ABSTRACT
Th e functions of the discussion section of an original research paper (sometimes divided into discussion and conclusions, and sometimes referred to as ‘interpretation’) are to:
Th e discussion acts like a dialogue with interested readers, answering all the questions they are likely to ask. It is important to write the discussion carefully, because papers have been known to be rejected because of a poor discussion. As one reviewer said: ‘If authors do not know what their own results mean, it is not my job to tell them.’
