Discussion

The discussion section allows the researchers to qualify their results and to discuss areas of concern regarding their research and areas of further study that may be needed.  A good researcher will want to critique his or her own study before others do.  This provides the reader with a more qualitative understanding of the findings.  Shortcomings such as a lack of randomization, failure to use a control group, as well as many other issues, should be addressed and explained.  Not only does this show that the researcher didn’t just arbitrarily omit steps, but it may help future researchers improve upon the present study.

The results of the research and the relevance to the topic at large should also be addressed.  This is mainly to provide insight into what research might be completed in the future to either fix problems in the current study or advance the original theory.  The researcher is typically well versed in the topic of study, or at least should be, and can help lead the profession to further advancements and knowledge through his discussion of the current study.  The discussion section is the most qualitative part of a research report and therefore may be the most important section of the entire paper.