What do you write in discussion

This report is consistent with our finding that a major stimulus of ABCD signaling is overexpressed in resistant cells. This section will be greatly expanded in a real Discussion section to place your finding in the context of multiple published studies. Paragraph 3: Discuss additional findings and how these fit with existing literature.

Most studies yield multiple results. After you discuss your main result in the paragraph above, discuss additional major or minor findings. Unexpected and intriguing findings may be especially important to convey to readers. In addition, if a finding is contrary to what has been suggested in the literature, acknowledge this, and offer explanations based on your study.

Even if a result was not statistically significant, it can be helpful to discuss a potential trend that may be important to assess in a future study. If these additional findings relate to your main finding, discuss the associations. Paragraph 4: Discuss the limitations of the study. Discuss potential limitations in study design. For example, how representative was your model?

Did sample size affect your conclusions? Consider how these limitations affect the interpretation or quality of data. Do they affect the ability to generalize your findings? Paragraph 5: Discuss future directions. What major follow up studies are indicated based on your results? Most studies yield new discoveries that prompt additional studies. Consider what new directions are supported by your findings. For example, do your experiments suggest that a specific molecule should be tested as a new drug target or that tissue-based studies or clinical investigations should be performed to translate your animal studies to patients?

Making recommendations for follow-up studies is an important part of a Discussion. Paragraph 6: Discuss your overall conclusion and the major impact of your study. What is the main take-home message of your study? What is the main contribution that your study makes to your field? Relate this section to the first paragraph of the Discussion. Scientific Writing Workshops If you like our articles, try our workshops! Keep the following sequential points in mind as you organize and write the discussion section of your paper:.

Overall Objectives. The objectives of your discussion section should include the following: I. Briefly reiterate the research problem or problems you are investigating and the methods you used to investigate them, then move quickly to describe the major findings of the study.

You should write a direct, declarative, and succinct proclamation of the study results, usually in one paragraph. No one has thought as long and hard about your study as you have. Systematically explain the underlying meaning of your findings and state why you believe they are significant.

After reading the discussion section, you want the reader to think critically about the results and why they are important. If applicable, begin this part of the section by repeating what you consider to be your most significant or unanticipated finding first, then systematically review each finding. Otherwise, follow the general order you reported the findings presented in the results section. Relate the Findings to Similar Studies. No study in the social sciences is so novel or possesses such a restricted focus that it has absolutely no relation to previously published research.

The discussion section should relate your results to those found in other studies, particularly if questions raised from prior studies served as the motivation for your research. This is important because comparing and contrasting the findings of other studies helps to support the overall importance of your results and it highlights how and in what ways your study differs from other research about the topic. Note that any significant or unanticipated finding is often because there was no prior research to indicate the finding could occur.

If there is prior research to indicate this, you need to explain why it was significant or unanticipated. Consider Alternative Explanations of the Findings.

It is important to remember that the purpose of research in the social sciences is to discover and not to prove. When writing the discussion section, you should carefully consider all possible explanations for the study results, rather than just those that fit your hypothesis or prior assumptions and biases.

This is especially important when describing the discovery of significant or unanticipated findings. Note any unanswered questions or issues your study could not address and describe the generalizability of your results to other situations. If a limitation is applicable to the method chosen to gather information, then describe in detail the problems you encountered and why. Make Suggestions for Further Research. You may choose to conclude the discussion section by making suggestions for further research [as opposed to offering suggestions in the conclusion of your paper].

Although your study can offer important insights about the research problem, this is where you can address other questions related to the problem that remain unanswered or highlight hidden issues that were revealed as a result of conducting your research. You should frame your suggestions by linking the need for further research to the limitations of your study [e.

NOTE: Besides the literature review section, the preponderance of references to sources is usually found in the discussion section. If a study that you cited does not support your findings, don't ignore it--clearly explain why your research findings differ from theirs. Problems to Avoid. Analyzing vs.

Department of English Writing Guide. George Mason University; Discussion. Department of Biology. Bates College; Hess, Dean R. University College Writing Centre. University of Toronto; Sauaia, A. Lund Research Ltd. The Writing Center. Writing the Discussion. Writing in Psychology course syllabus. University of Florida; Yellin, Linda L. In a thesis or dissertation, the discussion is an in-depth exploration of the results, going into detail about the meaning of your findings and citing relevant sources to put them in context.

The conclusion is more shorter and more general: it concisely answers your main research question and makes recommendations based on your overall findings. Have a language expert improve your writing. Check your paper for plagiarism in 10 minutes.

Do the check. Generate your APA citations for free! APA Citation Generator. Home Knowledge Base Dissertation How to write a discussion section. There are many different ways to write this section, but you can focus your discussion around four key elements: Interpretations: what do the results mean? Implications: why do the results matter? Recommendations: what practical actions or scientific studies should follow? Receive feedback on language, structure and layout Professional editors proofread and edit your paper by focusing on: Academic style Vague sentences Grammar Style consistency See an example.

I have concisely summarized the most important findings. I have discussed and interpreted the results in relation to my research questions. I have cited relevant literature to show how my results fit in.

I have clearly explained the significance of my results. If relevant, I have considered alternative explanations of the results. I have acknowledged and evaluated the limitations of my research. I have made relevant recommendations for further research or action. Well done! See all other checklists Return to checklist. What goes in the discussion chapter of a dissertation?

Discuss: Your interpretations : what do the results tell us?