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Writing the Results Section: Presenting Key Findings in Scientific Studies, Study notes of Biology

Christian Brothers University (CBU)Biology

Guidelines for writing the results section of a scientific study. It covers the importance of objectively presenting key results, the sequence of tables and figures, and the use of passive voice and past tense. It also discusses the role of clarifying information and the importance of avoiding redundancy and interpreting data in this section.

Typology: Study notes

Pre 2010

Uploaded on 08/16/2009

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RESULTS
What are the "results"?
When you pose a testable hypothesis that can be answered experimentally, or ask a
question that can be answered by collecting samples, you accumulate observations about
those organisms or phenomena.
Those observations are then analyzed to yield an answer to the question.
The above statements apply regardless of the complexity of the analysis you employ.
The function of the Results section is to objectively present your key results, without comments, bias or
interpretation.
The results should be presented in a logical manner in the text and figures.
A summary of your statistical analysis should be included here.
Include negative results.
Data presented in tables and figure should not substitute for a verbal summary of the findings.
The text should be understandable by someone who has not seen your figures and tables.
Organize the results section based on the sequence of Table and Figures you'll include.
Prepare the Tables and Figures as soon as all the data are analyzed.
Arrange them in the sequence that best presents your findings in a logical way.
A good strategy is to note, on a draft of each Table or Figure, the one or two key results you want
to address in the text portion of the Results.
Each Table and Figure must be referenced in the text portion of the results, and you must tell the reader
what the key result(s) is that each Table or Figure conveys.
Style
Write the text of the Results section concisely and objectively.
The passive voice will likely dominate here, but use the active voice as much as possible.
Use the past tense.
Avoid repetitive paragraph structures.
Do not interpret the data here.
Writing the Results
Authors usually write the text of the results section based upon this sequence of Tables and Figures.
The body of the Results section is a text-based presentation of the key findings which includes
references to each of the Tables and Figures.
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RESULTS

What are the "results"?  When you pose a testable hypothesis that can be answered experimentally, or ask a question that can be answered by collecting samples, you accumulate observations about those organisms or phenomena.  Those observations are then analyzed to yield an answer to the question.  The above statements apply regardless of the complexity of the analysis you employ. The function of the Results section is to objectively present your key results, without comments, bias or interpretation. The results should be presented in a logical manner in the text and figures. A summary of your statistical analysis should be included here. Include negative results. Data presented in tables and figure should not substitute for a verbal summary of the findings. The text should be understandable by someone who has not seen your figures and tables. Organize the results section based on the sequence of Table and Figures you'll include.  Prepare the Tables and Figures as soon as all the data are analyzed.  Arrange them in the sequence that best presents your findings in a logical way.  A good strategy is to note, on a draft of each Table or Figure, the one or two key results you want to address in the text portion of the Results. Each Table and Figure must be referenced in the text portion of the results, and you must tell the reader what the key result(s) is that each Table or Figure conveys. Style Write the text of the Results section concisely and objectively. The passive voice will likely dominate here, but use the active voice as much as possible. Use the past tense. Avoid repetitive paragraph structures. Do not interpret the data here. Writing the Results Authors usually write the text of the results section based upon this sequence of Tables and Figures. The body of the Results section is a text-based presentation of the key findings which includes references to each of the Tables and Figures.

The text should guide the reader through your results stressing the key results, which provide the answers to the question(s) investigated. A major function of the text is to provide clarifying information. You must refer to each Table and/or Figure individually and in sequence (see numbering sequence), and clearly indicate for the reader the key results that each conveys. Key results depend on your questions, they might include obvious trends, important differences, similarities, correlation, maximums, minimums, etc. Simple rules to follow related to Tables and Figures:

  1. Tables and Figures are assigned numbers separately and in the sequence that you will refer to them from the text. The first Table you refer to is Table 1, the next Table 2 and so forth. Similarly, the first Figure is Figure 1, the next Figure 2, etc.
  2. Each Table or Figure must include a brief description of the results being presented and other necessary information in a legend. Table legends go above the Table; tables are read from top to bottom. Figure legends go below the Figure; figures are usually viewed from bottom to top.
  3. When referring to a Figure from the text, "Figure" is abbreviated as Fig., e.g., Fig. 1. Table is never abbreviated, e.g., Table 1. Avoid reiterating each value from a Figure or Table - only the key result that each conveys. Do not present the same data in both a Table and Figure - this is considered redundant and a waste of space and energy. Decide which format best shows the result and go with it. Do not report raw data values when they can be summarized as means, percents, etc. In scientific studies, the use of the word " significant " implies that a statistical test was employed to make a decision about the data. Avoid using this word otherwise. Present the results of your experiment(s) in a sequence that will logically support (or provide evidence against) the hypothesis, or answer the question, stated in the Introduction.  For example, in reporting a study of the effect of an experimental diet on the skeletal mass of the rat, consider first giving the data on skeletal mass for the rats fed the control diet and then give the data for the rats fed the experimental diet. Always enter the appropriate units when reporting data or summary statistics.  Individual values should be written, "the mean length was 10 m", or "the maximum time was 40 min."  When including a measure of variability, place the unit after the error value, e.g., "...was 10 ± 2.3 m".  Likewise place the unit after the last in a series of numbers all having the same unit, e. g. "lengths of 5, 10, 15, and 20 m", or "no differences were observed after 2, 4, 6, or 8 min. of incubation".