INTERNAL ASSESSMENT

Name:

The Internal Assessment in Psychology

The internal assessment (IA) in IB Diploma Programme Psychology is a replication of
a simple experiment. For all candidates the first step is to choose an experiment to replicate. In principle, it can be any experiment, but you should choose one in which it us easy to identify the variables under investigation. The success of your own experiment is to a large extent dependent on finding an appropriate study for your research. It is essential that your research be based on an experiment that has been published; you should not invent something of your own.

Be aware of the following

SL candidates should only carry out a replication of a published study, DO NOT add anything that you think would make a good or better study.

What to do
The best advice is to keep your experiment simple. Here is a set of guidelines for getting started. Find the experiment first. DO NOT choose a topic and then spend hours looking for an experiment. Cognitive experiments are often the easiest to do. You must manipulate only ONE variable. You should only measure ONE dependent variable. Make sure that you can actually analyse your data so you end up with a two lists of numbers! Experiment must meet ethical guidelines.

What to avoid

Be aware that there are certain things to avoid. Failure to do so means that your internal assessment will score zero. You must avoid: Conformity and obedience studies Animal research Placebo experiments Experiments involving ingestion Experiments involving deprivation Experiments involving young children Quasi-experiments are a no no! Correlations Questionnaires A pre-designed test

Important please back up all documents! That means anything you type you should save twice (perhaps save a copy on a memory stick).
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Summary of report format- make sure you tick every box

Sections Title Page

What You Need

Title Candidate name and number Subject Level Date of submission Word Count (between 1500-2000) Summary of aims Identify IV & DV Summary of procedure Summary of results Conclusion Review of background literature (no more than 3 pieces) Aim of the research Null and Research/experimental hypotheses DESIGN - types and justification Identification of the IV and DV Controls Ethical Procedures PARTICIPANTS- characteristics of the sample Sampling technique + justification Relevant characteristics of the target population MATERIALS list of materials used Reference to copies in appendices PROCEDURES- Itemized in sufficient detail to allow full replication Narrative account of results Descriptive stats + interpretation Graph- that reflect the aim of the research Discussion of results Linking of the results to literature in introduction Identification of limitations of the methodology Suggestions for further research Statement of conclusion Word limit 1500-2000 words References section all research cited using the Harvard method of referencing Supplementary information One copy of the instructions/materials used Copy of standardized briefing and debriefing notes.

Done

Abstract - Introduction Method

Results Discussion

Presentation Appendices

Make sure that you do not write the report in first person e.g I did this and I did thatAlways write in third person; e.g . the experiment, the participants etc.

Background Information The introduction

The introduction must contain relevant previous research and relevant theories. The introduction should develop logically into a statement of the reason for the current experiment, ending with a clear statement of the investigations aim(s) and hypotheses. You should begin with a general introduction to the psychological subject area under investigation Then give a brief summary of the theory and key pieces of research associated with the topic under investigation. You should not include more than three pieces of research associated with the topic under investigation Keep full details of the references while reading The rationale (reasons) behind your investigations: how did your ideas develop from the previous research and why was this considered to be an interesting area of investigation? You should specify the aim of your study and include details about why you chose your hypothesis. The introduction should end with a statement of your specific research hypothesis- that is, a clear prediction of what you expect to find through your investigation. The research hypothesis should be clearly justified by previous research. It should be written in an operationalized form, which is precisely testable. The null hypothesis (alternative hypothesis) should state that the results found that are not due to the manipulation of variables, but rather due to chance.

Details of Background Information

List of the References

Internal Assessment An Experiment

What are you going to investigate?

Please state your experimental and null hypotheses

HE HNIV DV

Please state the IV and the DV

What is the DESIGN of your experiment? Independent/Repeated? Please describe your 2 conditions.

Design

Why?

Condition A

Condition B

Give details of the sampling method

Sampling Method

Advantages?

Disadvantages

Give details of the sample Give details of the controls used in the experiment

Will any ethical guidelines be contravened?

What materials are used in the experiment Please give details of the procedure. Starting with gaining consent and ending with debriefing the participants

Data collected please give details of the raw scores

Condition A

Condition B
Mean Mode Median Range Standard Deviation

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

Analysis of Results

Sketch Visual statistic display bar chart to show the means for each condition.

Discussion State what the results show and what you have found.

Evaluation of the procedure and method

Recommendations for future research And effects of different designs and samples

Comments/Notes

Please include your materials that you have used and details of standardised instructions.

Appendices

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