • Start off with a brief, non-technical summary of the results. Tell the reader about the main findings without using statistical terminology.

  15. Discussion cont’d • What do your results mean? • Particularly in light of previous research you highlighted in introduction • You are also encouraged, when appropriate, to comment on the importance and relevance of your findings. • How are your findings related to the big picture? • An ending paragraph in which you make a final summary statement of the conclusions you have drawn.

  16. The Next Few Weeks • Next week = Fall Break • Nov 30th = Rought Draft Due • Turn in via email by start of your lab section • Workshop for final papers in class • Last week of class • Final paper due via email by beginning of last class • Q&A session for your class final if you want

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