ABSTRACT
The last section of a research article typically has the heading Discussion. However, expect to see variations such as Conclusion, Discussion and Conclusions, Discussion and Limitations, Conclusions and Implications, or Summary and Implications. The Discussion section of a lengthy research article should also often reiterate the highlights of the findings of the study. Although the methodological limitations may be discussed at any point in a research report, they are often discussed under the subheading Limitations within the Discussion section at the end of research reports. The literature referred to in the Discussion section should be limited to that originally cited in the introduction. If a study finds something very unusual or unexpected, such findings could merit mentioning additional literature sources in the Discussion section. If a study was introduced as theory-driven, it is appropriate to describe how the current results affect interpretation of the theory in the Discussion section at the end of the research article.
