Dissertation Results Chapter Example: Chapter 4 in Full

By Dr. Lisa H., PhD in Sociology. Reviewed by Dr. Patricia N.. 2026-06-18.

Key takeaways

• Chapter 4 reports results only; interpretation belongs in Chapter 5
• Report screening with actual values rather than asserting assumptions were met
• Always pair p values with effect sizes and degrees of freedom
• Report qualitative themes with participant counts and one to three quotes each
• Label any unplanned analysis explicitly as post hoc or exploratory

The short answer

Chapter 4 reports, it does not interpret. Order: sample description, data screening and assumption checks, descriptive statistics, then one section per research question in the order they appear in Chapter 1, then a summary. Save meaning for Chapter 5.

Quantitative results example (annotated)

Sample Characteristics. Of 350 invitations, 312 teachers completed the survey (89% response). Participants averaged 11.4 years of experience (SD = 7.2); 68% identified as female. [Response rate and attrition accounted for before any analysis.]

Data Screening. Fourteen cases with more than 10% missing items were removed. Skewness ranged from -0.62 to 0.81 and kurtosis from -0.74 to 1.10, within acceptable limits. VIF values ranged from 1.08 to 2.31, indicating no multicollinearity concern. [Screening reported with actual values, not the phrase assumptions were met.]

Descriptive Statistics. Table 1 presents means, standard deviations, and intercorrelations for all study variables. [Tables carry the numbers; the text carries only the notable pattern.]

Research Question 1. Hierarchical regression was conducted with control variables entered in Block 1 and leadership subscales in Block 2. Block 1 explained 9% of variance in retention intent, F(3, 294) = 9.71, p < .001. Adding leadership subscales in Block 2 explained an additional 17%, delta R squared = .17, F(2, 292) = 33.4, p < .001. Idealized influence was a significant predictor (beta = .41, p < .001); contingent reward was not (beta = .06, p = .31). [Full statistical reporting: test, df, statistic, p, effect size. No interpretive language.]

Note what is absent: no sentence beginning This suggests. That sentence belongs in Chapter 5.

APA 7 table formatting rules

Table number in bold above the title. Title in italic title case on the next line. No vertical rules. Horizontal rules only above and below the header row and at the bottom. Notes below in three tiers: general, specific, probability. Align decimals and report to two places unless your field says otherwise.

Figures follow the same pattern: bold Figure 1, italic title, image, then note. Do not put the caption inside the image file, because it will fail accessibility review and reprint badly.

Qualitative results example (annotated)

Theme 1: The Normalization of Workarounds. Twenty-six of 31 participants described informal shortcuts that had become routine. One medical-surgical nurse with 14 years of experience explained: We do not call it a workaround anymore, it is just how the night shift runs. [Reports prevalence with a count, then a single quote that earns its space.]

Sub-theme 1a: Batching medication passes. Eleven participants described consolidating scheduled administrations. [Sub-themes reported with counts so the reader can judge weight.]

Present themes in order of prevalence or in the order that answers the research question, and say which ordering you used. Use one to three quotes per theme, not eight. Include a table mapping themes to sub-themes to participant counts, which is the single most useful page in a qualitative Chapter 4.

Mixed methods integration

Report each strand separately, then add an integration section with a joint display: a table whose rows are findings and whose columns are quantitative result, qualitative result, and convergence or divergence. Committees expect the word convergence or divergence to appear explicitly.

Chapter 4 mistakes that trigger revision

Interpreting results in Chapter 4. Reporting p values without effect sizes. Writing assumptions were met without values. Duplicating table contents in prose. Introducing analyses that were not planned in Chapter 3 without labeling them post hoc or exploratory. Reporting themes without participant counts. Answering research questions out of order.

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FAQ

How long is a dissertation results chapter?

Typically 3,000 to 8,000 words, largely determined by the number of research questions and the number of tables and figures required.

Can I interpret findings in Chapter 4?

No. Keep interpretation for Chapter 5. Chapter 4 should be readable as a factual report of what the analysis produced.

How many quotes should each qualitative theme have?

One to three well-chosen quotes plus a participant count. Long quote chains suggest the theme has not been analyzed, only collected.