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Key Takeaways
- A strong conclusion directly answers the research question, synthesizes findings into one overall message, states the study’s contribution, and introduces nothing new.
- Aim for roughly 5 to 7 percent of your total word count, adjusting up for humanities and systematic reviews and down for empirical STEM studies.
- Structure follows an inverted funnel: restate the question, synthesize findings, discuss implications and contributions, note limitations, then recommend future work.
- Keep the tone confident and forward looking; frame limitations positively and use grounded, hedged language for any speculation about broader significance.
Contents
- Glossary of Key Terms
- What Is the Difference Between a Discussion Chapter and a Conclusion Chapter?
- How Long Should a Dissertation Conclusion Be?
- What Should a Dissertation Conclusion Include?
- A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Your Conclusion Chapter
- How Do Conclusions Differ Across Academic Disciplines?
- What Should You Avoid in a Dissertation Conclusion?
- Using Reflective and Cautious Language
- Example of Opening Sentences for a Conclusion Section
- Examples of Closing Sentences for Dissertation Conclusions
- Common Criticisms by Examiners of Dissertation Conclusions
- Conclusion Chapter Checklist
- What Comes After You Finish the Conclusion Chapter?
- Frequently Asked Questions
Glossary of Key Terms
Understanding these terms before you start drafting will help you follow the rest of this guide and use consistent language in your own chapter.
| Term | Definition |
| Conclusion chapter | The final chapter of a thesis or dissertation, which answers the research question, synthesizes findings, and states the study’s contribution. |
| Discussion chapter | The chapter that interprets results in depth, comparing them with the literature and explaining what they mean, usually placed before the conclusion. |
| Research question | The central question the study was designed to answer, first introduced in the introduction chapter and revisited in the conclusion. |
| Synthesis | The process of drawing separate findings together into one coherent overall message, rather than listing them one by one. |
| Contribution to knowledge | The specific new insight, method, or evidence that the research adds to its field of study. |
| Limitations | Constraints of the research design, sample, or methodology that may affect how the findings should be interpreted. |
| Implications | The practical, theoretical, or policy consequences that follow from the study’s findings. |
| Recommendations for future research | Suggested directions that other researchers could pursue to build on, test, or extend the current study. |
| Generalizability | The extent to which findings from a specific sample or setting can be applied more broadly. |
| Hedging language | Cautious wording such as ‘it seems’ or ‘this may suggest’ used to avoid overstating the certainty of a claim. |
| Move structure | A pattern academic writers follow in a section of text, where each ‘move’ performs a distinct communicative function, such as summarizing or recommending. |
| Front matter | The pages that appear before the main chapters of a dissertation, including the title page, abstract, and table of contents, usually finalized after the conclusion. |
What Is the Difference Between a Discussion Chapter and a Conclusion Chapter?
A discussion chapter interprets results in depth; a conclusion chapter is shorter and broader, synthesizing the overall argument and directly answering the main research question.
The discussion chapter is where you compare your results to existing literature, explain unexpected patterns, and interpret data point by point. The conclusion, by contrast, steps back from that detail. It should never introduce new data, new interpretations, or new arguments; instead it draws broad, memorable statements from everything already established. In shorter research papers and journal articles, these two sections are sometimes combined, but a thesis or dissertation almost always keeps them separate so the reader gets a final, standalone impression of the work.
How Long Should a Dissertation Conclusion Be?
Most dissertation conclusions run about 5 to 7 percent of the total word count, though the exact length depends heavily on your discipline and the type of study.
| Discipline type | Typical conclusion length and style |
| Empirical science or STEM | Short and concise, often two to four pages, stating findings and recommendations directly |
| Social science | Moderate length, weaving findings into broader theoretical or policy context |
| Humanities | Longer and more discursive, tying together a sustained argument built across several chapters |
| Systematic review or mixed methods | Extended, synthesizing multiple strands of evidence into one coherent narrative |
What Should a Dissertation Conclusion Include?
A complete conclusion restates your research question, synthesizes your findings, states your contribution to the field, notes limitations honestly, and recommends future research.
| Element | Purpose in the chapter |
| Restated research question | Reminds the reader what the study set out to achieve, in fresh wording |
| Synthesis of key findings | Draws results together into one overall message rather than a chapter by chapter list |
| Contribution to the field | Explains the new knowledge, method, or perspective the work adds |
| Limitations | Names honest constraints without undermining the value of the study |
| Recommendations | Points toward useful next steps for other researchers or for practice |
| Closing statement | Leaves the reader with a clear, confident, and memorable final impression |
A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Your Conclusion Chapter
Most conclusion chapters follow an inverted funnel pattern: they begin narrow, restating what the study did, and gradually widen out toward broader significance and future directions. The six steps below cover that full arc.
Step 1: Restate Your Research Question and Thesis
Open by returning to the central question or aim from your introduction, reformulated in new language rather than copied. This signals to the reader that the research has now been completed and gives you the chance to state, clearly and firmly, the answer you arrived at. Avoid apologetic phrasing such as ‘this study has tried to show’; state your conclusion with confidence.
Step 2: Summarize and Synthesize Your Key Findings
Resist the urge to list results chapter by chapter. Instead, weigh your findings by significance and pull them into a single coherent message. Useful questions to ask yourself include which findings matter most and why, which results were unexpected, and whether your methodology shaped how you interpret what you found.
Step 3: Discuss the Implications and Contributions of Your Research
Explain what your findings mean for theory, policy, or practice, and situate the work within the wider field. Effective strategies include returning to your original problem statement, referring back to gaps identified in your literature review, and explaining whether your findings confirm, extend, or challenge existing theory.
Step 4: Acknowledge Limitations Honestly
Mention limitations only if you have not already covered them at length in the discussion chapter, and keep this section brief. Frame limitations as boundaries on generalizability rather than flaws, and pivot quickly toward what they suggest for future work.
Step 5: Make Grounded Recommendations for Future Research
Suggest specific, realistic next steps rather than vague gestures. Use tentative language, such as ‘future studies could address’ or ‘further research is needed to determine’, and frame recommendations for policy or practice as ‘should’ rather than ‘must’, since research aims to inform rather than demand.
Step 6: End With a Strong, Memorable Closing Statement
Avoid generic openers like ‘in conclusion’ and avoid weak, undermining statements such as ‘there are good points on both sides’. Your final sentences should leave the reader with a decisive, confident sense of what your research achieved and why it matters.
How Do Conclusions Differ Across Academic Disciplines?
Conclusion length and structure vary widely by field: humanities dissertations usually have a full standalone conclusion chapter, while many STEM fields fold most of it into the discussion.
| Discipline | How the conclusion chapter typically appears |
| Humanities and some social sciences | A full, standalone chapter covering restatement, synthesis, implications, limitations, and future work |
| Medical and life sciences | Often brief, sometimes only one or two paragraphs, since the discussion chapter carries most interpretive work |
| Physical sciences and engineering | Frequently combined into a single ‘Discussion and Conclusion’ or ‘Conclusions and Future Work’ chapter |
| Applied and professional fields | Includes a dedicated section on practical applications and specific recommendations for practitioners |
Because conventions differ so much, it is worth reviewing several recently completed dissertations from your own department before you settle on a structure for your chapter.
What Should You Avoid in a Dissertation Conclusion?
Avoid introducing new evidence, repeating the discussion chapter word for word, opening with generic filler phrases, and undermining your argument with vague or apologetic hedging.
- Introducing new data, sources, or arguments that were not covered in the discussion or results chapters
- Repeating findings verbatim from earlier chapters instead of synthesizing them
- Opening with a generic phrase such as ‘in conclusion’ or ‘to sum up’
- Making sweeping claims that your evidence cannot fully support
- Ending on an uncertain or apologetic note that undercuts your own work
- Leaving the original research question unanswered or only partially addressed
Using Reflective and Cautious Language
Some of the strongest claims in a conclusion, particularly around broader implications, need careful hedging so they stay grounded in what your evidence actually supports. Tentative wording such as ‘it seems’, ‘this may suggest’, ‘could indicate’, or ‘it is likely’ signals appropriate caution without weakening your overall argument. Keep any speculation about wider applicability firmly tied to the scope of your study; if a claim would need evidence beyond what you collected, soften it or leave it for the recommendations section instead. When suggesting implications for policy, business, or professional practice, choose ‘should’ rather than ‘must’, since the role of academic research is to inform and explore, not to dictate.
Example of Opening Sentences for a Conclusion Section
The two short extracts below illustrate how an opening line can vary by research type. Use them as models for tone and structure rather than templates to copy directly.
Empirical study example
This research set out to identify which onboarding practices most strongly predict employee retention in remote technology teams. Based on survey and interview data from twelve organizations, it can be concluded that structured mentorship in the first 90 days is the single strongest predictor of retention, ahead of compensation or flexible scheduling.
Humanities or case study example
By tracing how coastal towns in the region reimagined their public spaces after the decline of the fishing industry, this thesis has shown how local memory and economic necessity together reshape civic identity in ways that formal planning policy alone cannot explain.
Examples of Closing Sentences for Dissertation Conclusions
Your final sentence carries disproportionate weight: it’s the last thing an examiner reads, so it should feel deliberate rather than trailing off. Here are effective closing sentences organized by the impression each one creates.
Statement of contribution
This study contributes a working framework for understanding how small nonprofits allocate limited staff time, one that future researchers can test and adapt across other sectors.
Call to action for practice or policy
Practitioners in this field should treat onboarding friction not as an unavoidable cost of growth but as a variable they can actively manage.
Forward looking, toward future research
The questions raised here open a clear path for further work on cross border data governance, particularly in regions this study could not reach.
Broader significance
What began as a narrow study of one coastal town ultimately speaks to a wider question about how communities rebuild identity after economic loss.
Confident, decisive summary
Taken together, these findings answer the question this thesis set out to address and establish a firm foundation for the research that follows.
Reframing rather than closing the conversation
This research does not close the conversation on algorithmic bias; it reframes the terms on which that conversation should continue.
What to avoid
Two endings weaken an otherwise strong chapter: trailing off with a vague hedge such as “more research is simply needed,” and repeating your opening sentence with only minor word changes. A strong closing sentence should feel like an earned final step, not a summary restated one more time.
Common Criticisms by Examiners of Dissertation Conclusions
| Criticism | What It Looks Like | How to Avoid It |
| Conclusion merely repeats the discussion | Findings are listed chapter by chapter with little new interpretation | Synthesize findings into one overall message; ask what they mean together, not what each one said separately |
| Research question left unanswered | The chapter summarizes activity but never states a direct answer | Open with a clear, confident restatement of the research question, followed immediately by the answer |
| New material introduced too late | Fresh data, sources, or arguments appear for the first time in the final chapter | Move any new evidence back into the discussion or results chapter; the conclusion should only reflect on material already presented |
| Contribution to the field is vague | Phrases like “this study adds to the literature” appear without specifics | Name precisely what is new: a framework, a data set, a method, or a challenge to existing theory |
| Limitations feel like an afterthought or excuse | A long, defensive list of everything that went wrong | Keep limitations brief, frame them as boundaries on scope rather than flaws, and pivot quickly to what they suggest for future work |
| Recommendations are generic | “More research is needed” with no direction | Suggest a specific next question, method, or population that would extend the study |
| Overstated or unsupported claims | Broad generalizations that outrun the evidence collected | Use hedging language such as “this suggests” or “may indicate,” and keep claims within the study’s actual scope |
| Weak or anticlimactic final sentence | The chapter trails off or simply restates the opening line | End with a decisive, specific closing statement that states significance or points forward, not a repeated summary |
| Length out of proportion to the thesis | Conclusion is either a few rushed paragraphs or a bloated restatement of everything | Target roughly 5-7% of total word count, adjusted for your discipline’s norms |
| Disconnect from the introduction | Conclusion does not clearly link back to the aims and questions set out at the start | Reuse key terms and framing from the introduction so the two chapters visibly close the loop |
Conclusion Chapter Checklist
Work through this list before you submit your final draft.
- The main research question is answered clearly and directly
- Findings are synthesized into an overall message, not just listed
- Important limitations are mentioned briefly and honestly
- Relevant recommendations for future research are included
- The contribution to the field is clearly explained
- No new data, sources, or arguments have been introduced
- Generic phrases such as ‘in conclusion’ have been removed
- The chapter’s length is proportional to the overall word count and discipline norms
What Comes After You Finish the Conclusion Chapter?
Once your conclusion is complete, write your abstract while the research is fresh, finalize your reference list, add any appendices, and proofread the full document.
- Write your abstract next, since the research and its findings are still fresh in your mind.
- Check that your reference list is complete, consistent, and correctly formatted in your required citation style.
- Add any appendices, then build your table of contents and title page.
- Read the entire document again, or ask a supervisor, peer, or professional proofreader to check it, to catch language errors and confirm the argument holds together.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Many Words Should a PhD Dissertation Conclusion Be?
Most PhD conclusions run about 5 to 7 percent of the total dissertation word count. For an 80,000 word thesis, that works out to roughly 4,000 to 5,600 words, though STEM chapters are often shorter.
Can I Introduce New Arguments in My Dissertation Conclusion?
No. New arguments, evidence, or interpretations belong in the discussion or results chapters. The conclusion should only synthesize and reflect on material the reader has already seen.
What Is the Difference Between a Summary and a Conclusion in a Thesis?
A summary simply lists what was covered, while a conclusion synthesizes findings, states their significance, and answers the research question with an overall, reflective message.
Should I Restate My Hypothesis in the Conclusion Chapter?
Yes, but reformulate it in fresh wording rather than copying it from your introduction, and pair it with a clear statement of whether and how it was supported.
How Do I Write a Conclusion for a Qualitative Research Dissertation?
Focus on synthesizing themes rather than statistics, connect them to your theoretical framework, and be explicit about the context in which your interpretations apply.
What Is the Best Way to End a Dissertation Conclusion Chapter?
End with a confident, specific closing statement, such as a forward-looking recommendation or a clear statement of significance, rather than a generic or apologetic phrase.
Do All Dissertations Need a Separate Conclusion Chapter?
Not always. Humanities and social science theses usually have a standalone chapter, while some STEM and medical theses combine discussion and conclusion into one chapter.
How Do I Avoid Repeating My Discussion Chapter in My Conclusion?
Write more reflectively than descriptively: instead of restating each result, explain what the findings mean together, why they matter, and what should happen next.
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