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

5 Simple Steps to Write a 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. Interpretation of Results

Your audience will expect you to provide the meanings of the results, although they might seem obvious to you. The results and their interpretations should be linked to the research questions so that 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 methods 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 to 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 Adding Interpretation of Results

You can start your interpretation in the discussion chapter by using the following phrases.

•  Findings of this study contradict those of Allen et al. (2014) that.
•  Contrary to the hypothesised 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 agree with or contradict existing knowledge?
•  What are the practical implications of your study?

How to Start Writing Implications in Your Dissertation?

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.

Examples of Mentioning the Limitations of Your Research

Identifying the 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.

Common phrases that you can use are the following:

• 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…

• Future research needs to focus on

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 that other researchers can build on them.

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

•  More research needs to be performed….
•  Future research needs to focus on 

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