LDRS 591 Activity 9.3
The most important thing for me about the conclusions section of a high-quality research report is . . .
that the results be summarized and present in a succinct manner. I personally do not like long conclusions, I prefer them to be brief and easy to understand, without a heavy reliance on statistical references. The results should also be organized and discussed in a logical manner. I also like to see how the authors related the results to previous studies, and to their hypothesis/hypotheses. Oftentimes there will be a long drawn discussion without a clear mention of whether the study supports or refutes their hypothesis. The scope and applicability of the results must also be discussed in conclusions. This gives the reader a clearer idea of the implications of the results of the study in their practice. As part of the back notes, in addition to references, an important component are the appendices. I like to see that the authors attached their tools, survey questionnaires etc. to help the readers understand their process/methods, and their interpretation.
Question: Where do you think the results should be discussed in detail? In the results section itself, or in discussion ? I personally prefer the results to be discussed in the results section, and the discussion section to only focus on the conclusions, authors’ interpretation of results, and the other elements mentioned above.
Reference
Plano-Clark, V., & Creswell, J. (2015). Understanding research: A consumer’s guide (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
Hi Simarjit,
Great response and great question! I am in agreement with you. I prefer to have results discussed in the results and then a summary, interpretation, implications and limitations provided in the discussion/conclusion section.
However, the conclusion section will look different for quantitative and qualitative studies. See Plano-Clark and Creswell’s (2015) discussion on page 472 for more information.
Dr. Strong
Thanks Dr Strong!
Simarjit,
Great question! I agree with you. I think if results are discussed in depth in the conclusion section it will get crowded and might be confusing to readers. I personally think the conclusion should be more reserved for parting words, formalities, and driving home overall significance.