How to write the results section of your research paper.
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My name is Antony P and I give lectures and seminars to the top universities in Asia on
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With my team of over 100 academic English experts, we have created free content such
as this to help you write your research paper and get your research published.
In this video we will discuss what to include in a Results section, how to use charts and
figures in a results section, and we will discuss the 6 steps on how to write your results
section.
Let’s jump in.
How to write the Results section of your academic research paper
For: thesis, dissertation, journal paper, conference paper, essay, and research report
What is the Results section, and what does the Results section do?
The Results section of a scientific research paper represents the core findings of a study.
It presents these findings in a logical sequence without bias or interpretation from the author.
The Results section breaks your data into sentences directly linking them to your research
question.
What is included in the Results section?
The Results section should describe the findings of your study.
The Results section does not need much else.
The findings include:
Data presented in tables, charts, graphs, and figures
Data analysis Data corresponding to the research questions
Secondary findings
If you have a lot of data, only state the most relevant data to your research question.
What is not included in the Results section?
To keep the Results section clear for readers, avoid including these:
Avoid including explanations and interpretations of the data
Avoid including secondary results that do not contribute to answering the research question
Next section, How to organize your findings Here are some organization tips to help you
clearly present your findings.
Restate one of your research questions, then present the data that addresses that research
question.
Do this for all of your research questions.
Group similar data together.
For example, start with the positive results, then the neutral results, then the negative
results.
Group data in chronological order.
For example: start with data from the 80s, then 90s, then the 2000s.
Presenting your findings in one of these ways will help the reader follow your narrative.
How to use charts in your Results section When you decide to include a chart or graph
to illustrate data, create them with your research question in-mind.
Let’s do a simple example.
Take this research question, “How do newly developed teaching methods impact average
test scores in a fifth grade classroom?”
Now, let's turn this question into an easy to interpret graph!
This figure is captioned: “Average test score change in a fifth-grade classroom after
two weeks of teacher-led review”
Can you see how this directly answers the research question: “How do newly developed
teaching methods impact average test scores in a fifth grade classroom?”
Taking a look at the structure of this chart, we can see clearly labeled X and Y axes.
The chart is easy for the reader to interpret, and easy for the reader to compare the different
methods to each other and to the control group.
Your data will likely look more complex than this simple example, however, the design principles
you learned here can be applied to your data and figures.
Captioning and referencing tables and figures Captioning your tables helps readers understand
the data you’re presenting.
Remember that while figures clarify and enhance the text, they cannot replace it.
Now, time for some useful tips.
Follow these to nail your paper’s structure and readability.
It is vital that you consult the standards and requirements for captioning and referencing
captions.
Consult the standards of the particular journal to which you will be submitting the paper.
Standards and formatting may vary greatly from one journal to another and so you may
have a few variations of the same paper if submitting to multiple journals.
Use previous papers published by your target journal or MS Word templates for reference
and inspiration.
Every figure you place in the Results section must be referenced in the text.
Place your figures in the order that they are referenced.
Need some more resources?
Uni-edit has you covered; We have already made a video just for you on journal instructions
for authors that you can visit in the description below.
Onto our next section How to reference tables, charts, and figures
in your Results section
Now, how can you write about your results in your paper?
The first step is to give the basic information about how the study went.
For example, “In total, 60 students were enrolled in the study, with 15 per group.
Three students dropped out during the study for personal reasons."
Here is a tip!
Be concise.
Long sentences do not always help the reader understand complex ideas or data.
For example, “The students who practiced method 3 showed the greatest improvement,
with an increase of 4.5% in their average test scores (Fig. 1).
Methods 1 and 2 yielded smaller (but similar) increases in average test scores, and the
change in scores in the control group was negligible” Also, in the text, write about
most interesting and important results -- don't mention every single one.
This quickly gets boring for readers!
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Onto our next topic.
The, 6 steps for writing a great Results section
Step 1: Read your target journal’s guidelines for authors
Find the specific requirements for the Results section in the Instructions for Authors, and
follow them carefully.
Note length limitations and restrictions.
For example, some journals may combine the Results and the Discussion sections into a
single section.
Consider the aims and mission of the journal to best align your results with the journal’s
goals.
Often journals have a very specific goal in how they wish to present research for their
readership.
By tailoring your Results section that aligns with the specific goal for the readership,
you will increase your chance of being accepted for publication by the journal editors.
Read some papers published by your target journal on a similar topic, or some papers
that follow the same research design and writing format.
By following that approach of previously published papers, you can feel confident your approach
meets the standard of your target journal.
Step 2: Outline your Results section This is similar to making a rough draft.
You could organize your results into chronological order
You could organize your results in a hierarchy of importance
You could copy the order that information was presented in the Introduction
You could copy the order that information was presented in the Methods
Step 3: Design your charts
Number tables and figures in the order that they are presented
The Data you present should be easy to interpret on their own, without explanation
Use tables and figures as a way to enhance your narrative and guide your reader through
your text Step 4: Draft your Results section
Finally you can start some serious writing!
Restate your research questions in the opening of the Results section.
Summarize key findings at the end of the results section as a transition into the Discussion
section.
Write in the past tense, and active voice, as your research has already been done.
Your goal is to convey complex data clearly and concisely.
Remember, long sentences do not make your point more understandable.
Ask yourself, could I have written this same sentence in fewer words?
Step 5: Edit and revise your Results The editing process will take a long time.
Anticipate this and schedule editing time into your calendar.
Editing and revision should not wait until the week before submission!
As yourself, does your text report your results exactly?
Double-check the accuracy and consistency of all the data, as well as your figures.
Read your draft aloud to catch errors or awkward phrasing.
Look back over your paper’s Introduction and Methodology.
Did you report your findings in a way consistent with your introduction and methodology?
Does your paper flow well?
Peer review.
Ask classmates, colleagues, and professors to read over your paper.
Read their comments carefully and be grateful for their feedback.
This is a pillar of academic writing!
Enjoy it.
Step 6: Hire a professional editor Have your paper edited professionally by a
native speaker of English.
Uni-edit has a team of native-English editors from the USA, UK and Australia.
We edit all kinds of academic texts in preparation for submission or publication.
Using our service gives your research the best chance to make a real impact by fixing
language mistakes, by making your English read naturally, and by increasing the clarity
of your ideas.
Learn about our journal paper English editing service you can visit this website in the
description below.
You can also hire me directly for one-on-one tutoring!
For more information you can visit this website in the description below.
I'd love to work with you!
That’s all for today.
Your Results section is critical in reporting your research findings to the world.
Good luck in your writing process and we hope to see you here again soon!
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