To write a results section, report what you found in a logical order, without interpreting it, using text, tables and figures that answer each research question in turn. Interpretation belongs in the discussion.
This guide explains what to include, how to organise findings, how to report statistics, when to use tables and figures, how qualitative results differ and which mistakes cost marks.
What a Results Section Must Do
- Report findings relevant to each research question or hypothesis.
- Follow a clear order, usually the order of your questions or your method.
- Present key numbers accurately, with the right statistics.
- Use tables and figures where they make data clearer, and refer to each one.
- Stay objective, saving explanation and meaning for the discussion.
The Role of the Results Section
In a research paper, dissertation or lab report, the results section is the factual record of what your study found. It sits between the method, which explains what you did, and the discussion, which explains what it means.
Readers often turn to the results first to judge whether the study delivered. They want to see clearly, without having to dig, whether each hypothesis was supported and how large the effects were.
Keeping the results neutral protects your credibility. When findings and interpretation are mixed, readers cannot tell where the data ends and your opinion begins.
What to Include and What to Leave Out
| Include | Leave out |
|---|---|
| Descriptive statistics for your sample and key variables | Raw data and every individual response |
| Results of each test linked to a research question | Explanations of why results occurred |
| Test statistics, degrees of freedom, p-values and effect sizes | Comparisons with other studies |
| Unexpected or non-significant findings that bear on your questions | Repetition of methods already described |
| Tables and figures with clear labels | Charts that duplicate a table exactly |
Non-significant results still belong here. Leaving them out gives a misleading picture and is a common reason examiners question a study's integrity.
How to Order Your Findings
Most results sections follow a predictable sequence. Readers find it easiest when the order mirrors your research questions.
- Participants or sample: response rate, final sample size and key characteristics.
- Preliminary checks: data screening, missing data and whether test assumptions were met.
- Descriptive statistics: means, standard deviations or frequencies for main variables.
- Main analyses: one subsection per research question or hypothesis.
- Additional analyses: any exploratory tests, clearly labelled as such.
Use subheadings that match your research questions in longer papers and dissertations. A short sentence at the start of each subsection reminds the reader which question it answers.
Reporting Statistics Clearly
Report statistics in the format your style guide requires. In APA 7th, statistical symbols are italicised, exact p-values are given to two or three decimal places, and p-values below .001 are reported as p < .001.
Independent t-test: Patients in the rounding group reported lower anxiety (M = 3.2, SD = 1.1) than those receiving usual care (M = 4.0, SD = 1.3), t(118) = 3.64, p < .001, d = 0.66.
Chi-square: Fall rates differed between wards, χ²(1, N = 240) = 5.12, p = .024.
Correlation: Hours of sleep were negatively correlated with fatigue scores, r(98) = −.42, p < .001.
These figures are illustrative. Always report effect sizes alongside significance tests where your field expects them, because a significant result can still be a small effect.
Writing About Numbers
Lead with the finding, then give the statistics in support. "Anxiety was lower in the rounding group" tells the reader what matters; the numbers that follow prove it.
Avoid repeating every value from a table in the text. Highlight the main pattern and refer the reader to the table for detail.
Using Tables and Figures
Tables and figures should make data easier to understand, not decorate the page. Choose the format that suits what you need to show.
| Use a table when | Use a figure when |
|---|---|
| Readers need exact values | The pattern or trend matters more than exact values |
| You are comparing several variables across groups | You are showing change over time |
| You report descriptive statistics or regression results | You want to show a distribution or relationship |
- Number every table and figure in the order you mention it.
- Give each a clear, descriptive title.
- Refer to each one in the text before it appears.
- Label axes, units and abbreviations.
- Do not present the same data in both a table and a figure.
Results in Qualitative Research
In qualitative studies, the results section, often called findings, presents themes rather than statistics. Each theme is described, explained and supported with short quotations from participants.
Theme: Feeling noticed. Most participants described scheduled rounding as reassuring because it meant staff checked on them before they had to ask. One participant explained, "I stopped worrying about pressing the button, because I knew someone would come" (Participant 7). Others linked the visits to sleeping better at night.
The example is illustrative. In your own work, quotations must come from your real participants, with identities protected using codes or pseudonyms.
Some qualitative traditions combine findings and discussion in one chapter. Check your department's expectations before deciding.
How Results Sections Differ by Paper Type
The core job stays the same, but the scale and style shift depending on what you are writing.
| Paper type | What the results section usually looks like |
|---|---|
| Lab report | Short, focused on measurements and calculations, often with one or two graphs |
| Undergraduate research project | Descriptive statistics plus one or two main tests, organised by hypothesis |
| Master's or doctoral dissertation | A full chapter with subsections per research question and several tables |
| Journal-style paper | Concise, with detailed tables and supplementary material online |
| Qualitative study | A findings section built around themes and participant quotations |
Whatever the type, check your rubric for required subheadings. Some departments want results grouped by hypothesis; others prefer grouping by variable or data source.
Tense, Tone and Length
Write results in the past tense, because you are reporting what happened in your study: "Scores increased", "Participants reported". Use the present tense when directing the reader to a table: "Table 2 shows".
Keep the tone factual. Avoid evaluative words such as "remarkable" or "disappointing", and avoid causal language unless your design supports it.
Length depends on the number of research questions and analyses. In many empirical papers and dissertations, the results section is one of the longest parts, but conciseness still matters: report what answers your questions and put supplementary analyses in an appendix.
Common Mistakes and a Final Checklist
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Interpreting results ("This shows that patients felt safer because...") | Move explanation to the discussion |
| Reporting only significant results | Include non-significant findings that relate to your questions |
| p-values without test statistics or effect sizes | Report the full set your style guide requires |
| Tables never mentioned in the text | Refer to every table and figure |
| Findings in a random order | Follow your research questions |
| Inconsistent decimal places | Use the same precision throughout |
- Does each subsection answer a research question?
- Are all statistics complete and correctly formatted?
- Is every table and figure numbered, titled and referred to?
- Is the section free of interpretation and comparisons with other studies?
- Are non-significant and unexpected findings reported?
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Frequently Asked Questions
The results report what you found. The discussion explains what it means, compares it with other research and notes implications and limitations.
Yes, if they relate to your research questions. Omitting them gives a misleading picture of the study.
Mostly the past tense, since you are reporting what happened. Use the present tense to refer to tables and figures.
Some journals and qualitative traditions do. Check your assignment guidelines before combining them.
As many as you need to present key data clearly, and no more. Put supplementary tables in an appendix.
Many fields, including psychology and health, expect them. APA 7th recommends reporting effect sizes alongside significance tests.
Present themes with clear headings, describe each theme and support it with short participant quotations.
Report them accurately anyway. Unsupported hypotheses are a normal part of research, and the discussion is where you explore possible reasons.
Put analyses that do not directly answer your research questions in an appendix, and mention them briefly in the results so the reader knows they exist.
No. Refer briefly to the analysis if needed, but leave procedural detail in the method section.