The major task of chapter five is to discuss how the findings integrate into the body of literature reviewed in chapter two. The theories and studies reviewed in chapter two give cause to expect certain findings. In chapter five, the reader is reminded of the findings that turned out as predicted and how these findings extend the body of knowledge a bit further. The findings that lend support to one side of a controversy are discussed, as are those that lend support to a particular conceptualization or definition of a concept. Findings that challenge existing theory or are unexpected are also valuable and require explanation. 

Many students find chapter five difficult to write because the emphasis is different than the previous four chapters. In the previous chapters the emphasis is on reporting the thinking and the research of others. While one does engage in original thinking in these chapters, this original thought is channeled into framing the research questions and the logical argument. 

One’s original thoughts must be buttressed in the findings and opinions of others. In these earlier chapters, there is no place for the student’s own opinions. 

However, in chapter five, the rules change somewhat. The student is expected to form an opinion about the findings and speculate about the causes of unexpected results. As always, opinions are more credible if backed by the findings of others but there is more room for the student’s own opinions. 

Also in chapter five, it is appropriate to discuss any limitations in the study, especially those that were not obvious at the time of design but became apparent during the execution of the study. Suggestions for improvements in design that could be made by future researchers also belong here. Issues raised by this study point to a new direction for future research should be highlighted. 

References must follow the APA Publication Manual exactly (APA, 1994). Students are encouraged to add citations to the Reference list at the time they are written into the text of any chapter. If the task of compiling the reference list is put off until last, the student may face the unhappy dilemma of being unable to locate a source that has been cited. Index cards help beautifully here. 

There must be a one to one correspondence between the references cited in the text and those cited in the reference list. References not cited are typically not included in the list. 

The purpose of the Abstract is to provide a clear and concise summary of the work. It should include the problem (as identified in the statement of the problem), the method, and the findings. As researchers conduct electronic searches through using key words, it is important to work the relevant key words for your study into the abstract. Abstracts are limited to 350 words. If yours has 351, it will be rejected, so it is important to choose and count your words carefully. You may not be able to report every finding in the abstract, and may have to select what is truly important for inclusion.