Many authors only focus on the abstract, results, or discussion section, but in reality, conclusions are also crucial for readers to understand the article. The conclusion of a research paper is often the last paragraph, leaving a deep impression on readers. Although journals have clear guidelines on how to organize various parts of a paper, there is not much guidance on writing conclusions.
Here are some suggestions that may be helpful for you to write a better conclusion.
How long should the conclusion be written?
The main task of the conclusion is to summarize the research results in a concise and clear manner. Therefore, it should be written concisely.
A recent survey conducted a statistical analysis of 47000 research conclusions and found that the majority of the conclusions were between 3-8 sentences long. Although the journal does not have a mandatory word count requirement for the conclusion, one or two sentences or five to eight sentences are sufficient to summarize the research findings.
What should be included in the conclusion?
The difference between the conclusion and highlights is that the conclusion should not simply list the research points.
The author should integrate the following aspects:
1) How research achieves goals;
2) What is the overall outcome of the research;
3) What unique contributions have you made to this field.
Even if it is not mentioned in the discussion section, the conclusion can still provide recommendations or call for action for further research.
However, it should be noted that these contents must be relevant to the main text and cannot introduce new arguments or results.
The tone and style of the conclusion
In other parts of the article, caution and restraint should be exercised when discussing the impact of research, but in the conclusion section, there can be a shocking conclusion that emphasizes the importance of work.
In specific situations, the ending can even be insightful.
However, even if it is a bold statement, the author should maintain an optimistic or neutral attitude.
For example, a paper by Hassani et al. investigated the impact of artificial intelligence in society and presented strong conclusions:
Overall, artificial intelligence will definitely continue to develop because it is based on the ability of human thinking.
Artificial intelligence is created by humans and should serve humanity. How to fully tap into the potential of artificial intelligence while minimizing threats to human survival. “
The conclusion is the author’s final statement on the work proposed in the paper, and this opportunity should be taken to emphasize the importance of the work. Following the above suggestions can help you write more powerful and memorable conclusions for readers.
