# Write the discussion and limitations section of my paper

Drafts a discussion that interprets results honestly, connects them to prior work, and states limitations without undermining the paper.

- Topic: Writing & Editing
- Framework: RTF
- Level: Standard
- Tags: Research, Write, Analyze, Fill-in Template
- Source: https://www.thinkwithprompt.com/prompts/write-the-discussion-and-limitations-section-of-my-paper

## Prompt

```text
Help me write the discussion section of my paper.

**Research question and hypotheses:** [DETAILS]
**Main results:** [PASTE key findings with numbers]
**Prior work my results agree or disagree with:** [PAPERS and what they found]
**Design and data limitations I know of:** [DETAILS]
**Implications I see:** [for theory, practice, policy]
**Word limit:** [NUMBER]

Structure:
1. Open with a direct answer to the research question in 2-3 sentences.
2. Interpret each main finding: what it means, how it compares with prior work, and plausible explanations, including alternatives to my preferred one.
3. Unexpected or null results: discuss them, do not bury them.
4. Limitations: for each, state its likely direction and size of impact on the conclusions, and what was done to reduce it. Be specific, not boilerplate.
5. Implications, scaled to the strength of the evidence (no causal claims from correlational data, no generalizing beyond the sample).
6. Future research: 2-3 specific next studies, not "more research is needed".
7. A concise conclusion paragraph.

Only cite papers I listed; mark other needed support as [CITE]. After the draft, list any sentence where the claim goes beyond the results.
```

## What to fill in

- DETAILS
- PASTE key findings with numbers
- PAPERS and what they found
- for theory, practice, policy
- NUMBER
- CITE

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