Writing the Discussion Section
Aside from the introduction, this is the part of the essay that allows you to present your opinion. Approach this section as if you’re a lawyer giving a final argument at the end of a trial. Briefly go over the evidence that you’d presented throughout your essay, and then explain how that evidence leads to your conclusion.
Basically, here’s what readers are looking for in this section:
- You should start by restating your research question, and then clearly and succinctly summarize the evidence you’ve presented in the body of the paper.
- Then, describe the conclusions to which the evidence has led, and explain how the evidence has led to those conclusions.
- Cite some studies that were most influential in leading to your conclusions.
- Include a description of the limitations of the study - that is to say, no one research paper can answer ALL of the questions associated with a topic, so let me know what conclusions you were NOT able to reach, and why. (For example, maybe the studies you’ve presented have noticeable confounders, or the technology you’re describing is so new that more time is needed so that researchers can conduct additional studies on the topic.)
The conclusion paragraph is the last paragraph of your paper.
Use your conclusion to reaffirm for your audience why the points you’d brought up in the body of your essay support your conclusions (logos). Describe possible impact of the study on 1) the study’s discipline and 2) others outside of the discipline, and offer a call to action or a call for further research. Answer the question: What variables should be changed in further research in order to produce a study that either answers the questions left by your essay, or builds upon the knowledge developed by your Literature Review?
Ready to write the paper?
Follow the links below for in-depth tutorials on each section of the literature review!
Literature Reviews
Explore the purpose, structure, and key features of a literature review and learn how it contributes to scholarly research.
Introductions
Learn how to establish the topic, context, scope, and purpose of the review.
Problem Statements
Learn to identify the problem, gap, tension, or unanswered question that makes further investigation necessary.
Research Design & Methods
Learn to explain how sources were located, selected, evaluated, or analyzed when the type of literature review calls for a systematic approach.
Synthesis
Bring sources into conversation by identifying patterns, relationships, disagreements, developments, and gaps across the literature.
Abstracts
Give readers a concise overview of the review's purpose, approach, major findings, and significance.