IB Psychology Internal Assessment
SL
- Descriptive stats only - mean, standard deviation, range
- 1000-1500 words
HL
- Descriptive and Inferential stats (e.g. t-test, Mann Whitney U)
- 1500-2000 words
NB: Do not use the word prove. In psychology we only reject null hypotheses and gain support for research/alternative hypotheses. Any time you think you want to use the word
prove replace it with
suggest.
Title Page
- Title
- Student name and number
- Psychology SL/HL
- Date, month and year of submission
- Word count (excluding figure labels, references, appendix and abstract)
Abstract
- Brief synopsis of the entire report
- 200 words
- Does not count towards overall word count
Introduction
- History of the topic to be investigated
- Identify and explain the specific study being replicated
- Lead up to aim of the study
- HL state hypotheses here
Methods
Design
- Justify experimental design chosen (repeated measures, independent measures)
- Identify the experimental groups and controls used
- Identify the independent and dependent variables
- Include informed consent for ethical considerations
Participants
- Identify the sampling technique used (usually opportunity sample)
- Characterize the sample (number, age, gender, cultural background, native English speakers)
- Describe how participants were allocated to experimental conditions (some form of random assignment)
Materials
- List any materials used like questionnaires
- Reference materials listed to an exemplar in the appendix
Procedure
- Describe what you did in the experiment
- Use enough detail to make it replicable but make it concise
Results
- State measures of central tendency used
- State measures of dispersion
- Justify choice of descriptive statistics (relate to the level of measurement)
- Use graphs and tables to summarize the statistics
- HL present inferential stats
- Do not interpret the stats just state that condition 1 was greater than condition 2
Discussion
- Interpretation of stats and what they suggest (not prove!)
- Discuss the findings in light of the previous research mentioned in the introduction
- Identify limitations of the research methodology and methods of overcoming any shortcomings
- Mention possible confounding variables and how they may have affected the data
- Include where possible how to remedy the confounding variables in future replications
- Discuss other sampling methods that may be appropriate such as stratifying the sample
References
- An APA bibliography can be generated using Word 2007 onwards
Appendices
- Raw data in tables and statistical calculations
- Copy of consent form
- Copy of instructions and debriefing notes
Additional Resources
