If you are reading this article, chances are that you have reached the discussion chapter of your dissertation. There are also chances that you are here to look for some guidance on crafting a compelling dissertation discussion chapter. Well, writing a discussion chapter of the dissertation is not that difficult as compared to other sections like literature review, methodology, and analysis. Still, there are many things about this chapter that needs to be communicated to the students.
As you are looking for some guidance on writing a dissertation discussion chapter, you have come to the right place. In today’s post, I am going to unpack the top 10 untold strategies for PhD students using which they can craft a compelling and information-rich discussion chapter. So, let’s get started with the discussion.
Top 10 strategies for PhD students to write discussion chapter
The discussion chapter of your dissertation is where you interpret and explain the results of your analysis. This chapter contrasts with the results chapter, where you merely describe and show the results of your data analysis. In the discussion chapter, you elaborate and evaluate the findings. However, the top 10 strategies to write this chapter for PhD students are as follows:
1. Understand the objective of the thesis
First things first, before setting out to write the dissertation discussion chapter, understanding its objective is important. Such objectives inform how you need to discuss the results. As a researcher, you must read the objectives that you have set at the start of the research. It is necessary because it lets you know how to craft your discussion chapter that is in line with those objectives. So, understanding the objectives sets the direction of this chapter.
2. Determine a clear structure
Planning the structure of this chapter is important before you write it down. The reason is that due to so much information in hand, it is easy to get distracted. So, divide the discussion section into several sections based on the results of the dissertation. For example, you have studied two soils of different cities in the UK. Now, you need to discuss the results of both soils. So, divide the dissertation discussion into two parts and plan accordingly.
3. Restate your research problem and questions
After reaching this point of the dissertation, it is highly likely that your reader does not know about the research questions set at the start of the dissertation. So, it is important that you restate the research problem and questions in this chapter. Many readers skip to the discussion chapter after reading the introduction, so it is important that you remind them of the research questions.
4. Summarise the key findings
After understanding the objectives and restating the research problem and questions, it is now time to summarise the key findings. This may look different for qualitative and quantitative data. The qualitative findings are more about themes and patterns, and you must discuss those in your dissertation. In the case of quantitative data, explain the main findings, which are in the form of numbers. Do not prolong this section by summarising the key findings in more than two paragraphs. Anything more than this bored the reader.
5. Interpret the results
After summarising the key findings, the next step is to interpret the research results. Interpretation means explaining what your research results mean and what they tell about the overall issue. When interpreting the research results, always remember to give an explanation of the results that are in the results section. Do not include anything new. However, if you feel any difficulty in doing so, a PhD dissertation help can be the best solution.
6. Acknowledge the limitations of your research
No research is perfect enough that it touches each aspect of an issue or research problem. There must be some limitations to your research study. These can be related to the scope of the research, research methods, or theoretical base of your research. Whatever it is, acknowledge them in your dissertation discussion chapter. Do not try to hide the limitations; tell the reader what can be improved in the research study.
7. Make recommendations for future research
Now when you have unpacked your research findings and acknowledged the limitations, the next thing you need to do is reflect on the recommendations for future research. You need to reflect on your study in terms of two factors:
- The practical application of the research findings to the real-world problems
- Suggestions for future research and improvement in the study
8. Usage of grammar and tense
The proper use of grammar and tense is key to a seamless dissertation discussion chapter. The reason is that improper use of grammar can have the worst effect on your discussion chapter. Depending on the context of the discussion, make proper use of present and past tenses in your discussion chapter. It is important to remember that once you have adopted a tense, it should be uniform throughout the paragraph unless the shift is necessary.
9. Give a concluding summary
No dissertation discussion chapter is complete without a concluding summary. In summary, you need to provide a brief recap of the primary research findings. In other words, reiterate the research findings that directly relate to the research questions. Some readers skip to this part, so make sure that it is detailed enough to give them an idea of the research.
10. Do not forget to proofread
Lastly, to write a flawless discussion chapter, proofreading is a must. The reason is that the first draft of your dissertation is not always the final draft. Many mistakes in your discussion chapter still need to be rectified. So, do not forget to free your chapter from those mistakes and purify it from unwanted errors.
Conclusion
Conclusively, the dissertation discussion chapter is easy to write but not the easiest. When writing this chapter, you must have an idea of the top tips or strategies mentioned above. Knowing these strategies will help you a lot in crafting a good discussion chapter. So, read the information above and follow all the guidelines.
