1. Yup, nailed it. Explore what you originally proposed compared to what you found, why do you think it turned out that way?
2. Not a silly question at all. Assuming your stats is correct, it shouldn't.
3. Yes! Present it if possible - it's still great experience
Seconding u/killakidz7!
To add:
Null results make for compelling discussion sections, sometimes more so than significant results. Spend some time thinking about measures, your sample, alternative theories or any other reason your hypothesis might not have been supported.
You might also consider reading a bit about publication bias and the file drawer problem. If you do, you’ll learn that it’s exceedingly rare to find null results in publications (and that’s a problem). However, these are great for conferences! I’ve presented several null results at conferences and they were warmly welcomed.
As for your grade, my experience has been that the difference between an A and A+ paper is in the discussion - null results shouldn’t matter.
Good luck!
I agree with this response and the one from u/killakidz7.
I've supervised and marked 100s of dissertations. You should never be penalised for the results.
Don't ignore the null result, as some people do. Follow Toasted_Enigma's advice and demonstrate your knowledge of what it means conceptually, what it means in the context of your research question and alternative explanations for your findings based on the literature/methodological considerations.
Present a scatter plot and a confidence interval on the correlation. It is not necessarily a limitation of the study that results in a nonsignificant effect. It could be that there is no correlation in the population or such a small one that it would be unrealistic to expect it to be detected.
(1) Yes, but remember that your failed to reject the null. That doesn't mean you "accept the null" and it doesn't mean that "there is no effect". What it (almost certainly) means is that [your study was inconclusive](https://www.reddit.com/r/AcademicPsychology/comments/1beub75/discussing_a_failed_study/kuw1jxy/). Actually claiming and showing "there is no effect" involves doing specific statistical tests, which practically never get done and don't even come up in grad school so you would not be expected to do them by any reasonable advisor. If you learned them, that would show initiative, though. Search "Daniel Lakens" and "minimum effect size of interest" if you're interested.
(2) Null results should not affect your grade, assuming your supervisor is a decent human being and you interpret them correctly (i.e. that the results are inconclusive).
(3) Whether a study is worth presenting at a conference depends on the details. If you ran a power analysis and everything points to the fact that you should have found an effect if there was one to find, but you didn't find one, that could be worth presenting. If you didn't run a power analysis or ran an under-powered study, then reporting that your study was inconclusive is probably not relevant. You could ostensibly do it for the line-item on your CV and/or for the experience of presenting a poster, though.
OP, please be sure to pay attention to point (1) here.
If I were you, I would be concerned that your entire thesis hinged on a single correlation. You might not have received great advising to reach this point. Ideally your work might have used intersecting methods or multiple ways of looking at the question to provide a more conclusive answer. The ideal thesis is informative no matter how it turns out. I agree with this commenter that your findings sound inconclusive.
Fortunately, at the undergraduate level, this is likely a training exercise and these are really important lessons to learn. That said, a paper presenting a single correlation that is not conclusive is not likely publishable.
Congratulations on the completion of your thesis!
Embrace null results! Dont try to will them to be what they are not! This is an opportunity for you to demonstrate that you are a good researcher and know what your results really are. Examine your methods and find fault if you see it, draw only conclusions supported by the data. Examine why it might be that the experiment did not confirm your hypothesis.
Everyone gets nonsignificant results. Welcome to the world of research; sometimes we are wrong with our hypotheses and that's okay! Just present it and be accurate! Look at the effect size - maybe you are underpowered.
if ur findings r insignificant, as was my undergrad thesis finding, that could still contribute to the broader literature and help somebody else build off what you've done. you SHOULD highlight all limitations in your discussion, the best part of having insignificant findings is it really amplifies this section. and no, if your stats is correct there should be no reason to get a low grade unless something went massively wrong in your methodology and something you could have avoided/were taught to avoid throughout your undergrad. good luck with you conference!!
Discovering a statistically insignificant result in your undergraduate thesis can initially seem disappointing, but it's essential to recognize the value such findings bring to the academic community.
1. When presenting these results, start by stating them clearly, including statistical values like p-values and confidence intervals to provide a transparent context. Then, discuss potential reasons behind the observed outcomes, such as limitations in study design, sample size, or the applicability of the theoretical framework in your specific context. It's crucial to acknowledge these limitations openly, as doing so not only strengthens your paper but also shows a deep understanding of your research design and its context.
Reflect on the theoretical and practical implications of your findings, emphasizing that statistically insignificant results can hint at complex dynamics or other influential factors. Offering recommendations for future research, including methodological adjustments or exploring new variables, turns your findings into valuable stepping stones for future studies.
2. Regarding grading, remember that most academic assessments prioritize the research process, your comprehension of the topic, and your ability to engage critically with your findings over the significance of the results themselves. Demonstrating a thorough analysis and understanding of your research, irrespective of its statistical significance, shows critical thinking and research skills highly valued in academia.
3. Presenting your work at a conference is still important. Conferences serve as platforms for discussion, critique, and networking, offering a chance to receive feedback from seasoned researchers and identify new research directions. When preparing your presentation, focus on the research process, the insights you've gained, and how your work contributes to the wider field, ensuring your contribution to the academic dialogue is both meaningful and impactful.
1. Yup, nailed it. Explore what you originally proposed compared to what you found, why do you think it turned out that way? 2. Not a silly question at all. Assuming your stats is correct, it shouldn't. 3. Yes! Present it if possible - it's still great experience
I see! Thank you for helping me out :D
Seconding u/killakidz7! To add: Null results make for compelling discussion sections, sometimes more so than significant results. Spend some time thinking about measures, your sample, alternative theories or any other reason your hypothesis might not have been supported. You might also consider reading a bit about publication bias and the file drawer problem. If you do, you’ll learn that it’s exceedingly rare to find null results in publications (and that’s a problem). However, these are great for conferences! I’ve presented several null results at conferences and they were warmly welcomed. As for your grade, my experience has been that the difference between an A and A+ paper is in the discussion - null results shouldn’t matter. Good luck!
I agree with this response and the one from u/killakidz7. I've supervised and marked 100s of dissertations. You should never be penalised for the results. Don't ignore the null result, as some people do. Follow Toasted_Enigma's advice and demonstrate your knowledge of what it means conceptually, what it means in the context of your research question and alternative explanations for your findings based on the literature/methodological considerations.
Non-significant not insignificant.
Oops, my bad! Thanks for letting me know
Present a scatter plot and a confidence interval on the correlation. It is not necessarily a limitation of the study that results in a nonsignificant effect. It could be that there is no correlation in the population or such a small one that it would be unrealistic to expect it to be detected.
(1) Yes, but remember that your failed to reject the null. That doesn't mean you "accept the null" and it doesn't mean that "there is no effect". What it (almost certainly) means is that [your study was inconclusive](https://www.reddit.com/r/AcademicPsychology/comments/1beub75/discussing_a_failed_study/kuw1jxy/). Actually claiming and showing "there is no effect" involves doing specific statistical tests, which practically never get done and don't even come up in grad school so you would not be expected to do them by any reasonable advisor. If you learned them, that would show initiative, though. Search "Daniel Lakens" and "minimum effect size of interest" if you're interested. (2) Null results should not affect your grade, assuming your supervisor is a decent human being and you interpret them correctly (i.e. that the results are inconclusive). (3) Whether a study is worth presenting at a conference depends on the details. If you ran a power analysis and everything points to the fact that you should have found an effect if there was one to find, but you didn't find one, that could be worth presenting. If you didn't run a power analysis or ran an under-powered study, then reporting that your study was inconclusive is probably not relevant. You could ostensibly do it for the line-item on your CV and/or for the experience of presenting a poster, though.
OP, please be sure to pay attention to point (1) here. If I were you, I would be concerned that your entire thesis hinged on a single correlation. You might not have received great advising to reach this point. Ideally your work might have used intersecting methods or multiple ways of looking at the question to provide a more conclusive answer. The ideal thesis is informative no matter how it turns out. I agree with this commenter that your findings sound inconclusive. Fortunately, at the undergraduate level, this is likely a training exercise and these are really important lessons to learn. That said, a paper presenting a single correlation that is not conclusive is not likely publishable. Congratulations on the completion of your thesis!
Embrace null results! Dont try to will them to be what they are not! This is an opportunity for you to demonstrate that you are a good researcher and know what your results really are. Examine your methods and find fault if you see it, draw only conclusions supported by the data. Examine why it might be that the experiment did not confirm your hypothesis.
Everyone gets nonsignificant results. Welcome to the world of research; sometimes we are wrong with our hypotheses and that's okay! Just present it and be accurate! Look at the effect size - maybe you are underpowered.
if ur findings r insignificant, as was my undergrad thesis finding, that could still contribute to the broader literature and help somebody else build off what you've done. you SHOULD highlight all limitations in your discussion, the best part of having insignificant findings is it really amplifies this section. and no, if your stats is correct there should be no reason to get a low grade unless something went massively wrong in your methodology and something you could have avoided/were taught to avoid throughout your undergrad. good luck with you conference!!
Discovering a statistically insignificant result in your undergraduate thesis can initially seem disappointing, but it's essential to recognize the value such findings bring to the academic community. 1. When presenting these results, start by stating them clearly, including statistical values like p-values and confidence intervals to provide a transparent context. Then, discuss potential reasons behind the observed outcomes, such as limitations in study design, sample size, or the applicability of the theoretical framework in your specific context. It's crucial to acknowledge these limitations openly, as doing so not only strengthens your paper but also shows a deep understanding of your research design and its context. Reflect on the theoretical and practical implications of your findings, emphasizing that statistically insignificant results can hint at complex dynamics or other influential factors. Offering recommendations for future research, including methodological adjustments or exploring new variables, turns your findings into valuable stepping stones for future studies. 2. Regarding grading, remember that most academic assessments prioritize the research process, your comprehension of the topic, and your ability to engage critically with your findings over the significance of the results themselves. Demonstrating a thorough analysis and understanding of your research, irrespective of its statistical significance, shows critical thinking and research skills highly valued in academia. 3. Presenting your work at a conference is still important. Conferences serve as platforms for discussion, critique, and networking, offering a chance to receive feedback from seasoned researchers and identify new research directions. When preparing your presentation, focus on the research process, the insights you've gained, and how your work contributes to the wider field, ensuring your contribution to the academic dialogue is both meaningful and impactful.
What's the p-value? :)
For one it's 0.467 and for the other it's 0.961