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Writing Results and Discussion Sections
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Writing Results and Discussion Sections
Writing Results and Discussion Sections
Study
1
Question
What is the purpose of a results section in a thesis or dissertation?
Answer
A results section is where you report the main findings of the data collection and analysis you conducted for your thesis or dissertation.
2
Question
How should results be reported in a results section?
Answer
You should report all relevant results concisely and objectively, in a logical order.
3
Question
What should be avoided in the results section?
Answer
Dont include subjective interpretations of why you found these results or what they mean; any evaluation should be saved for the discussion section.
4
Question
What is the importance of separating results from interpretations?
Answer
This gives your reader a clear idea of exactly what you found and keeps the data itself separate from your subjective analysis.
5
Question
In which fields is it not common practice to include a separate results section?
Answer
In some types of qualitative research, such as ethnographies, the results are often woven together with the discussion.
6
Question
What are some best practices for writing a results section?
Answer
Your results should always be written in the past tense, be concise, include only relevant results, avoid speculative words, and start with broad results.
7
Question
What is the logical way to structure quantitative results?
Answer
Frame them around your research questions or hypotheses.
8
Question
What should be included for each research question or hypothesis in quantitative results?
Answer
A reminder of the type of analysis used, a concise summary of each relevant result, and a brief statement of how each result relates to the question.
9
Question
What should you do if results did not fit your expectations?
Answer
You can briefly mention any results that didn't fit with your expectations but save any speculation on their meaning for your discussion and conclusion.
10
Question
What are the specific rules for writing a results section in APA Style?
Answer
These conventions depend on the type of analysis conducted and the style guide being followed.
11
Question
What is the purpose of tables and figures in quantitative research?
Answer
They are used to communicate exact values and visualize trends and relationships.
12
Question
What should be included when reporting survey results using a two-sample t test?
Answer
You should report the correlation found, the t score, p value, and any relevant comparisons.
13
Question
How should qualitative research results be structured?
Answer
Structure around key themes or topics that emerged from the analysis.
14
Question
What should be included when discussing key themes in qualitative research results?
Answer
General observations, recurring points, patterns, and direct quotations from participants.
15
Question
What are the key elements of a discussion section?
Answer
Summary of key results, interpretations, implications, limitations, and recommendations.
16
Question
What should not be included in your discussion section?
Answer
Don't introduce new results, make inflated claims, or undermine your research.
17
Question
What is the first step in writing the discussion section?
Answer
Summarize your key findings concisely and reiterate your research problem.
18
Question
What are some examples of summarization sentence starters?
Answer
The results indicate that, The study demonstrates a correlation between, This analysis supports the theory that, The data suggest that.
19
Question
What should you discuss in the implications part of the discussion section?
Answer
How your results fit with existing knowledge, any new insights contributed, and consequences for theory or practice.
20
Question
What should be acknowledged in the limitations part of the discussion section?
Answer
Limitations should provide an accurate picture of what can and cannot be concluded from your study.
21
Question
What are some examples of limitation sentence starters?
Answer
The generalizability of the results is limited by, The reliability of these data is impacted by, It is beyond the scope of this study to.
22
Question
What should be included in the recommendations section?
Answer
Concrete ideas for future research based on discussions of results and limitations.
23
Question
What is a key finding in the example discussion section about snakebites?
Answer
The analysis showed a well-correlated inverse relationship between snakebite incidence and severe drought phases, with a predictable increase of snakebites following precipitation.
24
Question
What is the contrast mentioned regarding snakebites and climate conditions?
Answer
The study contrasts popular press reports of increased snakebites with drought conditions and Central American research that reported increased incidence of snakebite during high temperatures of El Niño Southern Oscillation (ELSO).
25
Question
What was a key finding regarding the effect of climate changes on snakebites?
Answer
The study found that while climate changes had a predictable effect on incidence, snakebites clustered in regions with the highest precipitation.
26
Question
What was observed about prior precipitation in relation to snakebites?
Answer
Prior precipitation was a strong predictor of snakebites, with incidence peaks following the heavy precipitation years of 2006 and 2011.
27
Question
What limitation did the study acknowledge regarding its findings?
Answer
The study acknowledged the limitation that changes in the medical culture or technology of snakebite reporting may be a confounding variable.
28
Question
What recommendation was made for future research?
Answer
Future work could seek to include additional controls to address the limitations acknowledged in the study.
29
Question
What are the key goals of a conclusion in a research paper?
Answer
The key goals of a conclusion are to restate the problem statement addressed in the paper, summarize overall arguments or findings, and suggest key takeaways from the paper.
30
Question
What should be avoided when starting a conclusion?
Answer
Avoid starting your conclusion with phrases like 'In conclusion' or 'To conclude,' as this can come across as too obvious and make your writing seem unsophisticated.