Results handout Literature & Language Coursework Paper

Please complete the following Results template handout. This will become the Results section of your Research Report!

I believe you have to use the climate change research paper to do this

Name

The results section is where you report the findings of your study based upon the methodology (qualitative/quantitative) you applied to gather information. The results section should state the findings of the research arranged in a logical sequence without bias or interpretation. A section describing results is particularly necessary if your paper includes data generated from your own research.

When formulating the results section, it's important to remember that the results of a study do not prove anything. Findings can only confirm or reject the question your study. However, the act of articulating the results helps you to understand the problem from within, to break it into pieces, and to view the research problem from various perspectives.

Avoid providing data that is not critical to answering the research question. The background information you described in the introduction section should provide the reader with any additional context or explanation needed to understand the results. A good strategy is to always re-read the background section of your paper after you have written up your results to ensure that the reader has enough context to understand the results [and, later, how you interpreted the results in the discussion section of your paper].

In general, the content of your results section should include the following:

An introductory context for understanding the results by restating the research problem underpinning your study. This is useful in re-orientating the reader's focus back to the research after reading the literature review and your explanation of the methods of data gathering and analysis.

Research Question:  _____________________________________________________________

Begin the section by restating the research question as a declarative sentence, NOT a question. Add context needed.

Inclusion of non-textual elements, such as, figures, charts, photos, maps, tables, etc. to further illustrate key findings, if appropriate. Rather than relying entirely on descriptive text, consider how your findings can be presented visually. This is a helpful way of condensing a lot of data into one place that can then be referred to in the text. Consider referring to appendices if there is a lot of non-textual elements.

Give examples of what types of graphs and charts you plan to include and what information each will contain.

A systematic description of your results, highlighting for the reader observations that are most relevant to the topic under investigation. Not all results that emerge from the methodology used to gather information may be related to answering the "So What?" question. Do not confuse observations with interpretations; observations in this context refers to highlighting important findings you discovered through a process of reviewing prior literature and gathering data. Describe the most important and interesting results. For example. Twenty-two out of twenty-five participants said that they liked Sprite more than Pepsi. That result is statistically significant.

A short paragraph that concludes the results section by synthesizing the key findings of the study. Highlight the most important findings you want readers to remember as they transition into the discussion section. This is particularly important if, for example, there are many results to report, the findings are complicated or unanticipated, or they are impactful or actionable in some way [i.e., able to be acted upon in a feasible way applied to practice].

NOTE:  Use the past tense when referring to your results. Reference to findings should always be described as having already happened because the method of gathering data has been completed.

NOTE:  Do not Ignore negative results. If some of your results fail to support your hypothesis, do not ignore them. Document them, then state in your discussion section why you believe a negative result emerged from your study. Note that negative results, and how you handle them, often provides you with the opportunity to write a more engaging discussion section, therefore, don't be afraid to highlight them.

http://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/results