Writing and Publishing Scientific Articles
14-8
How to Write the Discussion Section
The Discussion is basically an essay on the importance of your findings — how they fit into what is already known in the field, how they affect current scientific thought or medical practice, and what further research they suggest. Your findings can thus be thought of as a brick in the structure of scientific knowledge. They are supported by previous work and in turn will support future research.
To write the Discussion, address all of the following that apply to your study:
▪ Begin by stating your conclusions based on your findings. Include the major findings that support your conclusions.
▪ Interpret your findings — say what the results mean and how they relate to each other.
▪ Indicate how your findings fit in with the existing literature:
▪
Studies that agree.
▪
Studies that disagree, and why.
▪ State the novelty or exceptional strengths of your study.
▪ Address the limitations and any other potential valid criticisms of your study.
▪ State the extent to which your findings can be generalized to other populations.
▪ Describe why having filled the knowledge gap is important.
▪ Explain the implications of your findings, for example, how they may affect scientific thought or medical practice.
▪ Describe avenues for further study that your findings suggest.
Made with FlippingBook Digital Publishing Software