GUIDELINES FOR WRITING THE DISCUSSION

The Discussion chapter is normally towards the end of your FYP, after you have presented your Results and before the Conclusion. If your explanation is already in the Results chapter, the Discussion and Conclusion can be combined into one chapter. This is where you take a wider look at your study as a whole, contextualising it in a larger overall context, perhaps highlighting the implications or extrapolating from the findings. The methodology/procedure and the presentation chapters have reported specific information; now you may be attempting to indicate the 'bigger picture'.

The information you include in your discussion depends greatly on your findings and the nature of your project. However, one common way of laying out a discussion section is as follows:

 

To recap on the original hypothesis

 

To briefly reiterate or summarise the findings

 

To give an analysis of and/or an explanation of the findings


To mention any limitations

 

To comment on the implications of the study (generalising from the results)

 

To comment on the need or direction of further research

 

 

 

The Discussion chapter is also where you can air your own opinions on any of the above.

Language used in the Discussion chapter

1.Verb tense usage

The first part of the Discussion chapter usually refers to your findings. The past simple is the most common tense to use for this purpose.

e.g.  
 

Data was collected at the core centre and all cells originated in the same environment.

 

 

The result indicated that the ventilation system was not effective since the concentration varied from 1.23pCi/l to 3.05pCi/l.

 

At the explanation stage, the past or present perfect tense is most commonly used if your explanation is limited to your own study. 

e.g.  
 

The survey findings demonstrated that most of the respondents preferred to see more local-designer labels on the market. However, they did not imply that clothing advertisements or promotions could affect consumers purchase decision.

 

 

First, the indoor thermal comfort of a typical office floor was evaluated to check the performance of the VAV system. Second, the effect of energy set-points, which were collected from the BMS System, was analysed.

 

 

A 10-minute logging interval has been used to record the sampling rates of the data.

 

 

Energy leakage has become a serious problem all over the world in the last decade.

 

 

This project has attempted to examine the discrepancy between opportunities in different locations.

 

For general conditions, facts or statements, and some implications, the present tense is used.

e.g.  
 

Admission is free on Wednesdays and $10 every other day.

 

 

The movement of the cars induces the high flow rate of air.

 

 

It seems that there is a tendency to expansion in these sectors.

 

 

It is likely that viral activity is responsible for most of the symptoms.

 

To compare your findings with those of other researchers, the present tense is also common.

e.g.  
 

Our results largely support those by Da Silva et al.

 

 

The parameters and participant numbers of the U.S trial are far wider than those of Hong Kong.

 

For speculation, implication or hypothesis, perhaps at the later stage of your discussion section, modal auxiliaries are commonly used.

e.g.  
 

Marketers could possibly segment the market by demographic variation such as age, sex and income.

 

 

In fact, accurate segmentation might put retailers in a much more profitable position in the next decade.

 

 

If the VAV system was properly applied, it could achieve an electricity reduction of c.15%.

 

 

The study highlights the energy savings that could be achieved if the control parameters were carefully adjusted.

 

 

Similar results may be found in other fields.

 

 

This approach could be applied on a wider scale.

 


2.      Presentation of an opinion

Phrases you can use to make it clear you are giving an opinion include the following:

We accept/acknowledge (that)¡K

 

 

 

Obviously/clearly/naturally/probably/possibly¡K.

  It can (not) be assumed (that)..
  One possible explanation/reason is (that) ¡K
 

The findings suggest/imply/provide evidence/lead us to believe (that)¡K..etc.

 

These phrases usually come at the beginning of a sentence (main clause) and are followed by 'that' plus a noun phrase which gives the information (noun clause), thus forming complex sentences.

e.g.  
 

It is unlikely that the social class of the participants influenced their opinions.

 

 

We anticipated that students would fall into the first category.

 

 

 



Links

This website, from the Asian Institute of Technology, covers the purpose and organisation of the Discussion section, what it includes, common problems and an example.

http://www.languages.ait.ac.th/EL21DISC.HTM
(Accessed 6 February 2003)

Click here to see a sample FYP discussion chapter. (Adapted from FYP from Faculty of Health and Sciences.)