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How to write effective discussion section (Importance of a Good Discussion…
How to write effective discussion section
Definition
to interpret and describe the significance of your findings
to explain any new understanding or insights about the problem after you've taken the findings into consideration
always connect to the introduction, the research questions or hypotheses
always explain how your study has moved the reader's understanding of the research problem where you left them at the end of the introduction
Importance of a Good Discussion
demonstrates your ability as a researcher to think critically about an issue
develop creative solutions to problems based upon a logical synthesis of the findings
more profound understanding of the research problem under investigation
Present the underlying meaning of your research
develop the concerns of your research
Highlight the importance of your study
state how the findings from your study revealed new gaps
contribute to and/or help fill existing gaps in the field
Engage the reader in thinking critically about issues based upon an evidence-based interpretation of findings
General Rules
Do not be verbose or repetitive
Be concise and make your points clearly
Avoid using jargon
Follow a logical stream of thought
interpret and discuss the significance of your findings in the same sequence you described them in your results section
Use the present verb tense, however, refer to specific works or prior studies in the past tense
The Content
Explanation of results
comment on whether or not the results were expected for each set of results
go into greater depth to explain findings
that were unexpected or especially profound
note any unusual or unanticipated patterns or trends that emerged from your results and explain their meaning in relation to the research problem
References to previous research
compare your results with the findings from other studies or use the studies to support a claim
include re-visiting key sources already cited in your literature review section
Deduction
a claim for how the results can be applied more generally
describing lessons learned, proposing recommendations that can help improve a situation, or highlighting best practices.
Hypothesis
a more general claim
possible conclusion arising from the results
can be framed as new research questions that emerged as a result of your analysis
Organization and Structure
Think of your discussion as an inverted pyramid
from the general to the specific
linking your findings to the literature
Use the same key terms, narrative style, and verb tense that you used when describing the research problem in your introduction
Begin by briefly re-stating the research problem you were investigating
answer all of the research questions underpinning the problem that you posed in the introduction
Describe the patterns, principles, and relationships shown by each major findings
first state the answer, then the relevant results, then cite the work of others
includes analysis of any unexpected findings
description of any unanticipated findings
brief interpretation as to why you believe it appeared
identify potential limitations and weaknesses
should end with a concise summary of the principal implications of the findings regardless of significance
Give a brief explanation about why you believe the findings and conclusions of your study are important
how they support broader knowledge or understanding of the research problem
do not offer recommendations which could have been easily addressed within the study
Overall Objectives
Reiterate the Research Problem/State the Major Findings
reiterate the research problem
the methods you used to investigate them
describe the major findings of the study
usually in one paragraph
Explain the Meaning of the Findings and Why They are Important
explain the underlying meaning of your findings
state why you believe they are significant
begin this part by repeating what you consider to be your most significant or unanticipated finding first
then systematically review each finding
Relate the Findings to Similar Studies
should relate your results to those found in other studies
comparing and contrasting the findings of other studies helps to support the overall importance of your results
highlights how and in what ways your study differs from other research about the topic
any significant or unanticipated finding is often
explain why it was significant or unanticipated
Consider Alternative Explanations of the Findings
purpose of research in the social sciences is to discover and not to prove
should carefully consider all possible explanations for the study results
Acknowledge the Study’s Limitations
It is far better for you to identify and acknowledge your study’s limitations
Note any unanswered questions or issues your study did not address and describe the generalizability of your results to other situations
Make Suggestions for Further Research
may choose to conclude the discussion section by making suggestions for further research
may offer important insights about the research problem
linking the need for further research to the limitations of your study
Problems to Avoid
Do not waste time restating your results
need to remind the reader of a finding to be discussed
use "bridge sentences" that relate the result to the interpretation
Recommendations for further research can be included in either the discussion or conclusion of your paper
do not repeat your recommendations in the both sections
Do not introduce new results in the discussion section
Use of the first person is generally acceptable
keep in mind that too much use of the first person can actually distract the reader from the main points