CHAPTER 4

RESULTS AND
DISCUSSION
WHAT IS RESULT AND
DISCUSSION IN
RESEARCH?
 THE RESULT
0RESULT SECTION IS WHERE
YOU REPORT THE FINDINGS
OF YOUR STUDY BASED
UPON THE METHODOLOGY[
or methodologies] YOU
APPLIED TO GATHER
INFORMATION.
IMPORTANCE OF GOOD RESULT
SECTION
0 It’s important to remember the results
of a study do not prove anything.
0 The page length of this section is set by
the amount and types of data to be
reported.
0 Avoid providing data that is not critical
to answering the research question.
Organization and Approach
Two possible ways of organizing the results.
 Present your synopsis of the result
followed by an explanation of key
findings.
Present a result and then explain it,
before presenting the next result then
explaining it, and so on, then end with
an overall synopsis.
 Content
Content of your result section should include the
following:
 An introductory context for understanding
the results by restating the research problem
underpinning your study.
Inclusion of non-textual elements, such as ,
figures, charts, photos, maps, tables, etc. to
further illustrate key findings, if appropriate.
A systematic description of your
results, highlighting for the reader
observation that are most relevant to
the topic under investigation.
A short paragraph that concludes the
results section by synthesizing the key
findings of the study.
 Problems to Avoid
oDiscussing or interpreting your results.
oIgnoring negative results.
oIncluding raw data or intermediate
calculations.
oPresenting the same data or repeating
the same information more than once.
oConfusing figures with tables.
 THE DISCUSSION
0 The purpose of the discussion is to
interpret and describe the significance
of your findings in light of what was
already known about the research
problem being investigated and to
explain any new understanding or
insights that emerged as the result of
your study of the problem.
Importance of Good Discussion

0 Most effectively demonstrate your

ability as a researcher to think critically
about an issue, to develop creative
solutions to problem based upon a
logical synthesis of the findings, and to
formulate a deeper, more profound
understanding of the research problem
under investigation,
0Present the underlying meaning of your
research, note possible implication in
other areas of study, and explore
possible improvements that can be
made in order to further development
the concern of your research,
0Highlight the importance of your study
and how it may be able to contribute
and/or help fill existing gaps in the
field. If appropriate, the discussion
section is also where you state how the
findings from your study revealed and
helped fill gaps in the literature that
had not been previously exposed or
adequately describe, and
0Engage the reader in thinking
critically about issues based upon
an evidence-based interpreting of
findings; it is not governs strictly
by objective reporting of
information.
 GENERAL RULES
General Rules that should adopt when composing your
discussion of the result:

 Do not verbose or repetitive

 Be concise and make point clear
 Avoid the use of jargon or undefined
technical language
 Follow a logical stream of thought; in
general, interpret and discuss the significance
of your findings in the same sequence you
described them in your results section
 Use the present verb tense, especially for established
facts; however, refer to specific works or prior studies in the
pasr tense
 If needed, use subheading to help organize your
discussion or to categorize your interpretations into
themes.
 THE CONTENT
Content of the discussion section of your paper
most often includes:

 Explanation of the result

Reference to previous research
Deduction
Hypothesis