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How to Write a Dissertation Discussion Chapter: Guide & Examples

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Dissertation discussion section is a chapter that interprets the results obtained from research and offers an in-depth analysis of findings. In this section, students need to analyze the outcomes, evaluate their significance, and compare them to previous research. The discussion section may also explore the limitations of the study and suggest further research perspectives.

If you are stuck with your thesis or dissertation discussion chapter, you are in the right place to complete this section successfully. This article will outline our best solutions and methods on how to write the discussion of a dissertation or thesis. We also will share advanced dissertation discussion examples to help you finalize your PhD work.  Feel like academic writing gives you hassles? Remember that you can always rely on academic experts qualified in your field to get professional dissertation help online .

What Is a Dissertation Discussion?

First and foremost, students need to have a clear understanding of what dissertation discussion is. This is not the same as your results section , where you share data from your research. You are going deeper into the explanation of the existing data in your thesis or dissertation discussion section. In other words, you illustrate practical implications of your research and how the data can be used, researched further, or limited.  What will make your discussion section of a dissertation excellent:

• clear structure
• practical implication
• elaboration on future work on this topic.

This section should go after research methodology and before the dissertation conclusion . It should be directly relevant to questions posed in your introduction.  The biggest mistake you can make is to rewrite your result chapter with other words and add some limitations and recommendation paragraphs. However, this is an entirely different type of writing you need to complete.

Purpose of a Dissertation Discussion Chapter

A dissertation discussion section is critical to explaining students’ findings and the application of data to real-life cases. As we mentioned before, this section will often be read right after the dissertation methods . It evaluates and elaborates on findings and helps to understand the importance of your performed thesis research.  A dissertation discussion opens a new perspective on further research on the same field or topic. It also outlines critical data to consider in subsequent studies. In a nutshell, this is the section where you explain your work to a broad audience.

Structure of a Dissertation Discussion Section

Let’s start your writing journey of this research part with a clear delineation of what it should include and then briefly discuss each component. Here are some basic things you need to consider for an excellent discussion chapter of dissertation :

• Brief summary It does not mean copying an introduction section. However, the first few paragraphs will make an overview of your findings and topic.
• Interpretations This is a critical component of your work — elaborate on your results and explain possible ways of using them.
• Implication Research work is not just 100+ pages of text. Students should explain and illustrate how it could be used for solving practical problems.
• Constraints This is where you outline your limitations. For instance, your research was done only on students, and it may have different results with elderly people.
• Recommendations You can also define possible ways of future research on the exact topic when writing a discussion for your thesis or dissertation. Tell readers, for example, that it would be helpful to run similar research in other specific circumstances.

How to Write a Dissertation Discussion Chapter?

One of the most commonly asked questions for our experts is how to write the discussion section of a dissertation or thesis. We understand why it can be complicated to get a clear answer. Students often think that this section is similar to the result chapter and just retells it in other words. But it is not so. Let’s go through all steps to writing a discussion in a dissertation, and share our best examples from academic papers.

1. Remind Your Research Questions & Objectives

Writing the discussion chapter of a dissertation is not a big deal if you understand its aim and each component in a text structure. First of all, you need to evaluate how your results help to answer research questions you defined in the beginning. It is not about repeating the result, you did it in previous paragraphs.  However, dissertation or thesis discussion should underline how your findings help to answer the research problem. Start writing from a brief intro by recalling research questions or hypotheses . Then, show how your results answer them or support a hypothesis in your work.

2. Sum Up Key Findings

Next part of your discussion for dissertation is to provide a short summary of previous data. But do not respite the same summary paragraphs from results or introduction of a dissertation . Here researchers should be more thoughtful and go deeper into the work’s aims.  Try to explain in a few sentences what you get from running research. For instance, starters usually write the statement that “our data proves that…” or “survey results illustrate a clear correlation between a and b that is critical for proving our working hypothesis…”.  A discussion chapter of your dissertation is not just a fixation on results but a more profound summary connected to research goals and purpose. Here is an example: Summary of Findings Example

According to the data, implementing the co-orientation theory was successful and can be used for the same circumstances in the future. As we found, most participants agreed with the importance of those theses on the five fundamental reforms. It means that the results identified a successful government work in choosing the messages to communicate about examined reforms. At the same time, the situation is not so favorable with implementing the principles of two-way symmetrical communications. According to the results, people did not feel that the government had a mutual, open, and equal dialogue with the public about the reforms.

3. Interpret the Results

The most critical part of a discussion section is to explain and enact the results you’ve got. It is the most significant part of any text. Students should be clear about what to include in these paragraphs. Here is some advice to make this elaboration structured:

• Identify correlations or patterns in the data for dissertation discussion.
• Underline how results can answer research questions or prove your hypothesis.
• Emphasize how your findings are connected to the previous topic studies.
• Point out essential statements you can use in future research.
• Evaluate the significance of your results and any unexpected data you have.
• What others can learn from your research and how this work contributes to the field.
• Consider any possible additional or unique explanation of your findings.
• Go deeper with options of how results can be applied in practice.

Writing a dissertation discussion chapter can be tough, but here is a great sample to learn from. Example of Interpretations in Disssertation Discussion

Our study underlines the importance of future research on using TikTok for political communication. As discussed above, TikTok is the most commonly used social media platform for many young voters. This means that political discussion will also move to this platform. Our research and typology of political communication content can be used in the future planning of effective political campaigns. For example, we can assume that “play videos” have enormous potential to facilitate complicated topics and provide specific agenda settings. We also identified additional affordances of TikTok used for political communication, such as built-in video editors, playlists for specific topics, a green screen for news explainers, and duets for reflection on news and discussion. It means that these features make TikTok suitable for efficient political communications.

4. Discuss How Your Findings Relate to the Literature

Here we came to the implications of your findings for the dissertation discussion. In other words, this is a few sentences on how your work is connected to other studies on the same research topic or what literature gap you are going to fill with the data and research you launched. Remember to mention how your study address the limitations you have discovered while writing a literature review .  First, outline how your hypothesis relates to theories or previous works in the field. Maybe, you challenged some theories or tried to define your own. Be specific in this section. Second, define a practical implementation of your work. Maybe, it can support recommendations or change legislation.  Discussion chapter of a thesis is a place where you explain your work, make it valuable, and incorporate additional meaning for some specific data.  Example of Implications in Disssertation Discussion

As we pointed out in the literature review, there are few works on using TikTok affordances for political communications, and this topic can be expanded in the future. Government institutions have already understood the importance of this platform for efficient communication with younger audiences, and we will see more political projects on TikTok. That is why expanding research on using TikTok for political communication will be enormous in the following years. Our work is one of the first research on the role of emerging media in war communication and can be used as a practical guide for government's strategic planning in times of emergencies.

5. Mention Possible Limitations

It is pretty tricky to conduct research without limitations. You will always have some, which does not mean that your work is not good. When you write a discussion chapter in a thesis or dissertation, focus on what may influence your results and how changing independent variables can affect your data collection methods and final outcomes.  Here are some points to consider when you structure your dissertation discussion limitation part:

• If results can change in case you change the reference group?
• What will happen with data if it changes circumstances?
• What could influence results?

Critical thinking and analysis can help you to outline possible limitations. It can be the age of the reference group, change of questionnaire in a survey, or specific use of data extraction equipment. Be transparent about what could affect your results.  Example of Complications

Although this study has provided critical first insights into the effects of multimodal disinformation and rebuttals, there are some limitations. First and most importantly, the effects of multimodal disinformation and rebuttals partially depend on the topic of the message. Although fact-checkers reduce credibility of disinformation in both settings, and attitudinal congruence plays a consistent role in conditioning responses to multimodal disinformation, visuals do not have the same impact on affecting the credibility of news on school shootings and refugees.

6. Provide Recommendations for Further Research

Writing a dissertation discussion also makes a connection to possible future research. So, other scientists may complete that. While elaborating on possible implementations of your study, you may also estimate future approaches in topic research.  Here are some points to consider while your discussion in thesis writing:

• Outline questions related to your topic that you did not answer in defined study or did not outline as research questions. There are other possible gaps to research.
• Suggest future research based on limitations. For example, if you define surveyed people’s age as a limitation, recommend running another survey for older or younger recipients.

Example of Recommendations

As we mentioned before, our study has some limitations, as the research was conducted based on data from United State citizens. However, for a better understanding of government communication practices, it would be productive to implement the same research in other countries. Some cultural differences can influence the communication strategies the government uses in times of emergency. Another possible way to examine this topic is to conduct research using a specific period of time. For future studies, it will be beneficial to expand the number of survey recipients. 

7. Conclude Your Thesis/ Dissertation Discussion

You are almost done, the last step is to provide a brief summary of a section. It is not the same as a conclusion for whole research. However, you need to briefly outline key points from the dissertation discussion.  To finalize writing the discussion section of a dissertation, go through the text and check if there is no unimportant information. Do not overload the text with relevant data you did not present in the result section. Be specific in your summary paragraphs. It is a holistic view of everything you pointed out. Provide a few sentences to systemize all you outlined in the text. Example of a Concluding Summary in a Dissertation Discussion Section

To summarize, Airbnb has expertise in communicating CSR and CSA campaigns. We defined their communication strategy about the program for Ukrainian refugees as quite successful. They applied all the principles of CSR communication best practices, used dialogic theory to engage with the public on social media, and created clear messaging on applying for the program. Airbnb examples of CSR communication can be used by other businesses to create a communication strategy for unplanned CSR campaigns. Moreover, it can be further researched how Airbnb's CSR campaign influenced the organizational reputation in the future. 

Dissertation Discussion Example

If we need to share one piece of practical advice, it would be to use thesis or dissertation discussion examples when writing your own copy. StudyCrumb provides the best samples from real students' work to help you understand the stylistic and possible structure of this part. It does not mean you need to copy and paste them into your work.  However, you can use a  dissertation discussion example for inspiration and brainstorming ideas for breaking writing blocks. Here’s a doctoral thesis discussion chapter example.

Dissertation Discussion Writing Tips

Before reading this blog, you should already know how to write a thesis discussion. However, we would share some essential tips you need to have in mind while working on the document. 

• Be consistent Your dissertation discussion chapter is a part of bigger research, and it should be in line with your whole work.
• Understand your reader You are writing an academic text that will be analyzed by professionals and experts in the same field. Be sure that you are not trying to simplify your discussion.
• Be logical Do not jump into a new line of discussion if you did not delineate it as a research question at the beginning.
• Be clear Do not include any data that was not presented in the result section.
• Consider word choice Use such terms as “our data indicate…” or “our data suggests…” instead of “the data proves.”
• Use proper format Follow the formatting rules specified by a specific paper style (e.g., APA style format , MLA format , or Chicago format ) or provided by your instructor.

Bottom Line on Writing a Dissertation Discussion Chapter

At this stage, it should not be a question for you on how to write a discussion chapter in a PhD thesis or dissertation. Let’s make it clear. It is not a result section but still a place to elaborate on data and go deeper with explanations. Dissertation discussion section includes some intro, result interpretations, limitations, and recommendations for future research. Our team encourages you to use examples before starting your own piece of writing. It will help you to realize the purpose and structure of this chapter and inspire better texts! If you have other questions regarding the PhD writing process, check our blog for more insights. From detailed instruction on how to write a dissertation or guide on formatting a dissertation appendix , we’ve got you covered.

Order dissertation discussion from our proficient writers. They will take a significant burden off of you. Instead, they will carry out high-level academic work in a short time.

FAQ About Dissertation Discussion Chapter

1. where does a discussion section go in a dissertation.

Dissertation discussion section is used to go right after the result chapter. The logic is simple — you share your data and then go to the elaboration and explanation of it. Check the sample thesis we provide to students for details on structure.

2. How long should a dissertation discussion chapter be?

It is not a surprise that dissertation discussion chapter is extremely significant for the research. Here you will go into the details of your study and interpret results to prove or not your hypothesis. It should take almost 25% of your work. 

3. What tense should I use in a dissertation discussion?

Thesis or dissertation discussion used to have some rules on using tenses. You need to use the present tense when referring to established facts and use the past tense when referring to previous studies. And check your text before submission to ensure that you did not miss something.

4. What not to include in a dissertation discussion section?

The answer is easy. Discussion section of a dissertation should not include any new findings or describe some unsupported claims. Also, do not try to feel all possible gaps with one research. It may be better to outline your ideas for future studies in recommendations.

Joe Eckel is an expert on Dissertations writing. He makes sure that each student gets precious insights on composing A-grade academic writing.

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How to Write a Dissertation Discussion Chapter – A Quick Guide with Examples

Published by Alvin Nicolas at August 12th, 2021 , Revised On July 12, 2024

Dissertation discussion is the chapter where you explore the relevance, significance, and meanings of your findings  – allowing you to showcase your talents in describing and analyzing the results of your study.

Here, you will be expected to demonstrate how your research findings  answer the  research questions  established or test the  hypothesis .

The arguments you assert in the dissertation analysis and discussions chapter lay the foundations of your conclusion . It is critically important to discuss the results in a precise manner.

To help you understand how to write a dissertation discussion chapter, here is the list of the main elements of this section so you stay on the right track when writing:

• Summary: Start by providing a summary of your key research findings
• Interpretations: What is the significance of your findings?
• Implications: Why are your findings important to academic and scientific communities, and what purpose would they serve?
• Limitations: When and where will your results have no implications?
• Future Recommendations : Advice for other researchers and scientists who explore the topic further in future.

The dissertation discussion chapter should be carefully drafted to ensure that the results mentioned in your research align with your research question, aims, and objectives.

Considering the importance of this chapter for all students working on their dissertations, we have comprehensive guidelines on how to write a dissertation discussion chapter.

The discussion and  conclusion  chapters often overlap. Depending on your university, you may be asked to group these two sections in one chapter – Discussion and Conclusion.

In some cases, the results and discussion are put together under the Results and Discussion chapter. Here are some dissertation examples of working out the best structure for your dissertation.

Alternatively, you can look for the required  dissertation structure in your handbook  or consult your supervisor.

Steps of How to Write Dissertation Discussion Chapter

1. provide a summary of your findings.

Start your discussion by summarising the key findings of your research questions. Avoid repeating the information you have already stated in the previous chapters.

You will be expected to clearly express your interpretation of results to answer the research questions established initially in one or two paragraphs.

Here are some  examples of how to present the summary of your findings ;

• “The data suggests that”,
• “The results confirm that”,
• “The analysis indicates that”,
• “The research shows a relationship between”, etc.

2. Interpretations of Results

Your audience will expect you to provide meanings of the results, although they might seem obvious to you. The results and their interpretations should be linked to the research questions so the reader can understand the value your research has added to the literature.

There are many ways of interpreting the data, but your chosen approach to interpreting the data will depend on the  type of research involved . Some of the most common strategies employed include;

• Describing how and why you ended up with unexpected findings and explaining their importance in detail
• Relating your findings with previous studies conducted
• Explaining your position with logical arguments when/if any alternative explanations are suggested
• An in-depth discussion around whether or not the findings answered your research questions and successfully tested the hypothesis

Examples of how you can start your interpretation in the Discussion chapter are –

• “Findings of this study contradict those of Allen et al. (2014) that”,
• “Contrary to the hypothesized association,” “Confirming the hypothesis…”,
• “The findings confirm that A is….. even though Allen et al. (2014) and Michael (2012) suggested B was …..”

3. Implications of your Study

What practical and theoretical implications will your study have for other researchers and the scientific community as a whole?

It is vital to relate your results to the knowledge in the existing literature so the readers can establish how your research will contribute to the existing data.

When thinking of the possible consequences of your findings, you should ask yourself these;

• Are your findings in line with previous studies? What contribution did your research make to them?
• Why are your results entirely different from other studies on the same topic?
• Did your findings approve or contradict existing knowledge?
• What are the practical implications of your study?

Remember that as the researcher, you should aim to let your readers know why your study will contribute to the existing literature. Possible ways of starting this particular section are;

• “The findings show that A….. whereas Lee (2017) and John (2013) suggested that B”, “The results of this study completely contradict the claims made in theories”,
• “These results are not in line with the theoretical perspectives”,
• “The statistical analysis provides a new understanding of the relationship between A and B”,
• “Future studies should take into consideration the findings of this study because”

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4. Recognise the Limitations of your Research

Almost every academic research has some limitations. Acknowledging them will only add to your credibility as a scientific researcher.

In addition to the possible human errors, it’s important to take into account other factors that might have influenced the results of your study, including but not limited to unexpected research obstacles, specific methodological choices , and the overall research design.

Avoid mentioning any limitations that may not be relevant to your research aim, but clearly state the limitations that may have affected your results.

For example, if you used a sample size that included a tiny population, you may not generalise your results.

Similarly, obstacles faced in collecting data from the participants can influence the findings of your study. Make a note of all such  research limitations , but explain to the reader why your results are still authentic.

• The small sample size limited the generalisability of the results.
• The authenticity of the findings may have been influenced by….
• The obstacles in collecting data resulted in…
• It is beyond the framework of this research…

5. Provide Recommendations for Future Research

The limitations of your research work directly result in future recommendations . However, it should be noted that your recommendations for future research work should include the areas that your own work could not report so other researchers can build on them.

Sometimes the recommendations are a part of the  conclusion chapter . Some examples;

• More research is needed to be performed….

The Purpose of Dissertation Discussion Chapter 

Remember that the discussion section of a dissertation is the heart of your research because a) it will indicate your stance on the topic of research, and b) it answers the research questions initially established in the Introduction chapter .

Every piece of information you present here will add value to the existing literature within your field of study. How you structured your findings in the preceding chapter will help you determine the best structure for your dissertation discussion section.

For example, it might be logical to structure your analysis/discussions by theme if you chose the pattern in your findings section.

But generally, discussion based on research questions is the more widely used  structure  in academia because this pattern clearly indicates how you have addressed the aim of your research.

Most UK universities require the supervisor or committee members to comment on the extent to which each research question has been answered. You will be doing them a great favour if you structure your discussion so that each research question is laid out separately.

Irrespective of whether you are  writing an essay, dissertation, or  chapter of a dissertation , all pieces of writing should start with an  introduction .

Once your readers have read through your study results, you might want to highlight the contents of the subsequent discussion as an introduction paragraph (summary of your results – as explained above).

Likewise, the discussion chapter is expected to end with a concluding paragraph – allowing you the opportunity to summarise your interpretations.

The dissertation analysis & discussion chapter is usually very long, so it will make sense to emphasise the critical points in a concluding paragraph so the reader can grasp the essential information. This will also help to make sure the reader understands your analysis.

Also Read:   Research Discussion Of Findings

Useful Tips 

Presentation of graphs, tables, and figures.

In the 1990s and early 2000s, students spent days creating graphs and charts for their  statistical analysis work . Thanks to technology, you can produce even more accurate graphs and figures today in a shorter period.

Using  Microsoft Word, STATA, SPSS, Microsoft Excel  and other statistical analysis software, we can now draw  beautiful-looking figures, tables , and graphs with just a few clicks and make them appear in our document at the desired place. But there are downsides to being too dependent on technology.

Many students make the common mistake of using colours to represent variables when really they have to print their dissertation paper final copy in black and white.

Any colours on graphs and figures will eventually be viewed in the grayscale presentation. Recognizing different shades of grey on the same chart or graph can sometimes be a little confusing.

For example, green and purple appear as pretty much the same shade of grey on a line chat, meaning your chart will become unreadable to the marker.

Another trap you may fall into is the unintentional stuffing   of the dissertation chapter with graphs and figures. Even though it is essential to show numbers and statistics, you don’t want to overwhelm your readers with too many.

It may not be necessary to have a graph/table under each sub-heading. Only you can best judge whether or not you need to have a graph/table under a particular sub-heading as the writer.

Relating to Previous Chapters  

As a student, it can be challenging to develop your own analysis and discussion of results. One of the excellent discussion chapter requirements is to showcase your ability to relate previous research to your research results.

Avoid repeating the same information over and over. Many students fall into this trap which negatively affects the mark of their overall dissertation paper .

Concise and to-the-point information will help you effectively convey your point to the readers.

Although you must demonstrate how your findings relate to previous research, it is equally important to ensure you are not simply rewriting what has already been said in the introduction  and  literature review  chapters.

The best strategy is to use examples from previous sections to postulate an argument.

Hyperlinks are recommended to take the reader from one section to another. This is especially important for submitting electronic documents as .word or .pdf files. Hyperlinking is tedious and time-consuming, so you should allow for this in your dissertation timeline to avoid rushing in the closing stages.

Also read: How to Write the Abstract for the Dissertation.

Using Subsections and Subheadings

You might want to reflect on the structure of the discussion in your organizstion of the dissertation discussion chapter, and for that, you will need to create sub-sections.

It is essential to keep subsections to the point and as short as possible. Use a layer of subheadings if possible.

For example

Subsection 4.1 of Chapter 4- Discussion can be further divided into sections 4.1.1 and 4.2.2. After three numerical layers (4.1.1, 4.2.2, and 4.2.3), any subheadings need not appear in the contents table.

The titles of all subsections will appear on your table of contents  so choose the wordings carefully. A title too long or too short might confuse the reader. A one or two-word subheading will not give the reader enough information to understand the section.

Likewise, using a research question or long sentences in the subheading is not recommended. It might help to examine how other researchers and writers create these subheadings.

Critical Thinking

Your critical thinking skills are the crux of your dissertation discussion chapter. You will do yourself a great disservice if you fail to put the critical thinking element into the equation.

After all, this exercise aims to showcase clarity in your thoughts and arguments. Markers of the dissertation give more importance to the analysis  and discussion chapter. But you could be marked negatively if this particular chapter lacks critical thinking.

Many students struggle to distinguish between fundamental descriptive analysis and critical thinking with their opinions on the research topic.

Critical thinking is a skill developed over time, and it might be daunting for you to come to terms with the idea of critical thinking and its use in your analysis. But even if you are no expert, you must try your best.

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Duplication of Content

Another critical error students make reaffirming the point the graph/chart was supposed to make. Writing out the same information as presented in the graph defeats the whole purpose of having them in the first place.

You will be expected to form your opinions and arguments based on the findings (as presented by the graphs), so keep an eye on this mistake. Finally, avoid simply inserting a graph without any explanation whatsoever.

It should be noted that there is no correct or incorrect number of charts/figures one can use in the dissertation findings and discussion chapter. A balance must be struck.

Avoid Over Interpretation

This is a major no-no when writing a dissertation discussion. Do not make an argument that isn’t backed by your collected data.

The results and interpretations that cannot be supported should not be mentioned. Your research will be deemed unauthentic and will also be questioned by your supervisor if you do so. Results should be interpreted without any bias.

How to Write the Findings of a Dissertation.

Do not Speculate

Speculation in the  discussion chapter of your dissertation is discouraged. Your dissertation’s discussion is based on your collected data and how it relates to your research questions. Thus, speculating here will undoubtedly undermine your research’s credibility.

Also, try not to generalise your findings. If your research is based on a specific population, do not state that the same findings might apply in every case. As indicated previously, it is essential to acknowledge the limitations of your research.

On the other hand, if you think your discussion needs to address other populations as well, start your sentence like this ‘We speculate that..’ or ‘It is speculated that..’ This will keep you from getting into any trouble.

What are the elements of the Dissertation Discussion?

The list of the main elements of the discussion chapter are:

• Implications : Why are your findings important to academic and scientific communities, and what purpose would they serve?
• Future Recommendations: Advice for other researchers and scientists who explore the topic further in future.

What are the steps of writing a Dissertation Discussion Chapter?

• Write a summary of the findings
• Provide a summary of your findings
• Interpretations of Results
• Recognise the Limitations of your research
• Provide Recommendations for Future Research.

Can we use graphs and charts in the Dissertation Discussion Chapter?

Yes, using graphs to aid your statistical results and enhance presentation is essential, but do not overwhelm it with a lot of graphs in multiple colours. 

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Module 7, Chapter 5 - Discussion

How to Write the Discussion Chapter for a Dissertation? This Module Illustrates the Process for Writing the Discussion Chapter for a Dissertation

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Module 7, Chapter 5 - Discussion: How to Write the Discussion Chapter for a Dissertation.

The discussion chapter of a dissertation is where you look into the significance and relevance of your results. It involves explaining and evaluating your findings, demonstrating how they connect to your literature review, results, and dissertation topic, and creating an argument to support your ultimate conclusion. In this module, you’ll learn how to look at the different ways to write the discussion chapter of a dissertation, with a focus on the following important parts: 1. Summary; a concise summary of your major result interpretations. 2. Interpretations; what do these results imply? 3. Implications; Why are your outcomes significant? 4. Limitations; What are the limitations of your findings? 5. Recommendations; further research or analysis avenues. Therefore, folks, grab your coffee, sit back, and learn how to write a perfect discussion chapter for a dissertation.

Section in this module:

7.1 introduction, 7.2 purpose of the discussion chapter, 7.3 key dissertation discussion components, 7.4 summary of the results, 7.5 interpretation of the results, 7.6 implications of the results, 7.7 limitations of the research, 7.8 future suggestions, 7.9 discussion of graphs, tables, and charts, 7.10 relating to the previous chapter, 7.11 avoiding speculations and over interpretation, let's get started....

The dissertation’s discussion section is where you investigate the applicability, relevance, and interpretations of the results. This allows you to demonstrate your skills in articulating and evaluating the outcomes of your research. In this section, you will be asked to illustrate how the results of your study address the research questions that were formulated or how they verify the hypothesis. The shows that you present interpretations in this chapter of the dissertation that is devoted to evaluation and discussions as the basis for your argument. Discussing the findings in a clear and concise approach is of utmost importance.

While writing the discussion chapter of a dissertation, you are required to place your research findings into the context of your research problem. You will then connect those findings to earlier studies and published literature (addressed in the literature review chapter of the dissertation). In addition, you are expected to evaluate the significance of your findings in relation to your field of study. You will then present an argument in support of the inferences that are derived from your conclusions. In other words, the purpose of the discussion chapter is you to relate with and expound on your dissertation findings in a comprehensive and consistent way.

While writing the discussion chapter of the dissertation, you are expected to understand that the chapter is the most important part of their study due to the following reasons:

• Each new detail that you share with the reader in this chapter contributes to the body of prior studies done in the specific area of research.
• The way you organize your results in the chapters before the discussion chapter will be of great use you as you consider various organizational options for the chapter. For instance, if you decided to use a particular structure in the chapter devoted to your results, it would make sense to organize your analysis and discussions in accordance with that structure.
• In many cases, a discussion chapter directed by the research problem outlined in the introduction chapter is the main pattern employed more frequently in academic settings. This is because this pattern clearly illustrates how you have satisfied the goal of your study.

In many institutions, the supervisor or other stakeholders of the school committee are required to share their honest opinions on the level at which each research question has been addressed. While writing the discussion chapter of a dissertation, you are required to organize your discussion so that every research problem is presented in its independent paragraph. This ensures that you make it easier for the supervising team to understand your results. It does not matter if you are writing an essay or any chapter of their dissertation. The initial section of any writing is expected to be the introduction. After the target reader has gone through the study’s findings, you may be required to write an introductory paragraph to summarize what was covered in the rest of the discussion chapter. Similarly, the discussion section should culminate with a conclusion of the chapter. This allows you to provide a concise summary of your explanations. Since a dissertation’s analysis and discussion chapter is typically quite lengthy, it is prudent to highlight the most important elements to ensure that the reader can comprehend the most important material. This will help to ensure that the reader has an accurate understanding of the analysis presented.

Below is a summary of the key components of a research discussion chapter to assist you in drafting one and ensuring that your work follows the proper format:

• Summary- Begin by summarizing the most important study findings.
• Interpretations: What relevance do your results have?
• Implications: What are the future effects of your results for scholarly and scientific researchers?
• Limitations: When would the findings be meaningless?
• Future Suggestions: Suggestions for additional research on the subject in the future.

The outcomes described in your study should be thoroughly aligned with your research problem, goals, and purposes of the study before being included in the dissertation discussion chapter. Chapters on discussion and conclusion frequently intersect. In some cases, you might be required to combine the Discussion and Conclusion chapters into a single chapter based on the requirements of you institution.

TIP: This guide provides detailed instructions on preparing a dissertation discussion chapter considering the significance of this section for completing your dissertations.

The important outcomes of the research problem should be summarized at the beginning of the presentation. When writing the discussion chapter of a dissertation, you should refrain from reiterating anything previously covered in earlier chapters. You are also expected to briefly explain your understanding of the data to respond to the primary research objectives. Below are a few illustrations of how to deliver your results overview.

• “The analysis reveals that,”
• “The results support that,”
• “The research demonstrates a relationship between,”

Although the interpretations of the findings may be patently evident to you, the readers will fully rely on you to explain their significance. While writing the discussion chapter of a dissertation, it is essential to connect the findings and the analyses to the research problem to help the reader comprehend the study’s contribution to the existing body of knowledge. Numerous methods can be implemented in interpreting the results. However, the method of interpretation that you may choose for the data will be determined by the kind of study you have conducted. The following is a list of a few of the most often used techniques:

• Providing an account of how and why you arrived at unanticipated discoveries and an in-depth justification for their significance.
• Comparing the results to those of other research that has been carried out.
• Defending your viewpoint with coherent reasons in the event that other interpretations are proposed (or even if they are not).
• An in-depth conversation on whether or not the results satisfied the questions posed by the study and effectively validated the hypothesis.

The following are some possible ways to begin your analysis when you get to the Discussion chapter:

• “Contrary to the hypothesized association,”
• “Contrary to the findings of this study,”
• “Findings of this study contradict those of Allen et al. (2014) that….”
• “The findings confirm that A is… despite the fact that Allen et al. (2014) and Michael (2012) claimed that B was…”
• “Confirming the hypothesis…”, “The findings confirm that A is…”

When writing the discussion chapter of a dissertation, you are encouraged to consider the conceptual and pragmatic ramifications that the research may bring to the rest of the science establishment and other scholars. For readers to understand how the study will add to the body of information already available, it is crucial to tie the findings to what is already known in the literature. What are some of the questions you can consider while writing the results’ potential effects:

• Do your results concur with those of earlier research? What benefit did their study receive from your work?
• Why do the findings completely deviate from those of another related research?
• Did the research confirm or refute what was previously known?
• What are the dissertation’s practical ramifications?

You are expected to understand that as a researcher, you should try to explain to your reader how and why your work will advance the body of knowledge. There are several options for how to begin this specific chapter:

• “The results of this study completely contradict the claims made in theories,”
• “These results are not in line with the theoretical perspectives,”
• “The statistical analysis provides a new understanding of the relationship between A and B,”
• “Future studies should take into account the findings of this study because…”

Every scholarly study has various limitations. While writing the discussion chapter of a dissertation, the scholarly study will have more validity if you acknowledge these limitations. Alongside the variety of possible human mistakes, it is critical to consider other elements that could have affected the findings of your study. These limitations could include unforeseen research challenges, particular methodological decisions, and the general research approach. You should refrain from mentioning any restrictions that might not be pertinent to your study’s main goal. However, you can be sure to indicate any restrictions that might have impacted the findings. For instance, you might not be able to extrapolate the findings if the sample size only comprised a small portion of the population. The same challenges encountered when gathering respondent data may have an impact on the report’s conclusions. You are encouraged to identify all these study restrictions while also letting the reader know why the research findings are still reliable. For example:

• “The findings’ generalizability was constrained by the small study population.”
• “The validity of the results might have been affected by…”
• “Data collection difficulties led to…”
• “It is outside the purview of this study…”

The constraint of the study directly influences your recommendations for the future. However, it is essential to keep in mind that any suggestions for the direction of future study should encompass the aspects of the topic that your work was unable to analyze. This will inform future scholars on the areas they can focus on and study. While writing the discussion chapter of a dissertation, there are occasions when the suggestions are included in the chapter and act as the conclusion of the discussion section of the dissertation. Possible ways to effectively present the recommendations of the research are as follows:

• “There is a need for additional study to be carried out.”
• “Where the future study put its emphasis is…”

As part of your dissertation, you required to generate and explain graphs and charts. Due to advancements in technology, it is now possible to generate graphs and figures that are even more precise in a quicker fashion.   You now have an advantage to present well-organized charts, tables, and graphs with only a few clicks by employing data analysis applications such as “Microsoft Word, STATA, SPSS, Microsoft Excel, and other similar programs.” These can then be included in the discussion chapter of the dissertation and fixed at the required location. However, becoming overly reliant on modern conveniences comes with some drawbacks. It is possible to fall victim to the widespread misconception that you may get away with representing parameters with the help of colors. You are required to print the final document of your research project in black and white. All colors displayed on graphs and figures will be converted to grayscale for the presentation at some point.

When looking at a single chart or graph, it might be difficult to differentiate between the various shades of grey that are present. In a line graph, for instance, green and purple colors seem like the same shade of grey. This means the reader may need help understanding the graph. The unintended overcrowding of the discussion chapter with graphs and figures constitutes another mistake that you can often make. While it is necessary to display facts and data, you should refrain from inundating your readers with excessive information. A graph or table placed beneath each subheading may not be required.

Coming up with your own evaluation and discussing the data can be difficult. One of the prerequisites for a good discussion chapter is to demonstrate that you can draw connections between the study’s outcomes and earlier studies. You are encouraged to avoid reiterating the same thing repeatedly. This is a common mistake that you can make, which ultimately has a detrimental impact on the grade you will receive for your main dissertation. Providing succinct and directly relevant data to the topic at hand will assist you in properly communicating your argument to the readers. When you are required to illustrate how your results connect to past studies, it is also vital to ensure that you are not unnecessarily reiterating what was previously stated in the sections devoted to the introduction and the literature review. The most effective tactic is constructing an argument by hypothesizing based on evidence from preceding chapters. It is suggested that hypertext links guide the reader from one chapter to another. This is of the utmost importance when delivering electronic documents in word or pdf forms. While creating hyperlinks, the process may seem tedious and time-consuming. However, you are encouraged to factor this into the overall timeframe of your dissertation to make sure you are able to complete the final phase of the dissertation.

In the discussion chapter of the research, you should avoid making speculative statements. The dissertation’s discussion section will focus on the data that you will have gathered and how it connects to the research problem explained in the initial chapters. Therefore, engaging in speculation in this area will unquestionably damage the validity of the research. In addition to that, you are expected to make every effort to avoid generalizing your results. However, you can suggest that the same results could be applicable in some scenarios if the research was conducted on a specific demographic, as it would be misleading. As mentioned earlier, it is extremely important for you to recognize the constraints the study is working under. However, suppose you believe that your discussion should consider other demographics?  In that case, you can begin their sentence with the phrase “We speculate that…” or “It is hypothesized that…”

Consequently, you would not have to worry about having difficulty with your supervisor on that note. It is inappropriate make an interpretation that cannot be substantiated. On the contrary, the findings of the research should be examined objectively. Also, reiterating the concept that a graph or chart was meant to express is another crucial mistake you may end up making. The purpose of using graphs, figures, charts, and tables is undermined if the same content is rewritten. Finally, you should only put a graph accompanying it with a brief interpretation. It is essential to note that there is no right or wrong number of graphs or tables to be included in your dissertation’s results and discussion chapters. However, you are expected to be keen to ensure a reasonable balance.

While you are working on the discussion chapter of your dissertation, you will contextualize the findings of your study within the overall framework of your research problem. After that, you can make connections between those findings and previous investigations as well as published literature. Also, it is expected that you will evaluate the significance of your results in relation to the subject matter that is being studied. You are then going to give a presentation in which you will argue in favor of the inferences that have been drawn from your conclusions. In other words, the objective of the discussion chapter of the dissertation is for you to relate with and elaborate on your results in a manner that is both complete and consistent throughout the whole dissertation.

How to Write the Discussion Chapter for a Dissertation or Thesis

What is a dissertation or thesis discussion chapter? A dissertation or thesis discussion chapter is a critical section that follows the results chapter and provides a comprehensive analysis and interpretation of the research findings. It involves a thoughtful exploration and synthesis of the results in relation to the research questions, objectives, and existing literature. The discussion chapter allows the researcher to delve deeper into the implications and significance of the findings, address any limitations or weaknesses in the study, and present insights and recommendations for future research or practical applications. It is a key component where the researcher demonstrates their understanding of the research topic, ability to draw meaningful conclusions, and contribution to the field of study. The discussion chapter aims to provide a cohesive narrative that ties together the research results, theoretical framework, and broader scholarly discourse, ultimately adding value to the overall dissertation or thesis.

The purpose of a dissertation or thesis discussion chapter

The purpose of a dissertation or thesis discussion chapter is to interpret and analyze the research findings in a comprehensive and meaningful way. It goes beyond simply presenting the results and delves into the significance, implications, and limitations of the study. The discussion chapter aims to address the research questions or objectives and provide a critical evaluation of the findings in relation to the existing literature. It allows the researcher to engage in a scholarly dialogue by comparing and contrasting their results with previous studies, identifying patterns or trends, explaining unexpected outcomes, and offering possible explanations or theories. Additionally, the discussion chapter provides an opportunity to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the research methodology and suggest areas for further research or improvement. Overall, the purpose of the discussion chapter is to demonstrate the researcher’s ability to synthesize the results, critically analyze their meaning, and contribute to the broader knowledge in the field.

What should the dissertation or thesis discussion in the chapter include?

The dissertation or thesis discussion chapter should include several key elements to effectively analyze and interpret the research findings.

First, it should provide a concise summary of the main results, highlighting the key findings and their relevance to the research questions or objectives. This summary should be presented in a clear and organized manner.

Next, the discussion should delve into the interpretation of the results, providing an in-depth analysis of their meaning and significance. This involves critically examining the findings in the context of existing literature, theories, or frameworks. The discussion should explore how the results align with or differ from previous studies, and identify any patterns, relationships, or trends that emerged.

Furthermore, the discussion chapter should address any unexpected or contradictory results, offering possible explanations or alternative interpretations. It is important to acknowledge limitations or constraints of the study and discuss their implications on the generalizability or validity of the findings.

Additionally, the discussion should explore the theoretical and practical implications of the results, discussing their potential impact and relevance to the field of study. It may also suggest future research directions or areas that need further investigation.

Overall, the discussion chapter should provide a comprehensive and critical analysis of the research findings, offering insights, interpretations, and reflections that contribute to the overall understanding of the topic.

What not to include in your discussion chapter of a dissertation or thesis

While the discussion chapter of a dissertation or thesis is a space to analyze and interpret research findings, there are certain elements that should be avoided:

New data or results: The discussion chapter should focus on analyzing and interpreting the results already presented in the previous chapters. It is not the place to introduce new data or present additional findings.

Repetition of results: The discussion should not restate the results in detail. Instead, it should provide a concise summary and move on to the analysis and interpretation of the findings.

Irrelevant information: Avoid including information or discussions that are not directly related to the research objectives or research questions. Stay focused on the key findings and their implications.

Personal opinions or anecdotes: The discussion should be based on objective analysis and evidence, rather than personal opinions or anecdotes. Ensure that the content is supported by relevant literature and research.

Excessive speculation: While it is important to explore possible explanations and interpretations of the findings, avoid excessive speculation or unsupported claims. The discussion should be grounded in the data and existing knowledge in the field.

Detailed methodology or data collection: The discussion chapter is not the place to provide a detailed description of the research methodology or data collection procedures. These aspects should be covered in the methodology chapter.

Lengthy literature reviews: While it is important to situate the findings within the existing literature, avoid extensive literature reviews in the discussion chapter. Instead, focus on discussing how the results relate to and contribute to the existing knowledge.

By avoiding these elements, you can ensure that your discussion chapter remains focused, relevant, and provides a comprehensive analysis and interpretation of your research findings.

Tips for writing a strong dissertation or thesis discussion chapter

Writing a strong discussion chapter for your dissertation or thesis involves several key steps:

Step 1: Summarize your key findings: Begin by summarizing the main findings of your research. Provide a concise overview of the results without repeating the details presented in the results chapter. Focus on the most important and relevant findings that address your research questions or hypotheses.

Step 2: Give your interpretations: Interpret the meaning and significance of your findings. Analyze the patterns, trends, and relationships that emerged from the data. Explain the implications of your results and how they align with existing theories, concepts, or prior research.

Step 3: Discuss the implications: Discuss the broader implications of your findings. Consider the impact of your research on the field of study, practical applications, or potential policy implications. Address how your results contribute to the existing knowledge and what new insights they bring.

Step 4: Acknowledge the limitations: Acknowledge the limitations of your study. Discuss any constraints, biases, or shortcomings in the research design, data collection, or analysis. Be transparent about the potential weaknesses and their impact on the validity or generalizability of your findings.

Step 5: Share your recommendations: Provide recommendations for future research based on the insights gained from your study. Identify areas that require further investigation or suggest alternative approaches to address the limitations. Offer practical suggestions for applying your findings in real-world contexts.

By following these steps, you can create a strong and cohesive discussion chapter that effectively presents and interprets your research findings, discusses their implications, acknowledges limitations, and offers valuable recommendations for future work in the field.

Here are some frequently asked questions about the dissertation or thesis discussion chapter:

What is the purpose of the discussion chapter in a dissertation or thesis? The discussion chapter aims to interpret and explain the findings of the research, provide insights into their significance, discuss their implications, and offer recommendations for future research.

How should I organize the discussion chapter? The discussion chapter can be organized by addressing each research question or objective separately, or by grouping related findings together. Ensure a logical flow of ideas and maintain coherence throughout the chapter.

Should I restate the results in the discussion chapter? While it is not necessary to repeat the detailed results, you can summarize the key findings to provide context for the subsequent interpretations and discussions.

How do I interpret the findings in the discussion chapter? Interpret the findings by analyzing their meaning, identifying patterns or relationships, and explaining their significance in relation to the research questions, existing literature, and theoretical frameworks.

Should I address the limitations in the discussion chapter? Yes, it is important to acknowledge and discuss the limitations of your study in the discussion chapter. This demonstrates your awareness of potential weaknesses and allows for a more comprehensive evaluation of your findings.

Can I suggest areas for future research in the discussion chapter? Yes, it is common to provide suggestions for future research based on the insights gained from your study. Identify gaps in knowledge, propose follow-up studies, or recommend different methodologies to further advance the field.

How long should the discussion chapter be? The length of the discussion chapter can vary depending on the nature of the research and the requirements of your institution. Typically, it is several pages long, but focus on quality and clarity rather than adhering strictly to a specific word count.

Remember, the discussion chapter is an opportunity to critically analyze your findings, offer interpretations, and contribute to the broader academic discourse in your field.

*** The End of Module 7 ***

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How to Write a Dissertation Discussion Section | Tips & Examples

Well, you have finally embarked on the journey of dissertation writing. But, before you even proceed further to the writing step, you find yourself stuck in a loophole because of the dissertation discussion section. Are we correct? Well, let us tell you something. It is not just you. Many students often find themselves in a tight spot when it comes to writing the dissertation discussion section. They either don’t have a clue on what this is. Or even if they do, they fail to write the perfect one.

Indeed, between the two of the possible problems, you might be facing one of them. And that is the reason you are here reading this guide. You need to know how you can write the over-the-top dissertation discussion section without any more challenges. Well, then, you are in the correct place. Here in this article, we are going to unlock some tips and expert advice that will help you in creating a super fascinating dissertation discussion. So, do stick to the end of the guide, But before we even move forward toward these tips, let us delve into what is the dissertation discussion section and its critical components.

What is the Dissertation Discussion Section?

For those who don’t know what the dissertation discussion section is, do read this part of the guide clearly. The dissertation discussion is a part where you define and interpret the results of your dissertation topic. Moreover, here you not only have to write about the new findings. But also compare them to the old ones and also analyze the possible outcomes of this.

When it comes to dissertation discussion, it has some important aspects that you need to cover at any cost. Wondering why? Well, because all of these components are the concrete road map of your research work. So, let’s take a look at these critical components.

Critical Components of Dissertation Discussion

Here are the critical components of the dissertation discussion part. These include:

• Interpreting the findings: This means in this part, you are going to tell the audience about your findings in the research and how they resonate with your thesis question.
• Literature: Secondly, you have to write new literature after analyzing the previous review. Then, you have to compare both of them to see the difference.
• Significance and Implications: In this, you have to mention why it is so important in your research field. And how you are going to imply it.
• Limitations: Here, you have to tell about the limitations and drawbacks of your dissertation topic. (If any)
• Suggestions: Lastly, you have to suggest any possible outcomes and any possible research area that needs to be discovered in the future.

So, these were the key aspects of your dissertation discussions. Thus, when you are writing this section, follow these components step by step. Now, let us move on to the dissertation writers tips and advice for writing one.

How to Write a Dissertation Discussion?

You have reached this part of the guide, which means now you have a clear conception of what dissertation discussion is and its critical components. So, without wasting any more time, let us move to the main reason why you are here. To find out the tips and tricks for writing a compelling discussion section. (Do read them carefully, as you will definitely benefit from these tips and tricks).

1.     Start With A Summary

It is the first tip when it comes to writing the dissertation discussion. Since you are going to mention all your findings here, you should always start with a clear and concise summary. This way, your readers will have a context about what to find in this section.

2.     Connect Findings to Research Questions

Secondly, if you really want to stand out through your dissertation discussion. Then you need to make sure your findings resonate with your research questions.

3.     Critical Analysis

It is time for you to critically analyse your dissertation discussion. Here interpret your results. Also, tell the audience about the outcomes and the scope of the research.

4.     Relate to Your Literature

Let’s move on to the other tip of writing a dissertation discussion. Make sure to relate your literature review with the existing one. Furthermore, also tell about how your research contributes to the field.

5.     Address the Limitations

Don’t forget to address the limitations of your dissertation topic. Believe us, this will make your dissertation discussion section more prominent and better.

6.     Take Help

Do you know writing the dissertation discussion section might be the hardest part for some students? So, if you also feel the same, then connect with the professional cheap dissertation writing service UK . They will guide you on how you can write a top-notch discussion section. Moreover, if you don’t want to burden yourself, ask them, and they will write it for you. Trust us when we say it is one of the most extraordinary pieces of advice you can follow.

7.     Stay Focused

It is another fantastic tip. If you want to make this section perfect, then stay focused while writing. Stick to the point and don’t exaggerate every intricate detail.

8.     Avoid Repetition

One thing that your readers dislike is the repetition of words and sentences. So, steer clear of this. Make sure you don’t repeat the exact wordings. And, do make use of the synonyms and transition words as much as you can. Then see the magic.

Example of Writing A Dissertation Discussion Section

Now that you have checked out the tips and tricks for writing this particular section, here is an example of how you can create one. But a little disclaimer: This is only for ideal purposes. So, don’t copy the exact same and create your own. Let’s move on to the example:

Findings and Interpretations

In the study, we found out about how physical activity improves the mental health condition of teenagers. And this finding resonates with the previously done research in 2019. It promotes the importance of exercise and other activities to enhance the well-being of individuals.

Comparison with Literature

In the previous research, no connection was found between physical exercise and the improvement of mental health. However, our study identified a modest correlation between both of them.

Implications

We observed that socio-economic status played a vital role in this. People who had access to money had better chances of getting medical help as compared to the ones who had money problems. So, to fix this up we need to come up with better plans. And, by tackling this problem with deeper analysis we can make healthcare facilities available for everyone.

So this brings us to the end of the guide. Hopefully, now you have a clear insight on how you can write a top-notch discussion section. Also, if you face any problem you can refer to the above examples.

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Research Voyage

Research Tips and Infromation

How to Write a Discussion Section of your Dissertation or Thesis?

Introduction

Summarize the key findings, interpretation and explanation of findings, compare with existing literature, addressing limitations, exploring unexpected or contradictory findings, discussing implications and significance.

The discussion and analysis section of a PhD or a Post Graduate dissertation plays a crucial role in presenting and interpreting the research findings. It serves as the platform where you delve into the meaning, implications, and significance of your results, ultimately contributing to the advancement of knowledge in your field of study. Let’s explore why this section is of paramount importance.

When conducting research, the primary objective is to generate new insights, contribute to existing knowledge, and address gaps in the field. The discussion and analysis section serves as the space where you make sense of your findings and contextualize them.

Usually the discussion section follows the results section of the dissertation section. If you are not familiar with writing the section , then visit my post on ” Writing results section for your dissertation “

If you are in paucity of time, not confident of your writing skills and in a hurry to complete the writing task then you can think of hiring a research consultant that solves all your problems. Please visit my article on Hiring a Research consultant for your PhD tasks for further details.

In the discussion and analysis section of your dissertation, it is crucial to provide a concise summary of the main findings that emerged from your research. These findings directly address the research questions or hypotheses you formulated at the beginning of your study. Let’s explore a few examples:

Example 1: Research in Machine Learning

Research Question: How does the use of deep learning algorithms impact the accuracy of image recognition systems?

Key Findings: The study revealed that employing deep learning algorithms significantly improved the accuracy of image recognition systems. The experimental results demonstrated an average increase in accuracy of 15% compared to traditional machine learning approaches. Furthermore, it was observed that the performance improvement was particularly notable in complex and ambiguous image recognition tasks.

Example 2: Research in Natural Language Processing

Research Question: To what extent does sentiment analysis using neural networks capture the nuances of emotions in social media data?

Key Findings: The analysis demonstrated that sentiment analysis models based on neural networks exhibited a higher accuracy in capturing nuanced emotions in social media data compared to traditional rule-based methods. The study found that the neural network model achieved an overall accuracy of 85%, whereas the rule-based approach achieved only 70%. Moreover, the neural network model showcased better performance in identifying subtle emotions such as irony and sarcasm, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of sentiment analysis.

Example 3: Research in Cybersecurity

Research Question: What are the vulnerabilities and potential attack vectors in IoT (Internet of Things) systems?

Key Findings: The investigation identified several vulnerabilities and potential attack vectors in IoT systems. The study revealed that insecure default configurations and weak authentication mechanisms were the most common vulnerabilities exploited by attackers. Furthermore, the research unveiled novel attack vectors targeting IoT devices’ communication protocols, highlighting the need for robust encryption and secure communication channels to mitigate these risks.

Remember to present your key findings in a clear and concise manner, mentioning the specific research questions or hypotheses that your study aimed to address. This allows readers to understand the main outcomes of your research and their relevance to the overarching research goals in your field.

In the discussion and analysis section of your dissertation, it is essential to interpret and explain the patterns, trends, and relationships that emerged from your data analysis. This involves using supporting evidence, such as statistical analysis or visual representations , to illustrate and strengthen your arguments. Additionally, it’s important to explain the significance and implications of your findings in relation to your research questions or hypotheses. Let’s explore some examples:

Example 1: Research in Data Mining

Findings: The analysis of large-scale customer transaction data revealed a strong association between customer purchasing behavior and their demographic characteristics.

Interpretation and Explanation: Statistical analysis demonstrated a significant correlation (p < 0.01) between customers’ age groups and their preferences for specific product categories. Younger customers showed a higher propensity for purchasing technology-related products, while older customers exhibited a preference for home and lifestyle products. These findings suggest that targeted marketing campaigns tailored to different age groups can enhance customer engagement and improve sales performance.

Example 2: Research in Network Security

Findings: The evaluation of network traffic data indicated a sudden increase in malicious activities during off-peak hours.

Interpretation and Explanation: Visual representations of network traffic patterns illustrated a substantial surge in the volume of suspicious packets and intrusion attempts between midnight and early morning hours. This finding suggests that attackers exploit the lower network traffic during off-peak hours to launch targeted attacks, making them more difficult to detect. To mitigate such risks, network administrators should enhance monitoring and employ automated threat detection systems capable of identifying anomalous behavior patterns.

Example 3: Research in Artificial Intelligence

Findings: The evaluation of various machine learning algorithms demonstrated superior performance of a novel deep reinforcement learning approach in game playing tasks.

Interpretation and Explanation: Comparative analysis using benchmark datasets revealed that the proposed deep reinforcement learning algorithm achieved an average win rate of 90% across different game environments. This outperformed traditional machine learning algorithms, including decision trees and support vector machines, which achieved win rates of 70% and 80%, respectively. These findings indicate that deep reinforcement learning holds great potential for advancing game playing AI systems, enabling them to make more optimal decisions and enhance player experience.

By discussing the patterns, trends, and relationships identified through data analysis and providing supporting evidence, such as statistical analysis or visual representations, you strengthen the validity of your arguments. Furthermore, explaining the significance and implications of your findings in relation to your research questions or hypotheses showcases the practical implications of your research.

In the discussion and analysis section of your dissertation , it is crucial to compare your findings with previous studies in your field. This involves discussing the similarities, differences, and contradictions between your research and the existing literature. Additionally, you should highlight the contributions and novelty of your research and identify areas where your results align with established theories or challenge existing knowledge. Let’s explore some examples:

Example 1: Research in Natural Language Processing

Findings: The developed natural language processing model achieved a higher accuracy in sentiment analysis compared to previous studies.

Comparison with Existing Literature: Our findings align with Smith et al. (2018) and Johnson et al. (2020), who also demonstrated the effectiveness of machine learning techniques in sentiment analysis. However, our research advances the field by incorporating contextual embeddings and attention mechanisms, resulting in an additional 5% improvement in accuracy. This highlights the contribution of our novel model architecture in enhancing sentiment analysis tasks.

Example 2: Research in Computer Vision

Findings: The proposed object detection algorithm outperformed existing methods in terms of both accuracy and computational efficiency.

Comparison with Existing Literature: Our results are consistent with the findings of Chen et al. (2019) and Wang et al. (2020), who also emphasized the importance of utilizing deep learning frameworks for object detection. However, our research extends the current knowledge by introducing a novel anchor-free approach that eliminates the need for predefined anchor boxes, resulting in a more accurate and efficient object detection system. This novel approach challenges the conventional anchor-based methods and offers potential improvements in real-time object detection applications.

Example 3: Research in Cloud Computing Security

Findings: The proposed encryption technique demonstrated enhanced security and reduced computation overhead in cloud storage systems.

Comparison with Existing Literature: Our research builds upon the encryption schemes proposed by Li et al. (2017) and Zhang et al. (2019). However, our technique introduces a dynamic key management mechanism that strengthens data confidentiality and allows efficient data access. This advancement addresses the limitations of the existing methods and contributes to the field by providing a more secure and scalable solution for protecting sensitive data in cloud storage systems.

By comparing your findings with previous studies, you showcase your understanding of the existing literature and demonstrate how your research adds value to the field of study. Identifying areas of alignment with established theories helps validate your work, while highlighting areas where your results challenge existing knowledge highlights the novelty and potential impact of your research.

In the discussion and analysis section of your dissertation, it is important to acknowledge the limitations of your study. This includes factors such as sample size, data collection methods, or other constraints that may have influenced your results. Reflecting on these limitations helps provide a transparent assessment of your research. Additionally, suggesting avenues for future research to address these limitations contributes to the advancement of the field. Let’s explore some examples:

Limitation: The study utilized a relatively small dataset consisting of 100 samples from a single organization.

Reflection: The small sample size may have limited the generalizability of the findings. The dataset’s limited diversity and narrow scope could impact the applicability of the results to broader contexts. It is important to recognize that different organizations may exhibit variations in their data patterns and characteristics.

Future Research: To address this limitation, future research could involve collecting data from multiple organizations across different industries. This would enhance the representativeness of the findings and provide a more comprehensive understanding of the phenomena under investigation.

Example 2: Research in Artificial Intelligence

Limitation: The study focused solely on image recognition tasks and did not consider other domains such as natural language processing or speech recognition.

Reflection: While the findings are valuable for image recognition, the limited scope restricts the generalizability of the results to broader AI applications. Different domains may have unique challenges and requirements that need to be considered.

Future Research: To overcome this limitation, future research could explore the application of the proposed algorithm in other domains such as text classification or voice-based applications. This would provide insights into the algorithm’s effectiveness across diverse AI applications and contribute to its broader adoption.

Example 3: Research in Human-Computer Interaction

Limitation: The study relied on self-reported measures to assess user satisfaction and perceived usability.

Reflection: Self-report measures are subject to biases and may not always capture the true user experience accurately. Participants’ responses may be influenced by various factors, such as social desirability or personal expectations.

Future Research: To address this limitation, future research could incorporate objective measures, such as eye-tracking data or physiological responses, alongside self-report measures. Combining multiple assessment methods would provide a more comprehensive understanding of user experience and yield more reliable and valid results.

By acknowledging the limitations of your study, reflecting on their potential impact, and suggesting avenues for future research, you demonstrate a critical and reflective approach to your work.

In the discussion and analysis section of your dissertation, it is important to address any unexpected or contradictory results that emerged during your research. This involves discussing these findings and offering possible explanations or alternative interpretations based on available evidence. However, it is crucial to be cautious and avoid excessive speculation without supporting evidence. Let’s explore some examples:

Unexpected Finding: The deep learning model exhibited lower accuracy on a specific subset of the dataset, contrary to initial expectations.

Exploration: Upon further analysis, it was discovered that the misclassification predominantly occurred for a particular class of samples with unique characteristics. One possible explanation for this unexpected finding is the class imbalance issue, where the dataset has significantly fewer samples for that particular class. This imbalance may have resulted in insufficient training data, hindering the model’s ability to accurately classify those samples.

Alternative Interpretation: Another alternative explanation could be the presence of inherent noise or ambiguity within the data subset. It is possible that the features extracted from these samples were inherently more challenging to differentiate, leading to lower accuracy. This highlights the need for further investigation and refinement of the model architecture to improve its performance on this specific subset.

Contradictory Finding: The sentiment analysis model performed exceptionally well on a benchmark dataset but showed reduced accuracy on real-world social media data.

Exploration: The contradiction between the model’s performance on benchmark datasets and real-world social media data warrants further investigation. One possible reason for this disparity could be the linguistic complexities and informal language prevalent in social media posts. The model may struggle to accurately interpret slang, sarcasm, or context-specific expressions, leading to decreased accuracy in sentiment analysis.

Alternative Interpretation: Another alternative explanation could be the presence of bias in the training data. The benchmark datasets might not adequately represent the diverse range of language patterns and sentiments found in real-world social media data. This bias could result in a performance gap between controlled datasets and more dynamic and unpredictable real-world data.

In both examples, it is important to acknowledge unexpected or contradictory findings and explore potential explanations based on available evidence. However, it is crucial to exercise caution and avoid excessive speculation without supporting evidence. Further analysis, experimentation, or data collection may be necessary to validate and provide more concrete explanations for unexpected or contradictory findings.

By discussing unexpected or contradictory findings and providing possible explanations or alternative interpretations, you demonstrate a scientific and inquisitive approach to your research. This also allows other researchers to critically evaluate the results and contribute to the ongoing discourse.

In the discussion and analysis section of your dissertation, it is important to explain the broader implications of your findings for your field of study and beyond. This involves discussing how your research contributes to theory, practice, or policy and highlighting potential practical applications and recommendations that arise from your analysis. Let’s explore some examples:

Example 1: Research in Artificial Intelligence Ethics

Implications: The findings of the study shed light on the ethical considerations and challenges associated with the increasing use of AI technologies in decision-making systems. The research highlights the need for transparent and explainable AI models to ensure accountability and prevent biased outcomes. Furthermore, the study emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration between computer scientists, ethicists, and policymakers to develop guidelines and regulations that promote responsible AI development and deployment.

Contribution: This research contributes to the growing field of AI ethics by providing empirical evidence and insights into the ethical implications of AI technologies. It informs the development of ethical frameworks, guidelines, and policies that address the societal impact of AI and fosters the responsible use of AI in various domains such as healthcare, finance, and criminal justice.

Practical Applications and Recommendations: The findings underscore the importance of implementing explainable AI models in critical decision-making systems, such as loan approvals, hiring processes, and autonomous vehicles. Policymakers and organizations should establish regulatory frameworks that ensure transparency, fairness, and accountability in AI systems. Additionally, interdisciplinary collaboration should be encouraged to foster ongoing dialogue and exchange of knowledge among researchers, policymakers, and practitioners in the field of AI ethics.

Example 2: Research in Cloud Computing

Implications: The study identifies the potential risks and vulnerabilities in cloud computing systems, emphasizing the need for robust security measures to protect sensitive data. The research findings underscore the significance of ensuring data integrity, confidentiality, and availability in cloud storage and processing environments. Furthermore, the study highlights the importance of continuous monitoring and proactive detection of security breaches to prevent data breaches and unauthorized access.

Contribution: This research contributes to the field of cloud computing security by providing a comprehensive analysis of potential risks and vulnerabilities. It offers insights into the development of improved security measures and protocols for safeguarding data in cloud environments. The findings contribute to the ongoing efforts to enhance the security and reliability of cloud computing systems for individuals, organizations, and governments.

Practical Applications and Recommendations: The research findings have practical implications for cloud service providers, enterprises, and individuals utilizing cloud computing services. The study recommends implementing robust encryption techniques, multi-factor authentication, and intrusion detection systems to strengthen the security posture of cloud systems. Additionally, organizations should establish incident response plans and conduct regular security audits to identify and mitigate potential vulnerabilities in their cloud infrastructure.

By discussing the implications and significance of your findings, you highlight the broader impact of your research in the domain and beyond. Explaining how your research contributes to theory, practice, or policy demonstrates its practical relevance and potential for positive change. Additionally, discussing potential practical applications and offering recommendations based on your analysis provides actionable insights that can inform decision-making and guide future research and implementation efforts.

This blog post has provided an outline for writing the discussion and analysis section of a PhD or Post Graduate dissertation. We have discussed several key points that should be addressed in this section and provided examples from different domains to illustrate their application.

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Dissertation Discussion Section: Elevating Your Research

The dissertation discussion section is the culmination of your academic journey. It’s where you delve deeper into the significance of your findings, explore their implications, and engage in a dialogue with the broader scholarly community. Yet, crafting a compelling dissertation discussion section can be a daunting task, especially after the exhaustive effort invested in research and analysis.

This article aims to provide a comprehensive guide to writing an engaging dissertation discussion section, emphasizing clarity, coherence, and intellectual depth. By understanding the nuances of this critical chapter, you can transform your dissertation from a mere collection of data to a dynamic and thought-provoking contribution to knowledge.

Understanding the Purpose of the Dissertation Discussion Section

The dissertation discussion section goes beyond merely summarizing your findings. It serves as a platform for critical analysis, interpretation, and reflection. Its primary purpose is to:

• Connect your findings to the broader context of existing research: This involves demonstrating how your work fits into the existing body of knowledge and how it either supports, contradicts, or expands upon previous research.
• Interpret the significance of your findings: Go beyond merely stating what you found. Explore the “so what?” of your research, explaining its implications for your field, its potential practical applications, and the new questions it raises.
• Engage in a critical dialogue with your research questions: Evaluate the effectiveness of your methodology and address any limitations or unexpected results. This reflection demonstrates your analytical prowess and strengthens the credibility of your work.
• Highlight the contributions of your research: Clearly articulate the unique insights and contributions your dissertation brings to the field. This is your opportunity to showcase the value and originality of your work.

Crafting a Compelling Narrative: Structuring the Dissertation Discussion Section

While the exact structure may vary based on your field and research, a robust dissertation discussion section typically follows a clear and logical progression:

• Revisit your research questions: Begin by restating your research questions and outlining the main findings that address each one. This provides a clear foundation for the subsequent discussion.
• Interpretation of findings: Go beyond a simple summary. Analyze each significant finding in detail, explaining its potential implications and the broader context it fits within. Use evidence from your research to support your interpretations, demonstrating a deep understanding of your data.
• Comparison and contrast with existing literature: Demonstrate the unique value of your work by engaging in a critical dialogue with existing research. Highlight how your findings align with, contradict, or expand upon previous studies. Explain any discrepancies or surprising outcomes, and connect them to broader theoretical frameworks.
• Addressing limitations and future research: Acknowledge any limitations of your study and discuss their potential implications. This demonstrates your self-awareness and critical thinking skills. Additionally, propose avenues for further research based on the findings and limitations of your study.
• Highlighting the significance and contribution of your work: Conclude by summarizing the key insights and implications of your dissertation. Emphasize the unique contributions of your work to the field and its potential impact on future research and practice.

Tips for Crafting a Captivating Dissertation Discussion Section

• Maintain a clear and concise writing style: While the dissertation discussion section allows for more flexibility than other sections, avoid overly complex language or jargon. Write in a clear and concise manner, making your arguments easy to follow and understand.
• Use transitions effectively: Seamlessly connect your ideas using transitional phrases and sentences. This ensures a smooth flow of logic and strengthens the coherence of your argument.
• Support your interpretations with evidence: Use concrete examples from your research to support your interpretations and illustrate the significance of your findings.
• Engage in a critical dialogue with your research: Don’t simply present your findings as definitive answers. Be willing to question your assumptions, acknowledge limitations, and explore alternative interpretations.
• Think beyond the scope of your study: Explore the broader implications of your research, connecting your findings to real-world issues and future research directions.

Avoiding the Common Pitfalls in a Dissertation Discussion Section

The dissertation discussion section is the culmination of your research journey. It’s your chance to showcase the significance of your findings, connect them to existing literature, and answer the research question that has driven your entire project. However, this crucial section can also be a breeding ground for common mistakes that can undermine the impact of your work. Here’s a breakdown of the most frequent pitfalls and how to avoid them:

1. Rehashing Instead of Discussing:

The dissertation discussion section is not a retelling of your results. It’s an opportunity to analyze, interpret, and contextualize your findings. Avoid simply listing your findings again; instead, focus on their implications and how they contribute to the broader body of knowledge.

2. Ignoring Limitations:

Every research project has limitations. In the dissertation discussion section, acknowledging these limitations builds credibility and shows your understanding of your work’s scope. Instead of glossing over them, discuss the potential impact of each limitation on your findings and suggest areas for future research.

3. Lack of Clear Connection to Literature:

Your dissertation discussion section should be a conversation with the existing literature. Engage with relevant studies, acknowledge contrasting findings, and explain how your work adds to or challenges the existing body of knowledge. Ensure a smooth flow of information, using appropriate citations to support your arguments.

4. Overstating the Impact:

While it’s important to highlight the significance of your findings, avoid overselling their impact. Focus on the specific contributions your research makes and resist making sweeping generalizations or claiming your research provides definitive answers to complex questions.

5. Ignoring Future Research Directions:

Your dissertation discussion section should not end with a final full stop. Instead, it should point towards future research directions. This can include expanding your current research, investigating new questions, or exploring the implications of your findings in different contexts.

6. Lack of Coherence and Structure:

The dissertation discussion section needs a clear structure to guide the reader. Use logical headings and subheadings to break down the discussion into manageable sections. Each section should flow seamlessly into the next, ensuring a coherent and persuasive argument.

7. Ignoring the Reader’s Perspective:

Remember, the dissertation discussion section is not only for your advisor. It’s meant to be read by a wider audience. Ensure your language is clear, concise, and accessible. Avoid jargon and technical terms unless necessary, and always provide context for unfamiliar concepts.

8. Ignoring Proofreading and Editing:

A well-written dissertation discussion section is essential for communicating your findings effectively. Thorough proofreading and editing are crucial to ensure clarity, accuracy, and a professional presentation.

9. Lack of Engagement with the Research Question:

The dissertation discussion section should directly address your research question. Every argument and analysis should contribute to answering this question, and the concluding paragraph should offer a clear and concise response.

10. Ignoring the Broader Implications:

Think beyond the immediate scope of your research. Discuss how your findings could contribute to real-world applications, influence policy decisions, or benefit specific communities. This broader perspective highlights the relevance and impact of your work.

Avoiding these common mistakes will help you create a compelling and effective dissertation discussion section that showcases the value of your research. Remember, this section is your opportunity to shine, to leave a lasting impression, and to make a meaningful contribution to your field. So, take the time to craft your dissertation discussion section carefully, and remember, it’s a conversation, not a monologue.

Frequently Asked Questions about Dissertation Discussion Section

The dissertation discussion section is often the most daunting part of the entire writing process. After months of research and analysis, you must now synthesize your findings, interpret their significance, and connect them back to the broader field. But don’t fret! Understanding the key components and common questions will help you navigate this critical stage with confidence.

1. What exactly should be included in the dissertation discussion section?

Think of this section as a conversation between your findings and the existing literature. You’ll synthesize your results, highlighting key trends, patterns, and anomalies. Then, you’ll analyze the implications of your findings, explaining their significance within the context of your research question and existing knowledge. You’ll also address any limitations of your study and propose future directions for research.

2. How can I make my dissertation discussion section impactful?

While summarizing your findings is essential, focus on interpreting their meaning. Why are your findings important? What do they contribute to the field? Avoid simply restating the results. Instead, use them to answer your research questions, support your arguments, and engage in a critical dialogue with the existing literature.

3. What are the most common mistakes to avoid in the dissertation discussion section?

One common mistake is failing to connect your findings to your research questions. Ensure each point discussed directly relates to your research aims and objectives. Additionally, avoid making unsubstantiated claims. All interpretations should be supported by evidence from your research. Lastly, keep the tone objective and avoid overly subjective language.

4. How can I make sure my dissertation discussion section flows smoothly?

Start with a clear and concise summary of your key findings. Then, discuss each finding in detail, connecting it back to the relevant literature and research questions. Use clear transitions to guide the reader through your arguments. Ensure a smooth flow between paragraphs, and consider using subheadings to organize your discussion into logical sections.

5. What are some helpful tips for writing a strong dissertation discussion section?

• Start early: Don’t wait until the last minute to begin writing this section. Begin formulating your interpretations and connections as you analyze your data.
• Revisit your research questions: Keep your research questions at the forefront of your mind as you write, ensuring your discussion directly addresses them.
• Seek feedback: Don’t be afraid to share your work with your advisor or peers and get feedback on your interpretations and the clarity of your arguments.

The dissertation discussion section is where you showcase your ability to think critically and contribute to the field of study. By addressing these common FAQs and following the provided guidance, you can create a compelling and insightful discussion that leaves a lasting impression. Remember, the dissertation discussion section is not simply a summary; it’s an opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of your research and its broader implications.

Elevating Your Dissertation Discussion Section to New Heights

The dissertation discussion section is the culmination of your academic journey. It allows you to showcase your intellectual depth, critical thinking skills, and the unique contribution your research makes to the field. By following the guidelines outlined in this article and avoiding common pitfalls, you can craft a captivating and impactful dissertation discussion that leaves a lasting impression on your readers. Remember, this is your opportunity to showcase your voice, interpret the significance of your findings, and engage in a thought-provoking dialogue with the academic community.

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12 Steps to Write an Effective Discussion Chapter

November 5, 2016 by Dissertation Genius

This article gives doctoral dissertation students valuable guidance on how to go about writing their Discussion chapter. The article starts by outlining the main goals and writing approaches. Then the article explains 12 specific steps to take to write an effective discussion chapter.

Discussion Chapter: Main Goals and Writing Approaches

You should always keep in mind the main goals when writing your Discussion chapter. These include stating your interpretations, declaring your opinions, explaining the effects of your findings, and making suggestions and predictions for future research.

With the main goals mentioned, it is interesting to note how to go about writing this chapter. To do this, follow three important suggestions:

• Answer those questions posed in the introduction (central research questions)
• Show how the answers are supported by the results
• Explain how the answers fit relative to the existing body of knowledge about the subject

Keep in mind that the Discussion chapter can be considered the most important part of your dissertation. Therefore, don’t be surprised if you may need more than one writing attempt for this chapter.

The 12 Steps to an Effective Discussion Chapter

To make sure your message remains crystal-clear, the Discussion chapter should be short and sweet, but it should fully state, support, elaborate, explain, and defend your conclusions. Take great care to ensure the writing is a commentary and not simply a regurgitation of results. Side (distracting) issues should not be written about because they will cloud the essence of your message. There is no perfect dissertation, but help your reader determine what the facts are and what is speculation.

Here are 12 steps to keep in mind when writing your Discussion Chapter:

• Always try to structure your Discussion chapter from the ‘specific’ to the ‘general’: expand and transition from the narrow confines of your study to the general framework of your discipline.
• Make a consistent effort to stick with the same general tone of the introduction. This means using the same key terms, the same tense, and the same point of view as used in your introduction.
• Start by rewriting your research questions and re-stating your hypothesis (if any) that you previously posed in your introduction. Then declare the answers to your research questions – make sure to support these answers with the findings of your dissertation.
• Continue by explaining how your results relate to the expectations of your study and to literature. Clearly explain why these results are acceptable and how they consistently fit in with previously published knowledge about the subject. Be sure to use relevant citations.
• Make sure to give the proper attention for all the results relating to your research questions, this is regardless of whether or not the findings were statistically significant.
• Don’t forget to tell your audience about the patterns, principles, and key relationships shown by each of your major findings and then put them into perspective. The sequencing of this information is important: 1) state the answer, 2) show the relevant results and 3) cite the work of credible sources. When necessary, point the audience to figures and/or graphs to ‘enhance’ your argument.
• Make sure to defend your answers. Try to do so in two ways: by explaining the validity of your answer and by showing the shortcomings of others’ answers. You will make your point of view more convincing if you give both sides to the argument.
• Also make sure to identify conflicting data in your work. Make a good point of discussing and evaluating any conflicting explanations of your results. This is an effective way to win over your audience and make them sympathetic to any true knowledge your study might have to offer.
• Make sure to include a discussion of any unexpected findings. When doing this, begin with a paragraph about the finding and then describe it. Also identify potential limitations and weaknesses inherent in your study. Then comment on the importance of these limitations to the interpretation of your findings and how they may impact their validity. Do not use an apologetic tone in this section. Every study has limitations.
• Conduct a brief summary of the principal implications of your findings (do this regardless of any statistical significance). Make sure to provide 1-2 recommendations for potential research in the future.
• Show how the results of your study and their conclusions are significant and how they impact our understanding of the problem(s) that your dissertation examines.
• On a final note, discuss everything this is relevant but be brief, specific, and to the point.

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How To Write The Discussion Chapter

I f you’re reading this, chances are you’ve reached the discussion chapter of your thesis or dissertation and are looking for a bit of guidance. Well, you’ve come to the right place! In this post, we’ll unpack and demystify the typical discussion chapter in straightforward, easy to understand language, with loads of examples.

Overview: The Discussion Chapter

• What  the discussion chapter is
• What to include in your discussion
• How to write up your discussion
• A few tips and tricks to help you along the way
• Free discussion template

What (exactly) is the discussion chapter?

The discussion chapter is where you interpret and explain your results within your thesis or dissertation. This contrasts with the results chapter, where you merely present and describe the analysis findings (whether qualitative or quantitative ). In the discussion chapter, you elaborate on and evaluate your research findings, and discuss the significance and implications of your results .

In this chapter, you’ll situate your research findings in terms of your research questions or hypotheses and tie them back to previous studies and literature (which you would have covered in your literature review chapter). You’ll also have a look at how relevant and/or significant your findings are to your field of research, and you’ll argue for the conclusions that you draw from your analysis. Simply put, the discussion chapter is there for you to interact with and explain your research findings in a thorough and coherent manner.

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What should I include in the discussion chapter?

First things first: in some studies, the results and discussion chapter are combined into one chapter .  This depends on the type of study you conducted (i.e., the nature of the study and methodology adopted), as well as the standards set by the university.  So, check in with your university regarding their norms and expectations before getting started. In this post, we’ll treat the two chapters as separate, as this is most common.

Basically, your discussion chapter should analyse , explore the meaning and identify the importance of the data you presented in your results chapter. In the discussion chapter, you’ll give your results some form of meaning by evaluating and interpreting them. This will help answer your research questions, achieve your research aims and support your overall conclusion (s). Therefore, you discussion chapter should focus on findings that are directly connected to your research aims and questions. Don’t waste precious time and word count on findings that are not central to the purpose of your research project.

As this chapter is a reflection of your results chapter, it’s vital that you don’t report any new findings . In other words, you can’t present claims here if you didn’t present the relevant data in the results chapter first.  So, make sure that for every discussion point you raise in this chapter, you’ve covered the respective data analysis in the results chapter. If you haven’t, you’ll need to go back and adjust your results chapter accordingly.

If you’re struggling to get started, try writing down a bullet point list everything you found in your results chapter. From this, you can make a list of everything you need to cover in your discussion chapter. Also, make sure you revisit your research questions or hypotheses and incorporate the relevant discussion to address these.  This will also help you to see how you can structure your chapter logically.

Need a helping hand?

How to write the discussion chapter

Now that you’ve got a clear idea of what the discussion chapter is and what it needs to include, let’s look at how you can go about structuring this critically important chapter. Broadly speaking, there are six core components that need to be included, and these can be treated as steps in the chapter writing process.

Step 1: Restate your research problem and research questions

The first step in writing up your discussion chapter is to remind your reader of your research problem , as well as your research aim(s) and research questions . If you have hypotheses, you can also briefly mention these. This “reminder” is very important because, after reading dozens of pages, the reader may have forgotten the original point of your research or been swayed in another direction. It’s also likely that some readers skip straight to your discussion chapter from the introduction chapter , so make sure that your research aims and research questions are clear.

Step 2: Summarise your key findings

Next, you’ll want to summarise your key findings from your results chapter. This may look different for qualitative and quantitative research , where qualitative research may report on themes and relationships, whereas quantitative research may touch on correlations and causal relationships. Regardless of the methodology, in this section you need to highlight the overall key findings in relation to your research questions.

Typically, this section only requires one or two paragraphs , depending on how many research questions you have. Aim to be concise here, as you will unpack these findings in more detail later in the chapter. For now, a few lines that directly address your research questions are all that you need.

Some examples of the kind of language you’d use here include:

• The data suggest that…
• The data support/oppose the theory that…
• The analysis identifies…

These are purely examples. What you present here will be completely dependent on your original research questions, so make sure that you are led by them .

Step 3: Interpret your results

Once you’ve restated your research problem and research question(s) and briefly presented your key findings, you can unpack your findings by interpreting your results. Remember: only include what you reported in your results section – don’t introduce new information.

From a structural perspective, it can be a wise approach to follow a similar structure in this chapter as you did in your results chapter. This would help improve readability and make it easier for your reader to follow your arguments. For example, if you structured you results discussion by qualitative themes, it may make sense to do the same here.

Alternatively, you may structure this chapter by research questions, or based on an overarching theoretical framework that your study revolved around. Every study is different, so you’ll need to assess what structure works best for you.

When interpreting your results, you’ll want to assess how your findings compare to those of the existing research (from your literature review chapter). Even if your findings contrast with the existing research, you need to include these in your discussion. In fact, those contrasts are often the most interesting findings . In this case, you’d want to think about why you didn’t find what you were expecting in your data and what the significance of this contrast is.

Here are a few questions to help guide your discussion:

• How do your results relate with those of previous studies ?
• If you get results that differ from those of previous studies, why may this be the case?
• What do your results contribute to your field of research?
• What other explanations could there be for your findings?

When interpreting your findings, be careful not to draw conclusions that aren’t substantiated . Every claim you make needs to be backed up with evidence or findings from the data (and that data needs to be presented in the previous chapter – results). This can look different for different studies; qualitative data may require quotes as evidence, whereas quantitative data would use statistical methods and tests. Whatever the case, every claim you make needs to be strongly backed up.

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. For example, you may find that you collected data from a very small sample with unique characteristics, which would mean that you are unable to generalise your results to the broader population.

For some students, discussing the limitations of their work can feel a little bit self-defeating . This is a misconception, as a core indicator of high-quality research is its ability to accurately identify its weaknesses. In other words, accurately stating the limitations of your work is a strength, not a weakness . All that said, be careful not to undermine your own research. Tell the reader what limitations exist and what improvements could be made, but also remind them of the value of your study despite its limitations.

Step 5: Make recommendations for implementation and future research

Now that you’ve unpacked your findings and acknowledge the limitations thereof, the next thing you’ll need to do is reflect on your study in terms of two factors:

• The practical application of your findings
• Suggestions for future research

The first thing to discuss is how your findings can be used in the real world – in other words, what contribution can they make to the field or industry? Where are these contributions applicable, how and why? For example, if your research is on communication in health settings, in what ways can your findings be applied to the context of a hospital or medical clinic? Make sure that you spell this out for your reader in practical terms, but also be realistic and make sure that any applications are feasible.

The next discussion point is the opportunity for future research . In other words, how can other studies build on what you’ve found and also improve the findings by overcoming some of the limitations in your study (which you discussed a little earlier). In doing this, you’ll want to investigate whether your results fit in with findings of previous research, and if not, why this may be the case. For example, are there any factors that you didn’t consider in your study? What future research can be done to remedy this? When you write up your suggestions, make sure that you don’t just say that more research is needed on the topic, also comment on how the research can build on your study.

Step 6: Provide a concluding summary

Finally, you’ve reached your final stretch. In this section, you’ll want to provide a brief recap of the key findings – in other words, the findings that directly address your research questions . Basically, your conclusion should tell the reader what your study has found, and what they need to take away from reading your report.

When writing up your concluding summary, bear in mind that some readers may skip straight to this section from the beginning of the chapter.  So, make sure that this section flows well from and has a strong connection to the opening section of the chapter.

Tips and tricks for an A-grade discussion chapter

Now that you know what the discussion chapter is , what to include and exclude , and how to structure it , here are some tips and suggestions to help you craft a quality discussion chapter.

• When you write up your discussion chapter, make sure that you keep it consistent with your introduction chapter , as some readers will skip from the introduction chapter directly to the discussion chapter. Your discussion should use the same tense as your introduction, and it should also make use of the same key terms.
• Don’t make assumptions about your readers. As a writer, you have hands-on experience with the data and so it can be easy to present it in an over-simplified manner. Make sure that you spell out your findings and interpretations for the intelligent layman.
• Have a look at other theses and dissertations from your institution, especially the discussion sections. This will help you to understand the standards and conventions of your university, and you’ll also get a good idea of how others have structured their discussion chapters. You can also check out our chapter template .
• Avoid using absolute terms such as “These results prove that…”, rather make use of terms such as “suggest” or “indicate”, where you could say, “These results suggest that…” or “These results indicate…”. It is highly unlikely that a dissertation or thesis will scientifically prove something (due to a variety of resource constraints), so be humble in your language.
• Use well-structured and consistently formatted headings to ensure that your reader can easily navigate between sections, and so that your chapter flows logically and coherently.

If you have any questions or thoughts regarding this post, feel free to leave a comment below. Also, if you’re looking for one-on-one help with your discussion chapter (or thesis in general), consider booking a free consultation with one of our highly experienced Grad Coaches to discuss how we can help you.

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38 Comments

Thank you this is helpful!

This is very helpful to me… Thanks a lot for sharing this with us 😊

This has been very helpful indeed. Thank you.

This is actually really helpful, I just stumbled upon it. Very happy that I found it, thank you.

Me too! I was kinda lost on how to approach my discussion chapter. How helpful! Thanks a lot!

This is really good and explicit. Thanks

Thank you, this blog has been such a help.

Thank you. This is very helpful.

Dear sir/madame

Thanks a lot for this helpful blog. Really, it supported me in writing my discussion chapter while I was totally unaware about its structure and method of writing.

With regards

Syed Firoz Ahmad PhD, Research Scholar

I agree so much. This blog was god sent. It assisted me so much while I was totally clueless about the context and the know-how. Now I am fully aware of what I am to do and how I am to do it.

Thanks! This is helpful!

thanks alot for this informative website

Dear Sir/Madam,

Truly, your article was much benefited when i structured my discussion chapter.

Thank you very much!!!

This is helpful for me in writing my research discussion component. I have to copy this text on Microsoft word cause of my weakness that I cannot be able to read the text on screen a long time. So many thanks for this articles.

This was helpful

Thanks Jenna, well explained.

Thank you! This is super helpful.

Thanks very much. I have appreciated the six steps on writing the Discussion chapter which are (i) Restating the research problem and questions (ii) Summarising the key findings (iii) Interpreting the results linked to relating to previous results in positive and negative ways; explaining whay different or same and contribution to field of research and expalnation of findings (iv) Acknowledgeing limitations (v) Recommendations for implementation and future resaerch and finally (vi) Providing a conscluding summary

My two questions are: 1. On step 1 and 2 can it be the overall or you restate and sumamrise on each findings based on the reaerch question? 2. On 4 and 5 do you do the acknowlledgement , recommendations on each research finding or overall. This is not clear from your expalanattion.

Please respond.

This post is very useful. I’m wondering whether practical implications must be introduced in the Discussion section or in the Conclusion section?

This is very instructive and educative

Sigh, I never knew a 20 min video could have literally save my life like this. I found this at the right time!!!! Everything I need to know in one video thanks a mil ! OMGG and that 6 step!!!!!! was the cherry on top the cake!!!!!!!!!

Thanks alot.., I have gained much

This piece is very helpful on how to go about my discussion section. I can always recommend GradCoach research guides for colleagues.

Many thanks for this resource. It has been very helpful to me. I was finding it hard to even write the first sentence. Much appreciated.

Thanks so much. Very helpful to know what is included in the discussion section

this was a very helpful and useful information

This is very helpful. Very very helpful. Thanks for sharing this online!

it is very helpfull article, and i will recommend it to my fellow students. Thank you.

Superlative! More grease to your elbows.

Powerful, thank you for sharing.

Wow! Just wow! God bless the day I stumbled upon you guys’ YouTube videos! It’s been truly life changing and anxiety about my report that is due in less than a month has subsided significantly!

Simplified explanation. Well done.

The presentation is enlightening. Thank you very much.

Thanks for the support and guidance

This has been a great help to me and thank you do much

I second that “it is highly unlikely that a dissertation or thesis will scientifically prove something”; although, could you enlighten us on that comment and elaborate more please?

Sure, no problem.

Scientific proof is generally considered a very strong assertion that something is definitively and universally true. In most scientific disciplines, especially within the realms of natural and social sciences, absolute proof is very rare. Instead, researchers aim to provide evidence that supports or rejects hypotheses. This evidence increases or decreases the likelihood that a particular theory is correct, but it rarely proves something in the absolute sense.

Dissertations and theses, as substantial as they are, typically focus on exploring a specific question or problem within a larger field of study. They contribute to a broader conversation and body of knowledge. The aim is often to provide detailed insight, extend understanding, and suggest directions for further research rather than to offer definitive proof. These academic works are part of a cumulative process of knowledge building where each piece of research connects with others to gradually enhance our understanding of complex phenomena.

Furthermore, the rigorous nature of scientific inquiry involves continuous testing, validation, and potential refutation of ideas. What might be considered a “proof” at one point can later be challenged by new evidence or alternative interpretations. Therefore, the language of “proof” is cautiously used in academic circles to maintain scientific integrity and humility.

This was very helpful, thank you!

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How to Write the Discussion Chapter of a Dissertation: A Comprehensive Guide

Understanding the purpose of the discussion chapter, structuring your discussion chapter, restate your research questions and hypotheses, summarize your findings, interpret your findings, discuss the implications of your findings, provide suggestions for future research.