Results and Discussion Chapters

for
Qualitative Research
National Centre for Teaching & Learning

See these slides online at: tinyurl.com/qualchapters2018

Contents

Introductions
Acknowledgements

Overview

Qualitative results style

Qualitative discussion style

Online extras
Introductions
GROUP TAS K 1

Why have you chosen qualitative (or mixed methods)

research?

What kind of qualitative data/analysis will you have in your

thesis?

What advice and/or resources have you found helpful in

writing about your data/analysis?

What writing have you done over the last month?

Acknowledgements
This presentation uses several extracts from the
following Massey doctoral thesis:

Kate Blackwood (2015) Workplace bullying in the New Zealand

nursing profession: The case for a tailored approach to
intervention. https://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/7212

For more examples of highly-rated theses by Massey students,

see the Dean’s List (or use the library search for theses in your
field).

tinyurl.com/masseydeanslist
Overview
 A thesis is like a story
• There’s this important problem or
issue...
• … and researchers understand some
areas of the problem but others need
more research

• … a specific area requiring more

research is this...and it ’s
important because...

• so what I did was…

• and I found that….

• … which means we now know

this…
(Adapted from Paltridge & Starfield, 2007)
Traditional chapter structure for
the
second half of a thesis
What you found
Results Analysis of your data
- take things apart, re-group, reorganise
(Analysis)
- come up with findings/results
So what?
Discussion Locate findings in broader context
(Synthesis) - making sense of findings – what they mean
- place in the literature, practice, policy

Conclusions Come to conclusions about findings

(Evaluations) - what we now know from study
- critical assessment of your results
However …..

• For qualitative research, in particular, thesis

structure does not always follow the traditional
pattern, depending on:

 College requirements
 Disciplinary conventions
 Methodology
 Your topic

• Work out the best way for your research project

GROUP TAS K 2

How do you plan to organise your results and discussion?

• Separate findings and discussion chapters?

• Themed or chronological chapters, each with findings

followed by discussion?

• Themed or chronological chapters, with integrated

findings and discussion?

• Something else?
Qualitative Results Style
 Organise results in a way that makes sense to
you and the reader, depending on:

- the aims or research questions of the project

- the research methods and theoretical framework that have
been outlined earlier in the thesis

Present a summary with sufficient evidence to

support your interpretation

- quotes from interviews; extracts from field notes and Show and
documents; images Explain
- data selected carefully to demonstrate points of analysis
and answer research question(s)

(Burnard et al., 2008; Monash University, 2017)

The need for selectivity

It is important that only data which helps to answer the

research question(s) is presented

(White, 2011, p. 273)

Introducing results chapters – guiding reader through thesis

Indication of where
chapter fits in whole

Reminder of what
researcher was trying
to find out

Structure of chapter
- What reader can
expect to find in
chapter
- Clear indicators of
sequence

(Blackwood, 2015)
 Coherent narrative supported by evidence from data

5.2.1.2 Theme #2: They’re just a bully

Identifying that the behaviours were unreasonable was also a process of confirming that
the perpetrator was a bully. Participants recalled initially “trying to think the best of Summary of what
people” (N19) and “making allowances for [the bully] because the other side of that you found in your
person was very charming” (N32). They acknowledged that “personalities came into it analysis of the data
too” (N24) as they struggled to determine the intent of the perpetrator. Participant N19
spoke about her process of identifying that the behaviours were happening for a reason:
Evidence from data
Slowly the pennies were beginning to drop that these things were happening and
to support your
they were happening for a reason. (N19)
points of analysis
N19 went on to say: and answer the
I realised this woman was a bit of a manipulator, even a master manipulator. You
research questions
know what I mean? I felt that she has some skills that my naivety had made me
not see. (N19)

Identifying the behaviours as unreasonable was therefore a process of shifting blame to

Tell
the perpetrator and finding support on which to confirm the blame. Show
Tell
Participants found support in confirming that the behaviours were unreasonable by
observing the perpetrators behaviour with others in the environment…. (Blackwood, 2015)
 Consistent use of terms throughout thesis
5.2.1.2 Theme #2: They’re just a bully
Identifying that the behaviours were unreasonable was also a process of confirming
that the perpetrator was a bully. Participants recalled initially “trying to think the best
of people” (N19) and “making allowances for [the bully] because the other side of that
person was very charming” (N32). They acknowledged that “personalities came into it
too” (N24) as they struggled to determine the intent of the perpetrator. Participant N19
spoke about her process of identifying that the behaviours were happening for a
Keep it consistent
reason:

Slowly the pennies were beginning to drop that these things were happening and (target vs victim)
they were happening for a reason. (N19)
(teacher vs tutor)
N19 went on to say:
I realised this woman was a bit of a manipulator, even a master manipulator. You (student vs pupil)
know what I mean? I felt that she has some skills that my naivety had made me
not see. (N19)
Identifying the behaviours as unreasonable was therefore a process of shifting blame to
the perpetrator and finding support on which to confirm the blame.

Participants found support in confirming that the behaviours were unreasonable by

observing the perpetrator’s behaviour with others in the environment…. (Blackwood, 2015)
 Using identifiers – ways of identifying sources of data

5.2.1.2 Theme #2: They’re just a bully

…Participants recalled initially “trying to think the best of people” (N19)
and “making allowances for [the bully] because the other side of that
person was very charming” (N32)...
Individual
participants
7.3.4.2 Team structure
…Members referred to closed ward settings, acknowledging the family-
like relationships of the teams having an influence on reporting and
perceptions of bullying. Hospital B suggested that in closed teams, Focus group
nurses are reluctant to report due to fear of being further excluded and members
the power of the perpetrator to defend themselves.
We have managers who’ve been in areas for a really long time,
it ’s sort of like a family, and the nurse manager is like a mother
to them. So you never hear any issues. (Hospital B)

• Variation in style of presenting of findings – no single right way

• What makes sense to you and your supervisor?
(Blackwood, 2015)
Qualitative theses can include quantitative data
Highlight important points for
reader

• Consider the best way to communicate your findings

(Blackwood, 2015)
• Lots of creative ways – check other research
GROUP TAS K 3

How do you plan to select the findings to report on?

How do you plan to organise your findings (e.g.

chronologically / thematically)?

How do you plan to refer to participants?

Do you plan to include any quantitative data or images?

Do you plan to include a glossary of terms?

Qualitative Discussion Style
 Discussion: What the findings mean
Explanation of how your findings answer the research question(s)

Interpretation and description of the significance of your findings in

relation to existing theory and research on the topic:

- do they support existing theory/research on the topic?

- do they differ from previous research findings?
- do they challenge existing theory?
- do they provide new insight into the research problem?

Argument about the implications of your findings for:

- future research
- current theory
- professional practice
(Burnard et al., 2008; Monash University, 2017)
 Introducing Discussion chapters

This research aimed to contribute to the gap

in the literature around….
Remind the reader what
Specifically, the study aimed to explore…and you proposed to find out
explain how…by examining…

By presenting a model portraying how…the

research offers new insights into…and introduces
implications for future studies exploring… Briefly summarise your
major findings
This thesis makes a number of contributions to
the existing literature…The findings address the
call of scholars to…The findings also provide
evidence to support…

Followed by discussion of major findings in logical order

Example of parallel organisation of
findings and discussion chapters

(Blackwood, 2015)
Place your findings in the context of previous research

The skill in writing a successful discussion is in moving

backwards and forwards between others’ research and your
own research, making it clear:
• which has been done by other people
• which has been done by you
• and how they complement each other

(Monash University, 2017)

Show how your
findings fit in with
the existing
literature

Move between
your findings and
the existing
literature

Provide clear
indicators for:
• the current study
• other research
• and how they
complement each
other
(Blackwood, 2015)
Make it clear to readers what your research has
contributed to understanding of the research area
Hedging claims about contributions to
knowledge and practice

The findings of this study suggest that …

One possible implication of this is that …
Taken together, these results suggest that …
The evidence from this study suggests that …
Initial observations suggest that there may be a link between …
The data reported here appear to support the assumption that…
The findings from these studies suggest that X can have an
effect on …

(Academic Phrasebank)
GROUP TAS K 4

What contribution(s) do you expect to make to existing

knowledge about the topic of your thesis?

What contribution(s) do you expect to make to existing

social practice?

What reasons do you have for hedging any claims about

these contributions?
 THANKS FOR COMING ALONG!

See these slides online at: tinyurl.com/quantchapters2018

Next workshop here: Editing your thesis

Weds November 14th 12 pm – 1.30 pm

 Online extras

• Resources

• Discussing limitations of study

- often done in Conclusion chapter

• Coding data
Resources
Advice, resources, and information
about events are available on Stream
ACADEMIC Q & A
(see under Academic Support on Stream)
VIDEOS tinyurl.com/nctlvideos

Also see tinyurl.com/nctlworkshops

 USEFUL MASSEY LINKS
Thesis writing: tinyurl.com/thesiswritingvideo

Library services: tinyurl.com/masseylibraryservices

Attend a library workshop: tinyurl.com/masseylibraryworkshops

Contact a subject librarian: tinyurl.com/masseylibrarian

APA referencing guide: tinyurl.com/masseyapainteractive

Endnote guide & download: tinyurl.com/masseyendnote

Health & Counselling: tinyurl.com/masseywellness

Counselling self-help resources: tinyurl.com/masseycounsellingselfhe

USEFUL NON-MASSEY RESOURCES

Academic English phrasebank: phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk

The thesis whisperer: thesiswhisperer.com

Doctoral writing SIG: doctoralwriting.wordpress.com

White, B. (2011). Mapping your thesis: The comprehensive

manual of theory and techniques for masters and doctoral
students. Camberwell, Australia: ACER

Dunleavy, P. (2003). Authoring a PhD. Basingstoke, England:

Palgrave MacMillan.
Limitations
 Discussing the limitations of the study
Limitations restricting extent to which findings can be
generalised beyond study conditions

• Shows that you understand how evidence needs to be

evaluated in your field
• Can include statements about eg:
- the scope of the research
- what cannot be concluded from the research
- results that must be viewed with caution
Often
presented in
Conclusion
chapter
 Discussing the limitations of the research

1. Openings for statements about limitations of

research
scope:
It should be noted that this study has examined only ...
This analysis has concentrated on ....
The findings of this study are restricted to ...
This study has addressed only the question ...

(Swales & Feak, 2005, p. 202)

2. Stating that certain conclusions should not be
drawn:

However the findings do not imply ...

The results of this study cannot be taken as evidence for ...
However we are unable to determine from this data ...
The lack of …means that ….

(Swales & Feak, 2005, p. 202)

3. Advising cautious
interpretation
These data must be interpreted with caution because ......
These results therefore need to be interpreted with caution.
However, with a small sample size, caution must be applied, as the
findings might not be transferable to ......

(Academic Phrasebank)
Coding Data
Example from dental public health survey of primary school
children’s understanding of food

(Burnard et al., 2008)

Refined to key themes

(Burnard et al., 2008)

Computer software for data
analysis
There are several computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software (CAQDAS)
packages available that can be used to manage and help in the analysis of qualitative
data. Common programmes include ATLAS. ti and NVivo. It should be noted,
however, that such programs do not ‘analyse’ the data – that is the task of the
researcher – they simply manage the data and make handling of them easier. For
example, computer packages can help to manage, sort and organise large volumes of
qualitative data, store, annotate and retrieve text, locate words, phrases and
segments of data, prepare diagram
programmes can facilitate data analysis, making the process and extract quotes.
easier and, However, whi
arguably,
more flexible, accurate and comprehensive, they do notcomputer
confirm or deny the
scientific value or quality of qualitative research, as they8 are merely instruments, as
good or as bad as the researcher using them.

(Burnard et al., 2008, p. 431)