Discussion
Hamediseresht E.
Structure of article
• Title
• Abstract and keywords
• Authors
• Introduction
• Methods and Materials
• Discussion
• Conclusion
• Acknowledgment
• References
The meaning?
• Chat • Consultation
• Talk • Deliberation
• Dialogue • Conversation
• Debate • Argument
• Discourse • Exchange of views
Discusion
• When most people read paper, they read the title
and abstract first, then the introduction, some
graphs or tables and then the discussion.
THEREFORE:
the discussion should begin by summarizing the
main findings .Then interpret the findings in
relation to the introduction and finally draw
conclusion.Keep the discussion to the results;
don`t go beyond the data
Discussion
• The least formalized part of an article
• The most difficult part of an article
• The structure is the the same for every experiment
• It`s practice of logic and discipline
• It`s not repeating the results
• Since sometimes results are self-explanatory,many
students find it difficult to know what material to
add in this last section
Discussion
• Simply:
Discussion is where you
REFER to your results …
EXPLAIN your results …
INTERPRET your results in light of other work
in field …
(Don`t repeat or reformulate or
recapitulate results!)
Answer research question
Support and defend answers with results
EXPLAIN
-Conflicting results you goto
-Unexpected findings
-Discrepancies with otehr research
State limitation of the study
Establish newnes
Announce further research
Discussion
• Answer research question
• Support and defend answers with results
• EXPLAIN:
- conflicting results you got
- unexpected findings
- discrepancies with other research
• State limitations of the study
• Establish newness
• Announce further research
Discussion
Your findings
Literature
Theory
practice
Discussion
• Why the research was done?
• Interpretation
• Findings in association with hypothesis
• Findings in association with other researches
• Evaluation of scientific validity
• Comments about meaningful results
• Explanation of negative opinions
• Association of topic with current sitiuation
• Future studies
Discussion
First paragraph
** Summarize main findings
** Start by presenting the essential
conclusions of your specific study
Discussion
• What`s this?
Discussion
• Remember inverted triangle at Introduction…!
• There is a triangle at Discussion too, but is not
inverted..!
Basically discussion contains several parts in no
particular order but roughly moving from specific
(related to your experiment only) to general (how
your finding fit in the larger scientific community)
Discussion
• General structure of an article
Discussion
• Explain whether data support your hypothesis
• Acknowledge any anomalous data or deviations
from what you expected (next slide)
• Derive conclusions based on your findings and
about the process you`re studing
• Relate your findings to earlier work in the same
area (if you can)
• Explore the theoritical and practical implications
of your findings
Discussion
• Explain whether the data support your
hypothesis
You should begin this part of discussion by
explicitly stating the relationships or
correlations your data indicate between the
independent and dependent variables.
Example
Discussion
• If you tested solubility at various temperatures,
you could start this section by noting that the rate
of solubility increased as the temperature
increased.If your initial hypothesis surmised that
temperature change would not affect
solubility,you would then say something like:
” The hypothesis that temperature change would
not affect solubility was not supported by the
data”
Discussion
• Make sure you are very explicit about the
relationship between the evidence and the
conclusions you draw from it.
• Tell your readers exactly how you got from
point A (was the hypothesis supported) to
point B (yes or no)
• You should defend your claim !
Discusion
• Occasionally it is appropriate to introduce new
data in the discussion section.Give this only as a
description of unpublished results, and make it
very clear that `s only a preliminary evidence.This
should not be used as a means to publish your new
materials, and should only be included to make a
point,perhaps confirming your major conclusions
or to show the direction your work is going.
Discussion
• Abstract >>> Past tense
• Theory >>> Past tense
• Methods & Materials >>> Past tense
• Discussion >>> Alternates! :
Discussion
Past tense Present tense
Your current results Results of previous
studies that are well-
Other studies that are known and confirmed
preliminary or cast
into doubt by your Interpretation of your
studies results
Discussion
• Example:
The neuroprotective mechanism of riluzole is not
fully understood.Riluzole inhibits glutamate
release from presynaptic nerve terminals (Martine
et al.,1993).In the present study , riluzole inhibited
the sodium channels; sodium channels mediate a
number of functions wihin the CNS,including
apoptosis. This may be consistent with the recent
finding that riluzole inhibited apoptosis in the
CNS of the transgenic mouse model of ALS
(Garney et al ., 1999)
Discussion
• Last paragraph
- Draw conclusion
- Mention to theoritical implications
- Mention to practical implications
- Extend your findings to other species
- Point to broader topics and need to further
researches
- Show that you`ll continue research on it
Some advices
• Emphasize the new and important aspects of the
study
• Compare and contrast the results with other
relevant studies
• State the limitation of study
• If your method is new and strange,explain more
and try to defend it
• In randomized clinical trials mention to:
- sources of potential bias
- imprecisions
- dangers associated with multiplicity of analysis
Some advices(continued)
• Be sure that all conclusions are supported by
results(give evidence for each conclusion)
• Make it clear that are major hypotheses in the field
supported by your research or contradicted?
• Although there may be some repetition of
information in the results and discussion section, it
should kept to minimum
• Point out any exception or any lack of correlation
• Discussion is often far too long
Don`t…!
1) Don`t write an unabridged and long
criticism on previous researches
2) Avoid making statements on economic
benefits and costs unless their manuscript
includes the appropriate economic data and
analysis
3) Avoid claiming priority and alluding to
work that has not been completed
Don`t…!(continued)
3) Don`t omit other previous good evidences to show
your study is unique …don`t magnify it!
4) Don`t explain the concepts more than what is
necessary
5) Discussion part is not for review of literature
6) Don`t be shy! Discuss the theoritical implications
& practical applications of your work
Don`t…!(continued)
7) Don`t hide unexpected results…they`re useful
8) Keep the discussion to the results,don`t go beyond
data
9) Don`t ignore or bury the major issue
10) don`t over generalize
11) Don`t ignore deviations in your data
12) Avoid speculation that can`t be tested in the
foreseeable future
Don`t…!(continued)
13) Be direct; avoid qualifying phrases such as “it
appears that…” or “our data suggest that…”
14) Labs are not as practical tests of undeniable
scientific truths, so don`t say that the hypothesis
was “proved” or “disproved” or that it was
“correct” or “incorrect”.
words like “supported”, “indicated” and
“suggested” are more acceptable ways to evaluate
your hypothesis
References
1.Uniform requirements for manuscripts submitted to
biomedical journals: writing and editing for biomedical
publication 2003
2.How to write a paper (BMJ) ,
George M Hall
3.How to write and publish papers in the medical sciences ,
Edward J Huth
4.Writing research papers
Paul Stapleton
5.Rules of thumb for writing research article
6.Style points for scientific writing
References
7.CONSORT
8.Writing up research online
Language center
9.Academic writing : Scientific report (writer`s handbook)
10.Writing a scientific paper
Georgian court college
11.Writing and publishing research articles
University of North Dakota
12.Basic composition of a biomedical research paper
Inter-Biotec
13.Writing scientific research report
The writing center
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