Checklist for Writing the Results of a Research Paper
Use this checklist to make sure the results section of your paper contains all the material it needs—and doesn't include anything that shouldn't be there.
If you're still writing your paper, you might find this more detailed article on writing a results section helpful. You can also check out my entire Research Writing Guide.
Download Magnum Academic Editing's 40-point Research Paper Checklist, which covers all major sections of a standard research article.
☐ Have I (briefly) reminded the reader of the statistical analyses used?
This step isn't always necessary, but it's generally helpful for readers if you quickly remind them what kind of statistical tests you ran (e.g., one-way ANOVA).
☐ Have I clearly stated the direction or nature of important effects or differences?
For example, if two groups had significantly different scores on a test, which group scored higher?
Example: Specifically, on average, the liking gap was significantly wider in the disclosure group (M = 0.67, SD = 0.62) than in the ND group (M = 0.35, SD = 0.66).
☐ Is each result supported (e.g., by statistical information or quotes from interviews)?
☐ Have I spelled out important patterns in the data for readers rather than requiring them to interpret the data from the tables or figures?
☐ Is each reported result relevant to at least one research objective?
Each result should contribute to answering at least one question, objective, or hypothesis as stated in the paper’s introduction.
☐ Have I avoided interpreting or analyzing the meaning of my results?
Words like “appears,” “seems,” and “suggests” may indicate that results are being interpreted rather than simply reported.
