what to write in the conclusion of your thesis

Definition: Conclusion

The conclusion is the final paragraph of an essay, research paper, bachelor's thesis, or master's thesis. Instead of the term conclusion, synonymous expressions similar results, résumé, consequence, or bottom line may be used.

The principal objective of a conclusion is to provide an answer/resolution to the inquiry question posed in the introduction. Moreover, the conclusion makes clear how the paper makes a valuable contribution to a particular field of research. Additionally, weaknesses are mentioned and discussed, and conclusions are drawn which lead to suggestions for future research.

FAQs

What is a determination?

A conclusion is the last section or paragraph in any slice of academic writing work. It basically summarizes the main results, findings or central ideas of the writing. Depending on the type of thesis or study that you're writing, the determination may exist a call to action designed to motivate readers. Nonetheless, the main purpose of nigh conclusions is to summarize what was learned throughout the report/thesis.

How long is a conclusion?

How long your conclusion is, depends on the length of your academic work. As a dominion of thumb, the determination should generally make up 5%-10% of your word count.

Calculated based on the total length of the research paper:
• Short research papers: one page (approximately)
• Bachelor'southward and primary'southward thesis : three to five text pages

What do I demand to write in a conclusion?

The post-obit aspects are included in a conclusion:

• Chief ideas/summary
• Results: Answering the research question
• Criticism/weaknesses and limitations
• Generalisability of results/impact of results
• Outlook (variable)

Avoid bringing in new ideas that were non discussed in the main torso of the thesis or dissertation . Remember that the deep assay and discussion of variables and results has already occured in the body paragraphs. The decision needs to summarise these aspects whilst linking them to the enquiry questions and including whatever criticism or weaknesses of the research with an outlook to the hereafter.

What is the aim of a decision?

The decision should provide an answer to the research question(s) and aid the reader to quickly access the main results. The main results should be easy to read in their summarized form. Finally, information technology should highlight the coherent structure and line of argument in the research paper.

How do introduction and decision compare?

The introduction sets the scene and poses the inquiry questions and thesis statement, whilst the decision addresses the latter. The 2 written parts are non interconnected but present different directions and views of the master body of the text. Essentially, the introduction will introduce your topic to the reader and the conclusion will summarize the topic and whatever enquiry that was conducted.

What else exercise I demand to know on how to write a decision?

a) Do non underestimate the conclusion—it must accept a lasting upshot.
b) NEVER introduce new ideas that are not mentioned in the principal body of the text.
c) No results too count as results: Exercise not cover up non-results by claiming things that your analysis fails to evidence.

You tin detect examples of conclusions on our weblog.

Closing Paragraph

The following aspects are role of a sound decision:

I.a) Chief ideas/summary

Give an overview of the logical structure of your paper and highlight the findings of the individual capacity (cf. Oertner, St. John & Thelen 2014: 31).

I.b) Results: Answering the research question

Link your results to the research question(s): At that place must be a harmony/balance between your research question(s), which is/are derived from a broader topic, and the answers presented in your conclusion (cf. Bänsch & Alewell 2013: 6).

I.c) Weaknesses and limitations

Make clear how your results fit into the field of research merely be disquisitional about the generalisability of your findings (cf. Winter 2004: 76). Discuss weaknesses and limitations (cf. Oertner, St. John & Thelen 2014: 31).

I.d) Impact/Future inquiry

Address open questions (cf. Samac, Prenner & Schwetz 2014: 74) and give suggestions for time to come research (cf. Franck 2004: 199).

Ii. Outlook

Projection your results into the hereafter, depict futurity developments, predict what affect your results tin have on do (cf. Stickel-Wolf & Wolf 2013: 208).

The summary of the main ideas and all other aspects listed under I. reflect on the paper as such (cf. Stickel-Wolf & Wolf 2013: 207). The outlook, however, is a function of the decision that does non focus on what has been done only goes a stride farther by tracing (possible) future developments (cf. Rossig & Prätsch 2005:76). Whether or non it makes sense to provide an outlook depends on the topic.

Length of a Conclusion

One of the most frequently asked questions concerns the approximate length of the conclusion. Although there is no universal standard as such, you lot can derive the length of the determination from the total length of the paper.

Thus, the total length serves equally the basis for computing the length of the decision (cf. Stickel-Wolf & Wolf 2013: 207; Brauner & Vollmer 2004: 117).

Every bit a rule of thumb, a conclusion should roughly make up v% of the whole research newspaper (cf. Esselborn-Krumbiegel 2002: 143).

For a Bachelor's thesis, it is recommended that the conclusion be ii- to three-pages in length (cf. Samac, Prenner & Schwetz 2014: 74). In contrast, it is sufficient to conclude a seminar paper with a few sentences and a brusk closing remark (cf. Brauner & Vollmer 2004: 117).

Examples

Here are a few examples showing the language use in a conclusion—i.due east. how to report, comment, or speculate on your findings (based on Hewings 1993 as quoted in Paltridge & Starfield 2007: 152–153).

Please note:Your study and/or research might not have yielded the predicted results that were desired in order to prove your hypothesis. Still, it is important to know that NO results also comprise an essential finding, so practice not discard it. Never endeavor to fabricate things in the conclusion that your analysis does not show. Of grade, yous might say that not a lot of people will be impressed by your non-results (cf. Stickel-Wolf & Wolf 2013: 207). Still, it can be of great use to know 'how non to do something'. Falsification of a hypothesis is as well a relevant finding (cf. Gruber, Huemer & Rheindorf 2009: 114).

 Dos and Don'ts

Below is a short listing of what to focus on and what to avert in your decision.

Exercise

• Take enough fourth dimension to write your determination
• Listing your well-nigh of import findings
• Summarize—avert lengthy repetitions
• Stay as objective as possible
• Proceed in mind that the decision volition impact the overall judgement of your text

DON'T

• Underestimate the impact of your decision
• Bring in new ideas yous have not mentioned before
• Requite a positive appraisement of your work
• Appeal to the reader to carry out more research
• Utilise exaggerated phrases
• Diminish the findings of your newspaper

(cf. Andermann, Drees & Grätz 2006: 87; Bänsch & Alewell 2013: half dozen, 86; Esselborn-Krumbiegel 2002: 143; Franck 2004: 200f.; Franck & Stary 2009: 142, 156, 201; Oertner, St. John & Thelen 2014: 31; Rossig & Prätsch 2005: 76; Winter 2004: 75)

Of import Match with Your Introduction

The conclusion is a self-contained function of your research paper—i.east. it can be read and understood as a stand-alone, complete text (cf. Oertner, St. John & Thelen 2014: 31). It never simply repeats what has been said in the main trunk of the enquiry paper. Notwithstanding, information technology functions as one office of the whole text.

The introduction sets the scene and introduces the research question(south); the decision takes them upwards once again to provide an reply based on the findings discussed in the primary part.

At that place is a connection between the introduction and the conclusion—a connectedness that you must plant. The 2 parts do non really build on one some other, simply they point towards the primary torso from different angles (cf. Brauner & Vollmer 2004: 121).

Tip: Information technology is easier to write the main body first . After the master body, you can focus on writing your decision. The very concluding thing y'all should write is the introduction.

By then, y'all will have gained a good overview of your work and besides know where you ended upwards, which means you know what your results expect like. Bridging the gap between conclusion and introduction is easier than the other way effectually: Now you know what you are setting the scene for.

An case to illustrate the connexion between introduction and conclusion

Topic: The British Northern Ireland politics 1968–1974 (cf. Esselborn-Krumbiegel 2002: 143)

• Introduction:Analyzing the flaws of British Northern Ireland politics can help to analyze the crisis from a historical perspective.
• Conclusion:Fifty-fifty mail service-millennial politicians endeavour to solve new crises by drawing on old strategies, although they have proved ineffective in the past.

Note: When proofreading your bachelor's or chief's thesis, y'all should thoroughly read both your introduction and conclusion to figure out whether each part as a self-independent part. In add-on, both introduction and conclusion must not be fragments and must non draw on cognition that you will only bargain with in the main torso of the text (cf. Brauner & Vollmer 2004: 120).

Insider tips

Writing a research paper can be an arduous task. You feel relieved after finishing the main body of the text. All yous need is some sort of conclusion now—a nice ending summarize all of your piece of work up. At the same fourth dimension, you might experience you already said everything in the main part.

However, it is important not to run out of steam in the end, for the following reasons:

1. the conclusion guides the reader, who may accept lost the thread and may need a summary of the main objectives and ideas to become back on track (cf. Winter 2004: 75)

2. the conclusion provides an answer to the research question, obtained through your enquiry and information analysis (cf. Samac, Prenner & Schwetz 2014: 74).

iii. a well-written conclusion shows that y'all are a competent and proficient author. Can you portray your results well? Do you lot bear witness a good level of abstruse thinking (cf. Brauner & Vollmer 2004: 121)?

4. in your conclusion, you have to brand clear how your inquiry newspaper fits into the given field of research and how your work is a novel contribution. What can your paper offer to the reader (cf. Andermann, Drees & Grätz 2006: 87)?

It is important to understand that a badly written conclusion leaves a negative impression that tin overshadow fifty-fifty a very well-written chief office. From your perspective, as the author, the results obtained are very clear and straightforward. However, it is of import to consider the perspective of the reader, who has not studied this topic every bit thoroughly as you have. Thus, a sound determination not only offers readers a special service, it also convinces them that your newspaper makes a valuable contribution to the field and that reading it is worth their while.

Essay Printing & Binding

You are already done writing your essay and need a high quality printing & bounden service? And then you are right to choose BachelorPrint! Check out our 24-hour online printing service. For more information click the button beneath:

Essay Printing & Binding

In a Nutshell

• The conclusion of a bachelor's thesis or master's thesis is often referred to as perspectives, outlook, resumé, or results, but all those terms announce the same concept—namely an evaluative summary of the main findings.
• The conclusion answers the research question(south) and maintains a articulate link with the initially stated objectives of research; it serves to guide the reader and makes articulate how the paper fits into the larger context of a particular field of research. A good grasp of the main ideas and coherences and abstract thinking ability are characteristics of competent authors.
• The length of the conclusion can be calculated based on the full length and complexity of the paper. For short-term papers, it should not exceed a folio, but for longer research papers such as a available's thesis or principal's thesis, the determination should comprise three to five pages approximately.
• In your conclusion, you lot should at first give an overview of the structure of the research paper, then answer the enquiry question; after highlighting limitations and weaknesses you tin talk about the implications of your paper. What is more, you should make suggestions for hereafter research (and give an outlook if possible).
• Introduction and conclusion are interconnected, which means that the introduction poses the questions and the determination answers them (based on the research discussed in the main trunk of the text).
• Exercise non underestimate the conclusion, as it is the terminal bit of text to be read and thus has the ability to brand a lasting (positive or negative) impression
• Avert bringing in new ideas that you take non discussed in the main trunk of text.
• On a stylistic level, you should neither praise your own achievement nor belittle it. Be objective and to the point. In improver, y'all must avert merely repeating longer paragraphs of the main body of the text, or appealing to reader by drawing on emotional/sensational formulations and phrases.

References:

Andermann, Ulrich, Martin Drees & Frank Götz. 2006.Wie verfasst man wissenschaftliche Arbeiten?third ed. Mannheim: Dudenverlag.

Bänsch, Axel & Dorothea Alewell. 2013.Wissenschaftliches Arbeiten. 11th ed. München: Oldenbourg Verlag.

Brauner, Detlef Jürgen & Hans-Ulrich Vollmer. 2004.Erfolgreiches wissenschaftliches Arbeiten – Seminararbeit Diplomarbeit Doktorarbeit. Sternenfels: Verlag Wissenschaft und Praxis.

Esselborn-Krumbiegel, Helga. 2002.Von der Idee zum Text – Eine Anleitung zum wissenschaftlichen Schreiben. Paderborn: Ferdinand Schöningh.

Franck, Norbert. 2004.Handbuch Wissenschaftliches Arbeiten. Frankfurt: Fischer Taschenbuch Verlag.

Franck, Norbert & Joachim Stary. 2009.Dice Technik des wissenschaftlichen Arbeitens. 15th ed. Paderborn: Ferdinand Schöningh.

Gruber, Helmut, Birgit Huemer & Markus Rheindorf. 2009.Wissenschaftliches Arbeiten – Ein Praxisbuch für Studierende. Wien: Böhlau Verlag.

Oertner, Monika, Illona St. John & Gabriele Thelen. 2014.Wissenschaftlich Schreiben – Ein Praxisbuch für Schreibtrainer und Studierende. Paderborn: Wilhelm Fink.

Paltridge, Brian & Sue Starfield. 2007. Thesis and Dissertation Writing in a Second Language – a handbook for supervisors. London: Routledge.

Rossig, Wolfram Due east. & Joachim Prätsch. 2005.Wissenschaftliche Arbeiten. 5th ed. Weyhe: Print-TEC.

Samac, Klaus, Monika Prenner & Herbert Schwetz. 2014.Die Bachelorarbeit an Universität und Fachhochschule. 3rd ed. Wien: Facultas.

Stickel-Wolf, Christine & Joachim Wolf. 2013.Wissenschaftliches Arbeiten und Lerntechniken – Erfolgreich studieren – gewusst wie! 7th ed. Wiesbaden: Springer Gabler.

Winter, Wolfgang. 2005.Wissenschaftliche Arbeiten schreiben. 2nd ed. Frankfurt: Redline Wirtschaft.

messickblarand.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.bachelorprint.eu/academic-writing/how-to-write-a-conclusion/