Introduction
The discussion section of a research paper written using APA style presents an opportunity for the author to explore the meaning, importance and implications of the results reported in the paper. This section allows the author to interpret and describe the overall findings and their relevance. The goal is to comment on whether the results support any hypotheses or research questions and explain how the findings either support or contradict previous research and theories. It is important that this section interprets the results objectively without introducing new information. A strong discussion section will integrate the results of the study to the existing body of literature in a meaningful way.
Structure and Organization
The general structure of a discussion section in an APA paper involves several key elements. These include:
Briefly restate the purpose and research questions/hypotheses. The introduction to the discussion section should remind the reader about the overall goal of the study and what specific research questions or hypotheses were being addressed. This helps provide context for understanding and interpreting the results.
Provide a summary interpretation of the results. Briefly summarize the major findings of the study, highlighting whether the results supported or failed to support the original hypotheses. Present the results in logical order, such as by experimental condition or dependent variable.
Discuss the results in relation to previous literature. Integrate and compare the results to similar studies reported in the existing literature review. Explain how the results fit with or differ from previous findings and theories. Identify any patterns present in the accumulation of research findings over time.
Address the study’s limitations. Discuss any limitations of the methodology, design or analysis that may have impacted the ability to adequately address the hypotheses or draw strong conclusions. Limitations could include small sample sizes, restricted demographics, imperfect measures, etc. This demonstrates an understanding of how limitations influence interpretation.
Suggest directions for future research. Drawing upon the limitations identified, make recommendations for additional research that could address gaps in the existing literature, strengthen understanding of the topic, improve methodology, or test alternative hypotheses that emerge from the discussion of results. This shows how the current study can contribute to advancing the field in a meaningful way.
Framing the Discussion
The introduction to the discussion section sets the stage for objectively evaluating and interpreting the results. Some key points to keep in mind when framing this introduction include:
Recap the goal and research questions/hypotheses without plagiarizing the introduction. Use different wording to reiterate the purpose and design of the study.
Express whether the results supported or did not support the hypotheses without stating the specific results yet. Indicate if any unexpected outcomes emerged.
Pique the reader’s interest in the forthcoming interpretation by teasing out the importance and implications of how the findings relate to the existing literature.
Use terminology from the literature review section to maintain consistency and place the findings in proper context.
Transition smoothly from the results summary to the discussion of results section.
Employ a professional and neutral tone when interpreting the results. Avoid subjective or emotive language.
Summarizing Results
Objectively summarizing the key results lays the groundwork for their subsequent interpretation and discussion. When summarizing:
Briefly restate the main dependent and independent variables.
Report any statistically significant and non-significant findings without re-presenting statistics.
Mention results by condition, group or other organizational structure as was used in presenting the analysis.
Note any unexpected or anomalous outcomes revealed by the analysis.
Focus only on directly reporting the relevant results without subjective spin or redundancies.
Proper formatting, citations and precise terminology keeps this concise summary clear and credible. Effectively transitioning from the recap to relating the findings to theory maintains reader flow.
Analyzing Findings
One of the primary functions of the discussion is to analyze and interpret the meaning and relevance of the results in a scholarly manner. A few tips for accomplishing this include:
Discuss how findings did or did not support hypotheses. Note whether results fit proposed theories or generate new perspectives.
Compare and contrast results to similar past studies. Identify convergences or divergence from prior literature.
Speculate about possible explanations for the findings based on existing literature. Consider alternative theoretical perspectives that may also help explain results.
Suggest what inferences may be cautiously drawn from the results despite limitations. Note what is not possible to determine conclusively.
Weave in relevant sources when relating findings to theories but do not include long unnecessary quotes.
Use subsection headers when addressing multiple theories or perspectives to enhance organization.
Addressing Limitations
All research has limitations that influence the ability to generalize or draw causal conclusions. Acknowledging limitations demonstrates intellectual honesty and awareness of knowledge gaps. Some effective strategies for addressing limitations include:
Note methodological limitations regarding design, measures, sample demographics, etc. and how they may constrain interpretations.
Suggest confounding variables unconsidered that could provide alternative explanations.
Admit inaccuracies or errors encountered during the study that readers should consider.
Propose theoretically interesting questions that remain unanswered due to limitations of the current study’s scope.
Attributions of limitations to extant theory or past research demonstrates critical thinking.
Use future research suggestions to show how forthcoming studies could potentially overcome present limitations.
Suggesting Future Research
Detailing ideas for future studies building upon the current ones helps establish the researcher as knowledgeable about ongoing questions in the literature. Techniques for proposing impactful future research include:
Focus suggestions on further investigating significant effects or addressing limitations, not simply replicating the study.
Tailor recommendations to specific audiences like theorists, methodologists or applied researchers.
Weave in how advancing knowledge helps further specific theories, methods or practical applications.
Stay neutral by considering alternative perspectives, not just hypotheses that were supported.
Suggest innovative or unconventional studies that push the boundaries of current understanding in new directions.
Prioritize research questions inspired directly by findings over broad applications.
Conclude by emphasizing how the study contributes to the overall understanding of its domain.
Conclusion
Synthesizing all elements coherently and relating them back to the overall significance of the study’s contribution creates a compelling discussion section. Following standard APA formatting and employing a scholarly yet accessible style helps ensure the discussion provides useful takeaways for readers. Solid analysis and cogent suggestions for future research are hallmarks of a research paper utilizing the discussion section format to its fullest extent.
Andrew Stroud