Papers in Psychology: A Comprehensive Resource for Research and Writing

Psychology is an extremely interesting yet quite confusing and complicated science. As a student of the psychology faculty, you might receive lots of written assignments. Psychology papers aren’t easy to complete, but once you realize and understand how to do it properly, you will surely enjoy the process.

If that specific science isn’t your strongest side and your writing skills leave much to be desired, check the following guide and see how to master these complicated (at first sight) essays and conduct your preliminary research.

What Are Psychology Papers?

Any student who studies psychology will have to complete certain assignments. Papers assigned in psychology aren’t simple essays, and you can complete the following types of papers:

• Essay;
• Case study;
• Lab report;
• Critique paper.

All these papers require different approaches and knowledge, of course. However, many of them are based on the same principles and rules. Therefore, you should stick to the following structure and tips when working on your psychology papers.

The Structure of Psychology Papers

Regardless of what type of psychology papers you are working on, your papers will have the same structure. Papers in psychology have a standard structure:

• Introduction;
• Main body;
• Conclusion.

As you can see, any paper in psychology will consist of the same parts as papers in other subjects. However, there are some peculiarities you should keep in mind when working on your paper, so check them right now.

Psychology papers’ introduction

This is the very first part of any psychology paper, and it is the first thing your readers will see. You should, naturally, make it interesting and eye-grabbing. In this part, you should disclose why the topic is so significant, what its history is, what findings and theories are related to it, and what your thesis statement or claim on this topic or issue is.

You are right, and you should include all this in just a small introduction. As a rule, this part doesn’t contain more than five sentences. For that reason, you should make sure that your initial paragraph is interesting and attention-grabbing enough. It shouldn’t contain boring sentences but something really intriguing, for example, a rhetorical question, good quote, or undeniable and shocking fact, etc.

Main body

The main body is the longest part of any paper, and it should contain at least three paragraphs. However, you can include more if you conduct deeper research or want to cover more issues. You would need to include more paragraphs in your paper if your professor requires it.

Here, you should provide all evidence to support each of your claims. Also, it is necessary to provide evidence that contradicts your claim and describe previously done research on the topic.

The discussion usually has several stages, and at each of them, you should provide separate evidence. It will help you support each of the conclusions you are trying to make. The main body is the part of your paper where you should convince your reader of your idea and provide evidence that is convincing enough.

Psychology papers’ conclusion

This part can be called not only a conclusion but also discussion or implications. Here, you should provide your final conclusions. You should also say what questions are still open and need further discussion. State what exactly your ending means for the research and theories made by others.

Your thesis statement must be repeated in the conclusion. However, you should not just copy-paste it. It must be well rewritten, so the reader would get the main idea mentioned in your introduction and memorized it.

It is also necessary to return to the issues you covered in the introduction and main body. Discuss the possible significance of your research for everyday life or existing studies on the topic. The ending should make your readers think of the issues. Therefore, it should be interesting and memorable.

How to Write a Psychology Paper: Helpful Tips

Of course, a psychology paper is complicated but only for those who have never written it. If you learn how to do it step by step, you will not only stop being scared or confused by it but will enjoy the process of very interesting and captivating research and proof collection.

Some teachers require a specific approach to each paper. Before you even start, you should not only gain some good writing skills but also clearly understand what you must write about. The type of sources to use are also crucial for your success. Stick to the following basics if you want to succeed.

Case study in psychology writing tips

A case study is mandatory for students studying psychology, especially such branches as child development or psychotherapy. You will surely write about an individual. This person can be either real or non-existing at all. Your task will be to imagine your subject.

Case studies can be different, but most likely, they include:

• Your client’s detailed history;
• Issue’s description;
• Diagnosis;
• Possible treatment suggestion.

It is very interesting to write about someone and look for possible ways of treatment. You deeply explore an individual. Students should investigate the person’s motivation and behavior. Even if you aren’t good at writing, you will surely enjoy working on your case work.

Lab report in psychology

If you attend psychology courses, you might be required to write a lab report. A lab report resembles a professional journal article. Therefore, if you want to understand better how to create a good lab report, you should read a few articles containing research.

When writing a lab report in psychology, you should:

• Provide a precise overview of your experiment or research;
• Write a detailed overview of the study conducted.

Critique paper in psychology

Psychology students are often required to write a critique paper. There are different types of such papers, for example:

• A critique on a book;
• Journal article critique;
• A critique on a psychological theory.

If you believe that this is a challenging task for you, check the following tips and write your perfect psychology writing on your own.

Some Important Stages of Psychology Paper Writing

Let’s say you created a great introduction with a strong thesis statement, a thoughtful and informative main body, and a memorable ending as described above. Don’t hurry to consider your paper complete yet because there are many other things to keep in mind before submitting your writing.

Proofreading and editing

These two steps are a must if you are going to provide a flawless and smooth paper in psychology. Even if you believe you worked too hard and the writing is simply perfect, just put it aside for a while and get back in a few hours and better the next day.

You will be really surprised to find any errors, grammar mistakes, and typos. You will also see some sentences are quite illogical and must be rewritten or eliminated at all. When some sentences don’t convey any sense, you should get rid of them. Leave only the most accurate and precise ones.

It would be perfect to ask someone else to read your writing. You are not a machine, and it is not difficult to miss your own mistakes. An unbiased person will notice them at once and tell you if something needs to be improved.

Don’t forget about formatting

Formatting is an integral part of the writing process, and you cannot forget about it. Most likely, you are required to write your paper in the APA format. Check all requirements to that style, and make sure to check your page format, references, and citations. All this must comply with the required format. Otherwise, you risk losing some points.

Psychology Papers Topics

If your professor assigned you a good topic, you are lucky because you may start researching it at once without losing any single minute. However, if he or she left this choice to you to select the topic, you might need some inspiration for completing good writing.

Check the topics below to understand how a good paper in psychology should be titled and pick a topic for your paper.

1. Eating disorders caused by childhood traumas.
2. Strong self-perception and its importance.
3. The impact of amnesia on brain activity.
4. The causes of panic attacks.
5. Multiple personality disorders and their treatments.
6. Dementia symptoms and treatments.
7. Yoga and human psychology.
8. Midlife crises of men and women: similarities and differences.
9. ADHD causes and treatments.
10.   Peer pressure and its effect on teenagers.

We hope now you got the idea of good topics for your writing.

Conclusion

A paper in psychology can be an exciting and very captivating task for many students. However, without specific knowledge or skills, it may turn into a disaster for anyone. If you don’t want to feel like yours is a challenge impossible to overcome, you should follow the rules and basics above and facilitate the process of writing a lot.

Starting beforehand is a must because psychology isn’t the easiest science to master. Therefore, creating a good paper requires some time. However, if you have been procrastinating for some reason or simply cannot craft a paper on your own, it is always better to use professional help with choosing a research paper topic.

When you order a paper from our experts, you receive a top-notch paper of any type and academic level that meets all of your expectations and requirements. Don’t forget that real professionals can create winning papers in a matter of an eye blink!