Section outline

  • Lecture:  

    Research Results: The Visual Display of Data

    and

    Good Endings: the Results and Discussion Sections of a Research Manuscript

    Faculty: Vivek Jain. MD, MAS and Alison Huang, MD, MAS

    The first half of this module (led by Dr. Vivek Jain) will focus on preparing visually compelling tables, graphs, and figures to present research data. Dr. Jain will consider examples of effective and ineffective presentation of research tables and figures and discuss strategies for improving the format or presentation.

    The second half of this module (led by Dr. Alison Huang) will focus on writing manuscript results and discussion sections. How do you develop written text that effectively frames the visual display of research data? How can you highlight your most important findings in the discussion without simply restating information from the results? How do you acknowledge the limitations of your research in a discussion section without undermining its strengths? How should you gide readers in interpreting your study findings in the context of previous work?

    • Session Slides:

    • Research Results: the Visual Display of Data File
      Not available unless: You belong to Registered Students Only
    • Good Endings: The Results and Discussion Sections File
      Not available unless: You belong to Registered Students Only

    • Pre-Recorded Lectures (Access restricted to registered students): 

      (Note that Dr. Vivek Jain's lecture is a recording from 2019, due to his current COVID-related responsibilities)

    • Watch 2019 Recording of "Research Results: the Visual Display of Data" URL
      Not available unless: You belong to a group in Registered Students Only
    • Good Endings Media Resource
      Not available unless: You belong to a group in Registered Students Only

    • Required Reading:

      Browner WS. Publishing and Presenting Clinical Research, 3rd Ed, Chapters 5, 6, 7, and 8.

    • Optional Reading:

    • Excerpts from Edward Tufte’s The Visual Display of Quantitative Information. File
      Not available unless: You belong to Registered Students Only

    • Assignment #3:

      Option 1: Submit a table and a figure from your own research that present the same research data in two different ways, along with text to summarize the most important findings and describe their implications – due by noon on May 19.

      Option 2: Use "track changes" to edit and improve the draft results section of sample manuscript based on a study of a smoking cessation intervention - due by noon on May 19.

    • Assignment 3, Option 1 instructions and template File
    • Assignment 3, Option 2 instructions and template File
    • Upload Assignment 3 here
    • Watch a video of one approach to editing the results section for Option 2 Media Resource
      Not available unless: You belong to a group in Registered Students Only