This should be no more than one paragraph. In both cases, discussion and conclusion sections help to synthesize the findings by tying them to the objectives and discussing the implications. This part of the paper is not strictly governed by objective reporting of information but, rather, it is where you can engage in creative thinking about issues through evidence-based interpretation of findings. An abstract is a super-short summary and is difficult to write. II. If you feel compelled to speculate, be certain that you clearly identify your comments as speculation or as a suggestion for where further research is needed. Do not repeat specific ideas too often. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon, 2009. The discussion section is where you explore the underlying meaning of your research, its possible implications in other areas of study, and the possible improvements that can be made in order to further develop the concerns of your research. Use the same key terms, mode of narration, and verb tense [present] that you used when when describing the research problem in the introduction. The Writing Center. In the shorter version of a lab report, the discussion section is typically separated from the results section and serves as a conclusion as well. The sequencing of providing this information is important; first state the answer, then the relevant results, then cite the work of others. In other words, the majority of the Discussion and Conclusions sections should be an interpretation of your results. A lab report should not include any conflicting information that might cause confusion and trigger questions about the credibility of the report. Moreover, some unanswered questions may have become more focused because of your study. Here you have to write about your ideas after the experiment was conducted and inform your readers about your thoughts that are based on the results of the experiment. Here's how you should write this section: 1. Let’s accept this: Writing a paper is daunting, and sometimes the most difficult and thought-provoking part is writing the ‘discussion’ section. Read your laboratory report discussion a few times to check if it should be clear to readers. You should: Discuss your conclusions in order of most to least important. A good discussion section includes analysis of any unexpected findings. The discussion section should relate your study findings to those of other studies, particularly if questions raised by previous studies served as the motivation for your study, the findings of other studies support your findings [which strengthens the importance of your study results], and/or they point out how your study differs from other similar studies. I. Lab reports are an essential part of scientific study and knowledge. A laboratory report can be used for several purposes. This section is often considered the most important part of a research paper because it most effectively demonstrates your ability as a researcher to think critically about an issue, to develop creative solutions to problems based on the findings, and to formulate a deeper, more profound understanding of the research problem you are studying. The next step is to find the information you need for your report. Therefore, be careful that you do not read more into the findings than can be supported by the evidence you've gathered. This can be followed by any recommendations for further research. San Francisco Edit, 2003-2008; The Lab Report. Typically, a detailed analysis of findings is provided in the conclusion section, including the reasons for not achieving the predicted outcome if the results did not meet the expectations. It is far better for you to identify and acknowledge your study’s limitations than to have them pointed out by your professor! Remember that the data are the data: nothing more, nothing less. An excerpt from the discussion section of a chemistry report Footnote. https://wordvice.com/research-writing-tips-editing-manuscript-discussion A good abstract is: You should make suggestions for further research in the discussion section. After reading the discussion section, you want the reader to think about the results [“why hadn’t I thought of that?”]. The discussion section should relate your study findings to those of other studies, particularly if questions raised by previous studies served as the motivation for your study, the findings of other studies support your findings [which strengthens the importance of your study results], and/or they point out how your study differs from other similar studies. Describe the generalizability of your results to other situations, if applicable to the method chosen, then describe in detail problems you encountered in the method(s) you used to gather information. Avoid using an apologetic tone; however, be honest and self-critical. For students, discussion often bridges the gap between the speaking and listening learning areas and reading and writing ones. III. Investigative Report “Musts” Before you begin, it’s important to understand the three critical tasks of … Write up the case emphasising the interesting points of the presentation, investigations leading to diagnosis, and management of the disease/pathology. Write in this section some information about whether your results supported your thesis or there were variances. Begin by discussing the research question and talking about whether it was answered in the research paper based on the results. Writing the Discussion Section (printable version here)The Discussion should be written after the Results section so that you have a good idea of what the experiment has demonstrated. Note any unanswered questions or issues your study did not address, and.... Analyzing vs. Summarizing. Fourteen Steps to Writing to Writing an Effective Discussion Section. Start this chapter by reiterating your research problem and concisely summarizing your major findings. The Structure, Format, Content, and Style of a Journal-Style Scientific Paper. If more than one unexpected finding emerged during the study, describe each them in the order they appeared as you gathered the data. How to write the final elements of a discussion section Most discussions will end with two elements. If you want to write a nice discussion paper, you should express different ideas and opinions on the given topic and provide a discussion based on … Possibilities include the name of the condition or special treatments that you used. You don’t want to force the reader to go through the paper multiple times to figure out what it all means. Get input on the case from all members of the team, highlighting their involvement. Make Suggestions for Further Research. This paragraph should begin with a description of the unexpected finding, followed by a brief interpretation as to why you believe it appeared and, if necessary, its possible significance in relation to the overall study. Be clear in your writing. University of Florida; Yellin, Linda L. A Sociology Writer's Guide. One of the most common mistakes that you can make when discussing the results of your study is to present a superficial interpretation of the findings that more or less re-states the results section of your paper. Fourteen Steps to Writing to Writing an Effective Discussion Section. It is important to remember that the purpose of research is to. Organize the discussion from the general to the specific, linking your findings to the literature, then to theory, then to practice [if appropriate]. Check the guidelines of the journal to which you plan to submit your study. Also do not repeat your results, this is a discussion. Before concluding the discussion, identify potential limitations and weaknesses. It is far better for you to identify and acknowledge your study’s limitations than to have them pointed out by your professor! general guide to writing reports about scientific research you’ve performed Scientists can use the report as a basis for their research. There should be a comparison of your results and your expected findings. George Mason University; One of the most common mistakes that you can make when discussing the results of your study is to present a superficial interpretation of the findings that more or less re-states the results section of your paper. If the research uncovers some open issues that have to be further analyzed, the report should suggest further work to explore them. The report should link back to the existing hypothesis as documented in the literature review section of the report. The purpose of the discussion is to interpret and describe the significance of your findings in light of what was already known about the research problem being investigated, and to explain any new understanding or fresh insights about the problem after you've taken the findings into consideration. The discussion can start with a summary of the aims and the results (write about x-fold or % changes rather than just repeating the results) You should try to explain the results, but only within the context of the study - integrating swags of theory into the discussion is not necessary and leads to rambling reports. However, do not offer recommendations which could have been easily addressed within the study. Present your thoughts and opinions in an understandable format and all of your readers will get your point of view. Crucial aspects of a lab report are the discussion and conclusion. In the longer version of a report, where there are multiple findings, the discussion is typically included within the results section itself, and a separate conclusion section is provided to summarize the findings. To do this you … Writing in Psychology course syllabus. Find the information. Venkatesh has more than 25 years of experience in different industries including telecommunications, healthcare, banking and financial management, government, transportation and logistics, education, and consumer goods. Writing the Discussion The discussion section is a framing section, like the Introduction, which returns to the significance argument set up in your introduction. A conclusion section provides a synopsis of work in which the results findings are mapped to the objectives. The report should link back to the existing hypothesis as documented in the literature review section of the report. Each conclusion should be supported with appropriate evidence. Describe the generalizability of your results to other situations, if applicable to the method chosen, then describe in detail problems you encountered in the method(s) you used to gather information. No study is so novel or possesses such a restricted focus that it has absolutely no relation to other previously published research. How to Write a Chemistry Lab Report. A few historical references may be helpful for perspective but most of the references should be relatively recent and included to aid in the interpretation of your results and/or linked to similar studies. Systematically explain the meaning of the findings and why you believe they are important. If appropriate, the discussion section is also where you state how the findings from your study revealed new gaps in the literature that had not been previously exposed or adequately described. University College Writing Centre. The discussion section should end with a concise summary of the principal implications of the findings regardless of statistical significance. Do not use words to conceal your facts or reasoning. It looks like you're using Internet Explorer 11 or older. A key purpose of the discussion section is to move from specifics to general information. Bates College; Hess, Dean R. How to Write an Effective Discussion. Discussion or Conclusion Once you've discussed the most important findings of your study in the Results section, you will use the Discussion section to interpret those findings and talk about why they are important (some instructors call this the Conclusion section). Department of English Writing Guide. The discussion will always connect to the introduction by way of the research questions or hypotheses you posed and the literature you reviewed, but it does not simply repeat or rearrange the introduction; the discussion should always explain how your study has moved the reader's understanding of the research problem forward from where you left them at the end of the introduction. Explain how your findings/results relate to what is already known in the field as well as to what you … Don’t just repeat all the data you have already reported – aim for a clear statement of the overall result that directly answers your main research question. This is where you infuse your results with meaning. Use the present verb tense, especially for established facts; however, refer to specific works and references in the past tense. Describe the patterns, principles, and relationships shown by each major findings and place them in proper perspective. Avoid repeating information, unless the information is expanded to provide additional insight. Don’t just repeat all the data you have already reported – aim for a clear statement of the overall result that directly answers your main research question. In most of the cases, the discussion section revolves around existing theories and hypotheses referenced in the literature review section of the lab report. George Mason University; Discussion. Your interpretation must be original and you can write from being specific to general and do … In an ideal world, you could simply reject your null or alternative hypotheses according to the significance levels found by the statistics.That is the main point of your discussion section, but the process is usually a lot more complex than that. Ask the committee members for help or ask for a mentor that has written a report … Start by rewriting your research questions and re-stating your hypothesis (if any) that you previously … Consider Alternative Explanations of the Findings. When writing the discussion section, you should carefully consider all possible explanations for the study results, rather than just those that fit your prior assumptions or biases. University of Toronto; Summary: Using it Wisely. Writing up. This demonstrates to the reader you have inadequately examined and interpreted the data. For example, if you studied the impact of foreign aid on increasing levels of education among the poor in Bangladesh, it's generally not appropriate to speculate about how your findings might apply to populations in other countries without drawing from existing studies to support your claim. To write a good discussion for a lab report, learn to present ideas in a less boring format. 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