Chapter 4 is the results chapter of your dissertation — where you present everything you found without interpretation. Many students lose marks here not because their analysis is wrong, but because they do not know the correct structure or APA formatting.
This guide gives you the exact structure to follow, with examples.
The correct structure for Chapter 4
1. Data quality and preliminary analysis
Before presenting your main results, report:
- Sample size and response rate (for surveys)
- Missing data — how much and how handled
- Reliability analysis (Cronbach's alpha) if you used a questionnaire
- Normality testing results before parametric tests
Example: "A total of 127 questionnaires were distributed and 112 were returned, giving a response rate of 88.2%. Data screening revealed no missing values. The scale demonstrated good internal consistency (alpha = .84, k = 12 items). Shapiro-Wilk tests indicated that all variables were approximately normally distributed (p > .05)."
2. Descriptive statistics
Present a table with mean, standard deviation, and sample size for all your variables. This comes before any inferential tests.
Example: "Descriptive statistics for the study variables are presented in Table 1. The mean score for job satisfaction was M = 3.82 (SD = 0.91, n = 112)."
3. Hypothesis testing (in order)
Present each hypothesis test in order. For each test, include:
- The full APA-formatted result
- The decision (supported / not supported)
- The effect size
Correlation example:
"Hypothesis 1 proposed a positive relationship between employee training and job performance. A Pearson correlation revealed a significant positive relationship, r(110) = .54, p < .001, 95% CI [.40, .66], supporting Hypothesis 1."
T-test example:
"An independent samples t-test was conducted to compare job satisfaction scores between male (M = 3.71, SD = 0.88) and female (M = 3.94, SD = 0.93) employees. The test revealed a statistically significant difference, t(110) = 2.14, p = .034, d = 0.26 (small effect)."
ANOVA example:
"A one-way ANOVA was conducted to examine differences in academic performance across three teaching methods. The results were statistically significant, F(2, 109) = 6.83, p = .002, eta-squared = .11 (medium effect)."
4. Summary of hypothesis results
End with a table showing each hypothesis, the test used, the key statistic, and the decision.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Do not interpret results in Chapter 4 — that belongs in Chapter 5 (Discussion)
- Always report effect sizes alongside p-values (APA 7th Edition requires this)
- Always report confidence intervals for mean differences and correlations
- Do not just say "p < .05" — report the actual p-value
Getting the APA strings automatically
ResearchScope (bizscope.space/research) generates every result in APA 7th Edition format. Each test result includes a Copy APA button. Click it and paste directly into your Chapter 4.