A great deal of work goes into the research and writing of a research paper. Some students make the mistake of thinking once he or she has reached the conclusion that the work is more or less done. This way of thinking is one way of making a mistake when preparing to write the conclusion to your research paper. The end is as important as the beginning and the body of your paper.
What to Remember when Writing your Conclusion
One of the most important aspects to writing your conclusion is to spend time on wording it properly. Do not skimp on the amount of effort you put into the conclusion simply because it is the end of your paper. The conclusion needs to wrap up the points you were making throughout the entirety of the paper.
- Include your Thesis
One key element of your conclusion is the thesis statement. You do not want to include it verbatim from the start of your paper. You want to rewrite the thesis without changing the point of your thesis. It is almost important to remember that your thesis belongs at the beginning of your research paper, not just in the conclusion.
- Additional Thesis Information
A research paper without a thesis in the introduction will leave the readers confused. It also prevents you from properly stating the point you want to make in your research paper. As an example: If you are writing a paper on the direct impact parents have on childhood obesity you need to point out what you are trying to prove from the outset. Here is an example of a potential thesis, Childhood obesity is at epidemic proportions with the inaction or inattentiveness of parents being a key factor. Placing that at the end of the paper might wrap things up in some respects but it should be at the beginning so your data can support your claim.
- Highlight Key Points
When summarizing the key points to your paper be careful not to simply list those points. You want to state the points in a way that is interesting and keeps the reader engaged. Do not bore your reader with a generic list of facts from your research paper.
- Avoid Introduction of New Facts
The conclusion is not the time to introduce new facts and information. If the facts you want to include in your conclusion are that important to your overall research paper incorporate them into the body of your paper.
- Wrap it up
The conclusion to your research paper should be more than just the restatement of your thesis and a list of your key points. You want to incorporate your thesis statement, key points, and tie it all together. Your conclusion is where you can summarize how you have proved the entire point of your research paper based on your thesis and data collected.
- Phrases to avoid
When starting your conclusion it is easy to use “In closing,” “In conclusion,” or “In summary.” Although they work well at starting the summarizing of your research paper avoid using these “go-to” phrases. These phrases add nothing to your research paper. If anything, the use of these phrases can diminish the quality of your writing.
When you come to the end of your research paper and start to write your conclusion, do not forget the importance of this section of your paper. You need to include your thesis and wrap up your points contained throughout your paper. The conclusion is not where you want to bring up new questions or concerns but communicate the point of your overall research paper. Pay special attention to the phrasing used when starting your conclusion as well.