SCIENTIFIC & TECHNICAL WRITING

The Discussion and Conclusions

Trapezoidal Organization

Broad
Introduction background

Theories &
Research method Narrow focus
Details
Results
Discussion
Broad
implications
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The Discussion

 Puts the results in their proper

scientific context
 Answers the question “So what?”
 Explains the significance of the
results
 Converts “information” into
“knowledge”

Technical Writing in English Discussion 3

 Discussion Elements
Reminders 1.  Reference to main
(narrow focus) objective, hypothesis, or
  research question.
2.  Review of the most
important findings.
Interpretations 3. Justifications
(broaden focus) 4. Limitations
5. Comparisons
6. Validations
7. Explanations
Implications 8. Generalizations
(further broaden 9. Significance
focus) 10. Recommendations
 

Technical Writing in English Discussion 4

Typical Discussion Elements

 Specific reference to the present study:

1.  Reference to main purpose or hypotheses or
research questions
2.  Review of the most important findings
3.  Limitations and justifications:
* Demonstration of self-consistency (e.g., with model
assumptions)
* Demonstration of statistical validity
* Limitations of technique and their implications
(e.g., bandwidth of instrument  high frequency
components, if existent, cannot be observed)
Technical Writing in English Discussion 5
Typical Discussion Elements
continued

Specific reference to the present study

(continued)
4.  Comparisons
* Between different elements of the
present study
* With previous works (between
various theories, between various
experiments, between experiment
and theory, or theory and
experiment)
Technical Writing in English Discussion 6
Typical Discussion Elements
continued

 General statements
5. Implications and generalizations
6. Recommendations
* For future research
* Practical applications
 Discussion starts with specific
statements re. present study, and
diverges towards more general
statements
Technical Writing in English Discussion 7
 Author’s attitude
Sliding scale of certainty for explanations and implications:
category use key words example

speculation idea or ideas that may, “A possible

come to mind possible, explanation is
conceivably that the
specimen may
be heated by the
process.”
likely some evidence suggests, “The increased
supports this idea indicates electrical
conductivity
suggests that
the sample is
heated by the
process.”
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 Sliding scale of certainty
very likely substantial evidence is consistent, “The increased
supports this idea strongly electrical
suggest conductivity as well
as the increased
radiance, strongly
indicate that the
sample is heated by
the process.”
most likely There is more most likely “The most likely
evidence and/or explanation for the
theoretical support for increased electron
this idea than any emission is sample
other existing idea heating by the
process.”
proven All possible proven, “Thus it was proven
explanations are on proves, proof, that the increased
the table, and a shown, electron emission is
decisive test indicates demonstrated caused by process
that this idea and only sample heating.”
this idea explains the
observation
Technical Writing in English Discussion 9
 Complex Structure in Discussion
Statements

Main Clause THAT Noun Clause

(researcher’s   (information)
position)

Thus it was proven that the increased

electron emission
is caused by
process sample
heating.

Technical Writing in English Discussion 10

 Verb Tense

•Simple Past – common in specific references to current study

sentence Example
type
Refer to “The objective of the present study was to
purpose correlate systolic anomalies with genetic
factors.”
Refer to “It was initially expected that instabilities
hypothesis would be observed above a threshold
voltage.”
Refer to “However, constant output was observed
findings for the entire range of parameters
investigated.”
Technical Writing in English Discussion 11
 Verb Tense - explanations and
limitations
condition tense example

generally present “Increased nitrogen incorporation produces

applicable harder coatings.”

restricted past “The increased coating hardness was the

to this result of increased nitrogen incorporation.”
study

speculative modal “The increased coating hardness may have

auxil. been the result of increased nitrogen
incorporation.”

Technical Writing in English Discussion 12

 Verb Tense continued

 Comparisons – use the present tense.

 Example: “The present results disagree
with Smith’s earlier findings [23].”
 General statements (explanations,
implications) – present, modal auxiliaries,
tentative verbs.
 Examples:
 The present results demonstrate the necessity of
controlling the axial magnetic field.
 The increased throughput observed here may be caused
by the more efficient packing and unpacking operations.
 It is likely that further improvements can be obtained by
placing acoustic absorbers on the partitions between
firing positions, as well as on the ceiling and floors.

Technical Writing in English Discussion 13

No New Results in
Discussion!
 Don’t introduce “new” results in the Discussion !!!
 The discussion should discuss results
 Presented earlier in the paper, or
 In the literature (with a specific reference).
 Don’t put forward “new” facts in the discussion!!!
 Don’t “pull rabbits out of the hat”.

Technical Writing in English Discussion 14

Conclusions

 May be the concluding paragraph of

the discussion, or
A separate section, entitled
“Conclusions”, or “Conclusions and
Recommendations”
 Should be very short (1-2
paragraphs in a paper, 0.5-2 pages
in a thesis.
Technical Writing in English Discussion 15
Conclusions continued

 Should be self-contained
 No references
 either internal (e.g. see Fig. 3)
 or external (e.g. …Smith [3])

 Recommendations or suggestions
for further work
 Must be firmly based on the present work.

Technical Writing in English Discussion 16

 Conclusions – “do’s”
 Summarize the most important results, and
their implications.
 Remember - this is a summary.
 The implications should have been developed and
discussed in the Discussion.
 Think in terms of 3 things you want the reader
to remember.
 The conclusions should contain the answer to
the “research question”
 Or an “admission of failure”, (in which case
perhaps the paper should be rewritten around a
more modest research question).
Technical Writing in English Discussion 17
Conclusions – “don’ts”
 Don’t repeat objectives or methodology.
 Don’t use indicative sentences.
 Example: “The acoustic pressure generated by
firing various weapons was measured.”
 No “new” information – this section should
summarize results and ideas which are
presented and developed in detail in previous
sections (i.e. results and discussion).

Technical Writing in English Discussion 18

 Compatibility of the Research
Question, Gap Statement,
Objectives and Conclusions
 RQ, gap, objective, value statement (when
included) and answer to the RQ (in
Conclusions) must be mutually compatible.
 Research Question (RQ) is the research
objective expressed as a one sentence
question.
 Demands an answer,
 Must be a grammatical question, ending with
"?"
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Compatibility of RQ, Gap,
Objectives and Conclusions
(Continued)

 The Gap Statement explicitly states

what was not done previously or
what was wrong in previous work,
using a negative word (not, never,
etc.)
 The Objective states the purpose of
the work
 Answer the research question
 Fill the gap

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Compatibility of RQ, Gap,
Objectives and Conclusions
(Continued)

 The optional value statement is an

outgrowth of all of these elements.
 Describes the potential benefit of research
 Answers “so what?”
 Conclusions must explicitly and
informatively
 Answer the RQ
 Fill in the gap.

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