Running head: GUIDED IMAGERY AND PROGRESSIVE MUSCLE RELAXATION

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Title Here

First and Last Name Here

Department of XXX, College Here

Class number here (It is Psyc 005): Name of Class here (It is Research Methods in Psychology)

Instructor name here

Date

Title from Title Page Here

The title is formatted using an APA style level 1 heading. It is bold and centered. The four main sections of research articles are the Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion and are also formatted as level 1 headings.

Using the bulleted questions below, summarize the key ideas of each section. Use compete sentences to create a paragraph/s. Delete the questions and text and enter your own content.

Introduction

By answers the questions below you will have effectively introduced the research topic.

· What was the researcher interested in (what was the research topic)?

· What were the variables? How were they  conceptually defined? (See  Chapter 4, Psychological Measurement (Links to an external site.) ; especially section 21. Practical Strategies for Psychological Measurement)

· What were the researcher's research questions and/or hypothesis?

Methods

All information in the Methods section should pertain to who participated in the study and how the study was conducted. The Methods section is often (but not always) broken into sub-sections including Sample, Design, Measures, and Procedure. Sometimes sections are combined or different terms are used (e.g., Participants instead of Sample), so if you don’t find the specific term in the article just read to find the relevant content. For this paper, please separate information into the sub-headings noted below and format each using an APA level 2 heading – bold and left-justified.

Sample

· Describe the sample – sample size (how many), gender, age, ethnicity and race, any other important demographic information.

· How were they recruited?

Design

If the terms below are not mentioned in the article, apply your knowledge of the concepts to answer the questions.

· Was the research experimental or non-experimental?

· If non-experimental:

· Was it simply describing variable(s), or was it correlational?

· If experimental:

· What was the independent variable(s)? What was the dependent variable(s)?

· Was a between-subjects or within-subjects design used?

Measures

Think of this section as the ingredients list of a cooking recipe. What materials (e.g., questionnaires, parental observations, dental records, etc.) did the authors use to measure the variables of interest?

· How did the author/s operationally define the variables? 

· i.e., what measures where used? (What are they called and what do they measure?)

Procedures

Think of this section as the “how to” part of a cooking recipe – where the chef explains when and how the ingredients are incorporated to make the dish. In the same way, summarize the steps the researcher followed to conduct the research.

· What did the participants have to do?

Results

Read the Results section completely and then re-read it to find sentences that sum up, in everyday language, the findings. These “main takeaway” sentences are often (though not always) near the end of the Results section and can help you summarize the findings for your paper. Be sure to put the information in your own words.

· What did the researchers find/what were the results?

· Note: for this section, you do not need to include any statistical information. Using everyday language, explain what the main findings were.

Discussion

The purpose of the Discussion section is for the authors to critically examine what went well and what didn’t go as planned. They also discuss conclusions that can be drawn from the research and how future research on the topic might be conducted.

· What explanations (possible reasons) does the researcher give for the results? In other words, why do they think they found what they did?

· What were the limitations of the study?

· What do the researchers recommend future research should do?

References

The Reference section is always on a new page. To “lock in” your page break, hold the keyboard Command/Control and Enter keys simultaneously. This will create a new page that will not move if you edit your document.

Using APA style, reference the article. You can find an example here: https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/references/examples/journal-article-references#1 Notice the hanging indent (like a reverse paragraph) and double spacing. Notice that the article title is sentence case and that the journal title is italicized. Pay attention to detail when creating references.

If you used any other resources, reference them as well. Follow the appropriate example using the APA site: https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/references/examples

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Guide to Taking Notes on Empirical Articles

Taking notes on your articles will greatly facilitate your comprehension of the material and eventual writing of a paper. Having a system for taking notes will allow you to organize information in an easily accessible fashion (something that is very useful when you have several articles that are similar). Further, taking good notes will ensure that accidental plagiarism does not occur. If you write from your notes instead of the article, it’s hard to use the author’s words).

This may seem like it takes a lot of time (and/or a waste of time). However, taking quality notes will save you time in the long run by helping you understand your topic better, making you aware of key references, and making the writing of a research paper MUCH easier!

A few tips for taking notes:

· Plan on reading each article at least twice. As much as possible, have an idea of which topics/concepts you hope to have in your paper. That way you can pay extra attention to those areas as you read the article. 


· As you read your source for the first time, highlight key information. It is best to highlight pieces of information, not whole sentence. This will help avoid plagiarism as you write your paper. 


· Be sure to make notes for yourself in the margins (thoughts you have, how things may relate to your paper, etc.)

· Check the references! Look through, and highlight any key references so that you can track them down later when you need to find additional articles on your own. 


· After you have read the article, transfer your highlighting and notes to a note sheet. 


· PARAPHRASE! As you transfer things over, avoid copying things word for word. This is a great time to start putting things into your own words. This way you will not have to worry as much about plagiarizing accidentally.

· Keep your notes short and as succinct as possible. The idea is that you want to create a source for yourself that is easier to use than the original article (i.e. it’s much easier to read 1 page of notes than 10 pages of an article).

· Remember your notes are a reference for you. If there is a lot of information you find useful (e.g. info about a scale) describe it briefly, then include a page number. Ultimately, you will be using these along with the article. 


· Save your work on a computer, and be consistent in your style & organization. You should include the following information:


Your notes on each empirical research article should include the following: 


· Reference – Give the reference for the paper you are reading in APA Style. This way you can copy it into your reference list later. 


· General Topic – What is the general area this source focuses on? Be specific. 


· Sub-Topic(s) – Any key sub-topics? Be specific . You can use these later to help you 
determine where this article will fit in your outline. 


· Overall Research Question and Rationale – What research question is the article you are ready trying to answer? What was the rationale or purpose of the study(ies)? What did the research project set out to discover? 


· Key Research Cited in Article – Do they mention any research in the Introduction that is relevant to the research project under investigation (i.e., your study)? Describe briefly & give the citation. Any article that is central to the one you are reading should be listed here. Please make a small note about why the article is a key article and give the proper APA reference for it so the article may be easily found. Keep in mind that you should NOT use this information as something your article found. Rather it should be used as a means of finding other useful sources later. 


· Hypotheses – What is predicted about how the IV(s) will influence the DV(s)? If there are multiple studies, list them by study. Use these to organize your notes for the results section. 


· Independent Variables (IV) – What variable(s) are being compared for changes in the DV. If there are multiple studies, list them by study. 


· Dependent Variables (DV) – What is being measured? If there are multiple studies, list them by study. If there are multiple studies, list them by study.

· Participants – Please give the number and a description of the participants. If there are multiple studies, list them by study. If there are multiple studies, list them by study.

· Type of Design – Note the design used to collect data. Was it correlational or experimental? What type of experimental design was used? If there are multiple studies, list them by study. 


· Brief Description of Procedure – How was the study conducted. What did participants do in the study? What were they told? What materials/surveys were involved? What happened in the study between consent and debriefing? You may note with bullet points. If there are multiple studies, list them by study.

· Key Results Specifically Related to Each Hypothesis – You should have at least 1 key finding for each hypothesis. If there are multiple studies, list them by study. What were their key findings? How do they relate to the hypotheses? This is the most important, because you will use this the most when writing your Introduction.

· Other Key Findings Related to your Topic – Include any additional findings that researchers may not have been originally predicted or that were not central to the purpose of the article, but may be useful to the study you are developing.

· Overall Thoughts – What is this article’s main contribution to the rationale for asking your research question? How is it relevant to the study you are developing? What can you use from your Introduction from it? What background does it give the reader on the topic of the research study you are developing?

This may seem like it takes a lot of time (and/or a waste of time). However, taking quality notes will save you time in the long run by helping you understand your topic better, making you aware of key references, and making the writing of the paper MUCH easier!!!

Note Taking Template

An Example

Reference: Sanders, M. A., Shirk, S. D., Burgin, C. J., & Martin, L. L. (2012). The gargle effect: Rinsing and mouth with glucose enhances self-control. Psychological Science, 23, 1470-1472. doi: 10.1177/095679761240034

General Topic:

The impact of glucose on self-control

Sub Topics:

N/A for this article

Overall Research Question and Rationale:

Does glucose prevent the depletion of self-control?

To determine if glucose can prevent self-control failure

Key Research Findings/Studies Relevant to The Research Question. You should make a small note about the findings along with the proper APA reference for the findings/studies being cited so that you can easily find and read that study yourself.

· Baumesiter, Bratsavsky, Muraven, & Tice, 1998


· Gailliot, Barumesiter, DeWall, Maner, Plant, Tice & Schmeichel, 2007

· Molden, Hui, Noreen, Meier, Scholer, D’Agostine & Martin, 2012

IV(s): What variable(s) are being compared for changed in the DV?) (NOTE: If there are multiple studies, list them by study)

Glucose exposure (exposed or not)

DV(s): What is being measured? (NOTE: If there are multiple studies, list them by study)

Self-control

Primary Hypotheses: (number them) What is predicted about how the IV(s) will influence the DV(s)? (NOTE: If there are multiple studies, list them by study)

1. That glucose will enhance self-control (prevent the impact of depletion)

a. Participants that rinsed with the glucose will have better self-control (and therefore preform faster on the Stroop task) compared to those that rinsed with a non-glucose

Number and Description of Participants: (NOTE: If there are multiple studies, list them by study)

51 students

Type of Design Used: (NOTE: If there are multiple studies, list them by study)

Experimental; two-group design

Brief Description of Procedure: (NOTE: If there are multiple studies, list them by study)

· Did a self-control task

· crossed out Es in a stats textbook with a complex set of rules to deplete self-control

· Rinsed with lemonade made with either glucose or non-glucose (Splenda) solution while doing another self-control task

· Stroop task; reaction times in incongruent trials

· Rated sweetness & pleasantness (favorability) of the lemonade solution

Key Results Specifically Related to Each Hypothesis (number them): You should have at least 1 key finding for each hypothesis (NOTE: If there are multiple studies, list them by study)

1. Glucose rinse group was faster on the incongruent trials of the Stroop task (had more self- control)

Other Key Findings Related to Your Topic: (NOTE: If there are multiple studies, list them by study)

Glucose group rated the lemonade as more favorable (pleasant and sweet) than the non-glucose group

Overall Thoughts: What is this article’s main contribution to the rationale for asking your research question? How is it relevant? What can be used for your intro from it?

Glucose prevents the depletion of self-control.

· Glucose can replenish or decrease the impact of self-control depletion

Note Taking Template

Directions: Delete information in italics. Enter your answers in with the red font color.

Reference: Provide the proper APA reference.

General Topic:

Sub Topics:

Overall Research Question and Rationale

Key Research Findings/Studies Relevant to the Research Question. You should make a small note about the findings along with the proper APA reference for the findings/studies being cited so that you can easily find and read that study yourself.

IV(s): What variable(s) are being compared for changed in the DV?) (NOTE: If there are multiple studies, list them by study)

DV(s): What is being measured? (NOTE: If there are multiple studies, list them by study)

Primary Hypotheses: (number them) What is predicted about how the IV(s) will influence the DV(s)? (NOTE: If there are multiple studies, list them by study)

Number and Description of Participants: (NOTE: If there are multiple studies, list them by study)

Type of Design Used: (NOTE: If there are multiple studies, list them by study)

Brief Description of Procedure: (NOTE: If there are multiple studies, list them by study)

Key Results Specifically Related to Each Hypothesis (number them): You should have at least 1 key finding for each hypothesis (NOTE: If there are multiple studies, list them by study)

Other Key Findings Related to Your Topic: (NOTE: If there are multiple studies, list them by study)

Overall Thoughts: What is this article’s main contribution to the rationale for asking your research question?

Adapted from article at teachpsychscience.org.

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TIPS ON READING RESEARCH REPORTS

You have probably already recognized that reading a professional article in psychology is somewhat different from other reading that you do. Here is some advice for those who are new at reading research reports in psychology.

Format of Journal Articles

There is no single “right” way to read a journal article, however, the following strategy may work well for you. A typical article has five main sections: abstract, introduction, method, results, and discussion. Below are a few pointers to consider about each section.

Abstract. The abstract provides a quick overview of the research problem, the methods used, the main findings, and the conclusions to be drawn from the study. The abstract is probably the single most important paragraph in the article, and deserves special attention. If you read the abstract carefully (and perhaps more than once), it will be easier to follow the rest of the article.

· Abstract read at least once.

Introduction. The introduction sets the stage for the study by describing the central issue of interest, and briefly reviewing previous research on the topic. The introduction also presents the rationale for the research, that is, the reasons for undertaking this particular study. The introduction specifies the goals of the research, and the research strategy to be used. In some articles, the research problem will be stated in the form of specific hypotheses. After reading the introduction, you should be able to answer the following questions about the study:

· Why is this study important? 


· What questions will this study answer (hint: look for the hypotheses)? 


· How does this study build on previous research?




Method. The method section describes in detail how the study was conducted. This section usually begins with a description of the participants who took part in the research. Next, the materials used in the study such as questionnaires or standardized laboratory tasks are described. The method section also includes a step-by- step description of the specific procedures used in the research. 


· In reading the method section, try to imagine what it was like to be a participant in the study. 


· After reading the method section you should be able to describe from start to finish what the 
researcher did and how he or she did it. 


Results. The results section describes the data that were collected and the ways in which the data were analyzed. Statistical analyses are presented here. Because space in professional journals is limited, authors must juggle the need to be clear and detailed against the need to be concise. Tables and figures are often used to summarize information efficiently, and you should be sure to look at them carefully. After reading the results section, you should be able to answer these questions:

· What were the main findings?

· Did the results support the original hypotheses?

· Were there any important but unexpected results?

Discussion. The discussion section evaluates and interprets the results. This is where the research can consider the implications of the study, and compare its findings to results from previous research. Authors sometimes also comment on limitations or special features of their research that may have affected the results, or propose directions for future studies. After reading the discussion section, you should be able to answer these questions: 


· What have I learned from this research? 


· How have these findings helped me to understand the original research problem identified in the 
introduction? 


By the way, A Few Words about Statistics:

For many people, the most intimidating aspect of reading professional articles in psychology is confronting the statistical analyses of data in the results section. Such terms as “log-linear analysis” or “analysis of covariance” may seem mysterious and perplexing. Whereas you cannot be expected to understand the specifics of sophisticated data analyses that go beyond you level of training, even articles with the fanciest of statistics should also state the key findings in plain English–which you should understand. Try to read the results section carefully, and understand what each particular analysis is designed to accomplish and how specific results are interpreted. Some of the basic abbreviations and statistical terms you will encounter are explained below.

Analysis of Variance: A statistical procedure that uses an F-test to assess the degree of difference between the mean scores of two or more groups.

ANOVA: Abbreviation for analysis of variance.

Chi Square: A measure of the degree of association between two categorical variables, abbreviated as X2. [A categorical variable has named categories, not numerical values; religious is a categorical variable with such categories as Catholic, Jewish, Protestant, etc.]

Correlation: A measure of the degree of relationship between two variables (e.g., intelligence and income), sometimes abbreviated as r. A correlation can range between -1 (perfect negative relationship) and +2 (perfect positive relationship); r = 0 means there is no relationship between the variables.

Factor analysis: A statistical procedure for uncovering common dimensions or factors that link variables together; a researcher might use this statistical procedure to see if a 20-item questionnaire has distinct subscales.

F or F-test: The F statistic is obtained from an F- test used to assess the degree of difference between the mean scores of two or more groups.

Log-linear analysis: A statistical procedure for determining the degree of association between categorical (named) variables.

M: Abbreviation for the mean or average score.

N or n: Abbreviation for the number of participants in a study or subgroup.
 ns: Abbreviation for not statistically significant.
 p: Abbreviation for probability or significance level. This refers to the likelihood that a pattern of results could have occurred by chance; p =01 means that there is only a 1% probability that the observed result occurred by chance.

r: Abbreviation for correlation (see above). Regression analysis A statistical procedure that allows the researcher to predict the value of one variable given the value of one or more other variables.

Reliability: Refers to the degree to which test scores are reproducible and consistent over time.
 SD: Standard deviation. This term refers to how much scores vary around the mean score; a large SD means that there is much variation in scores.

Statistical significance: A result, such as a difference in scores between two groups, is said to be statistically significant if it is unlikely to have occurred by chance. For example, if a group difference is significant at the “.05 level,” the probability is only 5% that a difference of this size occurred by chance.

t or t-test: The t statistic is obtained in a t-test used to assess the degree of difference in mean scores between two groups.


Validity: Refers to the degree to which a test or instrument measures what it is intended to measure.

Adapted from: Peplau, L. A. (1988). Introduction: Reading research reports in social psychology. In L. A. Peplau, D. O. Sears, S. E. Taylor, & J. L. Freedman (Eds.), Readings in social psychology: Classic and contemporary contributions (2nd ed., pp. 1-5). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

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