Principles of Discussion in Qualitative Educational Research

Section 1: Five Compoments Of Discussion

The discussion in qualitative educational research papers includes an explanation of the methods and findings, connection with the reviewed studies, implications for practice, policy and/or the theories, and the limitations of the study. The elements of the discussion should be consistent and integrated with all previous sections in such a way that each element offers information about the significance of the study from different angles. Additionally, the discussion should be presented in such a way that readers should be able to understand how each section of the study is meaningfully interrelated. As a result, the audience should get the answer to the “So what?” question. For example, it should be evident how the study contributes to the theory, methods, and findings of their research (Drotar, 2008; Sternberg & Gordeva, 2006). In this section the five elements that should be present in the discussion section are discussed.