Research Methods Laboratory
Lammers' Writing Tips for the Results Section
Results
This section is used for describing the
results of the research and for evaluating their reliability. It is sometimes
difficult to present your results without also discussing them. In fact, on
occasion, some writers do combine the Results and Discussion sections under one
heading. However, more often than not, the two sections are kept separate. All
data relevant to the purposes of your research should be presented, whether
favorable or unfavorable to your views. Different formats, in addition to verbal
description, can be used. Tables and figures are the most common method used to
supplement and clarify the verbal description. They are intended only as
supplements and should not serve as the only source of information concerning
results. Avoid presenting the same data in several places. (If data appear in a
table, they generally should not appear in a figure and vice versa.)
Different methods are used to determine
whether the obtained results are reliable (significant). When group data are
presented, the results are usually analyzed statistically and their reliability
(significance level) reported in terms of a t,
F, Χ2,
or other statistics along with a given p (probability) value. When a
single-subject approach is used, data from individual
participants are presented and their reliability is assessed by
intra-subject and inter-subject replication.
A reasonably standard format is used
when reporting tests of significance. First, a verbal description of the results
(data) are given. This is followed by presenting the outcome of statistical
analyses of these results. For example, after describing the data obtained with
Groups A and B under two different conditions, you might then report the
following: "The difference between Group A and B under the first condition
was significant, F(1,21) = 9.01, p<.01, but it was not
significant under the second condition, F(1,21) = 1.55, p>.05."
Note the manner in which the statistical test is reported. First, the symbol of
the statistic is given (italicized), followed by the degrees of freedom
(parentheses), an equal sign followed by the value of the statistic, a comma, an
underlined lower case p (probability), followed by a less than < or greater
than > sign, and finally the level of significance. Again we state, it is
important to first describe your data and only then give the outcome of tests
of significance.