Writing the Discussion

My friend, Nicholas, introduced this book called "How to write and publish a scientific paper" by Barbara Gastel and Robert A. Day to me. It's been one of my favourite writing books, even though it's science, rather than social science, focused. I had always found scientist to be more direct and clearer than social scientists. (Ops! Sorry about that!)

Okay, now, so these are the essential features and components of a good discussion, quoted directly from the 8th edition of the book (p. 76).

1. Try to present the principles, relationships, and generalizations shown by the results. And bear in mind, in a good discussion, you discuss - you do not recapitulate - the results.
2. Point out any exceptions or any lack of correlation and define unsettled points. Never take the high-risk alternative of trying to cover up or fudge data that do not quite fit in.
3. Show how your results and interpretations agree (or contrast) with previously published work.
4. Don't be shy; discuss the theoretical implications of your work, as well as any possible practical applications. 
5. State your conclusions as clearly as possible.
6. Summarize your evidence for each conclusion. Or, as the wise old scientist will tell you, "Never assume anything except a 4-percent mortgage." 

Gastel, B. and Day, R. A. (2016) How to write and publish a scientific paper. 8th edition. Santa Barbara: Greenwood