I. Core tasks of the discussion section
The key to the discussion is to answer: what does your research say?
The discussion is generally divided into three levels: ① the results of the study is nothing new; ② the results of the study there is a contradiction, but did not explain the reason; ③ the results of the study is fresh with an explanation (advanced).
Second, the structure of the discussion
In 2008, Professor James Hartley, a psychologist at Keele University in the UK, proposed five steps for writing a discussion.
Step 1: Review the research findings
Begin by briefly summarising the focus of your research and what you have discovered that is new, so that the reader knows what the topic of your research is.
Step 2: Compare and contrast with previous research
Compare your findings with previous studies, pointing out what’s the same and what’s different, and what makes your study better than the old one. Refer to published literature when comparing.
Step 3: Point out the difficulties of the study
Point out the problems that may arise in your study, such as research methods, sample selection, data collection, etc.
Step 4: Think of ways to solve these problems
Think of any solutions and write them out to show that your research is constantly improving.
Step 5: If you look at the experiment from a different perspective, you may find other problems and suggest another study.
The case demonstration is shown below:
III. Tips for writing a discussion
1. Clear structure
Your ideas should be arranged in an orderly manner like a five-line score. Use paragraphs to string different discussion topics together.
2. Focus
Bring out the most important findings and results in your research and emphasise their importance in addressing the research question.
3. Read and compare the literature
Find out which of your findings is better than the literature that is already available and why.
4. Use charts and graphs to be concise and clear
If you need diagrams to help illustrate, make sure they are simple to understand and convey the information effectively.
5. Cite literature to support arguments
Cite reliable references to make your review more convincing.
IV. Notes on writing a discussion
Pay attention to the following points when writing a discussion:
1. emphasise: ① the conclusion of the study should be closely related to the purpose and hypothesis of the study; ② explain the relationship between the research results and the research of others; ③ explain in detail the meaning of the research results; ④ face up to the difficulties in the research process.
2. Pay attention to: ① Don’t just copy the experimental results, use in-depth analyses; ② Emphasise that things not based on empirical evidence will make people feel that your credibility is reduced; ③ Don’t throw out new findings or terms all at once.
