How do I approach the discussion (interpretation)?

Main section: How do I structure my paper?
Previous questions in this section:
- What should be covered by ...?
Further questions in this sections:
- Why summarise the main body?
- How do I draw up the conclusion?

The chapter on discussion is aimed at linking the theoretical framework that has been established in the theory chapter to your own observations (results, lines of reasoning), and writing down your own conclusions. As the author and researcher, you now take charge and condense your study/analysis to make your point.

For empirical papers: Here, discussion and interpretation are synonymous, as it is difficult to discuss a topic without interpreting the knowledge obtained from the data. The discussion is aimed at interpreting your results, taking into account your research question and the theoretical framework you have defined in the theory chapter. The discussion is an opportunity for you to present your results and point out the interactions between the insights (data) obtained that you have observed during the analysis. Your readers are interested in your interpretation of the findings (data) with reference to your theoretical explanations.

Use the discussion chapter to describe your conclusions and provide arguments that support the 'correctness' of your considerations. Address your conjectures and the (hypo)theses derived from them and comment on how they are connected and how the research question can be answered by linking your analysis with the research question and your theoretical approach.

Checklist

Have you introduced the discussion by addressing the preliminary results from the analysis chapter?
Have you clearly and systematically presented the (inter)actions you have observed?
Have you linked them, step by step, with the theory?
Have you commented on your observations and interpreted them?
Have you examined your observations in conjunction with each other?
Have you included examples of what you have analysed (data, text segments, etc.) to support your arguments and make your interpretation comprehensible to your readers?
Have you used your observations to develop a line of reasoning in order to answer your research question?
Have you made a general statement on your observations that can be explained by the theory?

For theoretical papers: For theoretical papers: In the discussion chapter, you present the lines of reasoning of the theories applied, as well as the way in which you have used them. Starting from the research question, you describe the key elements of the individual theories and discuss them by way of synthesis (combination): You explain the research question by means of the different theoretical perspectives provided by the individual theories. This explanation includes a sequence of arguments for or against the research question or key theses. Use the discussion chapter to draw conclusions and highlight your results.

Check list

Have you briefly described all theories studied?
Have you described the key arguments of the theories you have studied?
Have you described all the criteria and parameters of your study?
Have you critically presented the positions of the theories?
Have you linked your insights to the research question?
Have you provided examples (text segments) to support your arguments?