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Chaptering Your Research Paper: Writing the Discussion Section

The discussion section is the last part of a research paper, in which an author describes, analyzes, and interprets their findings, explaining their significance and connecting everything back to the research questions by focussing on the results and outcomes of your study. It usually follows the chapters on methodology and results and comes prior to the final chapter or conclusion. The discussion section also answers the question regarding the meaning, importance, and relevance of your results in the light of the literature that was already explored and discusses the new insights about the research problem that you have obtained from the findings of your research.

Constituents of the discussion chapter

At the beginning of each discussion, remember to recap the introduction and review the literature in detail, but don’t just repeat it; rather, use the discussion to explain how your study has moved the reader’s understanding of the research problem forward by expanding on your outcomes in the results or findings section and how it has helped shape the understanding of the research problem. The discussion comprises a list of essential ingredients which are to be effectively included to write the perfect discussion section for your research paper.

The discussion section includes

The most important findings of your research which is a summary of the major findings and a recap of your research problem and link research findings with the research questions

The significance of these findings where you will have to provide your interpretations and identify the patterns, principles, and relationships shown by each major findings and place them in proper perspective in relation to your collected data and place these findings in context by analyzing your literature review to understand and evaluate how your results from the study aligns with the earlier research you have reviewed.

When detailing your findings and its relationship to existing literature, you have to highlight any unexpected results and clearly explain them to help the reader understand why such findings might have been produced and is it relevant to the research problem directing the scope of research, if yes, explain the significance.

When explaining the implications of your research, connect it to the existing literature and explain how your findings are relevant to the body of knowledge and what are the new insights that your research has uncovered which has been previously overlooked or unfounded and how this contribution is beneficial to the discipline of study.

Researchers often use this section to underline the limitations of their research and also the strengths. The primary reason is that a researcher who acknowledges justifiable limitations improves the credibility of the work and shows that the avenue was not left unexplored or unknown but was intentionally omitted. Avoid using an apologetic tone; however, be honest and self-critical as it shows that you are critically aware of what your study can and cannot do. The researcher should also make clear that despite the explained limitations, why the study would be a valid research on solving the stated problem.

Towards the end of the discussion section provide a brief understanding of potential avenues within the research study that can be further explored by future researcher studies and can also elaborate on how this investigate study can be carried out. The ideas for future research should be concise and targeted at maybe one or two issues because it will not be appealing to uncover multiple plot holes in your research as it may affect the validity of your findings

The researcher can also provide an understanding of his or her ideas of practical implementation of their research work and explain why you believe the findings and conclusions of your study are important.

Why is it important

Apart from the various constituents of the discussion section described above which adds to the quality of your research work, the discussion section is considered an integral part of your research as it assess you as a researcher because it directly demonstrates your ability to think critically, interpret and verify data and develop solutions to address problems that have directed the course of your research. This section helps the readers understand your researcher in detail and covers the most important part of how your researcher adds to the body of knowledge and how successful it has been in exploring the problem you have identified from the research gap that has existed. The discussion section provides you the opportunity to explore your research in depth by addressing the implications of your study. It provides the readers and researchers in your field with a critical overview of how your research can be further improved and provides a trajectory for future research.

This section highlights the importance of your research and how it has contributed to exploring the research gap you have identified in the beginning of your research. While stating this contribution, the researchers should be careful as to not reiterate everything they have already elaborated in the research findings but only state how your findings have analyzed the gaps in research that existing literature failed to address. The other major prominence it has over its relatively similar sections in the data analysis section is that it is not a platform to merely present data but rather provide evidence-based interpretations of the findings that have been uncovered thus providing a meaning to what your research has explored.

What should I avoid?

The discussion chapter holds a great deal of importance in your research paper and the researcher should be aware of common mistakes and possible pitfalls that can be avoided while framing this section

Rewriting the results section: You should be careful when framing the section of your discussion and avoid rewriting your analysis and findings, the focus should be on interpretations instead of merely summarizing the findings , in case you do need to refer to a finding that will be discussed in the section, use “bridge sentences” that relate the result to the interpretation.
- How to use bridge sentences: Example- “In investigating the availability of freshwater in the households of sector A, the findings suggest that at least 3/4th of houses…” – and continue with explaining the finding from there

Include new arguments or evidence not previously discussed. The researcher should not bring in any new information that has not already been collected, confirmed and analyzed in the earlier sections of the research chapters.

Drawing boundaries: the researcher should be able to deduct from the information available and derive explanations backed up by results which have been evidenced in your research paper and should stay within the confines of your subject discipline in all aspects of the discussion.

Guide the narrative flow with a precise structure, clearly demarcate between the discussion and conclusion section. Researchers often write limitations section after the discussion in the conclusion, clearly structure the sequence prior to formulating the chapter.

If presenting limitations and/or strengths in the discussion section itself, the researcher should be aware to not fundamentally corrupt the validity of the research and always be sure to back your research methodology and credibility of data and its analyzes.

In the same way, a researcher should also not be hesitant to be honest and clear in stating the true nature of the limitations that the study has faced, avenues it has not explored – intentionally or because it did not have the resources to do so. Uncover potential bias, threats to internal or external validity and such issues that could affect the study design without coating it.

When presenting the discussion, the researcher should also present the findings that have not been helpful or results that are unfavorable and present only those that support your research questions. The researcher should also be careful in identifying the importance of the study so as to not make grand statements of your research study’s capabilities to solve issues that are not necessarily in the realm of your research.

What percentage of plagiarism is accepted for a dissertation?

Going by the custom, the content below 10-15% of plagiarism is acceptable, but it also varies and depends upon the requirement of particular universities. Sometimes, even in the case of 15% content similarity, and to know, the content is borrowed from another website, it’s considered as plagiarism. Sticking to 10% or below is favourable to a writer.

I’ve been writing thesis and dissertation from months and firstly, do have research point in the first place, so you do organize the stuff accordingly to write in the required format you’ve been asked. Draft the idea of content that you need to add for dissertation, check-in for online proofreading tools for sentence phrases (eg. Grammarly), and rephrase whenever you see that plagiarized and be creative in writing, alike storyteller.

What is your PhD thesis in one sentence?

Thesis given to name a title or tell the whole story it in one sentence is always mind boggling thing. But, when you start to draft the thesis, pen down the research points that you doing first.

For eg. I’ve done my thesis topic in philosophy. I just want to see the effect of money – what alters the millennials draw through. My topic i chose is classified and focused on both positives and negatives of a coin, that why money is so crucially plotted into younger generations mind. If i’d to summarise the whole thesis in on sentence i.e.., Money is uncannily similar to Jelly.

I made research under so many things in subplots as, money as emotion, why money takes guards in people’s mindset for taking a life in proper standards, etc…

As you research and finalize thesis, show the impact of whatever line you mend to write. NOTE: BE ALWAYS PRACTICAL AND LOGICAL IN WRITING.

Is it possible to write a PhD thesis under 3 months?

Yes, it’s possible to write a PhD thesis within a timeframe under 3 months, when you have a clear structure and direction. I solely examine my papers, divide them indeed and connect all at last connecting all these chapters together.

Following assumptions and some techniques, and if needed a gradual help from online and journals that keep engaging will definitely lower your time and set the task before time. Here are a few things to heed and write a PhD thesis effectively:

Prepare a schedule for every section if needed to get a clear hand to write.
Divide the records and outline them to be focused on crucial aspects that you can develop the subsections of your thesis.
Have alternatives for writing the introduction, at last, basing upon your literature review, the methodologies, and chapters.
Use online proofreading tools like Grammarly, Hemmingway, etc for the English errors that an individual commits without his/her prior knowledge in the thesis.

What is the secret to writing a good dissertation?

The secret to writing a good dissertation is to avoid the mistakes or fix your dissertation mistakes that, you will be invoiced to the task of writing a dissertation there will be a high possibility to draw the attention of a reader. Few tips:

Minimize the number typos and obvious punctuation mistakes
Incorporate the figures and table of contents.
Do not daunt by task “writing up always”
Use an appropriate and consistent style of formatting that goes with University guidelines as well.

Will a mistake in my PhD thesis cause my PhD degree to be revoked?

To revoke a PhD degree by the thesis happens when only there are flaws made in any certain experiments or the data, and taking someones credit upon too.

For example, if an experiment is falsified or deliberately goes wrong in doctoral student thesis, then it can be revoked.

An introduction guide to Experimental research

Experimental research is one of the research methodologies adopted by PhD students. This is a type of scientific research. It involves using two sets of variables. One set of variables are kept constant whereas the other set of variables are studied as the subject of experiment.

The significance of using this research method is it aids in conducting experiments and collecting large amounts of data.

Characteristics of experimental research

Subjects are randomly assigned to their experimental conditions.
A researcher is able to modify an independent predictor variable.
Subjects are treated similarly in regard to all variables involving different experimental conditions. This doesn’t apply to independent variables.

‘Cause and effect’ phenomenon

An experimental research is expected to establish an ‘cause and effect’ approach. The cause is the deciding factor based on which the effects are observed in an experiment. This is done to avoid any confusion that could arise because of naturally occurring events. Such events could make it hard to draw conclusions.

Hence, experimental research is carried in the following situations:

The cause and effect phenomenon requires time as a vital factor. This factor establishes a relatIonship between the cause and the effect.
There is an invariable behaviour between cause and effect.
Desirability is the deciding distinct factor in the cause and effect relationship.

Types of experimental research

The experimental research designs are categorised into three types based on how the subjects are classified by the researcher. The basis of this organisation is done in accordance with various groups and conditions. The different types of this research design are:

1. Pre – experimental research design

This is the simplest of all the experimental research designs.Initially factors associated with the cause and effect of a phenomenon are considered. Based on them, a single group or groups in numbers are kept under observation for study.

This type of research design is further classified into three types:

One shot case study research design
One group Pretest-posttest research design
Static group comparison

2. True – experimental research design

This is the most accurate design among the three experimental research designs. Here, statistical analysis is used to prove or disprove hypothesis. This experimental research method is generally executed in experiments related to physical sciences.

The significance of this design is that, this is the only research design that establishes a cause and effect relationship within a group or groups. A designs hould satisfy following factors to be recognised as a true-experimental research design.

They are:

Control group and experimental group
1. A control group involves participants who are familiar with the experimental group but the rules of experimental group doesn’t apply to them.
2. Whereas, in the experimental group the participants have applied experimental research rules.
Researcher control variables
Random distribution

3. Quasi – experimental research design

As the name suggests, the quasi experimental design is a seemingly experimental design. The difference between an actual experimental research and a quasi-experimental research is the allocation of a control group. This type of research design is generally equipped in field settings which doesn’t involve random assignments.

Here, the participants are not randomly allotted as per conditions. The independent variable is controlled before calculating the dependent variable. The problem of directionality is eliminated in this setup.

Types of variables used

Both dependent variables and independent variables are used. These variables are onl;y specific to experimental research. The variables used here can also be referred to as predictor and response variables. They are not specific and are used for all types of research.

1. Independent variables

The researchers assigns values to the independent variables based on its effect on the dependent variables. The values are called as experimental conditions or treatment conditions. These values are alloted in accordance with the different groups. These groups can be divided into experimental groups and control groups. One can expand their study by adding more experimental groups.

The independent variable is an equivalent of the predictor variable.

2.Dependent variables

A dependent variable reflects the behaviour of the researcher in some aspects in relation to the independent variable.the dependent variable is equivalent to the response variable.

Why use experimental research

Researchers can manipulate the variables to get the desired results.
Any industry can implement this research as it is not subject or industry specific.
The research is extremely result driven.
Results can be applied to various other aspects after the completion of their analysis.
The researchers are able to derive and analyze more details on the cause and effect of a hypothesis.
This type of research can be conducted in association with other research methods.

Limitations

An experimental design should operationalize the variables measured in a better manner.
The research should consider factors such as study expectations, measuring outcomes, measuring variables, and answering methods for the research questions.
While conducting an experimental research one could face limitations in the availability of the data and experimental setups that represent the actual scenarios.

Checklist : 4 essential factors to look for before submitting manuscript to publishers

After spending sleepless nights to complete the manuscript, every scholar would want to get his/her manuscript published in a high-impact journal rather than letting it gather dust on the shelf. Publishing manuscript represents the culmination of a scholar’s scientific activities and helps in entrenching a foot in the academic. Although the majority of scholars pen down a great manuscript in order to get it published in a reputed journal, the likelihood of a manuscript being accepted by a major journal is enhanced only if the manuscript is flawless and meets the criteria of the target journal.

Often scholars assume that a manuscript consisting of merely scientific concepts or terms is easily accepted by the publishers. But in reality, in addition scientific quality, clear & concise writing makes the difference between acceptance and rejection

In order to be one among those who make it to publication, you must make sure that your manuscript meets the journal criteria and has the potential to make a positive impression on journal editors as well as reviewers.

Format your manuscript

Prior to submission of the manuscript, ensure that it is formatted as per journal specifications as mentioned on its website. If there isn’t any specific requirement listed, follow the standard formatting style and adhere to its text size, font, spacing, margins, headers, footers and page numbers. If you want to know the guidelines set by the high-impact journals, talk to consultants offering manuscript publication services.

Develop a tailor made cover letter

You cannot submit the manuscript without a cover letter. Ensure that when you are submitting the cover letter do not include “To whom it may concern.” Instead address the person who will be reading your manuscript. Take time & research about the publishing company and show them that you know who they are, understand their requirements and how your manuscript provides them with the topic they are looking for.

Ensure data accuracy

Data collection is a fundamental part of scientific research. Hence before the submission, go through the entire work, especially methodology section and make sure that your manuscript invariably includes data in the form of graphs, tables, figures, or other statistics.

Learn the standard policies

Today, many publishing companies are giving a privilege for online submission of either directly through their website or via email. However, many others still prefer the traditional method of publishing. Hence it is important to know the policy your publishing company is following and the type of manuscript they publish.

In the competitive publication sphere, submitting an effective manuscript that will be accepted by the journal is a challenging task. However, seeking the help of a professionals providing manuscript publication services can help you accomplish your goal.

When to design a custom survey questionnaire and when to use a standardized questionnaire for Ph.D. research?

As you are creating your research for your Ph.D., you are soon going to start your data collecting process using your survey questionnaire but you are not sure about which survey questionnaire you should use. Should you go for a Custom one or go for a standardized one?

Now you are on the blog, you want to find out which road of the questionnaire you should take. Whether you should create your own or go with an existing questionnaire.

Let’s decipher it by answering these two questions:-

-When should you create and use a custom survey questionnaire?

-When should you use a standardized survey questionnaire?

But, remember your objective and purpose first, you want data that is relevant to your subject and will help you to prove your theory before taking the highway.

Let’s decipher the clauses, shall we!

-When should you create and use a custom survey questionnaire?

Everything’s better when it’s customized, whether it’s a cake or a questionnaire. A customized questionnaire is a personalized questionnaire that you are creating, showcasing your brand and the purpose of your research.

It is going to get exactly what you are looking for.

Here, are some benefits of a customized questionnaire:-

-It is created, keeping your perspective in context, hence will give you specified information.

-Versatile and relevant answers to your questions, which will help you to provide versatility in your research.

-The relatability of the questionnaire can lead to getting more responses.

But, you are still thinking, when should I design and use one?

Listen, you should design and create a custom questionnaire when you are looking to showcase your brand or your research. You want your respondent’s opinion and their point of view on your subject. The important thing to remember here is that you are doing this to get a look in the minds of people who are answering your questionnaire and the specific details that are going to prove your theory.

It is the same as creating a playlist for a friend. You want them to feel that your questionnaire represents their mood and your narrative.

If you are not taking the customized questionnaire road, there is another road for you. The road of a standardized questionnaire :

A standardized questionnaire refers to a fixed set of questions to get a generic response from a section of people, which represents the population. It’s like the workout playlist on your music app, fixed and rigid.

Now, you are like why should I use a standardized questionnaire?

Here’s why

-It is effective in getting a generalized response from the masses who are representing the population.

-It is easier for the respondents, as the questions are usually very direct and close-ended.

-Most of the scales used in the standardized questionnaire are usually considered reliable in getting precise data.

Now, you know the what and why of a standardized questionnaire, let’s talk about the when.

WHEN YOU SHOULD USE A STANDARDIZED QUESTIONNAIRE?

You should use a standardized questionnaire when:-

– You are looking to get collective answers from your respondents.

-You want the respondents to be exact on what you are asking, keeping them glued to your script.

– You don’t want the respondents’ personal views and opinions to affect their answer.

Here are few questions that still comes into play regarding both standardized and customized questionnaires like:-

How should you check the validity and reliability of a custom questionnaire?
Can you change a standardized questionnaire?

Let’s further decipher these questions:-

1- How should you check the validity and reliability of a custom questionnaire?

Validity testing is done to check whether the data collected is giving us the input that we require or not. The main goal here is to make sure that the questions are useful in addressing the exact problem and to get accurate data.

There are generally six ways to check the validity of your custom questionnaire:-

-Face Validity- Face validity refers to the look on the face of the respondents. If the respondents agree to the fact that the questionnaire is a good questionnaire to measure what it is supposed to measure, then it is a justified custom questionnaire.

-Content Validity- It refers to the fact that the questionnaire accumulates all the factors involved in the topic. This is subjected to gaining more accurate information.

-Construct Validity-It is used to calculate the rate at which the test is going to measure what it is intended to measure. This can be done by comparing the results of the given questionnaires with some existing questionnaires, and then check the similarities in the results to determine whether the questionnaire is detecting what it is purposed to detect.

-Faith Validity – It refers to the faith that the researcher has on the custom questionnaire to get the answers that they are aspiring. It is based on instincts and no statistical process is involved here. As Ariana Grande says “I got faith in you.”, your faith in your questionnaire is also an attribute to test the validity of your custom questionnaire.

-Consequential Validity-It refers to the positive or negative impact that the questionnaire is creating among the respondents. What is the impact your questionnaire has on your respondent determines the credibility of your questionnaire.

-Criterion-related validity- It refers to the prediction that your questionnaire is making in relation to another factor. If your questionnaire is testing out the eating habits of individuals, it can also predict how the eating habits are affecting their work life.

Now, as we have cleared how to check the validity of the customized questionnaire, here is how to check the reliability of it.

Reliability refers to the consistency in your collected data. The consistency in the answers will suggest the fact that the questions are stimulating similar emotions in the respondents.

The methods to check the reliability of your custom questionnaire are:-

Cronbach’s Alpha- The Cronbach’s alpha is an effective method. In simple words, it is helpful to determine whether the multiple -choices based questions using the Likert scale are consistent in evaluating the answers or not.
Equivalence- It refers to the similarities between two or more custom questionnaires, which are conducted at the same time on either a similar group or a different group of respondents. The larger the extent of similarities is there, the chances of relatability are also high.
Stability test- It is a pretty simple and effective method to test reliability. All you have to do is repeat the same test twice with a similar group of correspondence. If there is consistency in the results, both times, then your custom questionnaire is stable and reliable.

Now, another very popular question is can you change a standardized questionnaire?

Even though standardized questionnaires are meant to match the prospect that you are measuring, it is a good idea to go through the questionnaire to check that all your concerned areas are covered. It is generally considered a good idea to customize your standardized questionnaire, keeping it still reliable and valid. This will make the questionnaire more accurate to measure the data.

So, can you change a standardized questionnaire?

Yes you can change a standardized questionnaire to

-Measure exactly what you are measuring- A standardized questionnaire may not measure everything you want to measure. Add or subtract items to make them precise.

-Make sure that the changes are required, not because you don’t like something in it.

-Test the new changes with the group of respondents to make sure that there is still consistency in the answers. Compare with the original one to calculate the consistency.

Here is the what, why, and most importantly when to use which questionnaire. Hope this clarifies your doubts about the standardized and custom questionnaire. Finally, you can choose the right questionnaire for your Ph.D. research.