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Chapters Four and Five Student writing guide

How to Write Results and Discussion Chapters

Results report what the analysis found. Discussion explains what those findings may mean in relation to the research questions, methods and literature. Some departments combine the two; others separate them or use chapter headings that reflect a project type. Follow your approved structure and keep every reported number traceable to your analysis.

A practical guide from FINAL YEAR NG Check your department's current instructions before you submit.

Present findings in a readable sequence

Use the same order as your research questions or objectives so the reader can follow the answer. Introduce each table or figure in the text, label it clearly, define abbreviations and report the denominator or unit. Keep results tied to the evidence; avoid repeating every table cell in prose.

A safe result statement

In the completed dataset, 18 of 24 submitted forms met the stated inclusion rules. Report this only if those counts match your actual records; explain exclusions and missing data before interpreting the result.

Move from result to interpretation

  1. State one important finding in a sentence.
  2. Point to the evidence that supports it.
  3. Interpret what it suggests and what it does not establish.
  4. Compare it with relevant studies from your literature review, noting differences in setting or method.
  5. Explain a plausible implication and then acknowledge uncertainty or an alternative explanation.
Separate observation from interpretation

Result: Participants completed the second interface task faster than the first under the observed test conditions. Discussion: This may indicate that the revised navigation reduced the steps needed for that task. Because the sample and tasks were limited, this does not prove that all users will be faster in routine use.

Report unexpected and null findings

A result that does not support your expectation is still a result. Describe it accurately, check coding and assumptions, and discuss what the evidence permits. Do not delete an outlier simply because it changes the story; justify any exclusion using a rule established or transparently explained.

  • Keep planned analysis distinct from later exploratory analysis.
  • Report units, sample counts and uncertainty measures required by your field.
  • Avoid causal language for observational evidence unless the design supports it.
  • Do not manufacture percentages, quotations, p-values, test outcomes or field-survey sources.
  • Protect participant identity when quoting or tabulating sensitive information.

Results and discussion checklist

  • Does every result answer an approved question or objective?
  • Can every figure, quotation and statistic be traced to the collected data or tested system?
  • Have you distinguished what was observed from what you infer?
  • Does the discussion compare relevant literature without forcing agreement?
  • Are limitations and contradictory evidence reported honestly?

Sources and further reading

These university writing resources inform the general advice here. They do not replace your department's handbook or supervisor's guidance.

  1. Purdue Writing Lab: IMRaD and the purposes of results and discussion
  2. Purdue OWL: Types of APA Papers and experimental report structure
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