Psychology

A 300-word Summary of

300 words, 50 words x 6 sentences ; 30 words x 10 sentences etc

1. Introductory background information that leads into …

What problem does this work attempt to solve?

What is the scope of the project / research?

What is the main argument, thesis or claim?

2. A statement of the study aim

Introductory statements can lead into a statement of how your research uniquely addresses the issue with phrases such as:

“Here, < name of researcher > aimed to…”

or

“Here, < name of researcher > demonstrates that…”

both indicate to the reader that you are stating the aim or purpose of the work.

3. Brief description of the methods

A summary of a scientific work may include specific models, design or approaches used in study / studies.

Describe the types of evidence used in the research.

Excessive detail is unnecessary; however, you should briefly state the key techniques used. 

4. Describe the most important observations of the study/studies

Experimental manipulation (group, conditions, factors)

Metrics of inferences (descriptive statistics, between condition differences, likelihoods / confidence (e.g. P values)

5. State an accurate and concise conclusion that does not overstate the results.

Did the methods / observations enable the researcher to develop a consensus about the problem they set out to investigate?

Is there a pattern of observations consistent with a broader hypothesis?

Were these observations hypothesized by the researcher?

6. Broader implications of the work

How does this work add to the body of knowledge on the topic?

Are there any practical or theoretical applications from your findings or implications for future research?

*** This is general structure - you summary may require more focus on specific parts – which is OK ***