{"id":44640,"date":"2026-01-31T14:49:55","date_gmt":"2026-01-31T09:19:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/?post_type=video&#038;p=44640"},"modified":"2026-06-01T12:49:10","modified_gmt":"2026-06-01T07:19:10","slug":"how-to-write-the-results-section","status":"publish","type":"video","link":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/how-to-write-the-results-section","title":{"rendered":"How to write the Results section: Expert tips, annotated examples"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The Results section\u00a0in research papers\u00a0answers one key question:\u00a0\u201c<\/span><b><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">What did you find?<\/span><\/i><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201d\u00a0This section\u00a0presents\u00a0your\u00a0research\u00a0findings objectively, without\u00a0interpretations or opinions (those belong in the Discussion section). In this video,\u00a0<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Dr. Raffaella\u00a0Gozzelino<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0(NOVA Medical School, Lisbon)\u00a0takes you through\u00a0presenting\u00a0your research results effectively\u00a0by\u00a0using\u00a0the right visuals\u00a0and following\u00a0journal formatting rules.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Besides the video, here\u2019s some supporting material for your reference.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>How to Write the Results Section of a Research Paper<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><strong>Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#_Toc231210418\">What Is the Results Section and What Is It Not?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#_Toc231210419\">When and How to Write the Results Section<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#_Toc231210420\">How to Structure the Results Section<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#_Toc231210421\">Quantitative vs. Qualitative Results: Key Differences<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#_Toc231210422\">Using Tables and Figures Effectively<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#_Toc231210423\">Language and Style in the Results Section<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#_Toc231210424\">Reporting Statistics Correctly in the Results Section<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#_Toc231210425\">Common Mistakes to Avoid<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#_Toc231210426\">Results Section Checklist<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#_Toc231210427\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The results section is often called the nucleus of a research paper. It is where months or years of careful work get crystallised into findings that can be read, evaluated, and built upon by others. Yet for many researchers, writing it feels deceptively simple. It isn&#8217;t.<\/p>\n<p>Done poorly, a results section buries the reader in unorganised numbers, repeats information already in tables, or just confuses the reader about what you even found. Done well, it is a precisely structured, objective account that sets up every claim your discussion will make. This guide walks you through how to get it right, from overall structure to field-specific examples, language choices, and common mistakes.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><a name=\"_Toc231210418\"><\/a>What Is the Results Section and What Is It Not?<\/h2>\n<p>The results section reports what you found. Full stop. It does not explain what your findings mean, compare them to previous literature, or speculate about causes. That work belongs in the Discussion section.<\/p>\n<p>Think of it this way: the results section sets the stage; the discussion interprets the performance.<\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Section<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Core question answered<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Interpretation allowed?<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Results<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>What did you find?<\/td>\n<td>No<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Discussion<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>What do your findings mean?<\/td>\n<td>Yes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>What is the overall answer to your research question?<\/td>\n<td>Yes (synthesised)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>In some disciplines like certain branches of qualitative research, such as ethnography, results and discussion are woven together. In quantitative STEM research, they are almost always separate. Always check your target journal&#8217;s author guidelines before deciding.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><a name=\"_Toc231210419\"><\/a>When and How to Write the Results Section<\/h2>\n<p>Write the results section after you have completed your analysis and organised your data. Many experienced researchers find it useful to build their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/how-to-use-figures-in-a-research-paper-and-why-they-are-important\">figures<\/a> and tables first, then write the text around them because the visuals define the logical skeleton of the section, and the prose fills in the narrative.<\/p>\n<h4>A practical four-step approach:<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>Review the author guidelines of your target journal and read published results sections in similar papers.<\/li>\n<li>Catalogue your findings relative to each research question or hypothesis, and design your figures and tables.<\/li>\n<li>Write the text following the order of your figures and tables.<\/li>\n<li>Revise the draft and seek feedback from co-authors or a colleague outside the project.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><a name=\"_Toc231210420\"><\/a>How to Structure the Results Section<\/h2>\n<h3>Part 1: Opening Context<\/h3>\n<p>Begin with a brief introductory sentence or short paragraph that reconnects the reader to the research question. After reading the literature review and methods, the reader needs to be reoriented to the purpose of the study before encountering the data.<\/p>\n<h3>Example (clinical research):<\/h3>\n<p>&#8220;A total of 5,365 snakebites were reported to the CPCS from 1 September 1997 through 30 September 2017. All bites were reported from rattlesnakes.&#8221; <em>(Phillips et al., Clinical Toxicology, 2019)<\/em><\/p>\n<p>This opening immediately grounds the reader: here is the dataset, here is its scope, here is what it covers.<\/p>\n<h3>Part 2: Systematic Presentation of Findings<\/h3>\n<p>Present findings in a logical order, generally from primary research questions to secondary ones, and from most important to least important. This order does not have to follow the chronological order in which experiments were run; it should follow the order that builds the clearest argument.<\/p>\n<p>Use subheadings to separate distinct experiments or themes, mirroring the structure of your methods section. This parallel organisation helps readers cross-reference your methodology and results efficiently.<\/p>\n<p>For each finding or group of findings:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>State the rationale<\/strong>: briefly explain <em>why<\/em> you generated this particular data. As The Scientist notes, authors should tell their audience why they examined specific parameters or variables, not just dump numbers without context.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Report the result<\/strong>: present the key finding concisely, with appropriate statistics.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Reference the visual<\/strong>: direct the reader to the relevant table or figure. But remember that the figure supports the text, not the other way around.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4>Example of contextualising parameters (cell biology):<\/h4>\n<p>&#8220;Given that INS1 cells are normally maintained in 11.1 mM glucose, expression of <em>Ins2<\/em>, <em>MafA<\/em>, and <em>Glis3<\/em> was measured in INS1 cells cultured in 3 mM glucose (low glucose), 11.1 mM glucose, and 25 mM glucose (high glucose). Graded levels of expression were observed with expression at 11.1 mM glucose being more similar to low glucose conditions than chronically elevated glucose for all three genes.&#8221; <em>(Grieve et al., Islets, 2024)<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Notice how the researchers annotate their three parameters as low, normal, and high \u00a0so that the reader immediately understands the significance of the numbers.<\/p>\n<h3>Part 3: Closing Summary<\/h3>\n<p>End with a short closing paragraph summarising the key findings. This bridges naturally to the discussion. Some researchers find it useful to end each paragraph with a summary statement along the lines of &#8220;these data suggest&#8230;&#8221; Readers who collate these statements get a de facto abstract of the results, making the section more navigable.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><a name=\"_Toc231210421\"><\/a>Quantitative vs. Qualitative Results: Key Differences<\/h2>\n<p>The approach to presenting results differs significantly by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/qualitative-quantitative-or-mixed-methods-a-quick-guide-to-choose-the-right-design-for-your-research\">study design<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>Quantitative Results<\/h3>\n<p>Quantitative research uses numerical data to test <a href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/everything-you-need-to-know-about-framing-a-research-hypothesis\">hypotheses<\/a>, identify trends, and establish statistical relationships. The results section should:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Report <a href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/what-are-descriptive-statistics-types-choosing-reporting\/\">descriptive statistics<\/a> (means, medians, standard deviations, proportions) before inferential ones.<\/li>\n<li>Include the outcomes of statistical tests alongside <a href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/correct-way-report-p-values\">p-values<\/a> and, where applicable, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/what-is-confidence-intervals-and-why-is-it-important\/\">confidence intervals<\/a> and effect sizes.<\/li>\n<li>State clearly whether each hypothesis was supported or not \u2014 including <a href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/how-can-i-publish-negative-results\">negative findings<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Present summary-level data in tables or figures rather than raw data.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4>Annotated example from Psychology \/ Social Science (survey-based):<\/h4>\n<p>&#8220;A two-sample t-test was used to test the hypothesis that higher social distance from environmental problems would reduce the intent to donate to environmental organisations, with donation intention (recorded as a score from 1 to 10) as the outcome variable.<\/p>\n<p>\u2726 <em>[Introductory context and method stated]<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Social distance differed with respect to donation intention, t(98) = 12.19, p &lt; .001, with the donation intention of the high social distance group 0.28 points higher, on average, than the low social distance group (see Figure 1).<\/p>\n<p>\u2726 <em>[Key statistic reported; figure referenced]<\/em><\/p>\n<p>This contradicts the initial hypothesis that social distance would decrease donation intention, and in fact suggests a small effect in the opposite direction.<\/p>\n<p>\u2726 <em>[Negative\/unexpected finding acknowledged without interpretation]<\/em>&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Note: even though this finding contradicts the hypothesis, it is reported plainly and without speculation. The explanation for <em>why<\/em> this happened belongs in the discussion.<\/p>\n<h3>Qualitative Results<\/h3>\n<p>Qualitative research collects non-numerical data like interview transcripts, ethnographic observations, archival materials, and survey responses, and analyses it for themes, patterns, and meaning. The results section should:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Organise findings around key themes or topics that emerged from analysis.<\/li>\n<li>Describe recurring patterns, points of agreement or disagreement, and individually significant responses.<\/li>\n<li>Support observations with direct quotations (short, representative ones).<\/li>\n<li>Report relevant demographic information about participants.<\/li>\n<li>Avoid collapsing all qualitative observations into percentages unless it genuinely serves the analysis.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4>Annotated example from Media Studies \/ Cultural Studies (interview-based):<\/h4>\n<p>&#8220;When asked about video games as a form of art, the respondents tended to believe that video games themselves are not an art form, but agreed that creativity is involved in their production.<\/p>\n<p>\u2726 <em>[Theme stated first; general pattern described]<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The criteria used to identify artistic video games included design, story, music, and creative teams. One respondent (male, 24) noted a difference in creativity between popular video game genres:<\/p>\n<p><em>&#8216;I think that in role-playing games, there&#8217;s more attention to character design, to world design, because the whole story is important\u2026 so that perhaps you do need bigger teams of creative experts than in an average shooter or something.&#8217;<\/em><\/p>\n<p>\u2726 <em>[Direct quotation used to illustrate, not replace, the analytical observation]<\/em><\/p>\n<p>It is clear from the responses that video game consumers consider some types of games to have more artistic potential than others.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><a name=\"_Toc231210422\"><\/a>Using Tables and Figures Effectively<\/h2>\n<p>Visual elements are used to display information that does not translate well to prose: large volumes of numbers, multi-parameter comparisons, and complex statistical distributions.<\/p>\n<h3>How to decide whether to make a figure or table<\/h3>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Visual type<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Best used for<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Key rule<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Table<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Exact values, comparisons across multiple variables or groups<\/td>\n<td>Readers should be able to understand it without the main text<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Graph \/ Chart<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Trends, relationships, distributions over time<\/td>\n<td>Axes must be clearly labelled with units<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Figure (photograph, diagram, map)<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Spatial data, microscopy, geographic distributions<\/td>\n<td>Scale bars or legends required<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h3>Rules for all visuals:<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Number them in order of appearance (Table 1, Table 2; Figure 1, Figure 2).<\/li>\n<li>Every table and figure must be referred to in the text. Never include one without a textual reference.<\/li>\n<li>The caption\/legend must be self-contained: a reader should understand the visual without reading the surrounding text.<\/li>\n<li>Do not duplicate data between text and visuals. If the number is already in a table, you do not need to repeat every value in prose; summarise what the table shows or highlight one or two key data points.<\/li>\n<li>As a rule of thumb, use a table or graph rather than text if you need to present three or more statistical values simultaneously.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>On the right level of detail:<\/strong> Not every number needs to appear in the prose. In the cell biology example above, the researchers did not give gene expression as an empirical value but as a relative one, more similar to low glucose than high. The specific values were in the figures. This is calibrated, purposeful restraint.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><a name=\"_Toc231210423\"><\/a>Language and Style in the Results Section<\/h2>\n<h3>Tense<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Use the <strong>past <a href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/the-secret-to-using-tenses-in-scientific-writing\">tense<\/a><\/strong> to describe your results: &#8220;Gene expression <em>increased<\/em> significantly.&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Use the <strong>present tense<\/strong> when referring to tables and figures: &#8220;Table 1 <em>shows<\/em> the demographic characteristics of participants.&#8221;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Voice<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/how-to-effectively-use-active-and-passive-voice-in-research-writing\">Active voice<\/a> makes findings more vivid and reduces word count. Compare:<\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Passive (weaker)<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Active (stronger)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>&#8220;A significant increase in gene expression was shown in Table 1.&#8221;<\/td>\n<td>&#8220;Gene expression increased significantly. (Table 1)&#8221;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>&#8220;It was found that males were more likely to be injured.&#8221;<\/td>\n<td>&#8220;Males were more likely to be injured (76.6%, p &lt; .01).&#8221;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h3>Tone<\/h3>\n<p>Write with academic objectivity. Avoid evaluative language (&#8220;surprisingly,&#8221; &#8220;obviously,&#8221; &#8220;clearly&#8221;), hedging (&#8220;it appears that&#8221;), and any words that imply interpretation. Those belong in the discussion. Also avoid vague generalisations and always be specific about quantities, frequencies, and statistical significance.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Pro Tip:<\/strong> When you\u2019re reporting a significant p value in parentheses next to the sentence, you can often drop \u201csignificantly\u201d as it\u2019s implied from the p value.<\/p>\n<h3>Transitions and Cohesion<\/h3>\n<p>The results section should read as a connected argument, not a list of data points. Use goal statements and explicit reasoning to guide the reader:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>&#8220;In order to test this model, we performed\u2026&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;In view of this result, we next examined\u2026&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;These data suggest that\u2026&#8221; <em>(as a closing summary statement per paragraph)<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><a name=\"_Toc231210424\"><\/a>Reporting Statistics Correctly in the Results Section<\/h2>\n<p>For quantitative research, accurate statistical reporting is non-negotiable.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Report the test statistic alongside the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/correct-way-report-p-values\">p-value<\/a>: <em>t(98) = 12.19, p &lt; .001<\/em><\/li>\n<li>Include <a href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/what-is-confidence-intervals-and-why-is-it-important\/\">confidence intervals<\/a> where relevant: <em>95% CI: 1.82 to 6.78<\/em><\/li>\n<li>Report effect sizes where possible \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/is-my-research-significant-why-you-shouldnt-rely-on-p-values\">p-values alone say nothing about magnitude<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>For clinical research, a first table presenting participant demographics (age, sex, relevant clinical characteristics) is standard before any outcome data is presented.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4>Example (pharmacology):<\/h4>\n<p>&#8220;Several phosphomonoester compounds including fospropofol {EC50: 3.78 nM [95% CI: 1.82 to 6.78]}, fosphenytoin [EC50: 77.01 nM (95% CI: 52.63 to 115.10)], and dexamethasone phosphate [EC50: 14.68 nM (95% CI: 5.44 to 22.10)] showed high agonist potencies for MRGPRX4 (Fig. 1, C and D, and table S1).&#8221; <em>(Chien et al., Science Translational Medicine, 2024)<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The core claim\u2014that these compounds showed high agonist potency\u2014stands alone. The specific EC50 values are immediate evidence for the claim; the figure is an optional deeper resource.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Annotated Examples from Different Fields<\/h3>\n<h4>Environmental Science (Quantitative)<\/h4>\n<p><strong>Original excerpt:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The results show that, for most stakeholders, the most important category of watershed ecosystem services (WES) is regulating services (w = 0.3202), followed by provisioning services (w = 0.3064) and supporting services (w = 0.2209). Cultural services, on the other hand, are of low importance compared to the other three categories (w = 0.1524) (Table 1).&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Annotations:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u2726 <em>Primary finding stated first, with quantitative weights for each category<\/em><\/li>\n<li>\u2726 <em>A contrasting finding (low importance of cultural services) is clearly flagged<\/em><\/li>\n<li>\u2726 <em>Table reference provided for full data<\/em><\/li>\n<li>\u2726 <em>No interpretation of why these preferences exist \u2014 that belongs in the discussion<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4>Clinical Toxicology (Quantitative)<\/h4>\n<p><strong>Original excerpt:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Males were significantly more likely than females to be injured (76.6%, 95% CI = 75.6\u201377.9%, p &lt; .01). The incidence of snakebite per million people declined during drought (mean in drought = 15.10, mean outside drought = 18.57, 95% CI difference = 0.12\u20136.83, p = .04).&#8221; <em>(Phillips et al., Clinical Toxicology, 2019)<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Annotations:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u2726 <em>Significant test results include exact statistic, confidence interval, and p-value<\/em><\/li>\n<li>\u2726 <em>Both means reported so the reader can see the direction of the difference<\/em><\/li>\n<li>\u2726 <em>Written in past tense throughout<\/em><\/li>\n<li>\u2726 <em>&#8220;Significantly&#8221; is used in the statistical sense, not as an interpretive flourish<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4>Public Health (Qualitative)<\/h4>\n<p><strong>Original excerpt:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Respondents from Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia believe that tourism associations should be involved at the level of collaboration (31.6%, 32.1% and 38.9%, respectively), while respondents from the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina believe that these associations should only be informed.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Annotations:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u2726 <em>Qualitative perceptions have been quantified by frequency to enable comparison<\/em><\/li>\n<li>\u2726 <em>Regional differences highlighted without interpreting their causes<\/em><\/li>\n<li>\u2726 <em>Past tense used for data; comparative structure makes the contrast clear<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4>Genetics \/ Cell Biology (Quantitative)<\/h4>\n<p><strong>From the literature:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;In order to test the plausibility of this model, we implement a Brownian dynamics simulation based on prior modeling of meiotic chromosome movement and pairing.&#8221; <em>(Marshall &amp; Fung, PNAS, 2024)<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Annotations:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u2726 <em>Rationale for the experiment stated first (&#8220;In order to test the plausibility of this model&#8221;)<\/em><\/li>\n<li>\u2726 <em>The &#8220;why&#8221; precedes the &#8220;what&#8221; \u2014 a key principle for reader comprehension<\/em><\/li>\n<li>\u2726 <em>Technical method named but not described in detail (that belongs in Methods)<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><a name=\"_Toc231210425\"><\/a>Common Mistakes to Avoid<\/h2>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Mistake<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Why it&#8217;s a problem<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Fix<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Including raw data<\/td>\n<td>Overwhelms the reader; obscures the finding<\/td>\n<td>Summarise in tables or figures; move raw data to appendix<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Discussing or interpreting findings<\/td>\n<td>Conflates results with discussion; confuses readers<\/td>\n<td>Save all interpretation for the Discussion<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Repeating data from tables in prose<\/td>\n<td>Redundant; wastes space<\/td>\n<td>Summarise what the table shows, highlight 1\u20132 key data points<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Ignoring negative results<\/td>\n<td>Undermines credibility; potentially unethical<\/td>\n<td>Report all relevant findings, including those that contradict hypotheses<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Presenting data not linked to research questions<\/td>\n<td>Distracts the reader<\/td>\n<td>Include only findings that connect to stated objectives<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Results and methods don&#8217;t match<\/td>\n<td>Raises methodological questions<\/td>\n<td>Ensure every result has a corresponding method described<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Cryptic figure legends<\/td>\n<td>Forces readers to refer to text<\/td>\n<td>Make every figure\/table self-contained with full captions<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Introducing background or methods in results<\/td>\n<td>Disrupts flow; belongs elsewhere<\/td>\n<td>Move any necessary context to the Introduction<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Over-qualifying with hedging language<\/td>\n<td>Implies uncertainty about your own data<\/td>\n<td>Use precise, direct statements; interpretation goes in Discussion<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><a name=\"_Toc231210426\"><\/a>Results Section Checklist<\/h2>\n<p>Use this before submitting:<\/p>\n<h3>Structure<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Opens with a brief restatement of the research question<\/li>\n<li>Findings presented in logical order (primary before secondary; most to least important)<\/li>\n<li>Subheadings used to organise distinct experiments or themes<\/li>\n<li>Closes with a summary of key findings<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Content<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>All findings directly related to the research questions are included<\/li>\n<li>Negative and unexpected findings are reported<\/li>\n<li>No results appear that are not connected to stated objectives<\/li>\n<li>Statistical tests reported with test statistic, degrees of freedom, p-value, and confidence intervals where relevant<\/li>\n<li>Effect sizes reported where applicable<\/li>\n<li>Every result corresponds to a method described in the Methods section<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Visuals<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Tables and figures are numbered in order of appearance<\/li>\n<li>Every table and figure is referenced in the text<\/li>\n<li>Captions are self-contained (reader can understand without main text)<\/li>\n<li>Data is not duplicated between text and visuals<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Language<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Written in past tense (except references to tables\/figures, which use present tense)<\/li>\n<li>Active voice used where possible<\/li>\n<li>No interpretation or speculation<\/li>\n<li>No vague generalisations \u2014 all statements are specific and quantified<\/li>\n<li>No background information or methods repeated from earlier sections<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Before submission<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Journal author guidelines reviewed and followed<\/li>\n<li>Section reviewed by at least one co-author<\/li>\n<li>Read by someone outside the project who can confirm clarity<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><a name=\"_Toc231210427\"><\/a>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Q1: My results section keeps accidentally turning into a mini-discussion. How do I stop this?<\/h3>\n<p>This is one of the most common problems in scientific writing. The trigger is usually a finding that surprises you because the instinct is to immediately explain it. A practical fix: after writing each paragraph, ask yourself &#8220;Am I stating what happened, or explaining why?&#8221; Any sentence that answers &#8220;why&#8221; belongs in the Discussion.<\/p>\n<p>A useful test phrase: if you could delete the sentence and the data would still be fully reported, it&#8217;s probably interpretation. Some writers keep a running &#8220;Discussion parking lot&#8221; document. Every time they catch themselves interpreting during the results draft, they paste the sentence there for later.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Q2: Should I report every single statistical test I ran, even if some weren&#8217;t significant?<\/h3>\n<p>Yes, with selective presentation. You should report all tests that were relevant to your research questions, including non-significant ones, because omitting them can constitute selective reporting (a form of publication bias). However, you don&#8217;t need to report every exploratory or pilot test you ran before settling on your analysis.<\/p>\n<p>A useful distinction: if it was pre-specified in your methodology, it must be reported. If it was truly exploratory and ancillary, it may be moved to supplementary materials. Always consult your field&#8217;s reporting standards (e.g., CONSORT for clinical trials, APA guidelines for psychology).<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Q3: My study produced almost no statistically significant results. Do I still need a results section?<\/h3>\n<p>Absolutely. Null results are legitimate and important scientific contributions. They prevent other researchers from going down the same path. Report your null findings with the same rigour as positive ones: include the test statistic, confidence intervals, and effect sizes. An effect size near zero with tight confidence intervals is actually informative evidence that the effect doesn&#8217;t exist or is negligible. The Discussion is where you can address why the results may have been null (underpowered study, wrong population, genuine absence of effect, etc.).<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3>Q4: Can I use the first person (&#8220;we found&#8221; \/ &#8220;I observed&#8221;) in the results section?<\/h3>\n<p>This depends on your field and journal. In many STEM disciplines, both first person and passive voice are now acceptable. Active voice (&#8220;we found&#8221;) is often preferred because it is clearer and more direct. In some social sciences and humanities, conventions differ. Check published papers in your target journal for the prevailing style.<\/p>\n<p>A practical heuristic: if the journal&#8217;s recent papers use &#8220;we,&#8221; you can too. If they consistently use passive constructions, match that style.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Q5: How long should the results section be relative to the rest of the paper?<\/h3>\n<p>There is no universal rule, but a rough benchmark from published research suggests the Results section is typically 20\u201335% of the total word count in quantitative papers. In qualitative work, where results and discussion are sometimes combined, this varies widely.<\/p>\n<p>The honest answer is: it should be as long as it needs to be to report all relevant findings clearly, and no longer. If you find yourself repeating data that&#8217;s already in a table, cut it. If you find yourself cramming multiple major findings into a single paragraph, expand. Look at well-regarded papers in your specific subfield as a benchmark.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3>Q6: My co-author wants to include a figure that I think is too complex. Who&#8217;s right?<\/h3>\n<p>Both of you might be. Complexity in a figure becomes a problem when it obscures rather than clarifies, such as when readers need to spend more time decoding the visual than understanding the finding. A figure with too many subfigures, confusing colour schemes, or missing axis labels will be flagged by reviewers.<\/p>\n<p>A good test: show the figure to a colleague who knows the general field but not your specific study. If they can describe the key finding in one sentence within 30 seconds, the figure works. If they can&#8217;t, simplify. Consider moving secondary analyses to supplementary materials; this keeps the main figures clean without losing data.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/services\/english-editing\/premium-editing-plan?utm_source=editageinsights&amp;utm_medium=footerbanner&amp;utm_campaign=how-to-write-the-results-section\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-38698\" src=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Footer-banner-PES.png\" alt=\"PES footer banner\" width=\"850\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Footer-banner-PES.png 850w, https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Footer-banner-PES-300x71.png 300w, https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Footer-banner-PES-768x181.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" 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