ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we provide information about the final stages of research projects, including tips for drafting sections or chapters where results are discussed, together with limitations and conclusions sections. We also consider issues such as the audience for the research to be reported. We conclude the chapter with a checklist for researchers to think about when research is being prepared for submission for publication or presentation. While much of this chapter focuses on the more prescriptive requirements of concluding and reporting quantitatively oriented research, we also include information about preparing qualitative reports.
As we discussed at the beginning of this book, the purpose of research is to discover answers to pertinent questions. In order for answers to be meaningful, they must be reported to an audience. If research findings are not reported and heard or read, even the most carefully executed and elucidating studies are essentially meaningless. Therefore, we consider reporting findings to an audience to be one of the most crucial elements in the process of second language research. Reports about research generally involve a clear description of the problem and the methodology used to address the problem, together with the results, the researchers’ interpretations of the data based on their theoretical framework, and a conclusion. The nature of research reports often differs for quantitative and qualitative studies, as well as for mixed-method designs. In this chapter on the final stages of research, we build upon many of the terms and concepts discussed in earlier chapters. First, we discuss the final stages in research reporting, namely the discussion and conclusion sections. Then, we
