Interpreting Empirical Findings

Many scholars in the social and natural sciences describe their research findings in a chapter entitled "Findings" or "Results". They then include a "Discussion" or "Interpreting Results" chapter in which they restate key findings and interpret them. However, in some scientific disciplines, it may be conventional to provide an interpretation immediately after the results in an amalgamated section that might be called 'Results & Discussion'. Here, we will focus on common language patterns writers use when interpreting their own empirical findings, as well as the findings of others.

"Interpreting Empirical Findings" typically involves:

  • Indicating if a finding is similar to other findings (e.g. either your own, or those presented in other literature)
  • Indicating if a finding is different from other findings (i.e. either your own, or those presented in other literature)
  • Explaining a finding (e.g. why a finding occurred, or hypothesising if it was expected or unexpected)

Oxford Interpreting Findings Examples

Please follow the links below to examples of Oxford students interpreting findings in their research:

Examples

 

 

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