Present your results clearly. Either summarize them or categorize the most important results logically. In empirical works, results are usually presented in a separate chapter. In qualitative research, however, results and your interpretation (discussion) are often closely linked, so it may be useful to present them together.

Discussion of results

Ensure that the reader can follow your argument by critically reflecting on your own results, considering possible objections, and discussing them.

In empirical works, you should show how the results relate to each other and which principles can be identified. Address exceptions and consider how they should be interpreted. In all instances, you should show how your results differ from or confirm the findings of others.

The readers are first to notice whether texts “work”. Go to a writing consultation, ask your fellow students, or join a writing group to get feedback on your text. Discussing your results with others will make it easier to discuss them in your paper.

The discussion of your results is a mandatory part of the structure of a scientific paper.

Frequently asked questions

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Purpose of the discussion

In the discussion, you assess what your results mean, to what extent you have achieved your objectives, and what recommendations may arise from your results.

By assessing, we do not mean your personal opinion, but rather a fact-based interpretation of your results and their classification.

“In experimental and theoretical theses, the discussion is the most important part of the paper: This is where it becomes clear whether you can interpret data, answer open questions based on measurements, identify problems, identify causes, highlight shortcomings, and raise new questions. This chapter is your chance to convince the examiners of your competence.”

– Prof. Dr. Michael Zwanger

How to write your discussion

1. You assess your results by taking the experimental conditions into account and conducting an error analysis.
2. You also establish the connection between the results and the theory, and explain possible deviations from any existing theoretical predictions. This is followed by a comparison with experimental results from research.
3. Finally, you relate all previous chapters to each other so that you can derive consequences for research or development. The results of other authors are used to confirm your own findings or to highlight new insights. Recommendations for action may also be given.

“In development theses, this part is not necessarily required as a separate chapter; the content may be more appropriately distributed among the surrounding chapters without having to introduce an explicit “Discussion” chapter.”

– Prof. Dr. Matthias Hopf

The discussion is (except in development theses) a mandatory part of The Structure of a Thesis in Engineering and Natural Sciences.

Frequently asked questions

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In most cases, this means you will need to prepare a large amount of data graphically and/or in tables, as well as statistically. In addition, you must also put the results into words.

It is not necessary to discuss every single value in detail. The text is intended rather to summarize what can be seen in the figures and tables. Extensive tables and figures should be placed in an appendix.

“Your results section should still be correct in fifty years. Your discussion, on the other hand, may be completely different in fifty years because you will have different, new information that casts your results in a new light.”

– Prof. Dr. Ronald Schmidt-Vollus

In development work, the focus is often on testing. Depending on the work, however, an (additional) results chapter can also be helpful.

The results section is a mandatory part of The Structure of a Thesis in Engineering and Natural Sciences.

Frequently asked questions

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Present the state of the art in detail using the following sources: scholarly articles, patents, competitor analyses, standards, guidelines.

This is where your literature review comes in.

You can describe related work that answers the research question in a different way or examines similar questions in the same way. If, due to your topic, you work with specific devices or systems, you should explain how they function.

If predecessors of your research question or task have already been addressed in previous theses, and your work builds on that knowledge, it makes sense to describe the connection to these works. Such works do not necessarily have to be completed; they may also be ongoing in parallel.

The state of the art is a mandatory part of The Structure of a Thesis in Engineering and Natural Sciences.

Frequently asked questions

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