By Dalat TESOL
A step-by-step guide to interpreting your findings with clarity, confidence, and contribution
🧭 Why Is the Discussion Section So Important?
The Discussion is where your study comes to life. While the Results section answers what you found, the Discussion explains:
- Why it matters
- How it connects to past research
- What new insights or questions it raises
Done well, the Discussion:
- Shows your critical thinking
- Demonstrates academic maturity
- Highlights your contribution to the field
Yet many novice researchers struggle with this section—either summarizing results again or making vague, unsupported claims. This guide helps you avoid those pitfalls.
🧱 Structure of a Good Discussion Section
You can think of the Discussion as having five key moves:
| Step | Purpose |
|---|---|
| 1. Recap key findings | Orient the reader |
| 2. Interpret results | Explain meaning and reasons |
| 3. Compare with literature | Support or contrast with prior work |
| 4. Highlight implications | Theory, practice, or policy |
| 5. Note limitations and future research | Show awareness and suggest directions |
1. 🔁 Begin by Recapping Key Findings Briefly
Don’t repeat your full Results section. Instead, remind the reader of the main takeaways relevant to your research questions.
Example:
This study found that Vietnamese EFL learners using AI tools like ChatGPT reported increased writing confidence and reduced writing anxiety. However, some participants expressed concerns about dependency and authenticity.
📌 Tip: Use linking phrases like “This study showed that…” or “The findings revealed…”
2. 🧠 Interpret the Results: What Do They Mean?
This is the heart of your Discussion. Explain why you think you got those results.
Consider:
- Participant beliefs or contexts
- Intervention features (e.g., scaffolded AI use)
- Unexpected outcomes
Example:
One reason for the increased confidence may be the real-time feedback ChatGPT provides, which aligns with students’ needs for immediate guidance in academic writing.
📌 Caution: Avoid speculation without evidence. Use expressions like “may be explained by…” or “could be due to…”
3. 🔍 Compare with Previous Studies
Now link your findings back to the literature you reviewed earlier. Do they confirm, challenge, or extend existing work?
Example:
This finding is consistent with Dizon and Gayed (2023), who reported that EFL learners felt empowered by generative AI writing support. However, unlike Ranalli (2018), our participants did not view AI tools as threatening their academic integrity—possibly due to how the tool was framed in instruction.
📌 Tip: Cite multiple studies to show engagement with the field, not just one.
4. 🌍 Discuss Implications
This is where you show why your study matters. Depending on your focus, discuss implications for:
- Teaching practice (e.g., how to scaffold AI use)
- Policy (e.g., guidelines for academic integrity)
- Theory (e.g., supporting self-efficacy frameworks)
Example:
These results suggest that integrating AI tools in writing instruction, when accompanied by teacher guidance, can foster learner autonomy without undermining critical thinking. Curriculum designers may consider structured AI-enhanced tasks to support L2 writing development.
5. ⚖️ Acknowledge Limitations and Future Directions
No study is perfect. A thoughtful reflection on limitations shows honesty and academic rigor.
Common limitations to mention:
- Small or non-diverse sample
- Short duration
- Use of self-report measures
- Lack of longitudinal tracking
Also suggest areas for further research:
Example:
This study focused on intermediate EFL learners in one Vietnamese university. Future research should explore how different proficiency levels or cultural contexts shape learners’ experiences with AI-assisted writing.
🔤 Useful Language for Discussion Writing
| Function | Example Sentence Starters |
|---|---|
| Recap findings | “This study found that…” |
| Interpret | “One explanation for this may be…” |
| Compare | “In contrast to previous research…” |
| Implications | “These findings suggest that…” |
| Limitations | “A limitation of this study is…” |
| Future research | “Further studies are needed to explore…” |
🧠 Summary Checklist
Before finalizing your Discussion, ask:
✅ Have I addressed each research question?
✅ Have I interpreted (not just repeated) the results?
✅ Did I connect findings to existing studies?
✅ Did I explain why the results matter?
✅ Have I acknowledged limitations transparently?
✅ Have I suggested realistic directions for future research?
📌 Final Thoughts
Writing the Discussion is about making meaning from your data and showing how your work fits into the bigger scholarly conversation. It’s your chance to move from what you found to why it matters.
Approach it not as a summary, but as a bridge—connecting evidence, theory, and impact.