Research Paper Conclusion Writing Strategy

Photo of author

By Henry Jackson

Research paper writing as an educational activity is very underestimated. Yes, it’s time-consuming and exhaustive, but very beneficial for students. Unfortunately, the heavy academic load and a bunch of other duties and responsibilities don’t leave them any opportunity to realize it. When you’re burdened with lots of assignments, need to attend lectures and seminars every day, and have almost no time to rest, there’s no way to see the beauty in research activity.

You may wonder why we decided to emphasize conclusion writing. It only seems to be the easiest part of writing, where you need to summarize the points you mentioned. In reality, the conclusion turns out to be the toughest part. You get so tired after carrying out an experiment, writing down the findings, and presenting them, so the conclusion becomes an obstacle you can’t overcome.

One of the most popular ways for students to tackle this problem is to order help with research paper on the best essay writing service. There’s an opinion that hiring an assistant is wrong and illegal, but no one rule or law prohibits it. Break down the stereotypes. If you feel that a certain activity or assignment is beyond your capabilities, be mature enough to delegate your responsibilities to someone.

A Proper Definition of a Research Paper Conclusion

Well, what is a research paper conclusion? It’s the final section of any academic paper where the author summarizes all the key points stated in the main body. Besides it, the conclusion serves as a perfect place to explain what lessons were drawn and what findings were explored.

People are more likely to remember the first and the last part of the text they are reading. This is how human memory works. Therefore, the introduction and conclusion can rightly be considered the most important parts of any academic paper. Pay special attention to your conclusion if you want to leave a lasting impression on your instructor, teacher, or groupmate.

There are several types of research paper conclusions. You need to get acquainted with them and then choose which one fits your paper the most. Trying to combine the features of all types in one is doomed to failure. Here are they:

  1. Editorial conclusion. If you select this type, you revolve your conclusion around your ideas and your point of view on the issue you researched. The main focus isn’t the topic of your research or your findings but your relation and opinion on them.
  2. Summarizing conclusion. This type is one of the most commonly used. It’s a conclusion where you sum up the topic, thesis, suggestions, and findings. If your research paper topic allows using this type, choose it.
  3. Externalizing conclusion. If you want to add information that wasn’t mentioned in the body of your research, you can select this type of conclusion and do it. This information can be connected to other research on this topic or present an interesting fact.

How To Craft a Winning Conclusion For a Research Paper?

Before we proceed with discussing the proper strategy of conclusion writing, it’s necessary to know the main elements of a conclusion. 1-2 sentences are enough to cover each element. Here are they:

  • Topic section. It’s an introduction of your conclusion where you repeat your thesis statement in other words and let your readers remember what they’ve read.
  • Supporting section. The next sentences should be devoted to restating your points and ideas and connecting them to each other.
  • Closing sentences. These are several final sentences, the aim of which is to leave an impression on the readers or make them do a certain action.

This is a universal structure, so be ready to change it depending on the type of conclusion used. A good conclusion should restate the topic, summarize the key points, and contain information on the significance of your research. But the question “How to write a strong conclusion?” remains unanswered. Let’s change it.

There’s no guarantee that the strategy of conclusion writing we’ll share here will fit you. The more papers you write and the more guides you read, the closer you get to develop a win-win approach. Here are the key recommendations to keep in mind:

  1. Reread your research paper once again. Taking a break is often recommended after you finish presenting your findings in the main body. Why not? Having a clear head before writing is good, but you risk forgetting what you’ve written, so take time to remind yourself of that.
  2. Select a suitable conclusion type. Summarizing, externalizing, and editorial conclusion serve different purposes. If you feel it difficult to define what type fits your research topic, ask your instructor for a piece of advice.
  3. Mention only the most relevant points. A research paper can be of a huge volume, and the conclusion should be short. That’s why your task is to define the most valuable and significant points to write about.
  4. Give recommendations. Don’t think you aren’t allowed to recommend something. Quite the opposite, this information will show that your experiments and research bore fruit and you found a solution to a problem.
  5. Be clear and concise. The way you write information is as important as the quality of information you try to communicate. Do your best to achieve a coherent and convincing writing style – it’ll help your paper be more successful.
  6. Pose a question. If you want to leave an impression and make your readers think about the issue you touched upon, try to ask a question at the end of your paper.

The Bottom Line

The information in this article was enough to understand a research paper’s conclusion and the features of a winning conclusion. If something still seems unclear, read it once again and apply the knowledge you got in practice. The more papers you write – the faster you’ll understand what’s what. Avoid obvious statements, long discussions, apologizing, emotional and colloquial language, and adding new information unless it’s an externalized conclusion.

Keep in mind this information, check your paper before submitting, and you’ll get A+.