AQA · A-Level · Psychology

    Course version: 7182-2025 · Exams from 2027

    Reporting psychological investigations. Sections of a scientific report:…

    Full specification wording

    Scientific processes: Reporting psychological investigations. Sections of a scientific report: abstract, introduction, method, results, discussion and referencing.

    A report follows a fixed order because readers use it in a fixed way.

    Checked against the AQA 7182-2025 specification (opens in a new tab) on .

    • Point 17 of 17
    • 4 key terms

    Study notes

    From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.

    The idea

    A report follows a fixed order because readers use it in a fixed way. The abstract is a short summary of the aim, hypothesis, method, results and conclusion, read first to decide whether the paper is worth reading at all. The introduction reviews relevant theory and studies, narrowing from the broad area to this particular aim and prediction. The method is written so that someone else could repeat the study exactly: design, participants and sampling, apparatus, procedure including the standardised instructions, and ethics. Results give descriptive statistics first, then the inferential test, its calculated and critical values, the significance level and the decision on the null hypothesis. The discussion interprets the findings, admits limitations and suggests further work; references credit every source.

    What earns the marks

    • Lists the sections in order: abstract, introduction, method, results, discussion, references.
    • Describes the abstract as a concise summary of the whole study, typically a short paragraph.
    • Describes the introduction as a funnel from general theory and past research to the aim and hypothesis.
    • Describes the method in named subsections and states that it must allow replication.
    • Describes results as descriptive then inferential statistics, and the discussion as interpretation, limitations and implications.

    Common mistakes and how to put them right

    • Placing conclusions in the results section rather than in the discussion.

    • Describing the abstract as an introduction to the topic instead of a summary of the whole report.

    • Omitting the subsections of the method, which is where replication marks are earned.

    • Forgetting referencing altogether, or giving an incomplete citation without journal and date.

    Exam tips

    • If asked what goes in a section, give two or three specific contents rather than naming the section again.
    • Use replication as the reason the method is detailed; that justification is regularly worth a mark.
    • Where the stem provides data, say which statistics belong in results and which interpretation belongs in the discussion.

    Try the lesson

    The start of the Scientific processes: Reporting psychological investigations. Sections of a scientific report: abstract, introduction, method, results, discussion and referencing. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.

    Have a go first

    Which section of a scientific report provides a brief summary of the entire investigation, including the aims, hypotheses, method, results, and conclusions?

    Listen

    A report follows a fixed order because readers use it in a fixed way. The abstract is a short summary of the aim, hypothesis, method, results and conclusion, read first to decide whether the paper is worth reading at all. The introduction reviews relevant theory and studies, narrowing from the broad area to this particular aim and prediction. The method is written so that someone else could repeat the study exactly: design, participants and sampling, apparatus, procedure including the standardised instructions, and ethics. Results give descriptive statistics first, then the inferential test, its calculated and critical values, the significance level and the decision on the null hypothesis. The discussion interprets the findings, admits limitations and suggests further work; references credit every source. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Lists the sections in order: abstract, introduction, method, results, discussion, references. Describes the abstract as a concise summary of the whole study, typically a short paragraph. Describes the introduction as a funnel from general theory and past research to the aim and hypothesis. Describes the method in named subsections and states that it must allow replication. Exam tip: If asked what goes in a section, give two or three specific contents rather than naming the section again.

    See it

    A vertical flowchart with six nodes connected by arrows in a single downward sequence. The first node is labelled Abstract, which points to Introduction, which points to Method, which points to Results, which points to Discussion, which finally points to Referencing.
    The six sections of a scientific report in their fixed order, from abstract through to referencing.

    Put it in order

    Put these steps in the order they happen.

    1. 1. Method
    2. 2. Introduction
    3. 3. Abstract
    4. 4. Referencing
    5. 5. Discussion
    6. 6. Results

    Key words

    Say what each word means before you turn the card.

    Abstract

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    Introduction

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    Method

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    Discussion

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    See every definition
    Abstract
    A short summary of the aim, hypothesis, method, results and conclusion, read first to decide whether the paper is worth reading at all.
    Introduction
    Reviews relevant theory and studies, narrowing from the broad area to this particular aim and prediction.
    Method
    Written so that someone else could repeat the study exactly: design, participants and sampling, apparatus, procedure including the standardised instructions, and ethics.
    Discussion
    Interprets the findings, admits limitations and suggests further work.

    Label the diagram

    Some boxes have lost their names. Pick the right name for each number.

    The diagram again, with 3 boxes numbered instead of named. A vertical flowchart with six nodes connected by arrows in a single downward sequence. The first node is labelled Abstract, which points to Introduction, which points to Method, which points to Results, which points to Discussion, which finally points to Referencing.

    • 1Box 1

    • 2Box 2

    • 3Box 3

    0 of 3 labelled

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