Effective Presentation and Discussion of Study Findings

Presentation and Discussion of Study Findings

Each research report should contain the findings, discussion of findings, conclusions, implications, and recommendations for future research. These elements of a research report may be found under various types of headings

The findings of a study are the presentation of the results in the form of empirical data. Methods of presenting findings include narrative presentations, tables, and figures. The findings of a study should be clearly and briefly presented in the narrative text of the study report. The results of hypothesis testing should contain the statistical test used, the test results, the degrees of freedom, and the obtained probability level.

Tables are a means of organizing data to make study findings more interpreted. Tables should never appear in a report unless they have been discussed in the text and should appear as soon as possible after they have been referred to. The vertical entries in a table are the columns; the horizontal entries are called rows. Cells are the boxes formed where rows and columns intersect. easily understood and

The word figure is the term used to indicate any visual presentation of data, other than a table. Figures include graphs, diagrams, line drawings, and photographs.

Discussion The discussion of the findings is a much more subjective section of a research report than the presentation of the findings. The discussion section of a study report allows the researcher to make interpretations of the findings. The findings are interpreted in light of the theoretical framework and within the context of the literature review. No literature sources should be cited in the discussion of the findings section that were not referred to in the review of the literature section of the report.

When new literature sources are cited, it appears as if the investigator went back to the library or the Internet after the data were collected to search for a source or sources that would be in agreement with the study findings. In the discussion of the findings, the researcher discusses aspects of the results that are in agreement and those that are not in agreement with previous research explanations. and theoretical

. The researcher also reports study limitations Although study limitations discussed, this is not the time to focus on every fault of the study. should be Study limitations: are uncontrolled variables that may affect study results and limit the generalizability of the findings

The researcher also discusses any problems that may have occurred while conducting the study. A beginning researcher frequently lists all of the weaknesses and problems of the study and appears to ask the reader to disregard the findings of the present study when they are not in agreement with the theoretical framework or past research results. Experienced investigators are able to interpret findings within the context of the strengths and the weaknesses of their studies

Discussion of study hypotheses Nurses need to have a basic understanding of hypothesis testing prior to reading an article that contains a hypothesis. If the null hypothesis is rejected, support is provided for the research hypothesis. An important aspect of the findings of a study is the discussion of the hypothesis testing results. Results fall into one of three categories: (a) the null hypothesis is not rejected, and, therefore, the research hypothesis is not supported; (b) the null hypothesis is rejected, and the research hypothesis is supported; and (c) the null hypothesis is rejected, and the results are in the opposite direction from the prediction of the research hypothesis.

When the null hypothesis is not rejected, the researcher may become discouraged and start trying to determine what went wrong . Beginning researchers prone to start picking apart their studies when the null hypothesis is not rejected. They discuss the small sample size and the in adequate instrument limitations that can be identified. are particularly and all the other

It is not uncommon for a graduate students who is writing a thesis to become upset after discovering non significant study results The student may put all material away and never complete the writing the of thesis. Researchers must considering negative results( those not in agreement with prediction). Negative results may be as important as positive results. They just are not as exciting for the researcher. be objective when

Some researchers think the only studies that are published are those in which the findings are in agreement with the study predictions. Many of the published research studies do report positive findings. However , a recent review of the research journals revealed that studies are being published in which non significant results were found.

These types of results are not supportive of the study s theoretical framework. These results may also lacking agreement previous research results The best thing that can be done is to try to make some sense out of the findings and give some explanation Recommendations may then be made for further research based on the explanations. with for the results.

Statistical and clinical significance It is important to distinguish between statistical and clinical significance. Statistical significance means that the null hypothesis has been rejected and the study findings are probably not related to chance. Clinical significance means that the findings may be useful in the clinical setting.

Conclusions The study conclusions are the researcher s attempt to show what knowledge has been gained by the study and are also an attempt to generalized the finding. Conclusions take into considerations the study problem, purpose , hypothesis, and theoretical frame work. The population, sample , and sampling methods must be considered when trying to generalize the study results.

Implications (indirect suggestions)of the Results The implication of a study contain the shoulds that results from the study. Nurse educator should ..or nurse clinicians should are types of statements found in the implications section of research report. Based on the conclusions of the study, what change, if any , should be considered. Study implication might be that no change is needed or that more research is called to further verify the study results , or that changes need to be made based on the study conclusions. For every conclusion of a study there should be at least one implication.

Consider this conclusion : guided relaxation is an effective means of controlling anxiety in patient about to undergo a proctoscopic examination . An implication of the conclusion might be nurses should consider using guided relaxation techniques with patients about to undergo a proctoscopic examination. Another implication might be that nurse educators should teach nursing students about the usefulness of guided relaxation techniques in their nursing practice.

Recommendations The last section of every research report should contain recommendations for further research. Both quantitative and qualitative researchers should make recommendations research, based on their studies for future

Recommendations for further research should be contained in each research report. This section of the report should propose replication of the study or a new study in which the present study limitations are considered. The researcher might extensions to the present study. also suggest some

ETHICAL RESEARCH FINDINGS When presenting research results, the rights of subjects must be protected. Names of subjects should never be reported, and, generally, only group data are presented. The researcher has the responsibility to ensure that no subjects can be identified. If data are collected in an agency, the name of this agency should never be mentioned, unless permission has been obtained. ISSUES IN PRESENTING

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