What is Discussion Section in Thesis? 5 Simple Rules to Follow
The discussion section is where you dive deep into the meaning of your research results. It is the most critical part of your thesis, which requires the use of extreme interpretational skills. The discussion section in thesis is mostly written after the results chapter. It aims at interpreting the results obtained.
Do you know how to write a good discussion section in your thesis? Most probably not, because if you knew, you would not be here reading this article. Well, you have come to the right place. In today’s post, we will uncover the 5 rules to follow that can help you write a good discussion section in thesis. However, before that, let’s explain what the discussion section is.
What Is A Discussion Section In A Thesis?
The discussion chapter or section in a thesis is where you explain and interpret the obtained research results. This chapter contrasts with the results section, where you only focus on presenting the results, and that is it. In the discussion section of the thesis, you evaluate and elaborate on your research findings and discuss their implications. As the writer and researcher, you situate your research findings in terms of your research hypothesis or questions. In simple words, you explain how these findings answer the research questions.
Why Is It Important To Write A Good Discussion Section?
Many students just do not pay the attention that this chapter requires. They think that it is less important to discuss the findings when they have presented them in the thesis. This is a very wrong approach. Writing a good discussion section in thesis is important in many ways. Some of the points that highlight its importance are as follows:
- It demonstrates your ability to think critically and develop creative solutions
- It allows you to explore the underlying meaning of the research results
- This is the section that enables you to fill the existing gaps
- The discussion section in thesis is where you infuse your results with meaning
5 Simple Rules To Follow When Writing A Discussion Section
From the discussion above, you now have a good idea of what this section is and why it is important to write it. Now, let’s turn to the main discussion, i.e., 5 rules to follow to write a good discussion section. Hence, a brief description of each rule is as follows:
Restate The Research Problem And Questions
The first rule is that you should restate the research problem and questions in this section. If you have a hypothesis to test, you can also mention that. This reminder is mandatory because after reading dozens of pages, it is highly likely that your readers have forgotten them. Thus, you should start the discussion section in thesis with a reiteration of the research problem and research questions.
Summarise The Key Findings
The next rule is about summarising the key results. Once you have restated the research questions and the main thesis statement, you must summarise the key findings of your research study. Always remember that you only need to discuss the key findings. Do not try to highlight each result again in the discussion section, which you have already done in the results section.
Interpret Your Results
Interpretation comes right after the summarisation. When you have summarised the main results of your research study, start interpreting them. Take a critical look at your research results and interpret them. From a structural point of view, it is good that you follow the same structure as you have followed in the results section. However, if you feel like you cannot interpret the results right, do not hesitate to get a thesis help UK.
Acknowledge The Limitations
The 4th rule of writing a good discussion section in thesis is that you must acknowledge the limitations of your research study. Limitations are lackings in your research. These could be about scope, theoretical basis, or the analysis approaches of your research study. For example, the research data that you have collected is about a very specific number of people. Now, this is the limitation of your study that you cannot generalise it to the whole population.
Make Recommendations For Future Research
Lastly, you must make some recommendations for future research. The basis of these recommendations is the limitations of your research study. Along with making recommendations, also discuss the practical implications of the research you have done. It means discussing how your findings can be used in the real world.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the discussion section in thesis is the section where you go deep into your research results and discuss their meaning. In this guidepost, we have discussed the top 5 rules that you must follow when writing this section. Thus, follow all the rules and write this chapter accordingly if you want to get an A grade.
