This checklist should be used as a guide only.
| Have you used 1" margins on the left and right sides,
from the bottom, and from the top
to the first line of TEXT? |
_____ |
| Are the parts of the report in the correct order? | _____ |
| Have you double-spaced between lines throughout the report? | _____ |
| Is EACH page (except figures) headed by a short title and page number? | _____ |
| Are the pages numbered consecutively? | _____ |
| Is the main body of the report (intro, method, results, discussion) typed on continuous pages? | _____ |
| Have you used 5 to 7 space paragraph indents throughout the report? | _____ |
| Have you typed all the titles and headings in upper and lower-case letters (except the text of the running head)? | _____ |
| Have you avoided word breaks at the end of lines? | _____ |
| Have you CAREFULLY read over your paper and corrected typos and spelling errors? | _____ |
| Title Page: | |
| Is your title no longer than 15 words? | _____ |
| Are the title, your name and affiliation: centered on the page? | _____ |
| centered on each line? | _____ |
| Is the running head: no longer than 50 words? | _____ |
| flush left at the top of the page? | _____ |
| itself typed entirely in capital letters? | _____ |
| Introduction: | |
| Is the introduction headed by your title, NOT by the word “Introduction”? | _____ |
| Are reference citations complete and accurate? | _____ |
| Have you included all authors’ names in the first citation? | _____ |
| Have you used “and” to connect authors’ names when the citation appears in the text? | _____ |
| Have you used an ampersand (&) to connect authors’ names in parenthetical citations? | _____ |
| Have you consistently used the past tense or present perfect tense for the literature review, and the purpose and hypotheses of your study? | _____ |
| Is the description of your study’s purpose and hypotheses at the end of the introduction, AFTER the literature review? | _____ |
| Method: | |
| Have you begun typing the method immediately after the end of the introduction? | _____ |
| Is the method headed by the CENTERED word “Method”? | _____ |
| Have you organized the method into subsections, using margin headings? (e.g., Participants, Materials, Procedure)? | _____ |
| Have you included a power analysis with the appropriate
reference(s) in the
"Participants" section? |
_____ |
| Have you organized the Procedure subsection, using paragraph headings when needed? (e.g., instructions to participants, manipulation of your IV, Dependent measures, Manipulation check, Debriefing) | _____ |
| Is the method section ENTIRELY written in the future tense? | _____ |
| Planned Analysis: | |
| Have you begun typing the planned analysis section immediately after the end of the method section? | _____ |
| Is the results section headed by the CENTERED word “Planned Analysis”? | _____ |
| Have you included a statement regarding the alpha level you are using to evaluate the analyses and what effect size you will be using? (click here for a sample) | _____ |
| Have you organized the planned analysis section into subsections using margin headings? | _____ |
| If you are using planned contrasts, then have you included
contrast codes in a table?
(sample contrast codes table) |
_____ |
| Have you used future tense throughout the planned analysis section? | _____ |
| Did you capitalize the independent variable names linked by “x’s” (e.g., Favor x Participant Sex interaction)? | _____ |
| Have you included a manipulation check analysis? | _____ |
| Have you stated your expected findings (e.g., main effects and interactions if you are using ANOVA)? | _____ |
| Have you described the expected group differences in words? | _____ |
| Discussion: | |
| Have you begun typing the discussion immediately after the end of the results? | _____ |
| Is the discussion section headed by the CENTERED word “Discussion”? | _____ |
| Are reference citations complete and accurate? | _____ |
| Have you considered starting the discussion with a summary? | _____ |
| Have you referred to the research hypothesis, purpose, or question stated in the introduction? | _____ |
| Have you discussed the expected results? | _____ |
| What theoretical implications would your expected results have? | _____ |
| What are the strengths and limitations of the study? | _____ |
| References: | |
| Did you begin the reference list on a new page? | _____ |
| Is the reference list page headed by the centered word “References”? | _____ |
| Are the references listed in alphabetical order by the first author’s last name? | _____ |
| Is the first line of each reference indented 5 spaces? | _____ |
| Are subsequent lines within a reference flush with the left margin? | _____ |
| Appendices: | |
| Have you included an informed consent form? | _____ |
| Have you included copies of the materials you will be using? (scales, tests, scenarios, etc.) | _____ |
| Have you included an explanation of study form? | _____ |
| Tables: | |
| Is each table typed on a separate page? | _____ |
| Does each table have the short title and page number in the upper right hand corner? | _____ |
| Is each table numbered consecutively according to its order in the results section? | _____ |
| Is each table identified by the heading “Table” and number typed flush with the left margin? | _____ |
| Figures: | |
| Is each figure drawn on a separate page? | _____ |
| Is each figure numbered consecutively according to its
description in the results
section? |
_____ |
| In content of the figure: is the vertical axis about two-thirds the length of the horizontal axis? | _____ |
| is the IV on the horizontal axis? | _____ |
| is the DV on the vertical axis? | _____ |
| are units on the vertical and horizontal axis spaced equally? | _____ |
| did you use a representative scale for the DV? | _____ |
| are the IV and DV labels typed parallel to their respective axes? | _____ |
| are the plotted lines labeled, or have you used the distinctive plot points with a legend? | _____ |