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WRITING A THESIS CONCLUSION

(Document de collecte)

Each chapter of a research study contributes to the whole work, but at the same time each

chapter should stand on its own. Stating conclusions based on findings appears easy on first look, but

in reality how you state your conclusions may spell whether or not they are going to be useful or

simply serve to confuse your readers. Therefore, this document provides a framework for concluding

your Master thesis (MT).

Like the introduction, the conclusion of a thesis is a very important part of your MT. Not

everybody reads the whole thesis carefully, but be sure that they will read Conclusions. The content

and organization of your final chapter (conclusion) will be determined by the purpose of your study

and what has come before in your thesis. Basically, the overall purpose of any conclusion is the same:

to show how the researcher has attempted to fill the gap in knowledge that was identified at the

outset of the research and to clarify to what extent the study has been successful.

The Typical Ingredients of a Conclusion

One of the most common models for a conclusion is the ‘4S’ model (consult the followings for more
models:https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/al/globalpad/openhouse/academicenglishskills/writing/conclusions/ and
https://books.google.dz/books?hl=fr&lr=&id=CT2mAAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PR5&dq=dissertation+writing+%2Blinda+c
ooley&ots=GRGR8rxZvI&sig=OljxmQsFubu0voenVvw0JYLrDpU&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=dissertation%20writing%2
0%2Blinda%20cooley&f=false))

The four basic ingredients (steps) that need to be taken when writing your conclusion are the
followings:

1. Summarize the main points of your various chapters (being careful not to repeat exactly

what you have written before) and restate your aims and your research questions.

Conclusion chapter/section is derived from the material presented in the main body of MT

(theoretical and practical parts). It not only summarizes the main results but put them in

context of the research or practice, i.e. sees the results “from distance”: NOT what the
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results are, but what they mean. The Conclusion is an opportunity to remind the reader why

you took the approach you did, what you expected to find, and how well the results matched

your expectations.

It should give an overview of the steps you took in conducting your research or

building your argument. You should be more general, more abstract, more theoretical and

more connected to the practice. You should show how the goal of the thesis has been met,

the research question answered or problem solved. In brief, join Introduction to the

Conclusion, or close the circle. It means in Introduction you state your goals and in

Conclusion you say how you have reached them.

(file:///C:/Users/NEW.PC/Downloads/Documents/Guide_to_Writing_Master_Thesis_in_English.pdf)

The conclusion is not the time to get lost in words and talk
in lengthy detail about particular theoretical, empirical or
methodological issues; you’ve had the previous 200 pages
or so to do that. Instead, it’s the time to clearly and
concisely – but still critically – explain your thesis and its
significance.https://www.thephdproofreaders.com/writing/last-
impressions-count-writing-your-phd-thesis-conclusion/

2. Spell out your contribution. In your MT conclusion, no new ideas, findings or analyses are

presented. Here you write what principal contributions you have made.

Make sure your reader is left with a strong impression of what your research has contributed

to knowledge in your field. Some strategies to achieve this include:

o Returning to your problem statement to explain how your research helps solve the

problem.

o Referring back to the literature review and showing how you have addressed a gap in

knowledge.
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o Discussing how your findings confirm or challenge an existing theory or assumption.

Again, here, try to avoid simply repeating what you’ve already covered in the discussion. Pick out

the most important points and sum them up with a succinct overview that situates your project in its

broader context. https://www.scribbr.com/dissertation/write-conclusion/

A conclusion that fails to relate the findings

to the literature is an incomplete conclusion. You
spent pages and pages neatly carving out a gap in
the literature; the least you can do is show how
your research fills that gap.
https://www.thephdproofreaders.com/writing/last-impressions-
count-writing-your-phd-thesis-conclusion/

3. State the limitations of your study. In Conclusion you should (at the same time) highlight

the strengths of the study and its weaknesses (to show that you realize the limited scope or

consequences of the research). First you consolidate the research space (positive evaluation

of the importance, originality and advantages of your study - on a general level), then you

indicate limitations of the research.

The limitations of a study are its flaws or shortcomings which could be the result

of unavailability of resources, small sample size, flawed methodology, etc. No study is

completely flawless or inclusive of all possible aspects. Therefore, listing the limitations

of your study reflects honesty and transparency and also shows that you have a complete

understanding of the topic. https://www.editage.com/insights/what-are-limitations-in-a-study.

Certainly my students will tell me: but we have already been introduced to limitations

when studying the introductory chapter!!!??? Where should we put the limitations in our

thesis? Some limitations might be evident to researchers before the start of the study, while

others might become clear while you are conducting the research. Whether these limitations
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are anticipated or not, and whether they are due to research design or to methodology, they

should be clearly identified and discussed in your conclusion.

Here are a few examples of limitations of study in MT:

o Limited Access to Data: Limited access to data is one of the most common limitations

of research studies, and one you will face more regularly. For instance, if your subject

topic involves researching specific government organizations, then you may lack

access to vital information. Also, you may have no respondents. This often limits the

scope of your analysis, leaving you no option but to restructure your study based on

the findings. In such a case, you must state this as the limitation of the study. But don’t

just list it as “limited data access.” Make sure you explain the reasons for limited data

access, so the reader doesn’t question the validity of your research.

o Sample Size: This is one of the most common limitations of various studies. It often

comes about because the nature of the problem dictates the sample size. For instance,

if your study seeks to explain the perception of teenage consumers towards a particular

product, but you only conduct your study with 50 respondents, your results will be

inaccurate. This is because the number of teenagers in a country like the Algeria is

incredibly high; hence, the opinion of only 50 respondents doesn’t adequately

represent the opinion of the rest. Therefore, if this is your limitation, be sure to state

your study is based on a smaller sample size and that you could have generated much

accurate results on a larger one.

o Lack of prior research studies on the topic: citing prior research studies forms the

basis of your literature review and helps lay a foundation for understanding the

research problem you are investigating. Depending on the currency or scope of your

research topic, there may be little, if any, prior research on your topic. Therefore, if
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you’re researching a particular subject and find that there it lacks prior research

studies, ensure you acknowledge this study limitation and propose further research.

o Data Collection Methodology: Very often, the method used to collect data usually

affects the results of the study. For instance, your professor might have assigned you

the topic: is the impact of mobile phones on teenagers negative or positive? Now,

there are various to find out. If you choose only to interview teenagers for answers,

there is a high chance of your results being flawed as they will only provide the

positives. The data collection method is common among limitations of case-control

and observational studies.

o Equipment: The type of equipment used to carry out a study can also hinder the

findings. This is usually a regular limitation of observational studies. For example, if

you’re surveying the effectiveness of smartphones, it’s important to note there is a vast

array in the market. Therefore, you may use a high-quality one means your results will

be positive, but low-quality ones mean your findings will render smartphones

ineffective. That said, you have to consider such a limitation during your research, and

if it’s unavoidable, ensure you not only list it, but also explain it in your discussion.

When discussing the limitations of your research, be

sure to:
 Describe each limitation in detailed but concise terms;
 Explain why each limitation exists;
 Provide the reasons why each limitation could not be
overcome using the method(s) chosen to gather the
data [cite to other studies that had similar problems
when possible];
 Assess the impact of each limitation in relation to the
overall findings and conclusions of your study; and,
 If appropriate, describe how these limitations could
point to the need for further research .
https://library.sacredheart.edu/c.php?g=29803&p=185934
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To indicate the limited validity of the research, you can choose some of these structures:

The research has concentrated on …

The limitations of our research are apparent: …

It should be noted that only … has been examined in the research.

In this study the … has not been taken into account.

The results of this study are restricted to …

Unfortunately, from the data obtained we are not able to determine …

However, the findings do not imply ….

The small number of samples means that we are not able to predict …

The results of this research cannot be taken as evidence for …

The findings of this study have to be seen in light of some limitations.

This research, however, is subject to several limitations.

Nonetheless, these results must be interpreted with caution and a number of limitations should

be borne in mind.

As with the majority of studies, the design of the current study is subject to limitations.

When you are giving limitations of the research, it is good to place the phrase at the beginning

of the sentence and to finish the sentence with positives (the information at the end is “heavier”). In

other words, if you start a sentence with negative aspects and finish with positives, the idea sounds

better than vice versa.

Despite the preliminary character of the research, the results indicate …

Even if only exploratory, our study has shown …

Notwithstanding its limitations, the research well demonstrates…

4. Suggest recommendations for further research. Recommendations may include

suggestions for change in policy or practice based on the findings of the study, and may

include recommendations for further study. Do not include recommendations that have no

direct link to findings. Some insights from the study may indirectly imply the need for
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change; however, discussion of such insights should be within the context of the need for

further study rather than for change in policy or practice.

If you’re making recommendations for further research, be sure not to undermine your

own work. Future studies might confirm, build on or enrich your conclusions, but they

shouldn’t be required to complete them.

Avoid exaggerating the applicability of your research. If you’re making recommendations for

policy, education or other practical implementation, it’s generally best to frame them as suggestions

rather than imperatives – the purpose of academic research is to inform, explain and explore, not to

instruct.

How many recommendations should you write? As a rule of thumb, try to limit yourself to

between three and seven recommendations in total. If you have more, group them together. Note that

you can have multiple recommendations for each conclusion. It is also acceptable to have one

recommendation that is connected to more than one conclusion.

To make recommendations for further studies, you can choose some of these structures:

Based on these conclusions, practitioners should consider…

To better understand the implications of these results, future studies could address…

Further research is needed to determine the causes of/effects of/relationship between…

Over the few years of serving as Master thesis supervisor or examiner to numerous students, I

have observed that many have the tendency to use the terms recommendations and implications as

synonyms which is not the case. Recommendations, as explained before, provide a guide that will

resolve certain issues and result in a beneficial outcome; they urge specific actions to be taken with

regard to policy, practice, theory, or subsequent research. However, Implications section, which is

also an important additional step when writing the conclusion, examines the importance of the study

and how the findings of that particular study may be important for policy, practice, theory and ensuing

research studies.
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This section basically looks at the conclusions you draw from the results and explain the

importance of these findings for practice, theory or policy. However, you have to validate the

implications with solid evidence. You also have to explain the study’s parameters and take into

account the limitations of the study in order to avoid over-generalization of results. Basically, in the

implications section, you will discuss the importance of your research study and the difference it

makes. https://www.differencebetween.com/difference-between-implications-and-recommendations-in-research/

Depending on the type of thesis, the conclusion should typically be around 5-7% of the overall

word count. An empirical scientific study will often have a short conclusion that concisely states the

main findings and recommendations, while a humanities thesis might require more space to conclude

its analysis and tie all the chapters together in an overall argument.

Another feature of your MT conclusion is the use of the past tense. While you may have used

both past and present tenses in previous chapters, in your conclusion you are writing about work that

is completed, in the past. Using the present tense, as some thesis writers do when they draft this

chapter, creates the impression that the work is ongoing. Even interpretations you made of your

analysis or results – in any sense – can now appear in the past tense, since all aims, actions and

interpretations are themselves the subject of a final interpretation in your conclusion.

https://books.google.dz/books?id=9nzaT3M7IK4C&pg=PA221&lpg=PA221&dq=Another+change+in+style+tha

The Conclusions chapter /sections of a thesis, as Swales and Feak (1994) point out, not always

easy to provide students with guidelines for. There is a lot of disciplinary variation in this section. It

is, thus, especially important for students to look at examples of previous theses and dissertations to

see what writers typically do in their area of study. One thing writers do, however, in this part of the

text, no matter what the conventions, is step back and take a broad look at their findings, and their

study as a whole (Weissberg and Buker 1990), saying not just what the study has done, but also ‘what

does it mean’. This ‘what does it mean?’, we feel, is the key point that a good Discussion, and in turn

Conclusions, section needs to address. A good thesis or dissertation should tell the reader not just

‘what I have done’, but ‘why what I have done matters.

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The following conclusion from a journal article in language teaching research shows how the writer

concludes his paper by following through the previous four steps (4S)

[1] The present study is one in a series that has probed the nature of task-based performance. It has
shown that the conditions under which tasks are completed can have a marked effect on the
resultant nature of the performance. [2] The study has confirmed the generally beneficial effects of
pre-task preparation, particularly planning. [3] Encouragingly, from the pedagogic point of view,
there seems to be a clear role for the teacher in the way such pre-tasks are carried out -it does not
have to be with learners always operating independently. [4] The results obtained suggest that
teacher-based planning is as effective as solitary planning, but that both of these conditions are
superior to group-based planning - at least, as that was implemented in the present study. [5] But
the present study has only explored the effects of immediate task-linked manipulations. [6] If the
wider pedagogic goal is the sustained and balanced development of learners’ interlanguage
systems, it is important to be able to discuss how the effects of particular tasks might connect to
longer term development. [7] In this respect, if balanced progress means higher levels of complexity.
accuracy and fluency, it may be speculated that teachers need, as part of their armoury of pedagogic
decision-making, information such as which conditions and which tasks may bring about such
sustained balanced development. It is to be hoped that the present research has made a
contribution in that regard, although it is clear that, having established some of the influences on
immediate performance, [8] a priority in future research will be to explore what happens to
interlanguage development during more extended pedagogic interventions

S1 S2 S3 S4

Further Readings

 Lengálová, A. (2010). Guide to writing master thesis in English.

 Paltridge, B., & Starfield, S. (2007). Thesis and dissertation writing in a second language: A
handbook for supervisors. Routledge.
 Cooley, L., & Lewkowicz, J. (2003). Dissertation writing in practice: Turning ideas into
text (Vol. 1). Hong Kong University Press
TASK

Read through the following conclusion from a journal article and identify the four steps
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This study investigates whether houses located on rear-entry alleyways should sell for less
than otherwise identical properties with traditional front-entry driveways. The regression results
suggest that the alleyway subdivision design discounts sale prices about 5%, all else held equal. Why?
Because alleyways can attract criminal activities and greatly reduce the size of the homeowner’s
backyard. As well, they are often poorly maintained, unsightly, cluttered with debris and
inconvenient, so many residents park their vehicles on the street, thereby creating traffic congestion.
While the findings of this research suggest that there are diseconomies associated with the rear-entry
alleyway design, one element in the New Urbanism contemporary neighborhood design is, in fact,
the alleyway that emphasizes compactness and a return to traditional neighborhood values. New
Urbanists believe that it helps overcome urban sprawl and encourages less reliance on automobiles,
while critics counter that New Urbanism attempts to alter human behavior through design, it creates
more traffic problems than it solves, its densities are too low to support public transportation and it
does not offer consumers enough housing choices. These findings hopefully will influence New
Urbanism subdivision designers to reconsider alleyways in favor of traditional suburban parking.
The results of this study may be, in part, a function of this sample, but the implications are clear for
appraisers, developers, New Urbanists and other real estate participants. Subdivision design
contributes to overall value. Additional subdivision design research is recommended, both to confirm
the findings of this investigation and to determine whether other elements of design (e.g., sidewalks,
culverts vs. curb-and gutter drainage) affect value, as well.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/5142166_The_Effects_of_Subdivision_Design_on_Housing_Values_The_Case_of_Alley
ways