First things first:
- A good conclusion consists of three parts: a short summary, a critical evaluation and reflection, and an outlook.
- Tie it back to your introduction.
- Don’t introduce new thoughts in the conclusion.
Why is a good conclusion important?
To write an effective conclusion, it helps to understand why it holds such importance. A conclusion is not just meant to wrap up your paper in a polished way, but to summarize the insights gained from your entire work. It’s more than just a closing statement; this part of the text is likely to stick in your readers’ minds the most. While readers may forget some details from the body of a long paper, the final sentences tend to be the most memorable and give you the chance to highlight the key points and emphasize your main objectives.
Don’t let it be too brief—the conclusion should make up about 5–10% of the overall text. It’s also one of the most frequently read sections of a paper. Some readers only focus on the conclusion because they’re primarily interested in the results, while others read it first to get a sense of the paper’s direction. Often, it’s also referred to later when the paper is revisited after some time. So, make sure to set aside enough time to craft your conclusion. It should provide a concise summary of your entire paper, while also presenting the findings in detail and offering a glimpse into future implications.
Introduction and conclusion: The backbone of your paper
After briefly summarizing the key points and insights from your paper, the most important part of your conclusion follows: linking it back to your introduction. The introduction and conclusion together form the structural framework of your paper. In this section, you can refer back to the thoughts presented in the introduction, such as your research questions or hypotheses. Now, you’ll determine whether the research question was answered, how the answer turned out, and whether the results are significant enough to make a definitive statement. It’s important to note that the research question or hypothesis isn’t set in stone. Revisit the way you formulated your research question and, if necessary, adjust it to align with your findings. Even disproved hypotheses are valuable research outcomes, so present your results clearly and honestly.
To make your conclusions as understandable as possible, try to put yourself in the reader’s shoes. One crucial rule: do not introduce any new information in the conclusion. Only restate what you’ve already elaborated on in the main body of your paper.
Reflection and outlook: your call to action for future research
Now it’s time to reflect on your own work. Ask yourself questions like: Was it easy to find relevant literature? Did you encounter any challenges during your research or data collection? Documenting hurdles as they arise during the writing process will make it easier to reflect on them later.
Answering these questions not only helps you improve your approach for future projects but also provides a basis for offering a forward-looking statement. For example, if you found little literature on your research area, it might indicate that more research is needed in this field. Perhaps your research uncovered details that could be explored in greater depth in future studies.
In addition to this call to action for future research, your conclusion should also suggest practical applications of your findings. Clearly outline potential actions or improvements related to your topic and place them within the broader context of the research field. In doing so, explain how your results can benefit the target audience of your paper and why they are relevant to the scientific community.
Our 7 tips at a glance:
- The conclusion should make up 5–10% of the text.
- Set aside enough time to write your conclusion.
- Refer back to your introduction.
- Put yourself in the readers’ shoes.
- Don’t add new content.
- Take time to reflect.
- Document any challenges you encountered while writing.