How to Write a Results Section 

When conducting research, it is crucial to report the findings of your study before delving into interpretations or analyses. This allows you to convey precisely what the data has shown to the reader, keeping the factual results distinct from your subjective evaluations.

Here are a few recommended best practices for structuring the results section:

• Ensure the reporting of your findings is consistently written in the past tense, as these are the outcomes you have uncovered through your research process.
• While the length of this section should be proportional to the amount of data you have collected and analyzed, aim to present the information in a concise manner.
• Only include results that are directly relevant to addressing your original research questions. Refrain from using speculative or interpretive language that implies subjective assessments.
• If you have additional results that do not fit neatly within the main body of the section, consider relocating them to an appendix or including them as footnotes.
• Structure the section by starting with your broadest, most overarching findings, then gradually transitioning into more granular, yet still pertinent, details. This sequential flow mimics the experience of discussing a category as a whole and then delving into its subcategories.

The fundamental purpose of the results section is to objectively present the facts that your data has revealed without blending in any interpretations or conclusions. Maintaining this clear separation will provide a solid foundation for the discussion section.

Reporting Quantitative Research Results

For quantitative studies, your results section should present the relevant statistical data and measurements you collected through your methodology. This may include:

• Descriptive statistics (e.g. means, standard deviations, frequencies)
• Inferential statistics (e.g. test statistics, p-values, effect sizes) 
• Visual representations like tables, graphs, or charts

When reporting your quantitative findings, be sure to:

1. Start with a concise overview. Provide a high-level summary of your key results, highlighting the most important takeaways.
2. Organize logically. Structure your results by research question, hypothesis, or theme to maintain a coherent flow.
3. Focus on relevance. Only include statistics that directly address your original research objectives. Omit any tangential or supplementary analyses.
4. Avoid interpretation. This section should be purely descriptive – save your explanations and discussions for the later chapters.

Example

The results of the independent samples t-test indicated a statistically significant difference in student test scores between the control group (M = 78.4, SD = 5.2) and the intervention group (M = 85.1, SD = 6.4), t(58) = -4.56, p < .001, d = 1.17. These findings suggest the educational intervention had a significant, positive effect on student achievement.

Reporting Qualitative Research Results

In qualitative dissertations, your results will likely be more narrative, describing the themes, patterns, and insights that emerged from your data. Some key elements to include:

• Summaries of interview responses, observation notes, or document analyses
• Illustrative quotes or excerpts from your data sources
• Explanations of how your coding process led to the identification of central themes

When presenting your qualitative findings:

• Provide context. Give readers the background information they need to understand the significance of your results.
• Be selective. Choose the most salient and representative examples to highlight – don’t overwhelm with excessive detail.
• Link to theory. Explain how your results connect to or extend the theoretical frameworks discussed in your literature review.
• Maintain objectivity. Avoid overt interpretation or speculation – let the data speak for itself in this section.

Example

Three key themes emerged from the analysis of the interview transcripts. First, participants consistently reported feeling unsupported by their school administration when dealing with student disciplinary issues…”. Then, include a relevant quote to illustrate this theme.

Results vs. Discussion vs. Conclusion

It’s essential to understand the distinctions between your results, discussion, and conclusion chapters:

•  Results: This is where you objectively report what your research actually found without interpretation.
• Discussion: Here, you analyze and interpret the meaning and significance of your results in relation to your research questions and existing literature.
• Conclusion: In this final section, you summarize your key takeaways, note the limitations of your study, and suggest avenues for future research.

The results outline what you discovered, the discussion explains why it matters, and the conclusion ties it together.

Checklist: Research Results

Before you finalize your results section, run through this quick checklist:

I have finished gathering data and analyzed the findings.

I have included all pertinent results related to my research questions.

I have concisely and objectively reported each result, including relevant descriptive and inferential statistics.

I have stated whether each hypothesis was supported or refuted.

I have used tables and figures to illustrate my results where appropriate.

All tables and figures are correctly labeled and referenced in the text.

There is no subjective interpretation or speculation on the meaning of the results.