How to Write Your Results and Discussion Section for a research article

Summary

In this informative video, the speaker guides viewers through crafting the results and discussion section of a research paper, emphasizing the importance of creating a cohesive research story. They outline four key questions to address: the rationale for the analysis, the findings, their significance, and their broader implications. The speaker illustrates these points using their own published work, demonstrating effective organization and clarity. This tutorial aims to enhance understanding and skills in scientific writing, encouraging viewers to download a free checklist for further guidance.

Takeaways

• 😀 It's crucial to create a 'research story' before writing the results and discussion sections, ensuring a logical flow from one conclusion to another.
• 😀 The purpose of the results and discussion section is to share the research story and provide a detailed explanation of the experiment's outcomes.
• 😀 In your results section, ensure to answer why you performed a specific analysis or comparison to help readers understand its significance.
• 😀 The results section should clearly present your findings, including relevant data such as numbers, maximums, averages, and standard deviations.
• 😀 Figures are essential in the results section, and they should be referenced to guide readers to visualize the data.
• 😀 The discussion section should explain why your findings matter and what they mean in the broader context of your field.
• 😀 If the results and discussion sections are combined, you need to seamlessly transition from your findings to their significance and implications.
• 😀 The four main questions to answer in each section related to a figure are: Why perform the analysis? What did you find? Why does it matter? What does it mean?
• 😀 When structuring the results and discussion section, it's important to break it down by major figures or sections to maintain clarity and focus.
• 😀 The results and discussion section should end with a conclusion that wraps up the major findings and their broader implications for the field.

Q & A

What is the primary purpose of the results and discussion section in a research paper?

The primary purpose is to share the research story created from the experiments, guiding the reader through the data and conclusions.

Why is it important to create a coherent research story before writing the results and discussion section?

A coherent research story helps convey the significance of the findings and prevents the presentation of isolated data points, ensuring the reader understands the overall context.

What are the four key questions that should be answered in the results and discussion section?

The four key questions are: 1) Why did you perform this analysis? 2) What did you find? 3) Why do these findings matter? 4) What do these findings mean?

How should one explain the significance of an analysis in the results section?

Explain the significance by discussing what the reader can expect to learn from the analysis and how it contributes to understanding the research question.

What type of data should be included when discussing findings in the results section?

Include quantitative data such as maximums, averages, and standard deviations, as well as qualitative data like quotes, to provide evidence for your findings.

How can figures be effectively integrated into the results and discussion section?

Refer to figures within the text to help direct readers to visual data that supports the findings, making the information easier to understand.

What role does the discussion section play in relation to existing literature?

The discussion section contextualizes findings by comparing them to existing literature, explaining their importance and implications for the field.

How can the results and discussion sections be organized?

Organize the sections using headings that correspond to major figures, ensuring clarity and ease of navigation for the reader.

What example does the speaker provide to illustrate their points?

The speaker provides an example from their published work in analytical chemistry, demonstrating how to structure and articulate findings effectively.

What additional resource does the speaker offer for writing scientific papers?

The speaker offers a free downloadable checklist for writing scientific research papers, available through a link in the video description.