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How do I write my conclusion?

The job of the conclusion is to fully and clearly articulate the answer to your research questions, discuss how the research is related to your aims and objectives, explain the significance of the work, outline its shortcomings, and suggest avenues for future research. It is not the place to introduce new ideas and concepts, nor to present new findings.

By the time the reader has finished reading the conclusion, they should be able to answer the following questions:

  1. Have you briefly recapped the research questions and objectives?

  2. Have you provided a brief recount of the answer to those questions?

  3. Have you clearly discussed the significance and implications of those findings?

  4. Have you discussed the contribution that the study has made?

  5. Do the claims you are making align with the content of the results and discussion chapters?

The conclusion is the last thing the examiner reads and it has a lasting impact on how they see the whole thesis.

That means: last impressions count.

We earlier saw that writing a thesis is like being on a journey: you start from a discussion on what we already know, situate your study in that context and then, as you reach the end, start pushing the frontiers of knowledge. By the time you have reached the conclusion you have eliminated all uncertainty. As a result, you are now an expert in your field. You have scoped out the potential, jumped into the field and achieved your objectives.

When writing your conclusion, you need to do the following:

  1. Own your research and talk like an expert

  2. See the thesis, not the detail. Take a step back and reflect on the entire study, not the small details.

  3. Don't repeat what you've already said in previous chapters. Sure, you'll need a summary of the thesis, but don't repeat sections from it. Don't repeat findings, for example. Instead, relate them to your aims and objectives.

  4. Don't introduce new data or material.

  5. Recognise your limitations.

  6. Don't claim your thesis contributes more than it actually does.