How to Write a Conclusion for a Research Paper in 2024

Some might argue that a conclusion is one of the most important components of any research paper or article. It’s your last opportunity to make a good impression on your reader.

If you can confidently say you’ve fully answered the question posed, or are leaving the readers with a thought-provoking consideration, you’ve done well.

Writing a conclusion for your research paper can be difficult. Concluding paragraphs should be clear and sum up what you have presented in your research without sounding redundant.

An effective concluding paragraph can also add impact to what you have presented in your paper.

In this article, you will learn the importance of writing a strong concluding paragraph, as well as how to write a conclusion for a research paper.

Carefully Check Out: How to Write a Literature Review for your Research Paper

What is the Conclusion of a Research Paper?

A conclusion for a research paper is used to summarize what you’ve written about in the paper.

It may seem easy to write but in writing a conclusion for a research paper, you should know there is a few marks attached for a brilliant conclusion in your research paper.

The purpose of a conclusion for a research paper is to show the whole picture of your research. It is a way to ensure that your work stands out.

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What are the Types of Conclusion for a Research Paper?

There are various types of conclusions for a research paper. In writing a conclusion for your research paper, you must take into consideration your research topic and the style of your research paper.

The types of conclusion you may consider using for your research paper are:

#1. Summarizing Conclusion

This is a conclusion used for a research paper, giving a clear summary of the main points of your topic and thesis.

This is considered the most common form of conclusion, though some research papers may require a different style of conclusion.

Common types of research papers that call for this kind of conclusion include persuasive essays, problem and solution research, argumentative papers, and scientific and historical topics.

#2. Externalizing Conclusion

This form of conclusion for a research paper presents points or ideas that may not have been directly stated or relevant to the way you presented your research and thesis.

Most importantly, this conclusion is most effective because it presents new ideas.

Above all, this conclusion can get your readers thinking in new directions about the impacts of your topic.

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#Editorial Conclusion

In an editorial conclusion, you are presenting your concluding ideas or commentary.

This type of conclusion connects your thoughts to the research you present. You might state how you feel about outcomes, results or the topic in general.

The editorial conclusion can work especially well in research papers that present opinions, take a humanistic approach to a topic, or present controversial information.

How to Write a Conclusion for a Research Paper? Step-by-Step Guide

Your conclusion should also refer to your introduction, summarize the three main points of your essay, and wrap it all up with the last observation.

Below is a step-by-step guide on how to write a conclusion for a research paper.

Step 1: Restate your research topic

This is the first and foremost step to writing a great conclusion for your research paper is to restate your research topic.

All you need is one sentence to restate your research topic and another sentence to explain why the topic is important. Make sure not to add irrelevant things.

You might as well include your abstract here. See How To Write An Abstract For Your Research Paper here.

Step 2: Restate the thesis

The next step towards writing a good conclusion for a research paper is to restate the thesis.

You can do this by revising the original thesis that you presented in the introduction of your paper.

The thesis statement in your conclusion should be worded differently than what you wrote in your introduction. This element can also be effectively written in one sentence.

Step 3: Summarize the main points of your research

In your conclusion, you should be able to summarize the main points of your research.

If you are not sure about what the main points in your research are, you can read through your research paper a second time to pick out the most relevant facts you can add to your conclusion.

The purpose of summarizing the key points is to remind the reader of the importance of the research topic. Here’s an example to help illustrate how to do this:

Step 4: Connect the significance of results of the main points

After discussing the main points of your argument, you can present the significance of these points.

For instance, after stating the main points you made in your argument, you might discuss how the impacts of your topic affect a specific outcome.

Likewise, you might present the results of studies or other findings that can help add emphasis to how you present the significance of your information.

Step 5: Conclude your thoughts

The final step to take towards writing a conclusion for a research paper is to conclude your thoughts.

You can do this by creating a call to action or posing an idea that gets your readers thinking further about your argument.

You might also use this sentence to address any questions that were left unanswered in the body paragraphs of your paper.

Tips for Writing a Conclusion for your Research Paper

Asides the step you should take when writing a conclusion for your research paper, there are also some tips which would help you. Some of these tips are-

Keep your thesis, main points and summarizing facts clear and concise.
Avoid beginning your conclusion with statements like “in conclusion” or “in summary”, as these basic statements can come across as redundant.
If you get overwhelmed, try sticking to a basic summarizing format for your conclusion.
Synthesize your information by providing questions and answers, results, suggestions or a resolution to your arguments.
Include only the most relevant points and arguments you presented in your paper.
Avoid repeating information that you have already discussed.
You can also experiment with other conclusion styles, however, using the summarizing format can help you be certain that you are including each element as it relates to your paper.

What Should I Avoid when Writing a Conclusion for a Research Paper in 2024?

There are some things you should avoid when writing a conclusion for a research paper.

They make your conclusion look like a cliché or a rehearsed verse. These are things you should avoid. Most of them are-

#1. Lack of Concision

When writing a conclusion for your research paper, try as much as you can to ensure that you do not keep restating what you have said before.

Try to be as concise and to the point as possible. You can talk about the implications, evaluations, insights, but do not talk about some minor points which can be easily omitted.

These minor points include the multiple steps you might have taken when writing the research.

#2. Lack of comments on larger and more significant issues.

When writing a conclusion for your research paper, you should ensure that the said conclusion goes from specific to general. Put your whole research context into a larger context and then portray it in simple words.

An absence of the negative aspects of your research process would make your paper seem not as authentic as it should be.

So, if you had certain problems, drawbacks, and challenges, it will help the paper seem more relatable, personal, and in-depth. This is a key to successful research.

#3. No clear summary of what was learned.

Talk about your own experience and what knowledge you have accumulated along the way. It can be only a few sentences long, but it is still very important.

#4. Inability to match the objectives of your research.

You need to address how your original objectives in your introduction have been achieved throughout the work.

Make a nice structural circle to show how the introduction and conclusion are interlinked.

#5. Inability to unify your work.

You need to tie all of the sections of your academic work together so that the professor can see the whole picture.

You can even use the same images and concepts in the introduction and the conclusion to link everything.

#6. Poor logic.

In some papers, there may be different or even opposite points. The conclusion is a perfect place to create a single and clear opinion for the problem.

If your paper contains certain questions that weren’t answered in the paper, they must be answered in the conclusion. You can even ask readers to draw their conclusions.

#No Personal Recommendation.

If you are creating a call to action, you need to explain which actions you consider the most important or effective.

This will help to better understand the topic and the general context of your research.

Samples of a conclusion for a research paper.

Sample 1

“Clean water is imperative to maintaining ecological balance and protecting the public’s health. The increase in water pollution since 2010 has contributed to the decrease in aquatic wildlife as well as the increase in unsafe drinking water. With the growth of sugar farming, more and more pollutants are entering our freshwater supplies. This increase in pollution has contributed to massive decreases in marine life, fish die-off, increased respiratory illness in neighborhood populations, and has contributed to the shortage of clean drinking water.

Ecologists and marine biologists are continuing to measure the water quality, and researchers are continuing to find ways to combat the pollution run-off from commercial farms. In the future, the EPA hopes this research will lead to a decrease in the pollutant concentration in our freshwater systems. If we cannot combat the ill effects that commercial farming has on our clean water, our freshwater ecosystems and drinking water supplies will surely diminish. They need more research and innovation to maintain our clean water while still supporting the agricultural needs of our economy.”

Sample 2

Is Climate Change a Big Risk to the United States’ Economy?

“In conclusion, this research paper reveals that climate change harms the United States economy by highlighting various claims related to researchers’ stand on the topic. The claims present the researcher stands on why the United States government should fight against the causes and effects of climate change on the country’s economy. Also, the moral foundations are based on the Catholic teaching and principles that guide people on how they can protect God’s Creation, especially the environment. By following the moral actions provided one will be able to understand the effects which climate change has on the economy, thus enabling them to protect their surrounding for better economy.”

Frequently asked questions

Q. What should I include in a research paper conclusion?

A. There are some things you should make sure are included in your research paper conclusion. They have been listed in the body of the article above.

Q. Can I present new arguments in the conclusion of my research paper?

A. No. If by your conclusion, there are some questions you still haven’t found answers to, you can pose the question in your conclusion. You should not present new arguments in the conclusion of the research paper.

Q. What are the three steps to writing a conclusion for a research paper

A. The steps are a restatement of the thesis, review of the main points, and concluding device.

Q. How long should a conclusion for a research paper be?

A. A conclusion for a research paper can be anywhere between 300- 500 words.

Q. How do I start a conclusion for a research paper without saying “in conclusion”

A. There are a variety of ways through which you can start a conclusion without actually saying “in conclusion”. Some of the best alternatives are- to sum up, to conclude, all things considered, finally.

Conclusion

Including a conclusion in your research paper can be important to remind your readers of the strength and impact of your argument.

Concluding statements in your paper can also help to refocus the reader’s attention to the most important points and supporting evidence of your arguments or position that you presented in your research.

Conclusions can also serve as a basis for continuing research, creating new ideas to resolve an issue you highlighted in your paper or offering new approaches to a topic. I hope this guide on how to write a conclusion for your research paper is most helpful.

References

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