DISCUSSION

What goes in a Discussion? OVERVIEW (6 paragraphs) Paragraph 1: Summary of results Paragraph 2: Summary of additional analyses (optional) Paragraph 3: Compare results to predictions Paragraph 4: Compare results to previous research Paragraph 5: Flaws and limitations of your study Paragraph 6: Summary and ideas for further research

Q1 How many paragraphs should a good Discussion have?

What goes in a Discussion? PARAGRAPH 1: SUMMARY OF RESULTS Very briefly describe your main manipulation Summarize the main result(s), but less technically than in the Results section (no numbers, no stats, etc.) Imagine the reader jumped straight to this paragraph after opening your paper – can they understand it? Typical reading trajectory: Abstract -> 1st paragraph of Intro -> last paragraph of Intro -> Figure -> first paragraph of Discussion -> last paragraph of Discussion

Q2 What’s the point of the summary paragraph?

What goes in a Discussion? PARAGRAPH 2: SUMMARY OF ADDITIONAL ANALYSES (OPTIONAL) Any additional interesting results you noticed, outside of your main 2 x 2 analysis Additional DVs?

Q3 What could go into the 2nd paragraph?

What goes in a Discussion? PARAGRAPH 3: COMPARE RESULTS TO PREDICTIONS Cross-check with last paragraph of intro! Did your results match your original prediction? If not, then why not?

Q4 In the 3rd paragraph, what do you compare your results to?

What goes in a Discussion? PARAGRAPH 4: COMPARE RESULTS TO PREVIOUS RESEARCH How do your results relate to the paper(s) that you described in detail in the Introduction? Similarities and differences between their results and yours How do your results relate to some of the other studies that you mentioned in the Introduction? Your results supported those of some studies, but not others

Q5 In the 4th paragraph, what do you compare your results to?

What goes in a Discussion? PARAGRAPH 5: FLAWS AND LIMITATIONS OF YOUR STUDY Are there any limitations to your study? Examples include: Flaws in your design (e.g. confounds!) Your tests being too easy/too difficult (=ceiling/floor effects) Not being able to generalize your results (e.g., only males showed up) Better ways of measuring the constructs you were interested in Better ways of manipulating your independent variable Small sample size (note WHY this is important)

Q6 List 3 possible flaws your study could have

What goes in a Discussion? PARAGRAPH 6: SUMMARY AND IDEAS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH Summarize your results (yes, again, but do not copy from previous parts of the paper) Ideas for further research Imagine you were going to run one more study - what would you do? E.g., change the test, change the manipulation Improvements New directions the research could take

Q7 What do you need to do in the last paragraph, even though you’ve already done it in a previous paragraph?

REMINDERS Discussion drafts are due on Wed 12/7 (last day of class) Feedback can be picked up from my office on Fri 12/9 NO FEEDBACK ON LATE DRAFTS!!! Submit through Turnitin AND bring a printed copy to class on the day Bring Powerpoint draft to next Wednesday’s class (Wed 11/30) for practice with TA Send me the Powerpoint draft by Fri 12/2 for final edits