How to Structure a Thesis Discussion Chapter That Actually Answers Your Research Questions

Discussion is the part of your thesis that is easiest to get wrong. Most students write their discussion chapter based on their findings without asking a crucial question: how do these results relate to my research questions? This is the point where many thesis writers start to stray away from their original research questions and simply re-state their results.

How to properly structure a discussion chapter

When you begin drafting your discussion, make sure to first outline your research questions or hypotheses on a separate page, and then address each of them in turn. Any information that does not relate to your research questions should be moved to your results chapter.

Do not forget to interpret your results

One way to tell if you are doing this correctly is to ask yourself if you are able to go beyond simply reiterating your results. Your discussion should not simply repeat your findings, it should interpret them, including how they compare to what existing studies in your field have found.

Clarify contradictions

Make sure that you do not overlook any contradictions. If you have evidence that contradicts previous research, do not try to conceal it, if anything, highlight it. Discuss why this contradiction might exist (whether it's down to your methodology, the context of your study, or your sample) and what it means for your own conclusions.

Close each section with implications, not repetition

Finally, do not forget to close each section by explaining what your findings mean for theory, practice, or future research, rather than repeating what has already been said in the preceding paragraphs.