Dos and Don’ts When Writing Discussion Sections

The discussion section contains the results and outcomes of a study. An effective discussion informs readers what can be learned from your experiment and provides context for the results.

What makes an effective discussion?

When you’re ready to write your discussion, you’ve already introduced the purpose of your study and provided an in-depth description of the methodology. The discussion informs readers about the larger implications of your study based on the results. Highlighting these implications while not overstating the findings can be challenging, especially when you’re submitting to a journal that selects articles based on novelty or potential impact. Regardless of what journal you are submitting to, the discussion section always serves the same purpose: concluding what your study results actually mean.

A successful discussion section puts your findings in context. It should include:

1. the results of your research,
2. a discussion of related research, and
3. a comparison between your results and initial hypothesis.

 

How to structure a discussion

Trying to fit a complete discussion into a single paragraph can add unnecessary stress to the writing process. If possible, you’ll want to give yourself two or three paragraphs to give the reader a comprehensive understanding of your study as a whole. Here’s one way to structure an effective discussion:

• First paragraph
  1. Provide the essential interpretation based on key findings
  2. Include a main piece of supporting evidence
• Second paragraph
  1. Compare and contrast to previous studies
  2. Highlight the strengths and limitations of the study
  3. Discuss any unexpected findings
• Last paragraph
  1. Summarize the hypothesis and purpose of the study
  2. Highlight the significance of the study
  3. Discuss unanswered questions and potential future research

 

Writing Tips

While the above sections can help you brainstorm and structure your discussion, there are many common mistakes that writers revert to when having difficulties with their paper. Writing a discussion can be a delicate balance between summarizing your results, providing proper context for your research and avoiding introducing new information. Remember that your paper should be both confident and honest about the results! So to help you here are some dos and don’ts:

Do:

• Read the journal’s guidelines on the discussion and conclusion sections. If possible, learn about the guidelines before writing the discussion to ensure you’re writing to meet their expectations.
• Begin with a clear statement of the principal findings. This will reinforce the main take-away for the reader and set up the rest of the discussion.
• Explain why the outcomes of your study are important to the reader. Discuss the implications of your findings realistically based on previous literature, highlighting both the strengths and limitations of the research.
• State whether the results prove or disprove your hypothesis. If your hypothesis was disproved, what might be the reasons?
• Introduce new or expanded ways to think about the research question. Indicate what next steps can be taken to further pursue any unresolved questions.
• If dealing with a contemporary or ongoing problem, such as climate change, discuss possible consequences if the problem is avoided.
• Be concise. Adding unnecessary detail can distract from the main findings.

Don’t:

• Rewrite your abstract. Statements with “we investigated” or “we studied” generally do not belong in the discussion.
• Include new arguments or evidence not previously discussed. Necessary information and evidence should be introduced in the main body of the paper.
• Even if your research contains significant limitations, don’t undermine your authority by including statements that doubt your methodology or execution.
• Shy away from speaking on limitations or negative results. Including limitations and negative results will give readers a complete understanding of the presented research. Potential limitations include sources of potential bias, threats to internal or external validity, barriers to implementing an intervention and other issues inherent to the study design.
• Overstate the importance of your findings. Making grand statements about how a study will fully resolve large questions can lead readers to doubt the success of the research.

To summarize the discussion section in a scientific paper is of great importance as it plays a crucial role in interpreting and explaining the research findings. It provides an opportunity for the authors to delve into the significance of their results, compare them with existing knowledge, and explore the broader implications and limitations of their study. Overall, the discussion section is critical for presenting a comprehensive and balanced interpretation of research findings. It allows authors to engage in scientific dialogue, highlight the significance of their work, and guide further research in the field.

 

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On 17 July 2023   /   News   /   Leave a comment