← Back to the journal Methodology · 6 min read
Results

Stop letting your data speak for itself

A results chapter that only reports what happened is half a chapter. The other half is explaining why it matters to your question.

Physical bar chart made of stacked wooden blocks of varying height

Most results chapters I read are technically correct and analytically empty. Every table is labeled correctly, every test is reported with the right statistics — and by the end, I still don't know what any of it means for the actual research question.

Reporting vs. interpreting

Reporting says: the intervention group scored significantly higher than the control group (p < .01). Interpreting says: this result supports [specific claim], and it's inconsistent with [the alternative explanation you have to rule out].

A results chapter without interpretation reads like a data dump with headings — and a committee's job is to test whether you understand what your own data is telling you.

The question your committee is actually asking

Underneath almost every question about a results section is one real question: do you know what this number means, or did you just run the test correctly? Reporting a statistic proves you can use the software. Interpreting it proves you understand your field — and that's the difference committees are actually testing for.

A finding without an interpretation isn't a result yet — it's just a number waiting to be explained.

A simple rewrite test

What I tell candidates

Go through your results chapter and find every reported finding — every p-value, every theme, every descriptive statistic. After each one, add a sentence that starts with "This means" or "This suggests." If you can't finish that sentence in one line, you don't have an interpretation yet — you have a fact sitting by itself.

Where to add the missing piece

The fix is rarely a full rewrite. Usually it's one sentence added after each finding, connecting it back to your research question. Chapters that pass committee review almost always follow the same shape: report, then interpret, then briefly connect back to the argument. Chapters that get sent back are almost always missing the middle step.

Want templates like this, ready to use?

Four templates are free right now — plus a Pro workbook if you're ready to go further.

Get free templates