Which statement best describes how conclusions should relate to results?

• A. Conclusions can exceed what results show.
• B. Conclusions should be identical to the results section.
• C. Conclusions should be strictly derived from results with limitations and alternative explanations discussed.
• D. Conclusions are independent of results.

Answer: (C)

Conclusions should be grounded in what the results actually show and then interpreted with awareness of their limits. This means you explain what the findings imply about the hypothesis or research question, including the direction and, when possible, the magnitude of the effect, but you also openly discuss study limitations, such as sample size, measurement precision, potential biases, and generalizability. You should consider alternative explanations for the results, including other factors that could produce the observed effects, and note how robust your interpretation is under those alternatives. This approach prevents overgeneralization and helps readers judge how well the data support the inferences. Restating the results without interpretation isn’t enough, and treating conclusions as independent of the results would ignore the whole point of the analysis.