英文科技论文写作HOW-to-WRITE-Discussion

TheheartofthepaperDiscussion12/21/20201�Itmayseemobviousthatascientificdocumentisincompletewithouttheinterpretationofthewriter;itmaynotbesoobviousthatthedocumentcannotexistwithouttheinterpretationofeachreader.G.D.GopenandJ.A.Swan12/21/20202�DiscussionAlwayswritethediscussionforthereaderthefocusshouldbetohelpthereaderunderstandthestudyandthehighlightshouldbeonthestudydata.12/21/2020312/21/2020Discussion:TheElements1.Statethestudy’smajorfindings2.Explainthemeaningandimportanceofthefindings3.Relatethefindingstothoseofsimilarstudies4.Statethetheoreticalorpracticalrelevanceorimplicationofthefindings5.Acknowledgethestudy’slimitations6.Makesuggestionsforfurtherresearch7.Givethe“take-homemessage”intheformofaconclusion12/21/2020412/21/2020StatethemajorfindingsInthefirstparagraph：Begin(withastatementofthemajorfindingsAdirect,declarative,succinctproclamationShouldnotincludeanydataBegin:Ourresultsconfirmthat…Ourfindingssuggestthat…Thedatashowthat…Inthisstudy,wefoundthat...12/21/2020512/21/2020ExplainthemeaningandimportanceofthefindingsNoonehasthoughtaslongandashardaboutyourstudyasyouhave.Asthepersonwhoconceived,designed,andconductedthestudy,themeaningoftheresultsandtheirimportanceseemobvioustoyou,butthefindingsmightnotbesoclearforthereaderswhoreadyourpaperforthefirsttime.Whatdothefindingsmean?Whyaretheyimportant?“Thatmakeperfectsense!”(Whydidn’tIthinkofthis?)12/21/2020612/21/2020Alwaysremember:IntroductionBroadSpecificDiscussionSpecificBroadMovesfromthenarrowspecificfocusoftheresearchtoamoregeneralview12/21/2020YourfindingsYourgoals/objectivesYourconclusions/futureworksTheimportance/significanceofYourfindingsLimitationsRelatetoexpectationsandtoliteratureProvethehypotheses/AnsweredquestionsMakeexplanationscompleteDiscusstheresultsinthesameorderasinthe“Results”onebyoneExplainhowyourresultsrelatetoexpectationsandtoliteraturecitedinyourIntroductionGiveevidenceforeachconclusion.DiscusspossiblereasonsforexpectedandunexpectedfindingsWhethertheexperimentsprovethehypotheseswithevidence(results).Dotheyagree,contradict,oraretheyexceptionstotherule?12/21/2020812/21/2020RelatethefindingstosimilarstudiesIsyourstudysonovel?(norelationtootherstudies?）No！Then,relateyourfindingstoothers.Previousfindings:StimulatedyourstoFillagap,Correcttheirerrors,inventanewmethod,…Supportyours–strengththeimportanceofyourstudiesOurfinding/resultisassociatedwith/similarto,differentfrom…(others’…)12/21/2020912/21/2020AlternativeExplanationsoftheFindingsRememberthatthepurposeofresearchistodiscoverandnottoprove.Don’tfallintothetrap–toproveCarefullyconsiderallpossible,alternativeexplanationsforyourresults12/21/20201012/21/2020Acknowledgethestudy’slimitationsStudies:flaws,fatalflaws?Eventhebeststudiesinthemostprestigiousjournalshavelimitations!ShouldknowthelimitationsinyourstudiesthatmightcauseproblemsandpossibleexplanationDonothideweakresultsbehindbadwritingBesuretoexplainwhyresultsareweakerthanyouexpectedWeusedonly….Futureresearchshouldinclude/do…(differently,usedifferent…,usemore…)12/21/20201112/21/2020SuggestionsforFurtherResearchYouonlyansweredsomequestions,othersrelatedtothissubjectmayremain‘unanswered’YoushouldmakesuggestionsforfurtherstudiesandgiveafutureperspectiveMakerecommendations,discussfutureworkOursubjectthatremaintobeexploredishowto…Morestudiesin…areneeded…12/21/20201212/21/2020Take-HomeMessage:ConclusionsWhatisthe“take-homemessage”?Whatdoyouwantthereadertorememberfromyourstudy?Thetake-homemessageshouldbethefirstsentenceoftheconclusionssection.12/21/20201312/21/2020DiscussionThesameinformationcanhavedifferentmeaningsorsignificancestodifferentpeople-brainstorming12/21/20201412/21/2020DiscussionHowdoyourresultsfitintoabroadercontext?Suggestthetheoreticalimplicationsofyourresults.SuggestpracticalapplicationsofyourresultsExtendyourfindingstoothersituationsorotherspeciesGivethebigpicture:doyourfindingshelpusunderstandabroadertopic?12/21/20201512/21/2020Freetoexplainwhattheresultsmeanorwhytheydifferfromwhatotherworkershavefound.Shouldinterpretyourresultsinlightofotherpublishedresults,byaddingadditionalinformationfromsourcesyoucitedintheIntroductionsectionaswellasbyintroducingnewsources.RelateyourdiscussionbacktotheobjectivesandquestionsyouraisedintheIntroductionsection.Limityourconclusionstothosethatyourdatacanactuallysupport.Youcanthenproceedtospeculateonwhythisoccurredandwhetheryouexpectedthistooccur,basedonotherworkers'findings.Suggestfuturedirectionsforresearch,newmethods,explanationsfordeviationsfrompreviouslypublishedresults,etc.Discussion:summary12/21/2020HowtoCiteSourcesintheDiscussionSectionItisimportanttocitesourcesinthediscussionsectionofyourpaperasevidenceoftheclaimsyouaremaking.Therearewaysofcitingsourcesinthetextsothatthereadercanfindthefullreferenceintheliteratureattheendofthepaper.12/21/2020The‘BullyPulpit’-AvoidDon’tcriticizeorattachotherstudiesorresearchersContrastyourfindingstoothersprofessionallyRemember,theymaybereviewingyourpaperAvoidoffendingpeople,unlessyoumu