What’s the difference between the Results and Discussion?
The Results and the Discussion both interpret the research, but not in the same manner:
| Results | Discussion | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Answer the research questions by identifying patterns in the data | Contribute knowledge by arguing why your interpretation is the best current interpretation |
| Interprets | The data | The findings: the patterns you identified in the Results |
| In the context of | Your research question | Existing research (i.e., the literature) |
| Reader’s question | What did you find? | What does it mean, and why should I believe your reading? |
Some journals combine the two into one “Results and Discussion”. The difference still applies; it just happens inside one section.
What is more important, Results or Discussion?
It depends on the type of research you do and how much uncertainty there is in your data. If your results are very solid and move the field forward, a shorter Discussion may be enough. If there is a lot of uncertainty, or your research is more about interpreting and classifying, you might need a much more substantial Discussion. Or perhaps your Methods are the star of the show. It all depends.
See also: What is a paper to learn more about what your paper is meant to contribute.
A short example
Using the tree example from the Describing findings page, this belongs in the Results:
Species C had the highest breaking strength (60 N), even though it has the smallest canopy and the highest water needs (Table 1).
Whereas this belongs in the Discussion:
Species C, while it has the highest water needs and smallest canopy, had the highest breaking strength and hence a greater ability to withstand strong winds.
Or if the Results and Discussion were combined:
Species C, while it has the highest water needs and smallest canopy, had the highest breaking strength (60 N, Table 1) and hence a greater ability to withstand strong winds.
Why is there no literature in this example?
Because the example would become too long. Similarly, the current conclusion (“hence a greater ability to withstand strong winds”) would not be written like this in an actual Discussion; it’s too definitive.
For an in-depth explanation of how to discuss your findings and write a Discussion, see:
- Discussion repeats Results
- Discussing Limitations
- more to be added