2 The Results Section
2.1 Purpose of the Results Section
The purpose of the Results section is to draw the reader’s attention to the key experimental findings using tables, figures (graphs, illustrations, biological diagrams, and/or photographs), AND concisely written text (in past tense) describing the key trends observed in the data as illustrated by the tables and figures. The raw data is usually statistically analyzed in the Results section, not just summarized. The statistical analysis provides an objective method of assessing potential trends or patterns.
The written portion of the results section can be quite short at times. It should not include any interpretation of the data; however, trends in the data should be highlighted. Opinions are subject to change, particularly as further information becomes available. If data is carefully collected, analyzed, and presented, the results are always valid regardless of how opinions may change over time.
The challenge of a Results section is to present this information in a clear, concise fashion so the reader can understand it and see the trends in the data as clearly as you, the author, does. It should be presented in a logical order and that order should be mirrored in the discussion section that follows.
2.2 Kinds of Data Collected in Experiments
Objective and Quantitative
When running an experiment, different types of data can be collected and presented in the Results section. Typically, one wants to design an experiment that collects objective, quantitative data. The term objective means it is fact-based, measurable, and observable while the term quantitative means measurements gather some numerical data such as length, temperature, or weight, for example. A well-designed quantitative study improves the chances of repeatability; meaning if two different researchers ran the experiment then they would obtain very similar data.
Sample of Objective, Quantitative Data:
Subjective and Qualitative
An alternative to objective data is subjective data which is based on opinion, point of view, or emotional judgment. That means that two different researchers could come to different conclusions. In some research, there is no numerical data (quantitative data) to gather. In situations such as this, the data is considered to be qualitative, meaning measurements describe a quality such as a colour change or a comparative assessment and not a numerical value.
Sample of Subjective Data:
Sample of Qualitative Data: