Psychology IA
Introduction
Read this entire section before you start working!
The Introduction should include background theory and research which logically leads into the research question and hypothesis of your study. This will be one of the longer sections. The APA says that before writing the introduction, consider:
What is the point of the study?
How do the hypothesis and the experimental design relate to the problem?
What are the theoretical implications of the study (how does this study relate to us as humans, or the study of psychology), and how does the study relate to previous work in the area?
What are the theoretical hypothesis tested, and how were they derived? (APA, 1994) You must actually read the studies to be able to answer these questions! It seems like common sense but many students try to write their IA without ever having completely read the background studies!
First
Start out broad. Identify the particular aspect of the discipline of psychology in which your study took place. (Example; Cognitive Psychology) Start with a brief statement about the nature of the general category of psychology that your study falls into. Include a definition if meaningful. Then briefly get more specific. (Example; The study of memory) And then even more specific. (Example; Working Memory) (APA, 1994)
Second
Introduce the Theory/Experiment. What is the theory/experiment and who created or tested the theory? Take some time to develop this well, and present it here as fully but concisely as possible. If you don't talk about the theory behind the research you will lose points! Cite your references properly. Example: (Stone, 2010). Every researcher cited in your paper needs to be listed in your references. Only list researchers in your references if you cited them. Use good psychological sources, such as journal articles. DO NOT use dictionary.com, Wikipedia, Etc. Next, talk about the research that has been done in the area that you intend to study. Use three
Read this entire section before you start working!
The Introduction should include background theory and research which logically leads into the research question and hypothesis of your study. This will be one of the longer sections. The APA says that before writing the introduction, consider:
What is the point of the study?
How do the hypothesis and the experimental design relate to the problem?
What are the theoretical implications of the study (how does this study relate to us as humans, or the study of psychology), and how does the study relate to previous work in the area?
What are the theoretical hypothesis tested, and how were they derived? (APA, 1994) You must actually read the studies to be able to answer these questions! It seems like common sense but many students try to write their IA without ever having completely read the background studies!
First
Start out broad. Identify the particular aspect of the discipline of psychology in which your study took place. (Example; Cognitive Psychology) Start with a brief statement about the nature of the general category of psychology that your study falls into. Include a definition if meaningful. Then briefly get more specific. (Example; The study of memory) And then even more specific. (Example; Working Memory) (APA, 1994)
Second
Introduce the Theory/Experiment. What is the theory/experiment and who created or tested the theory? Take some time to develop this well, and present it here as fully but concisely as possible. If you don't talk about the theory behind the research you will lose points! Cite your references properly. Example: (Stone, 2010). Every researcher cited in your paper needs to be listed in your references. Only list researchers in your references if you cited them. Use good psychological sources, such as journal articles. DO NOT use dictionary.com, Wikipedia, Etc. Next, talk about the research that has been done in the area that you intend to study. Use three