Although most people include a discussion section in their dissertation or thesis, some end up missing out key issues. The discussion section should be where your paper comes together, so it’s vital to consider the following.
Organise the discussion into separate sections, moving from specific results to their implications. Depending on your topic, you could use the following structure:
When discussing your findings, use the past and present tenses consistently. Which one to use depends on the context. When referring to specific data or describing what results mean in practice, the present tense should be used:
As shown in Figure 1, speed decreases when the amount of light increases.
The results indicate that coffee improves productivity.
However, when summarising results or describing a process that has concluded, the past tense should be used:
Between 2012 and 2015, the number of road accidents decreased significantly.
Sometimes it’s necessary to use a combination of the two:
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As shown in Figure 1, the number of road accidents decreased between 2012 and 2015. This implies that speed cameras reduce the number of fatalities on the road.
Rather than simply describing your results, think about what they mean. Consider what any relationships and patterns in your findings imply. And ask how this relates to the theories used in your research.
It’s also important to be objective when discussing results. If your findings weren’t what you expected, mention this in the discussion. Don’t be afraid to recognise inconsistencies, anomalies or other limitations.
Referring to previous parts of your paper gives the discussion context.
For example, if you introduce a theory in the literature review that claims that speed cameras have no impact on road fatalities, you can describe how your findings relate to this.
The same applies to your hypothesis: do the results prove or disprove your predictions? Doing this makes your paper feel coherent.
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