Discussing discursive discussions

Discussions are an important part of medical education research papers, but there is little guidance on how to write up the discussion section. A good discussion section should relate closely to the results; it should include a balanced review of the strengths and weaknesses of the study; it should be realistic in evaluating the applicability of the results; and it should mention the feasibility of widespread adoption of the intervention. This paper describes a review of the discussion sections of research papers published in Medical Education. The review led to further discussion. Common errors in writing discussion sections include: minimising the weaknesses of a study or exaggerating its strengths; closing down debate too early or opening up new arguments at too late a stage; and getting carried away by the potential of technology or getting very carried away by the potential of technology. Some discussions can be too long, but restricted word counts keep abstracts mercifully short.