GNSCI 153A: Physiology of Mental Health: Research Tips

A student might meet with a librarian to discuss:

1. Finding Resources: To get help locating books, articles, and other materials relevant to their research topic.
2. Research Strategies: To learn effective search techniques and strategies for navigating databases and online resources.
3. Citation Assistance: To receive guidance on properly citing sources and citation management strategies.
4. Evaluating Sources: To get tips on assessing the credibility and relevance of sources.
5. Narrowing Topics: To refine or narrow down a broad research topic into a more manageable scope.
6. Developing Research Questions: To get help formulating strong, researchable questions.
7. Using Library Services: To learn how to use specific library services, such as interlibrary loan.

The video below will demonstrate effective searching in many of our recommended for this course. These databases are hosted by EBSCO: PsycARTICLES, PsycINFO, Health Source, and MEDLINE Ultimate.

Catalog Tutorial Activities

Brief Orientation || Full Orientation

The abstract is a brief summary of your  paper. It should be descriptive enough that another fellow scientist can review this section and understand your study’s purpose, methods, key findings, and conclusion without reading the full paper.

When writing an abstract make sure to include:

• Background information and objective of your study (state your hypothesis)
• A brief description of your methods, including the study type, sample size, and specific techniques. 
• Key results of your study, especially statistically significant findings. 
• A summary of your conclusion and weather your hypothesis was supported

Tips:

• Be concise! Most abstracts are roughly 250 - 500 words
• Focus on your methods and results
• Write it last, after the rest of your paper is complete
• Avoid jargon and vague language
• Make sure it stands alone and doesn’t repeat the introduction 

The introduction explains why your research matters and how it fits within existing scientific knowledge. It sets the stage for your study and leads into your hypothesis. 

When writing an introduction make sure to include:

• A brief review of relevant literature 
• A clear explanation of your research question or problem
• Why your topic is important and how it relates to previous work
• Your hypothesis stated near the end

Tips:

• Use the present tense
• Be clear and concise
• Clearly state your objectives
• Refer to key studies that support your topic

The materials and methods section is used to describe how you conducted your study so that other scientists can replicate your study. Be detailed and systematic in your explanation. 

 When writing a materials and methods section make sure to include:

• Your experimental design and procedures
• The materials and equipment used
• Description of subjects or samples, including recruitment and selection processes
• Data collection methods and measurements
• Statistical analysis tools used

Tips:

• Use the past tense
• Be precise and direct
• Include enough detail to reproduce your study
• Organize your information in a logical order

The results section is used to describe your experimental findings. This section should only include your direct observations, data, and statistical significance of your results. Do not include any interpretations of the data. 

 When writing the results section be sure to include:

• Sample size and demographics (n=...)
• Results of statistical analysis (p=..., Std. Dev.)
• Key observations from your experiment
• Relevant charts and figures visualizing your data

Tips:

• Use the past tense
• Present your results in a logical sequence
• Only present your data, avoid any interpretation or citations
• Ensure all visuals are labeled and understandable on their own

The discussion section is used to interpret your data and explain their significance. It connects your findings (results section) with your hypothesis and broader scientific context (introduction).

When writing the discussion section make sure to include:

• Interpretation of key results and statistical figures
• Whether your hypothesis was supported or rejected
• Relevance of your findings to the existing research
• Possible explanations or limitations of your findings
• Suggestions for future research. 

Tips:

• Remain focused on your study and avoid over generalizing your results
• Compare your results with other relevant research
• Include relevant references
• Only make conclusions that are directly supported by your results
• Use clear and concise writing

Some papers include a separate conclusion section, while others combine it with the discussion. The conclusion section wraps up your paper and emphasizes the importance of your findings to the larger scientific context.  

When writing the conclusion section, make sure to include:

• A brief summary of your study
• Restate your hypothesis and whether if was supported by the data
• Address any limitations of your study
• Suggest new avenues of research or future areas of study

Tips:

• Be concise and confident in your writing
• Focus on your findings and their significance
• Avoid introducing new information
• Do not summarize your entire paper, focus on the key takeaways

Scientists do not work in a vacuum of knowledge, rather all science is built off of the work of others. The references section credits the sources you used and shows how your work fits into the broader scientific conversation.

A reference section should include:

• Citations for every source referenced in your paper

Tips:

• Only included sources cited in your text
• Alphabetize your list
• Use a consistent citation style
• Double check your reference list for accuracy and proper formatting prior to submission