1. APA Writing Style III
Discussion Section

2. Parts of the Discussion
Restate findings
Narrow implications
Broad implications
Future directions
Closing
Specific
General

3. Discussion: Restate findings
Remind reader of:
Main question or topic
hypothesis
whether hypothesis was supported or not

4. Discussion: Narrow implications
Link theory and research from literature review to your findings
Do your results support past research? Contradict it? What do your results mean in relation to past studies?
If findings significant:
Why your theory is useful in explaining results
If not significant:
What does this mean for the theory?
Possible explanations for ns results
Strengths and limitations of your study

5. Discussion: Broad implications
How might your results effect the world
People’s lives
How we think
Therapy or treatment
Intervention strategies

6. Discussion: Future directions
For your research, given the results of your study
What other studies would you do if you were to continue in this area
What changes might you make in your next study, given what you learned from this one

7. Discussion: Closing
End your paper with one or a few general thoughts, like those of the opening of the introduction
Main point learned
How study can impact behavior and human life

8. Discussion: What not to include
Anything numeric (e.g., more results)
Statements of certainty
You know why something occurred
The causal relationship between variables
Your hypothesis/theory is correct
Statements that are not supported by your results
Statements that are not explained