A Sociology Writer's Guide. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon, Interpretation is a subjective exercise. As such, you should always approach the selection and interpretation of your findings introspectively and to think critically about the possibility of judgmental biases unintentionally entering into discussions about the significance of your work. With this in mind, be careful that you do not read more into the findings than can be supported by the evidence you have gathered.
Remember that the data are the data: nothing more, nothing less. MacCoun, Robert J. Don't Write Two Results Sections! One of the most common mistakes that you can make when discussing the results of your study is to present a superficial interpretation of the findings that more or less re-states the results section of your paper.
Obviously, you must refer to your results when discussing them, but focus on the interpretation of those results and their significance in relation to the research problem, not the data itself.
Azar, Beth. Avoid Unwarranted Speculation! The discussion section should remain focused on the findings of your study. For example, if the purpose of your research was to measure the impact of foreign aid on increasing access to education among disadvantaged children in Bangladesh, it would not be appropriate to speculate about how your findings might apply to populations in other countries without drawing from existing studies to support your claim or if analysis of other countries was not a part of your original research design.
If you feel compelled to speculate, do so in the form of describing possible implications or explaining possible impacts. Be certain that you clearly identify your comments as speculation or as a suggestion for where further research is needed.
The Discussion. Search this Guide Search. Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper Offers detailed guidance on how to develop, organize, and write a college-level research paper in the social and behavioral sciences.
The Abstract Executive Summary 4. The Introduction The C. The Discussion Limitations of the Study 9. The Conclusion Appendices Definition The purpose of the discussion section is to interpret and describe the significance of your findings in relation to what was already known about the research problem being investigated and to explain any new understanding or insights that emerged as a result of your research.
Structure and Writing Style I. General Rules These are the general rules you should adopt when composing your discussion of the results : Do not be verbose or repetitive; be concise and make your points clearly Avoid the use of jargon or undefined technical language Follow a logical stream of thought; in general, interpret and discuss the significance of your findings in the same sequence you described them in your results section [a notable exception is to begin by highlighting an unexpected result or a finding that can grab the reader's attention] Use the present verb tense, especially for established facts; however, refer to specific works or prior studies in the past tense If needed, use subheadings to help organize your discussion or to categorize your interpretations into themes II.
The Content The content of the discussion section of your paper most often includes : Explanation of results : Comment on whether or not the results were expected for each set of findings; go into greater depth to explain findings that were unexpected or especially profound.
If appropriate, 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 : Either compare your results with the findings from other studies or use the studies to support a claim.
This can include re-visiting key sources already cited in your literature review section, or, save them to cite later in the discussion section if they are more important to compare with your results instead of being a part of the general literature review of prior research used to provide context and background information. Note that you can make this decision to highlight specific studies after you have begun writing the discussion section.
Deduction : A claim for how the results can be applied more generally. For example, describing lessons learned, proposing recommendations that can help improve a situation, or highlighting best practices.
Hypothesis : A more general claim or possible conclusion arising from the results [which may be proved or disproved in subsequent research]. This can be framed as new research questions that emerged as a consequence of your analysis.
Organization and Structure Keep the following sequential points in mind as you organize and write the discussion section of your paper: Think of your discussion as an inverted pyramid. Organize the discussion from the general to the specific, linking your findings to the literature, then to theory, then to practice [if appropriate].
Use the same key terms, narrative style, and verb tense [present] that you used when describing the research problem in your introduction. Begin by briefly re-stating the research problem you were investigating and 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 and place them in proper perspective. The sequence of this information is important; first state the answer, then the relevant results, then cite the work of others.
Even if a technique or reagent is more commonly known by an abbreviation, provide the full term in brackets. If you can use a shorter word for something, make sure you use it. Good writing is clear, concise, and simple, and this applies to science writing too. Check out the resources of the Plain English Campaign for more help. This also shows why gathering feedback on your writing and editing your work are such important steps in the process of writing scientific manuscripts.
In a nutshell, remember that the primary goal of writing a scientific discussion is to accentuate your results. Therefore, take the time to ensure that it is well-rounded, succinct, and relevant.
What are your top tips for writing a scientific discussion? Originally published December 7, Reviewed and updated on December 22, Reviewed and updated October Has this helped you? Then please share with your network. I use Mega 7 to align raw sequence primer forward and reverse, where the nucleotide sequence to start cutting weight and stop taking the final part of the sequence. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn More.
Written by Suryatapa Ghosh. Image Credit: Ettore. Masri on May 23, at am. Hi I use Mega 7 to align raw sequence primer forward and reverse, where the nucleotide sequence to start cutting weight and stop taking the final part of the sequence. Share via. Copy Link. Powered by Social Snap. More or less, this section will resemble a recipe for your experiment. Just say what you did, as clearly as possible. Address the types of questions listed below:. There has been much debate over the use of passive voice in scientific writing.
The merits of using passive voice are obvious in some cases. For instance, scientific reports are about what is being studied, and not about YOU. Using too many personal pronouns can make your writing sound more like a narrative and less like a report. For that reason, many people recommend using passive voice to create a more objective, professional tone, emphasizing what was done TO your subject. However, active voice is becoming increasingly common in scientific writing, especially in social sciences, so the ultimate decision of passive vs.
As with all science, the goal for your report is simply to provide evidence that something might be true or untrue—not to prove it unequivocally. Resources: Hogg, Alan. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Swan, Judith A, and George D. University of North Carolina, n.
Submit Site Search Search. Alumni Gallery. Giving Opportunities. Undergraduates Writing Guides [X] close. PDF Version. General Considerations It is useful to note that effective scientific writing serves the same purpose that your lab report should. This study aims to investigate the emotions of college coffee drinkers during finals week. Address the types of questions listed below: Where did you perform the experiment?
This one is especially important in field research— work done outside the laboratory. What were your materials? How much did you use?
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