1st Step (Chapter 1): Scientific overview and background

In your chapter 1 you write (besides other parts) about the application of relevant basic knowledge from Psychology and the chosen focus area on your chosen research topic and hypotheses.

You learn psychological knowledge (standard Psychology and focus area) best when you have a problem or challenge that you are highly motivated to solve (Research proposal). So, you do research in standard psychological knowledge: General Psychology, Communication Psychology, Industrial Psychology, Social Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Neuropsychology, Differential Psychology… and in relevant knowledge from the chosen focus area for relevant information in accordance with your research proposal.

This is practical psychology applied first hand. With the basic ideas of your research proposal and what you find out about relevant psychological knowledge you already create the first draft of your first chapter of your final paper. Here you show that you can apply this knowledge pragmatically. By combining this knowledge with your very specific goal-oriented motivation we offer you the chance to learn effective, efficient and fast. In this first phase, you already find out useful facts that you can use in your practical and professional life. And you learn to approach problems with the help of psychological thinking and research – Science that creates practical useful knowledge.

PhD Students get the opportunity to deepen in this step their psychological knowledge by tutoring other students through e.g. creating Moodle courses.

2nd Step (Chapter 2): Psychological research

Here you look for relevant scientific research (findings from 3 to 5 research projects) regarding your research question. Who has already scientifically found out what and how, regarding your research interest? What does this mean for your research design? How do these findings influence your research questions or hypothesis? Here you cite from relevant psychological literature and scientific researches. This way you learn much about how psychological research is done well.

With this material you create the first draft of your second chapter of your MA or PhD/Dr. thesis

3rd Step (Chapter 3): Qualitative expert interviews

Here, you deal with a qualitative research method interviewing at least 3 experts regarding the area of your research question. This has so far proved a very rewarding source of new inspiration and insights. Correctly used you can collect “presents” from colleges who give you their recommendations and experience for free. Usually this will highly influence your research questions and hypotheses and the further approach of your research. With this inspiration, you may want to look at some research that your experts recommended and optimize your chapter 2. And the findings of your qualitative interviews are your chapter 3 of your MA or PhD/Dr. thesis.

4th Step (Chapter 4): Quantitative psychological research method (research design)

In this step you develop on the basis of all your experiences from your previous steps a quantitative questionnaire or you can use a standard psychological questionnaire in order to test your hypotheses. For this questionnaire, it is good to have at least 50 subjects (study participants). In this step, you justify and write in detail about your quantitative methodological approach and discuss precisely how this will help to acquire new scientific knowledge for your research questions and hypotheses. This is your chapter 4 of your MA or PhD/Dr. thesis.

5th Step (Chapter 5): Presentation of your research findings

You present here in detail the results of your research. What have you found out? Which results are significant? What can be interpreted from your results, dates and facts? Here you present them in different charts. This is your chapter 5 of your MA or PhD/Dr. thesis.

6th Step (Chapter 6): Critical discussion of your findings incl. outlook

Here, you will critically reflect the results and methods and give a perspective on what you can do with it and what further research is needed. This is your chapter 6 of your MA or PhD/Dr. thesis.

7th Step (Chapter 7): Summary

This summary should be easy to read and to understand as well for people without a psychological background about what you have found and how this can be used. This is your chapter 7 of your MA or PhD/Dr. thesis.

Of course, the requirements are different depending on the desired degree.
The different requirements are defined by the Dublin Descriptors that you can find on the pages 14/15 in appendix 4 a) of the guidelines: