How to Write a Discussion for an APA Style Paper

American Psychological Association style is the format of choice for writers of scientific research papers. Typically, APA-style papers are broken down into a standardized set of sections, allowing readers to easily understand and access the information contained in the report. One of the most important sections of an APA-style paper is the discussion section, where the results of your experiment are analyzed.

Write a brief paragraph which summarizes the results of your experiment or study. Do not use overly technical language or include specifics in this section.

Write a paragraph which analyzes your results. Discuss whether or not your results support your hypothesis, and any larger implications or consequences of your work.

Write a paragraph which discusses any inconsistencies in your experiment. This paragraph should include possible sources of error and instances of inconsistent or inconclusive data. Also mention any followup questions which arose as a result of your work, and possible further experiments that could or should be conducted.

Conclude the discussion section with a short summary that emphasizes the overarching significance of the experiment.