Checklist for Writing the Discussion of a Research Paper
Updated: Oct 1
Use this checklist to determine whether your research paper's discussion section contains all the elements it needs.
If you're still writing your paper, also see this article on crafting an effective discussion section from my Research Writing Guide.
☐ Have I briefly restated the main findings of my study in general terms?
☐ Have I explained whether each specific finding supports or contrasts with previous research and how it adds to the literature?
☐ If a finding contrasts with previous research, have I offered an explanation for the discrepancy?
Example: One possible explanation is that the present study examined only brief interactions between strangers, whereas Savitsky et al. (2001) and Collins and Miller (1994) examined various types of long-term relationships.
☐ Have I explained how my findings contribute to or change our understanding of the topic?
For example, do the current findings have any important implications for existing theories, models, or frameworks?
Example: Future theoretical models of the liking gap may benefit from examining the psychological processes underlying actual liking and perceived liking separately.
☐ Have I explained how my findings could be applied outside the specific setting of my study?
Could the findings inform real-world decisions, practices, policies, etc.?
Example: In addition to teaching basic social skills, programs designed to improve social connectedness could teach individuals to identify and challenge negative assumptions about how others perceive them.
☐ Have I clearly identified each limitation and explained how it may have affected my findings?
Example: The sample was drawn from a pool of university students from a single campus, and thus, the findings may not be generalizable to populations from other geographic regions or to younger and older age groups.
☐ Have I suggested specific ways that future research could address the limitations of my study?
☐ Is each suggestion for future research linked directly to a limitation?
☐ Have I directly answered my main research question or objective?
Example: The current study showed that the liking gap increased during initial interactions between strangers when the speaker engaged in a high level of self-disclosure.
☐ Have I highlighted the most important contribution of my study to the body of knowledge on my topic?
This contribution should be related to the research problem identified in the introduction section.
Example: The findings enhance the general understanding of the liking gap by highlighting the importance of considering both social behavior and individuals’ perceptions of that behavior when examining the development of interpersonal relationships.
Download Magnum Academic Editing's 40-point Research Paper Checklist, which covers all major sections of a standard research article.
