Background
The function of the results section is to objectively present your key results, without interpretation, in an orderly and logical sequence using both illustrative materials (Tables and Figures) and text.
In your results section:
- You should display the experimental data in tables and figures in an easy-to-understand form.
- You should briefly describe your findings, identifying the most important results in terms of the aims of the experiment (e.g. What is the result? What similarities/differences were observed? What trends/patterns were observed?).
- You need to report your results in a logical sequence, linking from one result to the next
- Your tables and figures should be clearly presented with appropriate legends and annotations.
The two main difficulties with results sections are:
- A results section that contains only tables and figures. This tells the reader nothing about why the results are presented in this way or this particular order, or what the reader should notice about the results.
- A results section that contains explanations of the significance of the results. This belongs in the discussion section.
Dos and Don'ts!
| Do refer to your tables and figures and introduce their content. | Don’t simply repeat the content of the figures and tables. |
| Do highlight the most important result(s). | Don’t generalise or interpret your results. |
| Do summarise and compare results. | Don’t just list the results. |
| Do write with certainty about your results. | |
| Do identify unexpected results. |
Click on the exercise icon to find out what you already know about writing a results section.
Jacquie describes problems she had with her lab work (41s):
Mathew points out the difficulty in finding published research to compare with his results (24s):