5 tips for writing your thesis conclusion
Writing a good conclusion is crucial to the success of your thesis, since it's the last thing that your reader will see and the primary means to providing closure to your argument. In this article, we provide 5 tips for creating an outstanding conclusion.
5 thesis conclusion tips
1. Avoid too much summary
Your conclusion will likely need to provide some summary of your overall project and how you proved and supported your main argument. Good conclusions often contain recommendations for further research or brief illustrations of the implications of the thesis.
Explaining how to apply the information covered in the paper is just as important as summarizing the key parts. Readers should also experience a sense of resolution or closure as they finish your conclusion.
2. Try not to introduce new information
You may need to introduce some new information in your thesis conclusion, especially when you're trying to give the reader a sense of how the research can be applied or expanded.
However, the conclusion is not the right place to introduce new data or other forms of evidence. While you may pose questions or explain how the information is relevant, avoid introducing additional major points.
3. Ensure that your conclusion...concludes
You might be tempted to add points or data to your conclusion that you didn't include elsewhere. If you do that, the conclusion will not actually conclude anything.
Rather, your conclusion will simply raise more questions. If you find yourself in that situation, your topic might be too broad and you may need to consider narrowing your thesis.
4. Stay focused on the main point of your thesis
Avoid using your conclusion to engage in over-generalized discussions that miss the point of your paper. Stay focused on the implications of your main argument and don't be tempted to wrap things up through generalizations.
5. Consult thesis conclusion examples
If you're stuck, take a look at examples of thesis conclusions from other writers. Academic databases house thousands of theses and dissertations that you can consult for ideas about how to write a thesis conclusion.
You can also try contacting your advisor or department for examples of successful thesis conclusions written by fellow students or researchers.
Thesis: The culminating project of an undergraduate or graduate program that sustains an argument over several sections or chapters, supported by extensive research and analysis.
Data: Information collected in a research study, usually in the form of numbers or statistics.
Academic Database: A searchable collection of academic materials, such as research articles, conference proceedings, and dissertations.
Conclusion: The final section of a research paper or thesis that summarizes the main findings and provides closure to the reader.
More tips about thesis conclusions
If you need more advice, we highly recommend these sources to help you as you write your thesis conclusion:
- How to write an excellent thesis conclusion
- Leaving a good last impression
- How to make a great conclusion
Frequently Asked Questions about writing a thesis conclusion
💌 How do you write a thesis conclusion?
The conclusion is the last thing that your reader will see, so it should be memorable. To write a great thesis conclusion you should:
- Restate the thesis
- Review the key points of your work
- Explain why your work is relevant
- Add a take-home message for the reader
📐What is the basic content of a thesis conclusion?
A conclusion basically includes a review of the main points of your thesis. It should largely consist of the research outcomes and any recommendations you may have for further research.
⌛ How long is a thesis conclusion?
The length of your conclusion will depend on the length of the whole thesis. Usually, a conclusion should be around 5-7% of the overall word count.
💣 What is the best way to end a thesis conclusion?
End your conclusion with something memorable, such as a question, warning, or call to action.
🎁 Are there examples of good theses conclusions?
You can find thousands of recent examples in Open Access: Theses and Dissertations. Take a look at theses and dissertations in your field for real-life examples of conclusions that were approved.
