Results and Discussion: What Belongs in Each Section?

Results and discussion serve related but different purposes. Results show what the analysis found; discussion explains what those findings mean for the question and existing knowledge. The exact division depends on discipline and assignment format, so use your brief as the first rule. Separating the two in your plan can prevent a table from carrying unsupported conclusions and a discussion from merely repeating numbers.

Report findings in a logical order

Organise results around research questions or predefined outcomes rather than the order files were created. Give a clear label, denominator and unit for each important number. For qualitative work, describe themes with supporting excerpts and variation. Refer to tables and figures in the text and tell the reader which pattern to notice. Do not claim significance, causation or generality beyond the analysis performed.

Explain rather than repeat

In the discussion, answer the research question in language calibrated to the evidence. Compare the finding with relevant prior research and consider why differences might arise. If a result was unexpected, examine alternative explanations without pretending that speculation was measured. A discussion can acknowledge a null or mixed result as informative, especially when it changes an initial assumption.

Keep interpretation tied to design

A cross-sectional survey may show association; it usually cannot establish temporal order or rule out all alternative causes. Interview themes can illuminate experiences but not estimate prevalence without a suitable design. State the method’s limits where they affect a conclusion, then explain what can reasonably be learned. Avoid a generic limitations paragraph that lists every possible flaw without relating any to your claims.

Use visuals only when they add clarity

A table can present exact values; a chart can show a comparison or trend. Neither should require the reader to guess units, sample sizes or whether a change is meaningful. In the discussion, refer to the visual’s central pattern rather than narrating every cell. Check that a figure does not exaggerate small differences through a misleading scale. Follow the required style for numbering, captions and notes.

Finish with proportionate implications

Draw practical or theoretical implications only after explaining the result and uncertainty. A small classroom study may suggest a question for a larger investigation, not justify a university-wide policy by itself. State the next step in terms of evidence needed. When the assignment combines results and discussion, still make the boundary between observation and interpretation explicit within paragraphs.

Worked example

Suppose 18 of 30 survey respondents say they used recorded lectures at least weekly. The results section reports that count and the question wording. The discussion can consider whether recordings were used for revision, compare with research on access and note the convenience-sample limit. It should not convert the response into “60% of all students learn better from recordings,” because neither the population nor learning outcome was measured.

Mark observation and interpretation in a draft

Print one results paragraph and one discussion paragraph. Underline every sentence reporting a measured value, coded theme or direct observation. Circle sentences that explain causes, compare with previous work or recommend action. If nearly all sentences in results are circled, move interpretation to discussion or check the course’s combined-section convention. If discussion only repeats underlined findings, ask what those findings mean for the question and why an alternative explanation might matter. Check that every causal-sounding sentence has a suitable design behind it. This colour pass can also reveal an unsupported recommendation: the report may show demand for a service without measuring whether a proposed intervention will work. Revise the recommendation into a pilot or evidence request when appropriate.

Checklist before you submit

Match results headings to research questions.
Show denominators, definitions and units.
Explain mechanisms and alternatives in discussion.
Limit implications to the design and evidence.

Questions students ask

Can interpretation appear in results?

Some disciplines combine sections, but make observed findings distinct from your explanation.

Should I include every collected result?

Report the relevant planned analyses and important exceptions; use the brief and ethical reporting standards rather than cherry-picking attractive numbers.