Your Step by Step Guide on how to Write an Empirical Research Paper in the field of Psychology
Below discussed is the standard format of writing your research paper.
Title
(Not more than 7/8 words)
A title is the face of your research and a very much first hand information or a basic idea about its contents. It’s the name you give to your poetry, how you entitle your article, subject of your academic chapter. Precise yet deep.
Example: A research on the establishment of a cause and effect relationship between emotions and logical reasoning, being restricted to a location. It’s possible title could be - “Exploring the effect of emotions on logical reasoning in Indian adolescents”. Here if you notice, the author has carefully expressed their research area interest in country India and has also explained the age group the research experiment was conducted on(adolescents).
Note: It is not mandatory to have any location, age group or other intricate details in title, these can be mentioned in your abstract as well. It was just an example for your understanding. But if your study is one that is a replication work you can mention the basis of difference in tile, if not then abstract is the right forum to mention that.
Abstract
(A 300 words or less overview of the entire paper including the sample size and the results)
A title is the face of your research and a very much first hand information or a basic idea about its contents. It’s the name you give to your poetry, how you entitle your article, subject of your academic chapter. Precise yet deep.
Example: A research on the establishment of a cause and effect relationship between emotions and logical reasoning, being restricted to a location. It’s possible title could be - “Exploring the effect of emotions on logical reasoning in Indian adolescents”. Here if you notice, the author has carefully expressed their research area interest in country India and has also explained the age group the research experiment was conducted on(adolescents).
Note: It is not mandatory to have any location, age group or other intricate details in title, these can be mentioned in your abstract as well. It was just an example for your understanding. But if your study is one that is a replication work you can mention the basis of difference in tile, if not then abstract is the right forum to mention that.
Keywords
(3-4 keywords in italics from the abstract)
These include most used words or the main variables. Words that hold any implied message such as PANAS- is a questionnaire of a mood test, this is mentioned in the keywords to indicate that this questionnaire was used while conducting the experiment, and it is an important aspect of the research study/experiment.
Introduction
(Explains the variables individually and with respect to each other, includes the operational definition of the variables, also mention some relevant previous studies that explain the relationship between the variables.)
This is the main ground where you lay down the whole carnival, step by step as you briefed in the blueprint. It should include the main aim behind your research. It begins with introducing the research variables, components and explaining the conceptual part. Then you describe any relations between those components, express if it is implied or not etc. A general thought process from the reader;s point of view on the subject is also explained here. Post which you start to put in all of your thoughts for the readers to understand the approach you have taken to complete this research. What is and what you are going to prove. This also turns to explain the rationale behind the study.
Review of Literature
(Includes all the studies that you referred to avoid plagiarism you explain the study in your
own words)
Give a thorough reading to the relevant study in your area of subject and explain it and how it helped in formulation of your research design or supported other aspects in your words. It could be more than one relevant paper.
Methodology
(This part will need you to explain in detail the target readers the how-about or the basis of the study. This includes the below mentioned parameter.)
- Sample {Male, Female or Adolescents, Adults Ratio}
- Sample Size {60 participants}
- Material Used {Questionnaire -PANAS,MBTI etc.}
- Age range {25-35 years, etc.}
Research Design
(Mention the procedure followed while conducting the research.)
And Welcome to Jumanji, you have just unlocked Level 7. Here, it is about disclosing your overall strategy laid down and followed to conduct the research that defines a clear and logical plan to carry out the established research questions through the collection, interpretation, analysis, and discussion of data.
The way you practically conducted the research(be it through experiment or survey), you have to mention the entire procedure in a chronological order of events as paper conduction. Remember, it shouldn't look like your daily log. :)
Results
(Include all the tables and the data.)
This section will only and only be inclusive of any significant tables, graphs, charts or any other statistically calculated results.
Explanation and Discussion
(Explain your result, draw interpretations.)
Yes, this is where you actually explain your results, inferences, and interpretations of this result. Any point of discussion, any differences in findings, confirmation or rejection of the established hypothesis, it’s all done here. The critically evaluated outcomes are put across to the readers in this part of your beloved research paper.
Conclusion
A summary of your whole research in 250-300 words, how you would summarize a meeting, a class, a workshop, a course, a lesson, etc. But conclusion is not all about the summarized version of the research it also gives ‘insights’ as to why or how the research will be of significant contribution. It should also be inclusive of any additional findings irrespective of its relevance to the study, because each finding is a contribution to the particular field.
And No! This is not the end yet.
Reference
(Give the due credit.)
Mention the 1. Research you looked up. 2. Any and every piece of literature you have used. 3. Any questionnaires, tests, etc.
NOTE: The paper is to be written in accordance with APA Style(i.e. American Psychology Association Format). Link to which is mentioned at the end of this blog. Also bonus link to a research paper published in Psychology for your reference required at any step.
And that’s the end to your beautiful journey of writing your research paper. Hope you get to present and publish it.
You have reached the end of the game.Thank You for choosing Jumanji.
Reference link for APA 7 Format: https://sfcollege.libguides.com/apa7/paper
More articles by the writer: https://ijip.in/articles/exploring-the-effect-of-emotions-on-logical-reasoning-in-indian-adolescents/
This article is written by Namita Verma who have been a part of the Global Internship Research Program (GIRP). Namita has completed her MBA in 2019. She has keen interest in writing, listening to experiences and learning.