(B) Rationale
Rationale given?
Explains link from background research to study?
(C) Aims
Aim(s) stated?
Clear - they say what you are doing?
Relevant - they say why you are doing it?
(D) Hypotheses
Hypothesis(es) stated?
Relavent and correctly say what is expected?
Stated concisely?
(E) Method and design
Method described accurately?
Enough detail?
Reason given for choosing that method?
(F) Variables
Variables stated correctly (usually IV and DV)?
Variables operationised (made measurable)?
It is very clear what you are measuring?
(G) Participants
Sampling technique correctly identified?
If you said it is random, is it really random?
Participants described (age, gender, region, etc.)?
Number of participants given?
Identified exactly how you found find
them, and where from?
(H) Apparatus
Suitable?
Described in detail (with diagram if appropriate)?
Scoring system described, if appropriate?
Details given of how apparatus was prepared?
Details given of why apparatus was chosen?
(I) Procedure
What was clearly stated so it can be repeated?
Has someone read it to check that it can be done again?
(J) Controls
Identified what might have caused the
result, other than IV?
Ethical guidelines on right to withdraw followed?
Ethical guidelines of no deception followed?
Ethical guidelines on consent followed?
Special guidelines regarding
children and others followed?
Ethical guideline of confidentiality followed?
Other ethical guidelines followed?
Ethical guideline referred to clearly?
All things besides IV controlled for and explained?
(K) Summary table
Accurate and appropriate summary table given?
Table clearly and suitably labelled?
Descriptive statistics included where appropiate?
Where descriptive statistics
not appropiate, is this explained?
(L) Summary table commentary
Results in table explained in words with
trends given?
Accurate and useful comments made about
trends?
Detailed comments about trends given?
(M) Graphs, pie charts, mean, median,
mode etc.
Suitable graphs included?
Suitable descriptive statistics used?
Where graphs not suitable, are tabled results
clear?
Graphs are well labelled and clear?
(N) Commentary on descriptive statistics
Comments made about trends shown by graphs?
Comments made about trends
shown by descriptive statistics?
Where appropriate, percentages given?
(O) Relationship to hypothesis(es)
Hypothesis restated and linked to results?
Were the expectations fulfilled (did it
work)?
Were the results explained in terms of the
hypothesis?
Was the explanation detailed and clear?
(P) Validity
How variables were measured
(operationalised) identified?
Operationalised linked to validity (real
life)?
Mention of ecological validity or lack of
(if appropriate)?
Is the study valid and reasons for / against
given?
(Q) Improving validity
Suggstions made for making more valid?
Suggstions detailed as a further study?
Suggstions detailed as improving this study?
Explanation given on how
suggestions would affect results?
(R) Reliability
Reliability of this study referred to?
Suggstions given as to why this study might
not repeated with same results?
Problems in methology referred to?
Problems in controls (or lack of) mentioned?
Problems in sampling (causing bias) referred
to?
Problems in apparatus referred to?
Problems with standardisation instructions
referred to?
Problems with procedure referred to?
All above discussed concisely?
(S) Improving reliability
Alternatives suggested to improve problems?
More than one suggestion made?
Effect(s) of suggestion(s) outlined in detail?
(T) Implications of study
Background research referred
to again - linked to findings?
Detailed descussion of findings related
to theory?
Implications of study discussed?
(U) Generalisation of findings
Results generalisable to target population?
Have you explained why?
Problems og generalising (e.g. poor sampling)
explained?
(V) Application to everyday life
Findings linked with everyday life situations?
Have you done this in detail, giving examples?
(W) References
All names used listed alphabetically?
Complete reference (from back to book) given?
(X) Presentation
Required headings used (see this list)?
Presented clearly - pages numbered, etc.?
Contents page included?
Document word - processed and spell checked?
All the above elements included?
