Criteria Marks
Title 0%
a.     Summarises the findings of the study or the focus of investigation  
ABSTRACT: Providing an overview of the study- its aims, method, results, and implications 5%
a.     Gives a complete, but succinct summary of the aims / study rationale, sample, methods, results, and key implications / conclusions of the study.  
INTRODUCTION: Explaining the importance of the study and how it addresses a problem or gap in the literature 15%
a.     Identifies the general relevance of the area of study  
b.     Provides a purposeful and critical integrative overview of relevant existing knowledge on the topic (including definitions).  
c.      Identifies the specific rationale and aims for this study within this topic and their contribution to addressing a problem.  
d.     Provides hypotheses (or where appropriate research questions) that follow from  a reasoned argument stemming from reviewed literature.  
METHOD: A detailed description of what was done to answer the research question 5%
a.    Provides a detailed description of the sample (inc. number of participants, age range).  
RESULTS: A detailed description of how the data were prepared and analysed, and what was found 35%
a.    Presents relevant descriptive statistics to contextualise research questions/hypotheses  
b.    Specifies the analyses conducted to address particular research questions.  
c.     Reports and describes the results of these analyses (but does not interpret them).  
DISCUSSION: Interpretation and synthesis of the results in relation to (i) the hypotheses, (ii) the research question/aims, and (iii) the broader literature 35%
a.    Summarises the aims of the study and the results in comparison to the hypotheses (or research questions).  
b.    Provides an explanation/interpretation of the results that contextualises them within the world (implications) and the broader literature.  
c.     Identifies, explains and discusses any limitations which compromise the internal or external validity of the study.  
d.    Provides directions for future research that stem directly from the results of the current study.  
e.    Summarises the contribution to the literature with respect to the aims of the study  
SCIENTIFIC WRITING STYLE 5%
a.    Evidence (in the form of references, results or reasoning) is provided for all assertions of fact.  
b.    Argument is structured in a manner that is logical and integrated.  
c.     Concepts drawn from other sources are paraphrased and cited.  
d.    Spelling and grammar are correct.  
e.    The document is formatted as per specified style.  
f.      Word limit is adhered to.