Centre for Nursing and Health Studies

A discussion paper is a formal discourse or exposition on a topic in which there is an exchange of views culled from the literature. A discussion paper differs from a position paper in that a discussion paper consists of the reasoned defense of your recommendations. In order to offer your own recommendations on an issue, you must present a variety of opinions or recommendations based on the literature. Your goal in writing a discussion paper is to formulate and share your own opinions so that your recommendations are a natural extension of your paper.

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Writing a Discussion Paper

There are a variety of things a discussion paper can aim to accomplish. Many features of good discussion writing invite comparison and contrast of specific authors, clinical practice, or different interpretations of a nursing issue, such as telehealth. Discussing the significance of both what is common and what is different will prompt you and the reader to new insights.

A good discussion paper is modest, and makes a small point, but it makes that point clearly and succinctly, and it offers good reasons in support of it. In other words, your paper must offer recommendations. It can't consist in the mere report of your opinions, nor in a mere report of the opinions of the authors you discuss.

A discussion paper usually begins by putting some thesis or argument on the table for consideration. Then it goes on to do one or two of the following:

• Criticize that argument; or show that certain arguments for the thesis are no good
• Defend the argument or thesis against someone else's criticism
• Offer reasons to believe the thesis
• Offer counter-examples to the thesis
• Contrast the strengths and weaknesses of two opposing views about the thesis
• Give examples which help explain the thesis, or which help to make the thesis more plausible
• Argue that certain authors are committed to the thesis by their other views, though they do not come out and explicitly endorse the thesis
• Discuss what consequences the thesis would have, if it were true
• Revise the thesis, in the light of some objection

Your paper has to show some independent thinking. Try to come up with your own arguments, or your own way of elaborating or criticizing or defending some issue we looked at in this course. Merely summarizing what others have said won't be enough.

Proposed Outline of a Discussion Paper

Introduction

• Briefly highlight the most salient points of your topic
• State your main thesis on the topic for discussion
  

Background

• Provide background information from the literature on your general topic area

Definition and Scope

• Provide a definition of your topic Outline the scope of the topic—does this affect all of Canada, or just your province or your health care region? Explain.
• How do nurses or the health care system factor into the topic?
  

Benefits and Challenges

• Describe the benefits to nurses or the health care system
• Describe the challenges that nurses [or other health care providers] face in this topic
• What does the literature say about the benefits and challenges?

Impact and Implications

• What is the impact on nurses or the health care system?
• How will this affect human resource management?
• What other implications do you foresee; what does the literature say about implications?

Recommendations

• What do you think needs to be done next?
• Who do you think should be involved?
• What are the recommendations from the literature?
• Would you agree or disagree with the literature and why?

Conclusion

• Restate your thesis
• Provide a summary of your recommendations

People very often attempt to accomplish too much in a discussion paper. The usual result of this is a paper that's hard to read, and which is full of inadequately defended and poorly explained claims. So don't be over-ambitious. Don't try to establish any earth-shattering conclusions in your paper.

Quotations

When a passage from a text is particularly useful in supporting your interpretation of some author's views, it may be helpful to quote the passage directly. (Be sure to specify where the passage can be found.) However, direct quotations should be used sparingly. It is seldom necessary to quote more than a few sentences. Often it will be more appropriate to paraphrase what X says, rather than to quote him directly. When you are paraphrasing what somebody else said, be sure to say so. (And here too, cite the pages you're referring to.)

Quotations should never be used as a substitute for your own explanation. And when you do quote an author, you still have to explain what the quotation says in your own words. If the quoted passage contains an argument, reconstruct the argument in more explicit, straightforward terms. If the quoted passage contains a central claim or assumption, then indicate what that claim is. You may want to give some examples to illustrate the author's point. If necessary, you may want to distinguish the author's claim from other claims with which it might be confused.

Grammar, Writing Style, and Editing

Spelling, punctuation, grammar, as well as the overall appearance and readability of the paper, will also significantly influence your grade. Every written product or presentation you turn out, now and in the future, will be judged on both its content and appearance. As such it will reflect directly on you as a professional and will influence the effectiveness of your presentation. Do not submit any paper that you would not be willing to give a client or your manager. Prepare your discussion paper carefully and turn in a quality product.

[Reference: Pryor, J. (2004). Guidelines on writing a philosphy paper. Princeton University.]