Writing a discussion section for a research paper is often one of the most challenging parts of the paper to complete, but it is also one of the most important sections. The discussion section is where you analyze and interpret your results and place them in the context of previous research. It should be the longest section of your paper.
Here are the key steps to take when writing the discussion section of your research paper:
Restate your main findings: Begin by briefly summarizing the main results and key findings of your study without providing detailed statistics or results. The purpose is to transition the reader from the results section to the discussion.
Explain the significance of your findings: Discuss why your results are important, interesting, or applicable. How do your findings relate to the original hypothesis or research questions? Make sure to highlight any important relationships or differences between your predictions and what you actually found. Were your hypotheses supported or rejected? Why or why not?
Compare your results to previous literature: Relate your results to similar studies in the field. Were your findings consistent with past literature? Did you find something new that has not been found before? If your results disagree with previous findings, point this out and suggest possible reasons for the disagreement. Discuss how your results fit into the overall body of research on the topic.
Identify sources of error and limitations: Discuss any limitations or sources of error present in your study that may have affected the results. For example, acknowledge limitations with the study design, sample size, controls, methods, or uncontrollable variables that could have introduced uncertainty. This demonstrates your understanding of potential weaknesses.
Suggest future research directions: Propose a new study or line of investigation that could address limitations, test alternative hypotheses, or expand on findings from the current study. Recommend ways to design a follow-up experiment to answer related research questions or test new models.
Consider the broader context and implications: Discuss how your study contributes to the overall body of knowledge on a topic. What are the implications of your findings for theories, applications, or society more generally? Consider how your results fit into the bigger theoretical or conceptual picture. What questions remain unanswered?
Be concise and avoid redundant details: The discussion should not simply reiterate results but instead provide analysis and interpretation. Avoid lengthy descriptions or repetitive statistics – the reader already saw these in the results section. Keep the discussion concise and focused on analysis rather than repetition.
Use present tense and past tense properly: When describing results, use past tense (e.g. “we found”), but when discussing implications or suggestions, use present tense (e.g. “This improves our understanding”). Do not mix tenses within the same paragraph.
Cite related literature appropriately: Weave relevant citations from other studies into each paragraph to support your analysis and place your study in context of previous work. Be sure to cite any information or ideas from other sources.
Use transition sentences between paragraphs: Include linking words or phrases between paragraphs to guide the reader through the logical flow and development of ideas in the discussion. Transitions help ensure a cohesive and coherent discussion section.
Refer to tables and figures as needed: If analysis depends on examining details in tables or figures from the results section, remind the reader by briefly mentioning the relevant data sources.
End with conclusions and take-home messages: Conclude the discussion by stating the major findings or conclusions, emphasizing how the results address or answer the research questions. Consider revisiting the broader implications or significance. The last sentence or two of the discussion should be a high-level take-home message.
Following these steps will help ensure your discussion section for a research paper fulfills its purpose of analyzing and interpreting results while relating them to previous literature. Take time to develop a logical flow of ideas that transition the reader thoughtfully through analysis and implications. With practice and review from others, you can craft an excellent discussion to complement your study.