Storytelling tips, Part 4 – Discussion

First, let’s get the disclosures out of the way: There is no magic formula for writing the discussion section, as it very much depends on what your study found. 😄

🌟 However, one can’t overestimate the importance of having a good discussion section. Discussion puts the results into context and draws a bottom line under the manuscript.

❓ Was the study worth it?

❓ Did we learn something new?

❓ Will this new knowledge prove useful?

❓ If yes, for what or for whom?

🧐 You can be almost sure that when an expert in the field reads your article, they may skip the introduction, skim through the results, and carefully (and critically!) read the discussion section. A great discussion will go a long way in advancing your message.

💡 Before you start writing the discussion, think about the messages you want to communicate and how to get to them using clear, logical arguments.

Consider using the following structure (or generate your own outline that flows logically from point to point):

✅ Explain the results, highlighting a few key points: What was the most clinically meaningful finding of the study? What results were surprising or unexpected? If appropriate, include alternative explanations of the results.

✅ If you can, mention any generalisations or trends emerging from the study.

✅ Put the findings into context – how do they agree or disagree with previous research? If they disagree, is there an explanation (for example, the disagreement might be due to differences in demographics between studies)?

✅ Discuss the theoretical (or practical) implications of the results for key stakeholders – these may include physicians, patients, nurses, healthcare systems, etc.

✅ Outline study limitations.

End your discussion with one or two impactful conclusions. Ultimately, your conclusions section (or conclusions paragraph at the end of the discussion section) is a short summary of the study, no less important than the abstract. If the reader could take just one sentence from the whole manuscript, what would you like them to take home?

👇 here are a couple of additional do’s and don’t’s 👇