ResultsAPA Results Section
Purpose of the results section...
• Report the statistical analyses of the data collected in your study
• Determine how confident we are that the IV(s) produced a change in the DV
APA Results
• Results section should include...
• Objective description of findings What your data showed NOT your interpretation of
the data
• Description of how the data were analyzed
• A report of all results relating to your original research question/hypothesis
APA Results
• Important points...
• Begin with the most important results and then make your way to secondary findings What are the “most important results”?
• Describe all relevant results, even if they are contrary to your predictions
• HOWEVER...don’t include every piece of data you obtained from your study What data should be reported?
APA Results
What does this mean?
T(49) = 4.73, p < .05
T-test Degrees of
Freedom(n-1)
Calculated value of t
Level of significance
APA Results
Overview of Results Section
• Begin with descriptive statistics (means & SD) reported for each group or variable– Descriptive statistics can be represented by graphs
or tables but ONLY if results are significant
• Next include significance tests or correlations
APA Results
Example write up:
A t-test revealed that participants exposed to uncontrollable noise made more errors M = 7.5(2.88) than participants who were exposed to controllable noises M = 4.3(2.96), t(39) = 4.77, p < .05. mean standard
deviation
APA Results
Descriptive statistics: The sample for the current study (N = 748) ranged in age from 9 to 18 (M = 13.74 years, SD = 2.56). Equal numbers of males and females participated.
The average number of colds suffered per year was 6.9 (SD = 2.3).
Children reported relatively high levels of life satisfaction (M = 5.6, SD = 1.1).
Children played outside, on average, 7.2 times per week (SD = 4.1).
Example
Inferential statistics (correlations):
Number of colds was inversely related to levels of life satisfaction, r(748) = -.11; however, this correlation was small and did not reach conventional levels of statistical significance, p = .36.
Playing outside was positively related to levels of life satisfaction, r(748) = .56. This correlation was of moderate magnitude and statistically significant, p < .01.
Example
Inferential statistics (t-tests): Males suffered from fewer colds per year (M = 6.2, SD = 2.5) than girls (M = 7.1, SD = 1.9). This difference was not statistically significant, t(746) = .45, p = .89.
Girls played outside 10.3 times per week (SD = 2.3), whereas boys played outside 5.4 times per week (SD = 2.0). This difference represents a medium effect and was statistically significant, t(746) = 8.1, p < .001.
Example
Steps for Results Section
1.Remind readers of the conceptual hypotheses or questions you are asking
2.Remind readers of behaviors measured or operations performed
3. Provide the answer/result in plain English4. Provide the statistic that supports your plain English
answer5. Elaborate or qualify the overall conclusion if necessary
APA Results
• Tables & Figures (Graphs)
Good way to illustrate significant findings
Appear after the reference section in the paper
APA Results
Tables & Figures (Graphs)
Do NOT repeat the same data in both the text and in a table or figure
DO refer to the table or figure somewhere in the text
• For example: “The data in Table 3 suggest...”NOT “The table on page 12...”
APA Results
APA Title & Introduction SectionAPA Title & Introduction Section
Table Structure
Table Example
• Graphs:
• Scatter plots• Line graphs• Bar graphs
• Charts
Figures
Questions?
APA Results