Writing a Conclusion

One way of ensuring that your conclusion is effective is by making sure that it mirrors all the hard work that you put into writing your discussion. Avoid the common mistake of merely repeating your results in your study. If you only repeat results, the conclusion takes your readers one step back to the results – instead of taking your readers one step further. That step forward can be achieved by ensuring that your conclusion outlines your results filtered through all the analysis and contextualization you performed in your discussion. You conclusion should signal what your results were and what they mean, as well as how your study contributed to furthering the field.

And remember: never, ever include anything new in your conclusion. You should never bring up results not previously accounted for, neither should you bring in new interpretations or conclusions. If a reader has read your entire text, there should be no surprises in this section (except, perhaps, that your readers are impressed with how effectively you summarize your results and their meaning as well as highlight their potential contribution to the field). 

The structure of the conclusion

The structure of the conclusion is metaphorically shaped like an upside-down funnel, moving from your own results to the bigger field that your study contributes to. You should therefore start rather narrowly, with a sentence or two about your results. As you indicate what your results mean, you go broader. Finally, you should end with a sentence or two about how your study may contribute to the field – this part is the broadest part. Ending with your study’s potential contribution to the field also allows you to end on a powerful and memorable note. 

More research needed?

It is rather common to include a line that conveys that more research is needed. However, make sure you write any such potential content in a specific way which still emphasizes the contribution of your study. 

• Example 1: “To conclude, 3-methyl-ambrosia offers a new approach for thyroid carcinoma therapy. Our data provide evidence on safety and in vivo activity of this compound in patients with this condition, although more research is needed”.

In this example, modified from Schimel J. Writing science: how to write papers that get cited and proposals that get funded. New York: Oxford University Press; 2012, the first one and a half sentence work just fine. It is clear what the results were, what they mean, and how they contribute to the field. However, the last sentence somewhat undercuts the significance of the study. 

• Revised example 1: “While further trials will be necessary to establish the full benefits of 3-methyl-ambrosia as a therapeutic agent, our data provide evidence that it is safe and shows in vivo activity against thyroid tumors. 3-methyl-ambrosia therefore may offer a new approach for treating patients with thyroid carcinoma”

In the revised version (also taken from Schimel’s book), two major improvements have been made. Firstly, while the revised paragraph still highlights the need for further research, it does not end with that information. The last sentence in this version, “3-methyl-ambrosia therefore may offer a new approach for treating patients with thyroid carcinoma”, instead focuses on the contribution of the present study. Secondly, the bland statement “more research is needed” has been substituted for a much more precise phrase which indicates exactly what kind of research is needed and why: “While further trials will be necessary to establish the full benefits of 3-methyl-ambrosia as a therapeutic agent...”.

So, whenever you want to indicate that more research is needed (and it often is!), consider two things: be precise about what kind of research is needed and how it would contribute to furthering the field, and make sure not to place that information in the very last sentence of the paragraph, instead leaving that spot for the contribution of your study.