Chapter 5
Discussion, Recommendations and study Summary
Checklist:
☐ Begin with the first sentence of the problem and purpose statement that leads to a brief explanation of the organization of the literature review. Copy verbatim from Chapter 1.
☐ Provide a brief review of methodology, design, results, and limitations.
☐ Conclude with a brief overview of the chapter
Discussion
Checklist:
☐ Organize the discussion around the major findings. Support all the conclusions with one or more findings from the study.
☐ Discuss any factors that might have influenced the interpretation of the results.
☐ Present the results in the context of the study by describing the extent to which they address the study problem and purpose and contribute to the existing literature and framework described in Chapter 2.
☐ Describe the extent to which the results are consistent with existing research and theory and provide potential explanations for unexpected or divergent results.
☐ Identify the most significant implications and consequences of the dissertation (whether positive and/or negative) to society/desired societal outcomes and distinguish probable from improbable implications.
☐ Emphasize what the results of the study mean with respect to previous research and either theory (PhD studies) or practice (applied studies) and how well the study addressed the research problem.
Recommendations for Practice
Checklist:
☐ Discuss recommendations for how the results of the study can be applied to practice and/or theory. Support all the recommendations with at least one finding from the study and frame them in the literature from Chapter 2. No new literature should be introduced. If you refer to the literature in this section, it should be included in Chapter 2.
☐ Do not overstate the applicability of the findings.
Recommendations for Future Research
Checklist:
☐ Based on the framework, findings, and implications, explain what future researchers might do to learn from and build upon this study. Justify these explanations.
☐ Discuss how future researchers can improve upon this study, given its limitations.
☐ Explain what the next logical step is in this line of research.
Study Summary
Checklist:
☐ Provide a strong, concise conclusion to include a summary of the study, the problem addressed, and the importance of the study.
☐ Present the “take-home message” of the entire study.
