How to write the results section
The results section has one job: report what you found — neutrally, without interpreting it. State the numbers and patterns that answer your questions, lean on tables and figures, and save “what it means” for the discussion. The single most common mistake is letting interpretation leak in early; the second is repeating every table value in prose.
Report, don’t interpret
Results state what happened; the discussion explains what it means. “Scores increased by 12% (p < .01)” is a result. “This suggests the intervention works” is interpretation — it belongs in the next section. Keeping the two apart is what reviewers are checking for.
What to include
- The findings that answer each research question, in a logical order (often the order you posed the questions).
- Descriptive stats, then inferential results with effect sizes and confidence intervals — not just p-values.
- Both significant and non-significant results relevant to your questions — don’t hide the nulls.
Tables, figures, and the text
Text and visuals should complement, not duplicate. Use the prose to highlight the key findings and direct the reader to the table or figure for the full detail. Don’t re-type every cell of a table into sentences — point to it (“Table 1 shows…”) and call out what matters.
The results / discussion line
If you catch yourself writing “this is because…”, “consistent with…”, or “this implies…”, you’ve crossed into the discussion. Note the patterns objectively here; interpret them there. It’s the R before the D in IMRaD for a reason.
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Frequently asked questions
What goes in the results section?
What you found, factually and without interpretation — the data answering your questions, with effect sizes and CIs, supported by tables and figures.
Results vs discussion?
Results state what happened; discussion explains what it means. Don’t interpret in results.
Repeat table values in text?
No — text and tables should complement, not duplicate. Highlight the key findings and point to the table.
What tense?
Past tense for findings (“scores increased”); present tense for tables/figures (“Table 1 shows”).