phd thesis results chapter

George, T. (2022, November 11). How to Write a Results Section | Tips & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved February 27, 2023, from https://www.scribbr.com/dissertation/results/

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How To Write The Results/Findings Chapter

For qualitative studies (dissertations & theses).

By: Jenna Crossley (PhD Cand). Expert Reviewed By: Dr. Eunice Rautenbach | August 2021

So, you’ve collected and analysed your qualitative data, and it’s time to write up your results chapter – exciting! But where do you start? In this post, we’ll guide you through the qualitative results chapter (also called the findings chapter), step by step.

Overview: Qualitative Results Chapter

What exactly is the results chapter?

The results chapter in a dissertation or thesis (or any formal academic research piece) is where you objectively and neutrally present the findings of your qualitative analysis (or analyses if you used multiple qualitative analysis methods ). This chapter can sometimes be combined with the discussion chapter (where you interpret the data and discuss its meaning), depending on your university’s preference. We’ll treat the two chapters as separate, as that’s the most common approach.

In contrast to a quantitative results chapter that presents numbers and statistics, a qualitative results chapter presents data primarily in the form of words . But this doesn’t mean that a qualitative study can’t have quantitative elements – you could, for example, present the number of times a theme or topic pops up in your data, depending on the analysis method(s) you adopt.

Adding a quantitative element to your study can add some rigour, which strengthens your results by providing more evidence for your claims. This is particularly common when using qualitative content analysis. Keep in mind though that qualitative research aims to achieve depth, richness and identify nuances , so don’t get tunnel vision by focusing on the numbers. They’re just cream on top in a qualitative analysis.

So, to recap, the results chapter is where you objectively present the findings of your analysis, without interpreting them (you’ll save that for the discussion chapter). With that out the way, let’s take a look at what you should include in your results chapter.

Only present the results, don't interpret them

What should you include in the results chapter?

As we’ve mentioned, your qualitative results chapter should purely present and describe your results , not interpret them in relation to the existing literature or your research questions. Any speculations or discussion about the implications of your findings should be reserved for your discussion chapter.

In your results chapter, you’ll want to talk about your analysis findings and whether or not they support your hypotheses (if you have any). Naturally, the exact contents of your results chapter will depend on which qualitative analysis method (or methods) you use. For example, if you were to use thematic analysis, you’d detail the themes identified in your analysis, using extracts from the transcripts or text to support your claims.

While you do need to present your analysis findings in some detail, you should avoid dumping large amounts of raw data in this chapter. Instead, focus on presenting the key findings and using a handful of select quotes or text extracts to support each finding . The reams of data and analysis can be relegated to your appendices.

While it’s tempting to include every last detail you found in your qualitative analysis, it is important to make sure that you report only that which is relevant to your research aims, objectives and research questions . Always keep these three components, as well as your hypotheses (if you have any) front of mind when writing the chapter and use them as a filter to decide what’s relevant and what’s not.

Need a helping hand?

How do I write the results chapter?

Now that we’ve covered the basics, it’s time to look at how to structure your chapter. Broadly speaking, the results chapter needs to contain three core components – the introduction, the body and the concluding summary. Let’s take a look at each of these.

Section 1: Introduction

The first step is to craft a brief introduction to the chapter. This intro is vital as it provides some context for your findings. In your introduction, you should begin by reiterating your problem statement and research questions and highlight the purpose of your research . Make sure that you spell this out for the reader so that the rest of your chapter is well contextualised.

The next step is to briefly outline the structure of your results chapter. In other words, explain what’s included in the chapter and what the reader can expect. In the results chapter, you want to tell a story that is coherent, flows logically, and is easy to follow , so make sure that you plan your structure out well and convey that structure (at a high level), so that your reader is well oriented.

The introduction section shouldn’t be lengthy. Two or three short paragraphs should be more than adequate. It is merely an introduction and overview, not a summary of the chapter.

Pro Tip – To help you structure your chapter, it can be useful to set up an initial draft with (sub)section headings so that you’re able to easily (re)arrange parts of your chapter. This will also help your reader to follow your results and give your chapter some coherence. Be sure to use level-based heading styles (e.g. Heading 1, 2, 3 styles) to help the reader differentiate between levels visually. You can find these options in Word (example below).

Section 2: Body

Before we get started on what to include in the body of your chapter, it’s vital to remember that a results section should be completely objective and descriptive, not interpretive . So, be careful not to use words such as, “suggests” or “implies”, as these usually accompany some form of interpretation – that’s reserved for your discussion chapter.

The structure of your body section is very important , so make sure that you plan it out well. When planning out your qualitative results chapter, create sections and subsections so that you can maintain the flow of the story you’re trying to tell. Be sure to systematically and consistently describe each portion of results. Try to adopt a standardised structure for each portion so that you achieve a high level of consistency throughout the chapter.

For qualitative studies, results chapters tend to be structured according to themes , which makes it easier for readers to follow. However, keep in mind that not all results chapters have to be structured in this manner. For example, if you’re conducting a longitudinal study, you may want to structure your chapter chronologically. Similarly, if you’re using a theoretical framework, you might structure this chapter according to that. The exact structure of your chapter will depend on the nature of your study , especially your research questions.

As you work through the body of your chapter, make sure that you use quotes to substantiate every one of your claims . You can present these quotes in italics to differentiate them from your own words. A general rule of thumb is to use at least two pieces of evidence per claim, and these should be linked directly to your data. Also, remember that you need to include all relevant results , not just the ones that support your assumptions or initial leanings.

In addition to including quotes, you can also link your claims to the data by using appendices , which you should reference throughout your text. When you reference, make sure that you include both the name/number of the appendix , as well as the line(s) from which you drew your data.

As referencing styles can vary greatly, be sure to look up the appendix referencing conventions of your university’s prescribed style (e.g. APA, Harvard, etc) and keep this consistent throughout your chapter.

Section 3: Concluding summary

The concluding summary is very important because it summarises your key findings and lays the foundation for the discussion chapter . Keep in mind that some readers may skip directly to this section (from the introduction section), so make sure that it can be read and understood well in isolation.

In this section, you need to remind the reader of the key findings. That is, the results that directly relate to your research questions and that you will build upon in your discussion chapter. Remember, your reader has digested a lot of information in this chapter, so you need to use this section to remind them of the most important takeaways.

Importantly, the concluding summary should not present any new information and should only describe what you’ve already presented in your chapter. Keep it concise – you’re not summarising the whole chapter, just the essentials.

Tips and tricks for an A-grade results chapter

Now that you’ve got a clear picture of what the qualitative results chapter is all about, here are some quick tips and reminders to help you craft a high-quality chapter:

If you have any questions, leave a comment below and we’ll do our best to help. If you’d like 1-on-1 help with your results chapter (or any chapter of your dissertation or thesis), check out our private dissertation coaching service here or book a free initial consultation to discuss how we can help you.

Psst… there’s more (for free)

This post is part of our research writing mini-course, which covers everything you need to get started with your dissertation, thesis or research project.

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How To Write The Results/Findings Chapter (Quantitative)

14 Comments

This was extremely helpful. Thanks a lot guys

Hi, thanks for the great research support platform created by the gradcoach team!

I wanted to ask- While “suggests” or “implies” are interpretive terms, what terms could we use for the results chapter? Could you share some examples of descriptive terms?

I found this article very useful. Thank you very much for the outstanding work you are doing.

What if i have 3 different interviewees answering the same interview questions? Should i then present the results in form of the table with the division on the 3 perspectives or rather give a results in form of the text and highlight who said what?

I think this tabular representation of results is a great idea. I am doing it too along with the text. Thanks

That was helpful was struggling to separate the discussion from the findings

this was very useful, Thank you.

Very helpful, I am confident to write my results chapter now.

It is so helpful! It is a good job. Thank you very much!

Very useful, well explained. Many thanks.

Hello, I appreciate the way you provided a supportive comments about qualitative results presenting tips

I loved this! It explains everything needed, and it has helped me better organize my thoughts. What words should I not use while writing my results section, other than subjective ones.

Thanks a lot, it is really helpful

Thank you so much dear, i really appropriate your nice explanations about this.

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The Best Dissertation Writing Service with Top PhD Writers

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Are You Struggling to Write the Dissertation Results? We Can Help!

What’s the point of a dissertation? You conducted your research and you’re confident that your findings can help humanity solve some issues. But you have to present those findings, so your readers will be aware that your discussion is based on facts.

The Results is one of the most confusing dissertation chapters for the reader. It contains tables and figures, which can be challenging to understand. That’s why you have a responsibility to provide all details in the dissertation results chapter, but present them in the most digestible format possible. That’s not easy at all.

The dissertation results and discussion can often get PhD candidates struggling. They don’t see the best way to present the findings, so they turn to professional agencies.

There’s no need to worry. We’ll give you a few tips on how to write a results section, and we’ll present the final solution: what can you do if you can’t complete this chapter?

How to Make the Results Chapter Dissertation Fit In

The dissertation results and analysis comes after the dissertation methodology chapter. In the previous sections of the projects, you covered these stages:

Now, you have to present those results.

If this is the first time for you to write a project of this scale, you’re probably wondering: what goes in results findings section of a dissertation? The answer is processed data .

When writing results for dissertation, PhD candidates often make the mistake of including all raw data that they found. If you don’t categorize this data in a digestible way, you’ll only confuse the reader. Not everything that you found is relevant to answering the research question. Only include the findings that support or defy your hypothesis without getting off the logical flow.

This chapter has to fit in, so it must follow the flow that you set with the introduction, literature review, and methodology. If you struggle with that, maybe it’s best to buy dissertation online .

Tips: How to Make Writing the Findings Chapter of a Dissertation Easier

Our professional writers share a few important tips that help with writing the results section of a research paper:

Use Past Tense

You’re the one who did the research at a point back in time. Your findings were valid there, and you witnessed them. If you read through the studies that you used during the research process, you’ll notice that the authors used past tense when writing results section dissertation. That’s a standard that all PhD writers follow.

Filter the Results by Relevance

You don’t have to include all findings in your results section of research paper. If some of them were irrelevant, don’t mention them.

Use Research Questions

To clarify the relevance of your results, organize them by research questions. Set separate research questions, and then present the data that helps you answer them. It’s okay to include subheadings within the dissertation results. In fact, it’s the recommended thing to do.

Don’t Start Explaining

You have a separate chapter for that: the dissertation discussion chapter .

What to Do If You Can’t Write the Dissertation Results Section

It happens.

Even if you’re the best researcher and writer, you may need help with writing dissertation results. The good news is that you know where to get it.

Dissertation-Service.org has helped hundreds of PhD candidates to present the dissertation findings.

There’s no point in giving up. You came too far to do that. You only need to surpass the difficulties, and you’ll be ready to carry on with the work on this project. You can safely rely on the best dissertation help service .

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The following examples are acceptable ways of formatting your thesis and chapters when including one or more publications.

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All theses with publications must have the following:

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Dissertation Results/Findings Chapter (Quantitative)
How do I write the results chapter? Step 1 – Revisit your research questions. The first step in writing your results chapter is to revisit your research... Step 2 – Craft an overview introduction. As with all chapters in your dissertation or thesis, you should start your... Step 3 – Present the ...
Dissertation Results & Findings Chapter (Qualitative)
The results chapter in a dissertation or thesis (or any formal academic research piece) is where you objectively and neutrally present the findings of your qualitative analysis (or analyses if you used multiple qualitative analysis methods ).
How to Write the Dissertation Results Chapter
Dissertation-Service.org has helped hundreds of PhD candidates to present the dissertation findings. We guarantee to offer custom-tailored and contextualized dissertation results help. If you order this individual chapter, it will fit with the remaining parts of your paper.
Examples of thesis and chapter formats when including
Chapter 1: Introduction; Chapter 2: Literature review; Chapter 3: Methods; Chapter 4: Paper 1 & general discussion; Chapter 5: Paper 2; Chapter 6: Regular thesis chapter – results; Chapter 7: Regular thesis chapter/general discussion tying in published and unpublished work; Chapter 8: Conclusion