What is the role of the discussion section?

• A. Places findings into the context of the existing literature.
• B. Introduces the topic.
• C. Describes the methods in detail.
• D. Publishes data tables.

Answer: (A)

The discussion section interprets what the results mean and connects them to what previous research has found. It explains whether the findings support or challenge existing theories, discusses the implications for theory, practice, or policy, and shows how this study adds to the current literature. It also acknowledges limitations that might affect how broadly the results apply and suggests directions for future research. This is different from the introduction, which sets up the topic and background, and from the methods section, which details how the study was conducted, or from the results section, which presents the data. So the discussion’s role is to place the findings in the context of the existing literature.