The order of results can vary. Some suggestions are:
- From most important to least important (from largest measurable differences to smallest; from statistically most significant to least significant) (Weissberg & Buker 1990 Writing Up Research Prentice Hall Regents New Jersey)
- As a logical response to the research questions or problems you are trying to answer or solve. This may involve presenting one set of results that answers your first research question, followed by the next set of results that answers your second research question (John Wilson BABS UNSW);
- If you are using a range of methods or a number of experimental elements, group the method/procedure together with the relevant results. [insert example from Permeable Treatment Walls?] (H. Silyn-Roberts 2000 Writing for Science and Engineering Butterworth Heinemann Oxford)
- "In a quantitative research [paper], the descriptive statistics are generally presented first, then the results of each of the hypotheses or research questions that were tested" (p.410) (Beanland C., Schneider Z., LoBiondo-Wood G., Haber J., 1999 Nursing Research Mosby Artarmon)
- The information in the results section should be organised to show how the data tests the research question or hypothesis, and should be presented sequentially to respond to each research question or hypothesis (Beanland et al., 1999; Burns R., 2000 Introduction to Research Methods Pearson Education Frenchs Forest)
It is very important that you discuss the content and organisation of your results section with your supervisor.