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Dissertation- Chapter 5: Discussion, Implications, Conclusions
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- How to Write a Discussion Section | Tips & Examples
How to Write a Discussion Section | Tips & Examples
Published on 21 August 2022 by Shona McCombes . Revised on 25 October 2022.
The discussion section is where you delve into the meaning, importance, and relevance of your results .
It should focus on explaining and evaluating what you found, showing how it relates to your literature review , and making an argument in support of your overall conclusion . It should not be a second results section .
There are different ways to write this section, but you can focus your writing around these key elements:
- Summary: A brief recap of your key results
- Interpretations: What do your results mean?
- Implications: Why do your results matter?
- Limitations: What can’t your results tell us?
- Recommendations: Avenues for further studies or analyses
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Table of contents
What not to include in your discussion section, step 1: summarise your key findings, step 2: give your interpretations, step 3: discuss the implications, step 4: acknowledge the limitations, step 5: share your recommendations, discussion section example.
There are a few common mistakes to avoid when writing the discussion section of your paper.
- Don’t introduce new results: You should only discuss the data that you have already reported in your results section .
- Don’t make inflated claims: Avoid overinterpretation and speculation that isn’t directly supported by your data.
- Don’t undermine your research: The discussion of limitations should aim to strengthen your credibility, not emphasise weaknesses or failures.
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Start this section by reiterating your research problem and concisely summarising your major findings. Don’t just repeat all the data you have already reported – aim for a clear statement of the overall result that directly answers your main research question . This should be no more than one paragraph.
Many students struggle with the differences between a discussion section and a results section . The crux of the matter is that your results sections should present your results, and your discussion section should subjectively evaluate them. Try not to blend elements of these two sections, in order to keep your paper sharp.
- The results indicate that …
- The study demonstrates a correlation between …
- This analysis supports the theory that …
- The data suggest that …
The meaning of your results may seem obvious to you, but it’s important to spell out their significance for your reader, showing exactly how they answer your research question.
The form of your interpretations will depend on the type of research, but some typical approaches to interpreting the data include:
- Identifying correlations , patterns, and relationships among the data
- Discussing whether the results met your expectations or supported your hypotheses
- Contextualising your findings within previous research and theory
- Explaining unexpected results and evaluating their significance
- Considering possible alternative explanations and making an argument for your position
You can organise your discussion around key themes, hypotheses, or research questions, following the same structure as your results section. Alternatively, you can also begin by highlighting the most significant or unexpected results.
- In line with the hypothesis …
- Contrary to the hypothesised association …
- The results contradict the claims of Smith (2007) that …
- The results might suggest that x . However, based on the findings of similar studies, a more plausible explanation is x .
As well as giving your own interpretations, make sure to relate your results back to the scholarly work that you surveyed in the literature review . The discussion should show how your findings fit with existing knowledge, what new insights they contribute, and what consequences they have for theory or practice.
Ask yourself these questions:
- Do your results support or challenge existing theories? If they support existing theories, what new information do they contribute? If they challenge existing theories, why do you think that is?
- Are there any practical implications?
Your overall aim is to show the reader exactly what your research has contributed, and why they should care.
- These results build on existing evidence of …
- The results do not fit with the theory that …
- The experiment provides a new insight into the relationship between …
- These results should be taken into account when considering how to …
- The data contribute a clearer understanding of …
- While previous research has focused on x , these results demonstrate that y .
Even the best research has its limitations. Acknowledging these is important to demonstrate your credibility. Limitations aren’t about listing your errors, but about providing an accurate picture of what can and cannot be concluded from your study.
Limitations might be due to your overall research design, specific methodological choices , or unanticipated obstacles that emerged during your research process.
Here are a few common possibilities:
- If your sample size was small or limited to a specific group of people, explain how generalisability is limited.
- If you encountered problems when gathering or analysing data, explain how these influenced the results.
- If there are potential confounding variables that you were unable to control, acknowledge the effect these may have had.
After noting the limitations, you can reiterate why the results are nonetheless valid for the purpose of answering your research question.
- The generalisability of the results is limited by …
- The reliability of these data is impacted by …
- Due to the lack of data on x , the results cannot confirm …
- The methodological choices were constrained by …
- It is beyond the scope of this study to …
Based on the discussion of your results, you can make recommendations for practical implementation or further research. Sometimes, the recommendations are saved for the conclusion .
Suggestions for further research can lead directly from the limitations. Don’t just state that more studies should be done – give concrete ideas for how future work can build on areas that your own research was unable to address.
- Further research is needed to establish …
- Future studies should take into account …
- Avenues for future research include …
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Library Guides
Dissertations 5: findings, analysis and discussion: home.
- Results/Findings
Alternative Structures
The time has come to show and discuss the findings of your research. How to structure this part of your dissertation?
Dissertations can have different structures, as you can see in the dissertation structure guide.
Dissertations organised by sections
Many dissertations are organised by sections. In this case, we suggest three options. Note that, if within your course you have been instructed to use a specific structure, you should do that. Also note that sometimes there is considerable freedom on the structure, so you can come up with other structures too.
A) More common for scientific dissertations and quantitative methods:
- Results chapter
- Discussion chapter
Example:
- Introduction
- Literature review
- Methodology
- (Recommendations)
if you write a scientific dissertation, or anyway using quantitative methods, you will have some objective results that you will present in the Results chapter. You will then interpret the results in the Discussion chapter.
B) More common for qualitative methods
- Analysis chapter. This can have more descriptive/thematic subheadings.
- Discussion chapter. This can have more descriptive/thematic subheadings.
- Case study of Company X (fashion brand) environmental strategies
- Successful elements
- Lessons learnt
- Criticisms of Company X environmental strategies
- Possible alternatives
C) More common for qualitative methods
- Analysis and discussion chapter. This can have more descriptive/thematic titles.
- Case study of Company X (fashion brand) environmental strategies
If your dissertation uses qualitative methods, it is harder to identify and report objective data. Instead, it may be more productive and meaningful to present the findings in the same sections where you also analyse, and possibly discuss, them. You will probably have different sections dealing with different themes. The different themes can be subheadings of the Analysis and Discussion (together or separate) chapter(s).
Thematic dissertations
If the structure of your dissertation is thematic , you will have several chapters analysing and discussing the issues raised by your research. The chapters will have descriptive/thematic titles.
- Background on the conflict in Yemen (2004-present day)
- Classification of the conflict in international law
- International law violations
- Options for enforcement of international law
- Next: Results/Findings >>
- Last Updated: Aug 4, 2023 2:17 PM
- URL: https://libguides.westminster.ac.uk/c.php?g=696975
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What’s Included: Results Chapter Template
This template covers all the core components required in the results chapter of a typical dissertation, thesis or research project:
- The opening /overview section
- The body section for qualitative studies
- The body section for quantitative studies
- Concluding summary
The purpose of each section is explained in plain language, followed by an overview of the key elements that you need to cover. The template also includes practical examples to help you understand exactly what’s required, along with links to additional free resources (articles, videos, etc.) to help you along your research journey.
The cleanly formatted Google Doc can be downloaded as a fully editable MS Word Document (DOCX format), so you can use it as-is or convert it to LaTeX.
PS – if you’d like a high-level template for the entire thesis, you can we’ve got that too .
FAQ - Thesis Results Chapter
What types of dissertations/theses can this be used for.
The chapter template follows the standard format for academic research projects, which means it will be suitable for the majority of dissertations, theses and research projects (especially those within the sciences). Recommended structures are provided for both qualitative and quantitative studies.
Keep in mind that the exact requirements for the results chapter/section will vary between universities and degree programs. For example, your university may require that the results chapter and discussion chapter are merged into one (this is more common for qualitative studies). So, be sure to double-check your university’s requirements before you finalize your structure.
Is this template for an undergrad, Master or PhD-level thesis?
This template can be used for a dissertation, thesis or research project at any level of study. Doctoral-level projects typically require a lengthier write-up, but the structure will typically remain the same. Again, be sure to check your university’s requirements and norms in terms of document structure.
How long should the results chapter be?
This can vary a fair deal, depending on the level of study (undergrad, Master or Doctoral), the field of research, as well as your university’s specific requirements. Therefore, it’s best to check with your university or review past dissertations from your program to get an accurate estimate.
Can I share this template with my friends/colleagues?
Yes, you’re welcome to share this template in its original format (no editing allowed). If you want to post about it on your blog or social media, please reference this page as your source.
What format is the template (DOC, PDF, PPT, etc.)?
The thesis results chapter template is provided as a Google Doc. You can download it in MS Word format or make a copy to your Google Drive. You’re also welcome to convert it to whatever format works best for you, such as LaTeX or PDF.
Do you have templates for the other chapters?
Yes, we do. We are constantly developing our collection of free resources to help students complete their dissertations and theses. You can view all of our template resources here .
Can Grad Coach help me with my results and/or analysis?
Yes, we can provide coaching-based assistance with your qualitative, quantitative or mixed-method analysis. Get in touch to discuss our private coaching services .
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
DISSERTATION CHAPTERS Order and format of dissertation chapters may vary by institution and department. 1. Introduction 2. Literature review 3. Methodology 4. Findings 5. Analysis and synthesis 6. Conclusions and recommendations Chapter 1: Introduction This chapter makes a case for the signifi-cance of the problem, contextualizes the
Chapter 4 Key Findings and Discussion. This chapter presents principal findings from the primary research. The findings can be. divided into two groups: qualitative and quantitative results. Figure 4.1 illustrates how. these two types of results are integrated.
The discussion section is one of the final parts of a research paper, in which an author describes, analyzes, and interprets their findings. They explain the significance of those results and tie everything back to the research question(s). In this handout, you will find a description of what a discussion section does, explanations of how to ...
Step 4: Acknowledge the limitations of your study. The fourth step in writing up your discussion chapter is to acknowledge the limitations of the study. These limitations can cover any part of your study, from the scope or theoretical basis to the analysis method (s) or sample.
Table of contents. What not to include in your discussion section. Step 1: Summarize your key findings. Step 2: Give your interpretations. Step 3: Discuss the implications. Step 4: Acknowledge the limitations. Step 5: Share your recommendations. Discussion section example. Other interesting articles.
The results section of a research paper tells the reader what you found, while the discussion section tells the reader what your findings mean. The results section should present the facts in an academic and unbiased manner, avoiding any attempt at analyzing or interpreting the data. Think of the results section as setting the stage for the ...
This template covers all the core components required in the discussion/analysis chapter of a typical dissertation or thesis, including: The purpose of each section is explained in plain language, followed by an overview of the key elements that you need to cover. The template also includes practical examples to help you understand exactly what ...
CHAPTER V: DISCUSSION be. The purpose of this qualitative grounded theory study was to identify what motivates. Outline the organization. women to stay in or return to STEM professions, leading to a model of motivation. This. chapter includes a discussion of major findings as related to the literature on women in.
Overview of Chapter 5. A well-written Chapter 5 should include information about the following: Summary of findings. Interpretation of findings. Context of findings. Implications of findings. Discussion on limitations of study. Discussion on future directions of research/field.
Opening of Discussion Section • Open the Discussion section with a clear statement of the support or non-support of your original hypotheses respectively the main findings of your research - ^This research sought to explore how the male-only stereotype affects the self-perception and discourse of politically motivated hackers. Four discourses
Acknowledge the Study's Limitations. Make Suggestions for Further Research. Give the "Take-Home Message" in the Form of a Conclusion. Things to Avoid When Writing the Discussion ...
In the ensuing discussion these themes are further elucidated. 4.2.1 How academic writing is understood at university by ESL students and academics 4.2.1.1 Why academic writing is seen as a 'specific kind' of writing The purpose of this discussion is to explain what both ESL students and academics in this study understood by academic writing.
This article is a brief guidance on effective writing of academic research thesis with a focus on the results/ findings section/ chapters. It provides step by step highlights on how to present data from the field, interpretation of the findings, corroborating the findings with existing studies as well as the use of theoretical tenets to discuss the findings.
Dissertation Findings & Discussion Chapter: Sample www.newessays.co.uk 5.3 overleaf. As can be seen from the table below, by far the greatest proportion of the research population have either a degree or a post graduate degree (85%), this is also aligned with the average age distribution of the research population and the
8.4 Implications and recommendations for pedagogy. This section attempts to answer the 'so what' question posed to any research study. Ultimately, the research objective of the study is to enquire into postgraduate accounting and finance students' perceptions of critical thinking in the context of group learning.
The results chapter in a dissertation or thesis (or any formal academic research piece) is where you objectively and neutrally present the findings of your qualitative analysis (or analyses if you used multiple qualitative analysis methods ). This chapter can sometimes be combined with the discussion chapter (where you interpret the data and ...
The conclusions are as stated below: i. Students' use of language in the oral sessions depicted their beliefs and values. based on their intentions. The oral sessions prompted the students to be ...
The analysis and interpretation of data is carried out in two phases. The. first part, which is based on the results of the questionnaire, deals with a quantitative. analysis of data. The second, which is based on the results of the interview and focus group. discussions, is a qualitative interpretation.
The biggest take‐away is that hardly any Els have access to an ESL credentialed teacher. Indeed, in 2012‐13 there was only one ESL credentialed teacher for every 250 Els. Further, 37 of 115 school districts did not employ any ESL credentialed teachers. On average, these 37 counties each enrolled about 420 Els.
Table of contents. What not to include in your discussion section. Step 1: Summarise your key findings. Step 2: Give your interpretations. Step 3: Discuss the implications. Step 4: Acknowledge the limitations. Step 5: Share your recommendations. Discussion section example.
Variables. Comments by the Principals. implementation of plans to achieve the vision and goals and provide feedback. This approach, according to Mr Gold, culminates in the identification of hindrances to the realization of the vision and goals and the identification of appropriate corrective measures. 4.
if you write a scientific dissertation, or anyway using quantitative methods, you will have some objective results that you will present in the Results chapter. You will then interpret the results in the Discussion chapter. B) More common for qualitative methods. - Analysis chapter. This can have more descriptive/thematic subheadings.
This template covers all the core components required in the results chapter of a typical dissertation, thesis or research project: The purpose of each section is explained in plain language, followed by an overview of the key elements that you need to cover. The template also includes practical examples to help you understand exactly what's ...
Research Question 2: Full Sample -30 days Post-intervention- (Time point 3) The mean scores thirty days after the intervention for all participants indicated a significant enhancement in their perceived sense of well-being. To begin with, scores on the CD-Risc, assessing resilience for the full sample of participants, significantly