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Planning/writing your paper
Discussion
• Picks up from where the Introduction left off
• 1st paragraph (my preference); summarises main findings in relation to the literature and study aims and what this implies (in broad/general terms)
• Then deal with main results in detail, ‘weigh’ them for the reader and describe how they compare with, and relate to, the literature. Interpret the results. Include and assess alternative explanations/interpretations
• Emphasize the novelties and strengths of your study and then deal with its weaknesses
• Where to from here – wider implications
Writing your paper – throughout!
Are the conclusions based on evidence?
•Be sure to distinguish what is based on opinion (ie interpretation) and what is fact (evidence)
•It is amazing how often authors mix these two up
•Opinion is okay provided it is presented as such and the paper does not depend upon it
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