How to Write a Discussion for a Thesis: Easy Guide

The discussion section is one of the most important aspects of your thesis. It interprets and discusses the results you have shared.

This section is your only chance to explain your findings in a way that supports and verifies the purpose of your research.

A well-written discussion section is necessary to demonstrate the contribution you have made to the world of research.

Many students confuse this part with the results section, which affects their grades.

They end up asking, How to write a discussion for a thesis?

So if you are struggling to write this section, keep reading ahead. This guide will help you structure your discussion section the right way!

What Is The Discussion Section?

The result section is limited to presenting your findings. However, the discussion section is the one where you get to elaborate on those findings. It allows you to explain and evaluate the outcomes of your research.

Many students fail to understand the difference and end up questioning professionals about how to write a discussion for thesis.

So to make it easier, the main elements of this section are,

Summary of your findings
Interpretation of the results
Implications of your findings
Limitations of the study
Recommendations for further studies

Why The Discussion Section Might Be Daunting

The discussion section is said to be one of the most challenging parts of a research paper.

The practical work, such as conducting research, might be easy, but the theoretical part is the most time-consuming.

Unlike the result section, where you only need to present your findings, this section requires a deeper approach. This is the reason students choose to go for professional assignment help Auckland.

These professionals,

Save them from the stress of focusing on critical thinking skills
Extract valuable details from the literature review
Perform a deeper analysis of the results
Provide effective recommendations for future studies

How To Write The Discussion Section

Still questioning how to write a discussion for thesis? Follow the steps below to write an impressive one.

Summarize The Main Findings

Your discussion section should be different from the results section.

Instead of stating results, you need to provide an overview of your findings while answering the research question.

Make sure to,

Reiterate the research question
Go beyond just repeating the results
Write proper sentences
Keep your paragraphs short

Interpret The Results

Your goal should be to make your readers understand the purpose of your findings. The right interpretation will tell them how your results align with the question.

Use these techniques to demonstrate the meaning of your results,

Discuss the relationships, patterns, and correlations found in your data
Do the results support your hypothesis?
Explain the new outcomes that are filling knowledge gaps in the field
State the importance of unexpected results
Consider any alternate explanations while supporting your argument

Discuss The Research Implications

The literature review you conducted comes into play in this section. You have to discuss the broader impact of your findings over here.

The main focus should be to show the contribution of your research within the existing literature.

Consider the following questions while writing,

Are there any agreements or disagreements with the existing literature?
Does your research support existing studies?
What new information are they bringing to the field of research?
Are the findings challenging the existing research?
What are the reasons if the results disagree with existing literature?
What are the theoretical and practical implications of your research?

Acknowledging The Limitations Of The Study

Every study has limitations. A great research paper acknowledges the limitations associated with the study. This plays a key role in building reliability for your research.

It shows that you are being transparent by sharing the weaknesses and boundaries of your study.

You can also choose to explain how the findings are still valid, despite the challenges.

A few common limitations include,

Lack of a control group
Different data collection methods
Inclusion/ Exclusion criteria
Small sample sizes
Time limitations

Give Ideas For The Future

The recommendations for future research are given either in the discussion section or the conclusion section. This part focuses on,

Giving work suggestions based on the incomplete areas of your study
Highlighting questions that remain unanswered
Sharing ideas for working on your study limitations

Tips You Need To Remember While Writing The Recommendation Section

Make sure to remember these tips when you get your answer for how to write a discussion for thesis.

Keep it short	The discussion section should be clear and concise.
Consistency	Your tone should be consistent across the whole research paper.
No plagiarism	Make sure to paraphrase the sentences properly.
Citation	Cite the sources used to support your argument.
Jargon	Avoid using unnecessary jargon.

Mistakes You Should Avoid While Writing The Discussion Section

Many students ruin the quality of their discussion section while getting stuck in these common mistakes.

Make sure you don’t get stuck in these common pitfalls,

Reintroducing results	Don’t just present the results without any explanations.
New information	Don’t add any new information or results in this section.
Unnecessary claims	Don’t introduce ideas or thoughts without any supporting data.
Infographics	Tables and figures shouldn’t be used in this section.
Weakness	Don’t focus on undermining your research while discussing limitations.
Unrelated results	Don’t add results that have no connection with your research question.

FAQS

What is the difference between the discussion and conclusion sections of a thesis?

The conclusion section is usually short and focuses on discussing the key points while highlighting the significance of your research. However, the discussion section focuses on in-depth analysis and interpretation of results while focusing on their relevance to the existing literature as well.

What tense should be used in the discussion section?

The discussion section should use the present tense while explaining the significance of the findings. You can use the past tense while talking about the existing literature.

How do the results differ from the discussion section?

The result section demonstrates your findings without focusing on why they matter. However, the discussion section focuses on analyzing, interpreting, and providing the context of your study with existing studies.

Wrapping Up

The discussion section is one of the most important aspects of your research sections. And if you are thinking how to write a discussion for thesis, the answer is, by following the guide above. You can create a discussion section that interprets the meaning of your results, explains the significance of your findings, and focuses on the broader impact of your research.