Result and discussion writing.

1. AuthorAID Post-PACN-Congress
Workshop on Research Writing
Accra, Ghana
November 2011

2. The Results Section
Barbara Gastel, MD, MPH
Texas A&M University
bgastel@cvm.tamu.edu

3. The Results Section
• The core of the paper
• Often includes tables, figures, or both
• Should summarize findings rather than
providing data in great detail
• Should present results but not comment
on them
• (Note: Some journals combine the Results
and the Discussion.)

4. Verb Tense for the Results Section:
Past Tense
Examples:
– A total of 417 samples contained . . .
– _____ increased, but _____ decreased.
– The average temperature was _____.
– Three of the dogs died.
– This difference was not statistically significant.

5. Results Sections of Papers
with Tables or Figures
• How much should the information in the
text overlap that in the tables and figures?
– Not extensive overlap
– In general, text should present only the main
points from the tables and figures
– Perhaps also include a few of the most
important data
• Remember to mention each table or
figure. Do so as soon as readers might
want to see it.

6. Mentioning Tables and Figures:
Some Writing Advice
• In citing tables and figures, emphasize the
finding, not the table or figure.
– Not so good: Table 3 shows that researchers
who attended the workshop published twice
as many papers per year.
– Better: Researchers who attended the
workshop published twice as many papers
per year (Table 3).

7. Results: A Suggestion
• Look at the Results sections of some
papers in your target journal.
• Notice items such as the following:
– Length
– Organization
– Inclusion of subheads (or not)
– Number of tables and figures
• Use these Results sections as models.

8. Thank you!

9. Small-Group Discussion
• Please discuss this morning’s lectures. What are the
main points to remember? What questions do you
have? How do you plan to use the content?
• Identify a journal that seems suitable for your paper.
Say why you chose this journal. If possible, now or this
evening, look at the journal’s instructions to authors and
at least one paper in the journal.
• If you brought a draft of your paper, note some things
that are good about the results section and some things
that you plan to change. If you didn’t bring a draft,
describe your plans for your results section. (Please
keep the lectures in mind.)
• Prepare a brief talk (5 to 10 minutes) presenting
highlights of your group’s discussion.