Research articles are a common place where the material in this module is applied.
| Common Research Article Structure | |
| Abstract | A paragraph-long summary of the research including the context, research questions, methods, and findings. |
| Introduction | Provides background on the research topic including existing research. |
| Methods | Outlines the study participants, recruitment methods, data collection, and statistical analysis. |
| Results | Provides the findings of the statistical analysis and presents descriptive then statistical data and findings of significance. |
| Discussion | The key findings, the meaning of the findings in the larger research picture, and areas for further research. Limitations of the research are often included here. |
The bulk of the statistical analysis and findings are in the results section of the article. Click here for an example of a research article.
Using a simplified example of the relationship between scores on a scale measuring perception of risk between pre- and posttest among youth in the fictional Arizona Youth Program, here is what a table of results could look like:
| Pretest (N=100) | Posttest (N=100) | P | |
| Score (1 = no risk, 2 = a little risk, 3 = some risk, 4 = a lot of risk) | |||
| Item 1 | 2.7 | 3.4 | 0.03* |
| Item 2 | 2.8 | 3.2 | 0.065 |
| Item 3 | 3.0 | 3.7 | 0.04* |
| Item 4 | 2.4 | 3.0 | 0.07 |
| Item 5 | 2.2 | 2.9 | 0.02* |
| *Indicates significance at the P <0.05 level |
In the body of the article or report, the data would indicate the type of test used (a paired t-test, for example), the p-value, and the effect size (if calculated). The p-value in the above table shows you the relationship between the pre- and posttest. There was statistically significant improvement in three of the five items: items 1, 3, and 5. Information on the statistical analysis used, measurement tool (survey), and effect size would also be contained in a report.