General Discussion (2024)

FAQs

How do you properly answer a discussion question? ›

To come up with a polished response to a discussion question, write out your answer like it's a mini-essay. Restate what the question asked including a thesis statement in the first few sentences. Your thesis statement is just a sentence that sums up the main points you plan to talk about.

In exams there are often essay-style “Discuss” questions. These expect answers that are mini-essays with introduction and conclusions and an argument looking at evidence both for and against the side ultimately taken. How long an answer is expected in an exam would depend on the number of marks allocated.

Thus, we can say that the Results and Discussion sections include the answers to your research question. In the Results section, you include the findings of your experiments, and in the Discussion section, you analyze these findings and explain how they answer the research question that you started out with.

Discussions are conversations about a topic and can be a collection of comments around a particular topic. Questions on the other hand are looking for a specific question and the asker can mark the best answer. They are posted the same but have different goals.

Putting forward different points of view is an important part of any discussion. Others may disagree with your ideas, and they are entitled to do so. Never try to intimidate or insult another speaker or ridicule the contribution of others. Don't use comments like 'that's stupid' or 'you're wrong'.

Take in the information (i.e. in what you have read, heard, seen or done). Comprehend the key points, assumptions, arguments and evidence presented. Examine how these key components fit together and relate to each other. Explore the similarities, differences between the ideas you are reading about.

Personal reflections: “What do you think about ___?” “How do you feel about ___?” Past experiences: “In the past, how have you responded when ___?” “Have you ever had an experience where ___?”

A good rule of thumb is to aim for approximately 1500 words. When a discussion is too long, the reader often loses sight of the main message of the study. Therefore, to keep the reader engaged and provide a convincing argument, an attempt should be made to be as concise as possible.

Essentials of concluding

When concluding, it is essential to moderate the discussion back to its key topic, thus keeping it on track. You also have to make sure to be convincing in your conclusion note. The key is to make use of your body language by displaying the right posture with firm eye contact.

How do you clearly answer a question? ›

Understand the Question: Read or Listen and grasp the question's core meaning. Summarize Key Points: Identify and condense the main elements of the question. Plan Your Response: Outline the structure of your answer, noting key ideas. Concise Opening: Start with a clear, direct response to the question.

Ask a specific question, one that won't have an obvious right answer, likely in one of the following categories. Personal reflections: “What do you think about ___?” “How do you feel about ___?” Past experiences: “In the past, how have you responded when ___?” “Have you ever had an experience where ___?”

Identify the purpose of your question and plan to ask it at an appropriate time. For example, introductory questions may ask students to recall factual material or comprehend difficult ideas in the reading while higher-order questions may ask students to apply, analyze, synthesize, or evaluate the material.