27 Leaving a Mark: Tips for a Compelling Thesis Conclusion

Following your detailed discussion, the conclusion section wraps up your thesis. It summarizes the main findings and presents your final conclusions and suggestions. The goal here is to give a clear and concise overview of your research, highlighting its main contributions and importance. When writing your conclusion, think about the key points you want the reader to remember. This section should be able to stand on its own, providing a snapshot of your thesis. Examiners often read the abstract, introduction, and conclusion first to get an overall sense of your work. Essentially, your conclusion is a summary of your thesis, but it’s usually shorter than the general discussion.

The discussion and conclusion sections are often separate chapters, but sometimes they can be combined, depending on the norms of your field. If you’re not sure which format to use, it’s a good idea to ask your supervisor and check your institution’s guidelines.

A strong conclusion leaves the reader with a clear understanding of the main point or discovery of your thesis. It reminds them why you chose your research approach, what you hoped to find, and if your results met those expectations.

It’s important to highlight the value of your research in the conclusion so that readers are engaged and might consider following up on one of your suggestions or collaborating with you in the future.

In terms of content, the conclusion usually includes:

• A review of how your findings solve a problem and add to the knowledge in your field, referring back to your research question.
• An explanation of how your research fills a gap in the existing literature.
• A discussion of how your findings fit with current theories or challenge them.
• A brief mention of the limitations of your study, focusing on the most important ones if they have already been discussed.
• Suggestions for how your research could be used in practical ways or for future studies, emphasizing the most important recommendations if they have been mentioned before.

Finish your conclusion with something that sticks in the reader’s mind, like a thought-provoking question, a warning, or a call to action.