Secret formula to a great discussion section or chapter of your paper or thesis

Summary

In this video, Marek Kuchkovic, founder of Academic English Now, explains a universal framework for writing the discussion section of a thesis or research paper. The structure includes four key steps: restating the main results, comparing them with existing literature, explaining any differences or findings, and interpreting the meaning of the results. This approach ensures clarity, coherence, and a strong connection to the broader research field, applicable to any discipline. Marek also offers a free one-on-one strategy session to help students overcome academic challenges and achieve their goals.

Takeaways

• 😀 Restate the main result at the beginning of the discussion section to set the stage for your analysis.
• 😀 Compare your results with existing literature to show their relevance and place within the broader research field.
• 😀 Explain any differences between your results and those of previous studies, offering potential reasons for discrepancies.
• 😀 Interpret the findings by explaining their significance and meaning, helping the reader understand their implications.
• 😀 Don't forget to address unexpected results and explain why they occurred or what they imply.
• 😀 The discussion section can be organized in a simple four-step process: restate, compare, explain, and interpret.
• 😀 Regardless of your academic field, this universal structure for writing the discussion section will help maintain clarity and coherence.
• 😀 If you're writing a research paper or thesis, ensure that you provide a clear interpretation of what your findings mean and why they matter.
• 😀 Be sure to tie your results back to practical applications, showcasing their potential real-world impact where relevant.
• 😀 To enhance the quality of your research writing, consider scheduling a strategy session to further improve your approach to the thesis or paper.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video?

The video focuses on how to structure and write the Discussion section of a research paper or thesis, providing a universal framework that can be applied across various fields of study.

Who is the presenter of the video and what is their expertise?

The presenter is Marek Kuchkovic, who specializes in helping university students, especially PhD students, improve their research writing and accelerate their PhD journey.

What is the first step in structuring the Discussion section of a thesis?

The first step is to restate the main result. This means summarizing the key findings that you are going to discuss in the following paragraphs.

Why is comparing results with existing literature important in the Discussion section?

Comparing your results with the literature helps to contextualize your findings within the broader field, showing how they align with or differ from previous research.

What should you do if your results differ from the existing literature?

If your results differ from previous studies, you should explain why this difference occurred. Possible explanations could include differences in methods, participants, or materials used.

What is the purpose of explaining the results in the Discussion section?

The purpose of explaining the results is to provide clarity on why the findings occurred the way they did, especially if there were unexpected or unexplained outcomes.

What does the interpretation of findings entail in the Discussion section?

Interpretation involves explaining the significance and meaning of the findings, and discussing their potential implications or applications in practice.

How should the Discussion section be structured within a paragraph?

Each paragraph in the Discussion section should begin with restating the main result, followed by a comparison with existing literature, an explanation of the results, and an interpretation of the findings.

What should a researcher do if they have unexpected results?

If the researcher has unexpected results, they should focus on explaining why these results occurred, considering factors such as methodology, sample size, or variables that may have influenced the outcome.

What is the purpose of the free one-to-one strategy session offered by Marek Kuchkovic?

The free one-to-one strategy session aims to identify obstacles in the student's research process, set clear goals, and create a tailored plan to help the student achieve their goals more efficiently.