Overview
Based on this module’s background readings, offer advice to a junior colleague on interpreting the Results section of a research study. To do this, identify a research study from the TUW library (ATTACHED) and translate the Results section into an easy-to-understand explanation.
Module 7
One of the most crucial sections of a research paper is the “Results” section. When reading research studies, you’ll notice that authors begin by presenting key information and then build a case for why their study is necessary and valuable. In the “Results” section, the researcher reports the scientific basis for the conclusions they will draw. As you can imagine, this makes the results section a vital part of the research report. The Results section is typically filled with statistics and the outcomes of statistical tests that the researcher used to answer their research questions or test their hypotheses. Unfortunately, this section is often “glossed over” by readers who may not fully understand how to interpret the presented statistics. This is regrettable because the ultimate goal of research is to translate new knowledge into practice—a topic we will discuss in our final module.
| Objectives |
- Demonstrate the accurate interpretation of statistical test results
Required Reading:
UCLA: Advanced Research Computing. (2022). Statistical writing. https://stats.oarc.ucla.edu/other/mult-pkg/seminars/statistical-writing/
USC Libraries. (2022, February 15). Organizing your Social Sciences research paper. https://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/results
Wendorf, C. A. (n.d.). Reports – APA style: summary of parametric statistic reporting. Sourcebook. https://cwendorf.github.io/Sourcebook/Reports/apa-style/summary.html Archival link: https://web.archive.org/web/20230519214329/https://cwendorf.github.io/Sourcebook/Reports/apa-style/summary.html
Wendorf, C. A. (n.d.). Reports – APA style: examples of results in tables. Sourcebook. https://cwendorf.github.io/Sourcebook/Reports/apa-style/tables.html Archival link: https://web.archive.org/web/20230519214329/https://cwendorf.github.io/Sourcebook/Reports/apa-style/tables.html