Running Head: LAB REPORT 1

Comment [VU1]: On your cover page, you need to include the words “Running Head:” followed by a shortened version of
your lab report title (not exceeding 50 characters including spaces). Following pages should not include the words “Running
Head” but still require your shortened title. Your running head title should be in all capital letters.

Your page numbers should begin from 1 on your title page.

Running Head needs to be left aligned while page numbers need to be right aligned.

DO NOT include a footer in your lab report

Psychology Lab Report Title Comment [VU2]: The title should summar

Sophia Ganci Title should be centred, not bolded,

underlined, or italicised. All font in your lab repo
Comment [VU3]: Following your title, incl
Beginning on your title page, your lab report mu
Victoria University

Comment [VU4]: Insert page break here. C

To add a page number, click on Insert, select Quic

Prepared by Sophia Papailiadis, Michael Ganci, and Jessica Burlak

LAB REPORT 2

Abstract Comment [VU5]: Abstract heading

must be centred and not bolded, italicised
or underlined. Do not include a colon after
Begin abstract here. The abstract should be approximately 300 words and should contain the the heading.
Comment [VU6]: Do not indent
the first line of the abstract paragraph.
following information: the purpose of the study, the aim of the study, the directional
The abstract should be on a page of
its own.
hypotheses of the study, the number of participants, measurements used and type of analysis

that was run, key results, and the importance of these findings.

Prepared by Sophia Papailiadis, Michael Ganci, and Jessica Burlak

LAB REPORT 3

Title of Lab Report Goes Here Comment [VU7]: Start your

introduction on a new page. The heading
of your introduction should be the full
Concisely explain the study’s purpose and highlight the importance of the study. In length title of your lab report. Your title
is centred, not underlined, capitalised,
bolded or italicised.

“Introduction” is not a heading to

be included in your lab report.
the opening paragraph be sure to introduce all relevant variables and give academic
Please refer to APA 6th edition
referencing guidelines from this point
definitions. forward when using in-text referencing.
Referencing guides can be found on the
VU library website or on VU Collaborate.

Review relevant research for each variable in the body of your introduction. For this Comment [VU8]: Beginning in the
first paragraph of your introduction, all
new paragraphs from now on must be
lab report, the body of your literature review should contain two to three paragraphs. indented using the tab key.

Do not include spaces between your

Introduce theories from which your hypotheses will be derived. Outline the findings of these paragraphs. When you have completed
a paragraph, only press enter once.

previous studies that verify these theories. Additionally, outline findings of previous studies

that contradict these theories. Identify problems or shortcomings of the past research that will

be addressed by your study. Make sure to only provide enough detail to show how the study

was conducted and highlight their principal findings. Each paragraph in the body of your

literature review should have its own main topic. Make sure to link each paragraph, as

opposed to jumping from one topic to the next.

Once body paragraphs are completed, provide a rationale for your study. Summarise

the principal theories discussed above and highlight unresolved issues. This should help

justify the aim of your study.

The aim of your study goes here. The aim is directly followed by your hypotheses

which should be clearly related to the analysis that you will run. Your hypotheses also need

to be directional.

Method Comment [VU9]: LEVEL 1 headings

(such as “Method”) should be centred
and bolded. Do not capitalise, underline,
or italicise.
Participants Comment [VU10]: “Participants”
is a LEVEL 2 heading. These headings are
left aligned but remain bolded.
In your participants section make sure to add the number of participants involved in
For further level headings please refer to
the APA Publication Manual 6th Edition
your study. You also need to include the gender ratio and age range (M= years of age, or search appropriate online resources.

Prepared by Sophia Papailiadis, Michael Ganci, and Jessica Burlak

LAB REPORT 4

SD= ). Additionally, identify the sampling method that you used to recruit your

participants. Specify any selection criteria, such as only participants between the ages of 18

and 30 and 50 and older were to be included. Comment [VU11]: Numbers below
10 should be represented as words. For
numbers above 10, figures should be
used.
Materials
Exceptions to these rules include numbers
that represent time or date as well as
Outline all materials that were used to conduct your study. This section includes any means and standard deviations. Also, when
beginning a sentence with a figure do not
express this figure numerically.
scales or questionnaires that were used to collect your data including a reference to the
When using decimal places, ensure that
you are consistent throughout your lab
developers of the scale. For each scale used clearly indicate what the scale is used to measure. report. APA 6th edition format requires
either 2 or 3 decimals. Exceptions
include age, number of participants, and
You need to specify the possible range of scores (minimum and maximum) and what these time.
Comment [VU12]: When you
scores mean. If there is a likert type scale used, you need to mention it here. Furthermore, you have used more than one scale, use
LEVEL 3 headings to separate your
description of each scale.
need to show that the scale you are using is reliable and valid. This is done through running a
LEVEL 3 headings are left aligned, indented
using the tab key and bolded. They are not
reliability analysis using SPSS or by finding previous research which has identified italicised or underlined. I.e. (arrow
indicates indentation using the tab key)

realiability and validity coefficient values (such as Chronbach’s alpha which should ideally Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale

be .7 or above).

Procedure

In this section provided a step by step guide to how your study was conducted in

chronological order. Only provide enough information so that your study can be replicated.

Summarise instructions given to participants and specify tasks that participants were required

to complete. Mention how your data was then entered into SPSS, cleaned, and scored.

Design (this section is optional, unless otherwise specified by your tutor)

Here you need mention the analysis you conducted with a justification of why you

have chosen that analysis. Identify your Independent and Dependant variables. Also include

the assumptions of the test you have run and whether these assumptions have been met or

Prepared by Sophia Papailiadis, Michael Ganci, and Jessica Burlak

LAB REPORT 5

violated. If you were required to remove participants from your dataset you need to mention

this and justify why you have done so.

ResultsComment [VU13]: LEVEL 1 heading. Centred and bolded.

If you have not included a design section (above) that information needs to be

provided at the beginning of your results section. Once this information has been provided,

introduce your table of descriptive statistics.

Presented in Table 1 is an example of how a descriptive statistics table in APA format

should look. Comment [VU14]: APA format

requires all tables and figures to be
introduced in text before being presented.
Table 1 Comment [VU15]: Identify
table/figure number. Do not bold, italicise,
or underline.
Example title of APA formatted table.
Comment [VU16]: Title of your
table goes here. The title should be
specific to the information provided
Age n M SD within it. Make sure to italicise this title.

Younger (18-30) 50 12.25 1.59

Older (50+) 50 8.63 1.72 Comment [VU17]: Present the table according to A
Horizontal lines should only surround headings and one lin

Tables should run the width of the page.

Variable names should be left aligned while values and he

As can be seen in Table 1, you will need to include the mean and standard deviation Comment [VU18]: APA 6th edition formatting also

of each group for each of your dependant variables. This paragraph should include a

description of the main patterns of mean scores. Do not repeat mean or standard deviation

values in your description.

Following the description of your table you will need to provide a summary
Comment [VU19]: Refer to class guides of

statement. You need to provide one full summary statement per statistical analysis conducted.

Prepared by Sophia Papailiadis, Michael Ganci, and Jessica Burlak

LAB REPORT 6

DiscussionComment [VU20]: LEVEL 1 heading. Centre and bold.

To being your discussion you will need to restate your aim. Following this, you will

need to summarise the main results of your study. Do not provide any values in your

discussion section. You will need to comment on whether or not your results support your

hypotheses.

In the second paragraph of your discussion you should discuss hypotheses that were

supported. For each finding summarise the similarities and differences between your results

and those of the previous literature that you discussed in your introduction/literature review.

Explain how your results support previous/established theories.

Go on to discuss findings that do not support your hypotheses. Here, as above, you

will need to comment on how your results are similar or different to the previous literature

reviewed. You need to provide some explanation as to why your results were not as expected.

In order to do this, discuss whether the theory (or theories) you derived your hypotheses from

was suitable. Also try to think of theoretical reasons as to why your results may be different

to what was expected. These are not simply limitations of your study.

Make sure to state the practical and theoretical importance of your findings. Discuss

how the findings of your study relate to the real world and who would benefit from this

knowledge.

Next go on to briefly discuss the most relevant limitations of your study. You should

not discuss more than two or three limitations. Limitations include anything that you believe

may have directly impacted on your results. Suggest directions for future research to

overcome these limitations.

Prepared by Sophia Papailiadis, Michael Ganci, and Jessica Burlak

LAB REPORT 7

Finally, your conclusion should reiterate the aim and findings of your study. End by

describing the potential benefits of the knowledge gained as a result of your findings.

Prepared by Sophia Papailiadis, Michael Ganci, and Jessica Burlak

LAB REPORT 8

References Comment [VU21]: References go

on a new page.

Author, Initial., & Author, Initial. (year). Title of article. Journal Title, Volume number (Issue “References” title needs to be centred. It
should not be bolded, italicised, or
underlined.
number), page number.
Please refer to APA referencing guides
available on the VU library website and
on VU Collaborate when completing your
reference list.
Comment [VU22]: All
references should appear in
alphabetical order.

Make sure to use hanging indent for your

references. This can be done by
highlighting your reference list, right click,
select ‘paragraph’, under ‘indentation’
under the tab ‘special’, select ‘hanging’
and click on ok.

References should also be double spaced.

Prepared by Sophia Papailiadis, Michael Ganci, and Jessica Burlak

LAB REPORT 9

Appendix AComment [VU23]: Only present appendices that have been referred to in text in the same order which they have b
LEVEL 1 heading. Should be centred and bolded.

You need to have one Appendix page per appendix. I.e. Appendix A might be your Questionnaire pack, Appendix B might b

When attaching SPSS output, make sure tables do not cross over two pages. Make sure your tables are in the correct orde

SPSS output in your appendices does not need to follow APA 6th edition formatting in regards to the presentation of table

Prepared by Sophia Papailiadis, Michael Ganci, and Jessica Burlak