Five essential 'signposts' for a clear thesis chapter or journal manuscript

If we think about these sections of your manuscript as signposts, then these sections need to include the following information:

The end of the introduction

This section should include:

The problem or research gap you investigate - if not already obvious and clear from the preceding introduction text.

Your hypothesis/hypotheses, if you have any.

Your aims - what you will specifically measure or test.

Your objectives - how you hope this study will add to knowledge and/or help other researchers or society (in other words, why it's important to do this research).

The results subheadings

Arrange your results in a logical order, from simple to complex. This is not necessarily the same order you did your experiments in. Then, write clear headings for the results section that guide the reader through the story.

Sometimes, you can even use the subheadings of your results section to tell the reader your results as confident statements. For example, compare: "The sky is blue" with "Assessment of the colour of the sky".

The figure/table titles

Use the figure/table titles to tell the reader exactly what is in the figure or table. Don't make them guess your samples, groups or analysis.

Sometimes, you can also use the figure/table titles to tell the reader the results, so they don't have to work out what you are trying to tell them.

The start of the discussion

Briefly (very briefly!) remind your reader of your problem/research gap, hypothesis, aims and objectives. This should only take one or two sentences.

You can write this in the same way as the end of the introduction, for example: 'This study aimed to investigate ...[problem]. We hypothesized that [H1]...'

Alternatively, you can 'spin' the text into an overall summary by incorporating your findings, for example: 'This study demonstrates [some new knowledge about your problem]. We confirmed that [HI] is true....'

The end of the discussion

This is where you wrap up the whole story, and should reflect the problem/research gap and objectives you described at the end of the introduction.

Summarize how your findings provide new knowledge or help to close the research gap you identified at the end of the introduction.

Then, follow-up with how your study will actually help other people, referring to the other researchers or members of society that you mentioned in your objectives.

Writing your research paper is like telling a story. Use the signposts described above to guide the reader through the story of your research. If you need more help to make your signposts clear, then check out our editing services.