How to Write the Results Section of a Research Paper (With Examples)

The results section is one of the most important parts of any research paper, and one of the most commonly mishandled. It's where you present what you found, without interpretation, without discussion, and without editorializing. Getting it right matters. Journals and reviewers evaluate your results section closely, and a poorly organized or unclear presentation of findings can undermine even the strongest research. This guide walks you through exactly how to write a results section for a research paper, with examples and practical advice for graduate students and researchers at every stage.

What Is the Results Section of a Research Paper?

The results section is the part of your research paper where you report the findings of your study. It presents the data you collected and the outcomes of your analysis, organized clearly and logically, without interpretation or commentary. That comes later, in the discussion section.

Think of the results section as the factual record of what happened when you carried out your research. Your job is to present those facts as clearly, accurately, and objectively as possible, so that your reader can understand what you found before you explain what it means.

Results Section vs. Discussion Section: What's the Difference?

One of the most common mistakes researchers make is blending results and discussion together. The distinction is important:

Results. What you found. Objective presentation of data, outcomes, and statistical findings. No interpretation, no commentary, no comparison with previous research.
Discussion. What it means. Interpretation of your findings, comparison with existing literature, explanation of unexpected results, and implications for the field.

In some fields and journal formats, results and discussion are combined into a single section. Always check the submission guidelines of your target journal before you begin writing to confirm the expected structure.

How to Structure the Results Section

A well structured results section follows a logical order that mirrors your research questions or hypotheses. Here's the approach that works for most research papers:

Restate your research questions or hypotheses briefly. You don't need to repeat your entire introduction, but a brief reminder of what you set out to investigate helps orient the reader before you present your findings.
Present findings in order of importance or research question. Organize your results so that the most important or primary findings come first, followed by secondary findings. If your paper has multiple research questions, address them in the same order they were introduced.
Use past tense. The results section is written in past tense throughout, as you're reporting what happened during your study.
Report all relevant findings, including negative and unexpected ones. Don't selectively present only the results that support your hypothesis. Reporting unexpected or null findings is essential to scientific integrity and is expected by peer reviewers.
Refer to your tables and figures. Every table and figure in your paper should be referenced in the text. Don't just insert a table and leave it without comment. Briefly direct the reader's attention to the key finding it illustrates.
Keep interpretation out of the results section. Save explanations, comparisons with prior research, and implications for the discussion. The results section is for facts, not commentary.

How to Write the Results Section: Step by Step

Step 1: Organize your findings before you write

Before you write a single sentence, organize all of your data and analysis outputs. Group findings by research question, hypothesis, or theme depending on your study design. Decide which findings will be presented in text, which will be supported by tables, and which will be illustrated with figures. A clear organizational plan before you start writing makes the section much easier to produce and much easier to read.

Step 2: Write an opening sentence that orients the reader

The results section should begin with a sentence or two that reminds the reader of the study's purpose and signals what the section covers. You don't need to repeat your abstract or introduction. A brief orienting statement is enough.

Example: "This section presents the findings of the survey conducted with 240 undergraduate participants across three institutions, organized according to the three primary research questions."

Step 3: Present primary findings first

Lead with your most important finding, then move to secondary results. For each finding, state the result clearly and concisely, provide the relevant statistical data or qualitative evidence, and reference any supporting table or figure.

Example (quantitative): "Participants in the intervention group showed a statistically significant improvement in test scores compared to the control group (M = 78.4 vs. M = 64.2; t(238) = 4.31, p < .001). See Table 2."

Example (qualitative): "Three primary themes emerged from the interview data: perceived barriers to access, institutional support structures, and individual motivation. Each theme is described in detail below."

Step 4: Use tables and figures effectively

Tables and figures are not decoration. They're a tool for presenting complex data more clearly than prose alone can. Use them when you have multiple data points to compare, when showing trends or distributions, or when the raw numbers are essential to the reader's understanding of the finding. Every table and figure needs a descriptive title, clear labels, and a reference in the text.

A common mistake is to repeat in the text everything that's already shown in a table. You don't need to. Highlight the key finding the table illustrates, then direct the reader to the table for the full data.

Step 5: Report negative and unexpected findings

If some of your results didn't support your hypothesis, or if you found something you didn't expect, report it clearly and without apology. Unexpected findings are not failures. They're part of the scientific record, and they often lead to the most interesting discussion. Omitting them is a form of reporting bias and will likely be flagged by peer reviewers.

Example: "Contrary to the study's hypothesis, no significant difference was found between groups on the secondary outcome measure (p = .42)."

Step 6: End the results section cleanly

The results section doesn't need a formal conclusion. Once you've presented all your findings, move on. The discussion section is where you'll interpret what the results mean, so there's no need to editorialize or summarize extensively at the end of the results section.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in the Results Section

Interpreting results instead of reporting them. Save interpretation for the discussion. If you find yourself writing "this suggests" or "this shows that," you're in discussion territory.
Presenting data without referencing tables and figures. Every visual element should be mentioned in the text. Don't let tables and figures speak for themselves without any written context.
Omitting negative or null findings. Report everything relevant. Selective reporting is a form of bias and will be identified by reviewers.
Being vague about statistical results. Always include exact values, sample sizes, degrees of freedom, and p values where applicable. Vague statements like "results were significant" are not acceptable in peer reviewed research.
Using inconsistent terminology. If you refer to a variable as "academic performance" in your methods section, don't call it "student achievement" in your results. Consistency in terminology is essential for clarity.
Writing in the wrong tense. The results section uses past tense throughout. Present tense is reserved for statements of established fact in the introduction and literature review.

Results Section Language: Useful Phrases

Here are some phrases commonly used in results sections across disciplines. These can help you find the right language, especially if English isn't your first language:

The results revealed that...
Analysis of the data indicated...
A significant difference was found between...
No significant relationship was observed between...
As shown in Table [X] / Figure [X]...
The findings suggest... (use only in the discussion, not the results)
Participants reported that...
The mean score for [group] was... (SD = ...)
Contrary to the hypothesis, results showed...
Three themes were identified: [theme 1], [theme 2], and [theme 3].

Results Section Examples by Research Type

Quantitative results section example

"A paired samples t test was conducted to compare pre and post intervention scores. Results indicated a statistically significant improvement in scores following the intervention (M = 82.1, SD = 6.4) compared to baseline (M = 67.3, SD = 8.1); t(59) = 9.72, p < .001, d = 1.26. These results are presented in Table 3."

Qualitative results section example

"Analysis of the interview transcripts identified four recurring themes: (1) perceived lack of institutional support, (2) time constraints as a barrier to participation, (3) the role of peer networks in motivation, and (4) conflicting personal and professional priorities. Representative quotes for each theme are provided below."

Mixed methods results section example

"Survey data indicated that 74% of respondents reported low confidence in their writing skills (see Figure 2). This finding was corroborated by the interview data, in which participants frequently described feeling underprepared for academic writing at the graduate level."

FAQs

How long should the results section of a research paper be?

There's no fixed length, but the results section is typically one of the shorter sections of a research paper. It should be long enough to present all relevant findings clearly, with appropriate support from tables and figures, but no longer. Many journal articles have results sections of between 500 and 1,500 words, though this varies significantly by discipline, study complexity, and journal requirements.

Should I interpret my results in the results section?

No. The results section is for reporting findings only. Interpretation, comparison with previous research, and discussion of implications belong in the discussion section. Mixing the two is one of the most common structural errors in research writing and is frequently flagged by peer reviewers.

Do I need to report all my results, even if they don't support my hypothesis?

Yes. Reporting all relevant findings, including null and unexpected results, is a fundamental requirement of scientific integrity. Selectively reporting only supportive findings is a form of reporting bias. Peer reviewers are trained to look for this, and most journals have explicit policies requiring complete reporting of results.

How do I present statistical results in the results section?

Always include exact values rather than vague descriptors. Report the test statistic, degrees of freedom, p value, and effect size where applicable, following the conventions of your discipline and style guide. For APA style, for example, statistical results are reported in a standardized format: t(df) = value, p = value. Check your target journal's author guidelines for specific formatting requirements.

Can the results and discussion sections be combined?

Yes, in some disciplines and journal formats, a combined results and discussion section is standard. This is particularly common in qualitative research and in some social science journals. Always check the submission guidelines of your target journal before deciding on your structure.

Get Expert Help Before You Submit

A well written results section is clear, precise, and free of the errors that can slow down peer review or lead to rejection. Before you submit your manuscript, it's worth having it reviewed by a professional academic editor who understands the standards of your field. Editor World's research paper editing services and academic editing services are used by graduate students and researchers across more than 65 countries. Our native English editors are available 24/7, prices are transparent, and turnaround times start at 2 hours. For more on what professional editing can do for your research paper, read our article on editing services for a research paper.