The results section of a research paper signifies the essential findings and outcome of the study consequent from the approaches followed for collecting and analyzing the information. It simply states the findings, without bias or interpretation, and organized in a rational manner. The result should be in a sequence in which it can set the reader for later interpretation and evaluation. It is always written in a past tense format. Its major purpose is to break down the data and arrange it in the form of a sentence, which presents its significance to the research question.
What Points Should be Included in the Research Section
- Data showed in graphs, tables, figures, and other charts (might be presented in the research text or on a different page).
- Report on data collection, employment, workers, and contributors.
- An appropriate analysis of the data elucidating its connotation in a sentence form.
- Secondary findings, including the secondary outcomes, subgroup analyses, others.
- Data that resembles the key research question(s).
- Avoid writing that information and data, which is not crucial for answering the research question(s).
Steps for Constituting the Result Section
- Deliberate your research results in resemblance to the requirement of the journal and lists your results in a similar way.
- Include figures and tables in the result section to present and demonstrate your data.
- Craft your Results section with the help of findings and figures that you have prepared.
- Evaluate your draft, edit it, and revise it until your report results in the same way as you would like to have them described to your readers.
Tips for Writing Good Result Section
While writing a dissertation, it is important for you to include the result section. It is where you place all your findings and the outcomes of your research. However, it is understood that a good result section should include more than just data. It is also important that your findings should be easy to understand by your readers. The following part explains how you can achieve all the above-mentioned points in your result section.
- Know What You are Required to Do
Different universities have a diverse requirement for writing a result section, which is usually followed by a standalone chapter of discussion on how your findings and research question is related. Your university may ask you to write a separate result section in your dissertation or they may ask you to write combined results and discussion chapters. You are required to know and understand which approach you are following.
- Focus on Relevant Result
If the data collected by you is huge in size, then there is a chance that all your findings are not relevant as per your research paper. The essential part of writing a good result is to gather your reader’s attention to the most relevant information. So, remember to include only relevant data in the result section and save the non-essential data for the appendices.
- Refer Back to the Methodology You Have Used
Every result, which is written in your dissertation, should be originated from the procedure documented in the section of methodology. If you fail to explain how the data in the result section was gathered, then it may become confusing for your readers to understand. If you have explained the technique for gathering the data in the methodology section, then also make sure to include some of the data gathered using that method in the result chapter.
- Visualize It
Make sure to include different visualizations such as charts, graphs, or some images, so that it will make your result section easy to follow. If possible, also use tables to present your results and data, but also make sure to label them carefully.
- Avoid Any Kind of Repetition
If you are showing your data in the form of tables or graphs, then the accompanying writing should consist of something new, instead of just repeating what is already written in the table or graph. Also include some of the relevant control text along with describing the data and pinpointing the reader towards the specific figure or table.
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