Depending on whether you’re writing an empirical or humanities paper, you can use and customize these sentence structures for your thesis or dissertation conclusion.
This concludes our guide about how to write a thesis conclusion and dissertation conclusion. You can bookmark this article to revisit any thesis and dissertation conclusion examples. Once you write the conclusion and complete your paper, you’ll need to edit and proofread your thesis or dissertation. As experts in editing and proofreading services , we’d love to help you perfect your paper!
Here are some other articles you might find interesting:
What is the conclusion of a thesis chapter, do i repeat my thesis in my conclusion, what is an example of a conclusion statement.
Found this article helpful?
Your blog on dissertation and thesis conclusions is exceptionally insightful! It offers clear, practical guidance, and the tips are incredibly valuable for both beginners and experienced researchers. Great job!
Leave a Comment: Cancel reply
Your email address will not be published.
Your organization needs a technical editor: here’s why, your guide to the best ebook readers in 2024, writing for the web: 7 expert tips for web content writing.
Subscribe to our Newsletter
Get carefully curated resources about writing, editing, and publishing in the comfort of your inbox.
How to Copyright Your Book?
If you’ve thought about copyrighting your book, you’re on the right path.
© 2024 All rights reserved
The last portion of your dissertation is called the conclusion. The objective of the dissertation conclusion is to answer the primary question of the research, provide a summary of the research, make recommendations for possible research on the subject and list the new information that your research contributes to the field.
Although the discussion and the conclusion have similar elements, they are not the same. They may be combined in shorter journal articles and papers. However, in a thesis, both the conclusion and discussion must be included.
While a discussion includes specific interpretations and results, the conclusion makes broader statements to sum up all the important points of your research.
Writing a good conclusion is important to clarify the main discoveries and arguments of your research. Here are some tips on how to conclude a thesis.
The first step is to understand how to start a conclusion. It must begin with the key question of your dissertation. This allows you to show the results of your work. It must be clear and concise. You do not have to repeat all the results discussed along the thesis. Just combine them into a few words that will become the final takeaway for readers.
For example, the conclusion for a dissertation that aims at making theoretical arguments by analysing case studies, the beginning can be as follows:
“A detailed analysis of the changing representations of the UK border policy and migration over the last ten years, the influence of media discourse in political decision making is highlighted in this dissertation”
The thesis conclusion gives your readers a reminder about why you approached a topic in a certain way. You must summarize the expected results and the actual results that matched these expectations.
The summary should not have too many repetitions. It is not meant to summarize every chapter. Instead, it must reflect your views and ideas that were developed through the course of the thesis. This is also a good opportunity to list any limitations in the research. You can also highlight why your methodology was best suited for the topic discussed.
Here is an example of how to restate thesis in conclusion:
This research evidently shows “X” while raising a few questions about “Y”. In keeping with the example provided above, the summary can begin as follows: “In addition to showcasing the various representations of UK border policy, this thesis also raises questions on the credibility of media exposure in these representations.”
In the discussion of your research, you may have provided possible areas to explore in future research. However, with the conclusion, you can elaborate on these suggestions. Make sure you include the implications of all your findings in the field of study.
These examples will help you understand ways to start a dissertation conclusion recommendation:
“Further research is required to determine the relationship between the changing political views on migration and their effect on global economy”, or, “Based on the conclusions of this research, practitioners may consider studying the relationship between migration and economy”
Make sure that you do not exaggerate how applicable your research is. Instead, provide broader statements to highlight important insights of your thesis. Remember, the conclusion must not include any new interpretations, data or arguments.
A good thesis is one that provides some new knowledge to a particular field of study. This gives your readers a very strong impression about the contributions of your thesis. You can highlight the contributions of your research in different ways as mentioned below:
You need to make sure that you do not repeat information that has already been covered in the discussion. Choose only the important points and provide a brief overview.
Once the conclusion is written, there are a few final steps to complete your dissertation:
Make sure you review the document completely to ensure that there are no language errors.
To make sure that you have understood the essence of the conclusion, compare this checklist with any available dissertation conclusion sample:
The research question is answered The argument is summarised There is some reflection on the methods and results Limitations, if any, are highlighted The most relevant recommendations are discussed The important contributions of the thesis are explained clearly There is no inclusion of new data
If you need any thesis writing help or wish to read through example of conclusion in thesis, our experts are always ready to help you. Get in touch with us now to create an impressive conclusion for your thesis.
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Comment * Error message
Name * Error message
Email * Error message
Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
As Putin continues killing civilians, bombing kindergartens, and threatening WWIII, Ukraine fights for the world's peaceful future.
Ukraine Live Updates
Dissertation Genius
December 10, 2016 by Dissertation Genius
In this blog post, you’ll learn exactly how to write the last chapter of your doctoral dissertation. In particular, you will get oriented with the overall goals of the conclusion chapter. Then, you’ll be taught on how to go about writing the chapter itself. Finally, you will be given guidance on what things to avoid in the ever-important final chapter of your dissertation.
Before going into how to actually write the conclusion chapter of your dissertation, it’s important to review its purpose. Regardless of what discipline you are in, there are certain messages you always want your readers to absorb after reading your conclusion chapter. Basically, your conclusion should always: Give a general overview of the important contributions of your work – Make it absolutely clear for your committee and the general reader the original contributions of your work and where they are situated with respect to the rest of your research field. A good way to do this is to simply display your contributions in a bulleted list.
Summarize the main points of your various chapters – Especially if you aim to get your work published, your conclusion should always strive to be an ‘executive summary’ of your work. Not every reader will be interested in reading your entire work. This way, you will have this chapter ready to give them a brief (yet comprehensive) overview of the dissertation.
Recommendations – You should always include at least a paragraph on the practical implications resulting from your findings. This is extremely valuable for yourself, the committee, and the general reader. You can be rather flexible with your recommendations as long as they are relevant and derived from the findings of your dissertation research. For example, you can list highly-specific recommendations and steps to be followed or you can list more general recommendations guiding the reader towards certain ideas and principles to follow.
Future Work – No matter how much you have done with your dissertation research, it will never truly be finished. There will always be lingering question marks and open ends. By no means does this indicate your work is incomplete On the contrary, no PhD work is ever complete and, in fact, a good dissertation is one that sparks a high level of general interest and motivates further research in a particular discipline.
Now that you have a good grasp of what the general outline should be of your conclusion, it is important to look at how to actually write it. The most important principle to keep in mind while writing your dissertation conclusion is reflection . To illustrate:
These are what you must constantly ask yourself while you are writing your dissertation conclusion.
Usually, you should start writing your conclusion by first taking notes, and you should do this while proofreading the initial draft of your work . In general, you should use the following approach:
In general, there are three main pitfalls you should always avoid when writing the conclusion for your dissertation.
Protracted and Rambling Conclusion – A long and protracted conclusion is when you repeat yourself unnecessarily (without adding anything to what you are mentioning) about points you already mentioned in your previous chapters before the conclusion.
Short Conclusion – This is actually an improvement to a long and rambling conclusion, which wastes valuable time on the part of your audience. However, a conclusion that is too short also rambles about facts without coming to a logical conclusion, and does all this using less words and missing vital points/arguments.
Implausible Conclusion – Often times, doctoral students can come to wild conclusions that boggle the mind. They make claims that have absolutely no logical link to the evidence in their research, or that link is very weak. For example, many PhD students (in their very limited small-scale study) make wild assertions that the results of their study should be adopted by public policy-makers, governmental officials, and the like. If you make a list of unsubstantiated claims, you will be wasting a lot of hard work for nothing. Simply stay humble and avoid doing this!
535 Fifth Avenue, 4th Floor New York, NY 10017
Free consultation: (877) 875-7687
A workingmumscholar's journey through her phd and beyond, concluding the thesis.
I am co-supervising a PhD student who is handing in her thesis for examination in November. She is currently revising her whole thesis, working towards the conclusion (and finally, the introduction). Conclusions can be tricky things to write – pulling something as big as a PhD dissertation together into a final, clear chapter is not easy. It is both an intellectual and an emotional challenge, as conclusion-writing comes towards the very end of the process, and you are so tired, and probably feeling like there are no more coherent words or sentences in your brain. This post reflects a little on what a thesis conclusion is for, with some thoughts on how to construct one that does justice to your meisterwerk .
To begin with, let’s think a bit about what conclusions are for in a piece of written work. In undergraduate studies, students are typically taught that conclusions are summaries . You restate the thesis, or main claim, of your paper, reiterate what each paragraph has said that contributes to that argument, and then bring it all together with a firm final sentence or two that says something about the relevance of the paper, or argument. There should be no new information, just a summing up of what has already been said. Sometimes you are allowed recommendations, depending on the discipline. It makes sense, then, that we progress into postgraduate studies believing that we are writing summaries whenever we conclude (a paper, or a journal article, or a thesis). I have seen many conclusions like this in postgraduate, postdoctoral and early career writing. But, unfortunately, at these levels conclusions that merely summarise a paper the reader has just read are not adequate, or suitable . A shift is needed.
As Pat Thomson usefully argues in this post about writing a thesis conclusion, the conclusion to a thesis (or journal article) is not a summary of the whole . The summary part of a thesis conclusion should ideally be quite brief, and used rather as a springboard to the real work of the conclusion: using the preceding writing and research to show how the study has addressed the research questions, and in so doing, how it has made a valid, and useful, contribution to knowledge .
A strong conclusion shows your readers what your research means within the context of the field you have referenced in your ‘literature review’, and how in answering your research questions you have been able to speak back to this body of research in which you have located your own study. It answers your research questions, succinctly and clearly, so that your readers understand the overall claims of your study, the focus of your argument, the basis upon which you have advanced your argument, and the significance, meaning or value of that argument to your (their) field. It discusses – argues – for the place of your research within your field, and the contribution it is making.
There are a few ways in which you can approach writing such a conclusion (and Pat’s post above is very helpful here). There are also a few guidelines to consider in writing this vital part of your thesis.
To begin with, you do need to bring your reader up to speed with the thesis thus far . Examiners and other readers are unlikely to read your whole PhD in one go, so ending each chapter with a brief summary, and starting the next one with a short section that connects the present chapter to the previous one is a good idea for creating coherent connections between chapters, and is helpful for your readers. Thus, you should begin your conclusion with an overview, or brief summary, of the argument thus far.
Then, consider your research questions : what did you set out to do in this project or study? Your research questions could make useful sub-headings here, at least in a first draft, to help you organise your thoughts. Starting here, you can begin to pull out the answers you have found (in the ‘analysis chapter/s’) so that you can discuss the implications of your findings, their relevance in relation to your overall argument, and the way in which what you have found relates to the body of research to which you have connected your study. No new information : just an analytical discussion of selected aspects of your findings that are useful for answering your research questions, and further consolidating your argument.
Perhaps you have recommendations , on the basis of your findings and their implications for practice, and/or further research. You could include a section on these, discussing a step further the possible implications of your research in relation to your field. Something else that may be relevant to include here could be limitations to the size or scope of your findings: are there any that your readers need to know about, so that they don’t expect your study to have done something other than what it has done? Don’t just list all the things you could have done but didn’t do: think carefully about pertinent limitations that may represent counter-arguments you could defend or mitigate against.
At the end of the end, consider your argument again : what has your thesis claimed and to what end? Try to end your thesis with a paragraph that reiterates not just what your thesis has argued, but WHY this argument has relevance, or import, for your readers. What do you hope the outcome of your research will be? Why are you so passionate about it, and why do you think others should care too? Read a few thesis conclusions to get a sense of different ways of doing this, and check out Pat Thomson’s posts on conclusion writing , too. Then write a draft and share it with your supervisor for feedback.
It’s worth really taking your time and not rushing this chapter, even as it comes at the end when you are tired, and really just want to be done. End on the highest note you can: you owe yourself that much after all your hard work getting there.
I am at exactly this point with my thesis so your very helpful suggestions couldn’t have been better timed. Pretty sure I would have most of the mistakes mentioned otherwise, so many thanks!
I’m so pleased that this is helpful – good luck with the conclusion and submission 🙂
You have a great blog! I didn’t reall of the posts, but all the titles of the posts seem to apply to me right now! I’m trying to finish up my PhD, which means, a lot of writing. This is very helpful!
Thanks for the comment, and all the best with the final push!
Timely. Half way through writing mine!
Swapped university with a few years to run on my candidature, got really sick and was struggling. Employed in aviation so COVID-19 has been great fun!
This summary is very timely!
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .
Asked on 07 Nov, 2019
Like the introduction, the conclusion of a thesis should also make an impact on the reader. this is because the conclusion is the last part of your study that they will see and chances are that a good ending will make a mark on them.
Basically, a good conclusion should restate the thesis statement and highlight the key points of your work, explaining to the reader why your work is important and how it contributes to the field. Here is a format that you could follow while writing the conclusion of your thesis:
1. Restate your thesis statement. Rephrase it so that slightly different from the thesis statement presented in the introduction and does not sound repetitive.
2. Reiterate the key points of your work. To do this, go back to your thesis and extract the topic sentences of each main paragraph/argument. Rephrase these sentences and use them in your conclusion.
3. Explain the relevance and significance of your work. These should include the larger implications of your work and showcase the impact it will have on society.
4. End with a take-home message, such as a call to action or future direction.
Related reading:
Answered by Editage Insights on 25 Nov, 2019
This content belongs to the Conducting Research Stage
Confirm that you would also like to sign up for free personalized email coaching for this stage.
Verify originality of an essay
Get ideas for your paper
Find top study documents
Updated 17 Apr 2024
You’ve done thorough research, finished the dissertation preface , completed your results and discussion chapters, and reached the final stage of your study – creating the dissertation conclusion. This article will cover all the essential aspects of writing a well-crafted conclusion for your academic project. We’ll discuss the essential conclusion components, the main steps to completing this paragraph, and the best hacks to generate a compelling summarizing section for your research.
To understand how to write a conclusion for a dissertation, it’s necessary to have a clear idea of this term’s meaning. The conclusion is the final major chapter of an academic paper, thesis, or dissertation, providing a brief concluding summary of research findings. Its essential purpose is to give the reader a distinct comprehension of the author’s primary findings and the solution to the research question.
Let’s see what a conclusion should include. A well-rounded summarizing paragraph involves the following functions:
It’s important to note that the final chapter should be based solely on the information and findings exposed in earlier paragraphs. Introducing new facts or data points is not advisable and should be avoided. If new points need to be introduced, they should be added to the earlier results and discussion paragraphs.
It’s common for readers to jump from the introduction to the conclusion to get a brief overview of the research findings. That’s why ensuring a smooth flow and strong connection between these two chapters is important, even if these paragraphs are on opposite ends of your thesis.
Upon closer examination, while writing a thesis or dissertation conclusion, you may observe that a conclusion and discussion share similarities in their components. Still, they’re not identical.
The primary distinction between the two is that a conclusion tends to be more concise and offers a broader perspective than a discussion. It’s necessary to refrain from analyzing particular research results, repeating information from the literature review, or delving into detailed data interpretations. Instead, a better solution is to focus on making general statements summarizing the most significant ideas from the research work.
In some cases, discussion paragraphs may be combined with conclusions, particularly in journal articles and shorter academic papers. Some universities suggest merging the conclusion and discussion. Still, in a thesis or dissertation, writers usually include a separate chapter summarizing their research and leaving the reader with a final impression of their investigation, distinct from the discussion section.
The length of a conclusion may vary depending on the type of academic work you’re writing. Generally, a paragraph to conclude a research paper should constitute approximately 5-7% of the total word count. In an empirical scientific study, this part is typically brief, summarizing the main findings and suggesting areas for further research. On the contrary, a systematic review or humanities dissertation may need a more extensive conclusion, integrating and synthesizing the analysis from previous paragraphs into an overarching argument.
If you read this article, it means your research paper is almost ready. You clearly know how to write a dissertation introduction , complete your body paragraph, and understand what the conclusion entails. Now, it’s time to explore the essential steps to writing your academic paper's end. Note that this structure is just one sample and may vary depending on your university's requirements. Some colleges may prefer that certain points be covered in the discussion section or in different paragraphs.
Like other chapters in your thesis, the conclusion should start with a short introduction. This part aims to inform the readers about what they can find here and how the information is exposed. The goal is to provide the reader with an overview of what will be covered in the chapter rather than a chapter summary. Therefore, keep it brief and concise, limiting it to one or two paragraphs. Here's one of the dissertation conclusion examples of how this could be done.
“The purpose of this chapter is to summarize the main findings of our investigation according to the research aims and and discuss their significance and contribution. Additionally, the study’s limitations will be reviewed, and perspectives for future research will be proposed.”
The next stage is to present the overall findings of your investigation related to the research questions and aims. It’s essential to take a step back and consider the broad implications of the findings. To contextualize the findings, it’s useful to begin this part of your text by reminding the reader of your research questions and aims. You may use the same phrases as in our examples: “This research aimed to…”, “the study is focused on,” “the results show that…” etc .
“The study aimed to discover the relationship between exercise and mental health in young adults. Our investigation results show a relation between regular physical activity and lower stress and anxiety levels, particularly in those who engage in moderate to vigorous activity with regularity. This is consistent with previous research on the stress-reducing benefits of exercise. Additionally, higher levels of physical activity were positively correlated with improved mood and well-being, in line with the theory of exercise-induced endorphin release. The study also identified gender differences, with more pronounced effects in females.”
Avoid making exaggerated claims in this section, such as “this research proves that” or “the results of our investigation refute the existing theory.” It’s rare for a single study to prove or disprove any facts, as it typically requires more extensive research. Theses and dissertations inherently have limitations. We will consider these limitations in more detail later.
In the next section, it’s necessary to discuss your research's contribution to the field in practice and theory. It entails discussing the study's achievements, significance, and applicability, emphasizing its importance and value in practical applications. Here, you should:
“These findings contribute to the existing literature on the topic and support the significance of incorporating regular physical activity as a potential intervention for promoting mental health among young people and college students.”
It's important to balance being confident but humble in your argumentation. It’s almost impossible for a single study to revolutionize a field or challenge established paradigms. Therefore, making grand claims may not be well-received. Still, you should confidently present your arguments, and assert the contribution of your investigation, however small it may be. In short, aim for a balanced approach.
After enhancing your research, critically analyzing your paper’s limitations and potential flaws is crucial. While you may have addressed some of these in the discussion chapter according to your university’s preferences, avoid unnecessary repetition.
Potential limitations that may be applied to a thesis can include the following:
Considering the limitations of your study may initially seem counterproductive as nobody wants to emphasize their weaknesses. However, it’s a crucial component of any academic work. It’s necessary to acknowledge that all papers, even those completed by writing experts with ample funding, have limitations. By recognizing them and demonstrating that you acknowledge the constraints of your research design, you add credibility to your investigation.
Nevertheless, be mindful of your wording and avoid undermining your research value. It’s essential to balance acknowledging limitations and emphasizing the significance of your study despite these limitations. Demonstrate you understand the limitations to your readers: they were well-founded considering your constraints, and you have insights on how they can be addressed and improved. This approach will earn you credibility and recognition for your research.
“However, it’s crucial to acknowledge the limitations inherent in this study. Firstly, the sample size was relatively small, which may restrict the applicability of the findings to broader populations. Moreover, the study relied on self-reported measures of exercise and mental health, which could be susceptible to biases and may not fully capture the intricacies of these constructs. Additionally, the study had a relatively short duration, and the long-term effects of exercise on mental health were not thoroughly examined. To obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the relationship between exercise and mental health, future research should consider larger and more diverse samples, utilize objective measures of exercise, and incorporate longer follow-up periods. Nonetheless, despite these limitations, the findings of this study offer valuable insights into the potential benefits of exercise for mental health and have implications for future research and practical applications.”
The next stage is to formulate recommendations for further studies based on the limitations discussed earlier. For instance, if your study had data collection or analysis weaknesses, you can suggest that future researchers apply more sophisticated techniques.
You can also provide recommendations based on surprising or outstanding findings or data points that were not entirely related to your study goals and research questions. If any observations stood out but were not mentioned in the discussion, you could define them for further investigation in this part of your text.
In this section, you have the chance to guide how other writers can further develop your study and add to the existing knowledge. Articulate the fresh inquiries that your dissertation has generated, which can serve as reference points for future researchers to explore.
“Further research in this area may give supplementary insights into the mechanisms underlying the relationship between physical activity and mental health and inform the development of targeted interventions to improve mental health outcomes in young adults.”
Finally, wrap up your conclusion chapter with a closing summary. It should briefly recap the essential thoughts of your work without adding new information. Keep it concise, ideally a paragraph or two, for easy reference by your readers.
“To sum up, the findings of this study emphasize the positive impact of physical activity on mental health outcomes in young adults, specifically in terms of improved mood, reduced stress, and overall well-being.”
Let’s see some practical recommendations on how to write a dissertation conclusion that can help you create a compelling summary of your research findings.
On the EduBirdie website, you’ll find many creative dissertation topic ideas and effective recommendations to tackle the conclusion of your thesis. If you still feel uncertain and need assistance, do not hesitate to order a consultation with our experts to solve all your academic writing issues.
Let’s see some things you must avoid while completing your dissertation conclusion as they make it incoherent and unclear.
Offering personal reflections and ideas while concluding a dissertation is acceptable. Still, avoiding adding new arguments or evidence at this stage is crucial. Integrate it into the main body if you need to include something important.
The final section of your research should concisely summarize your findings without delving into excessive detail. Keep this chapter brief and easy to understand, presenting a digestible overview of what has been discussed previously.
It’s better to avoid unfounded or exaggerated claims about your research contribution that may disengage the reader.
Your dissertation shouldn’t leave your reader in suspense. Explicitly address the research questions or objectives you set out to answer, ensuring that nothing is skipped in your conclusion.
If you want to know more about how to write a dissertation conclusion, get recommendations from our professional writers. Our dissertation help services are the best solution for completing academic works of any complexity. Give EduBirdie a try and enjoy the outstanding quality!
Thanks for your feedback.
Steven Robinson is an academic writing expert with a degree in English literature. His expertise, patient approach, and support empower students to express ideas clearly. On EduBirdie's blog, he provides valuable writing guides on essays, research papers, and other intriguing topics. Enjoys chess in free time.
Dissertation vs thesis: navigating the differences.
In the intricate realm of academia, the terms “dissertation vs thesis” are often used interchangeably. Still, understanding their nuances is crucia...
Kicking off your dissertation planning is like getting ready for a long-distance run. It takes a lot of careful planning, detailed preparation, and...
Conceptual frameworks are the architects of successful research endeavors, providing the blueprint for understanding complex phenomena and guiding ...
Search SkillsYouNeed:
Learning Skills:
Writing Your Dissertation or Thesis eBook
Part of the Skills You Need Guide for Students .
Subscribe to our FREE newsletter and start improving your life in just 5 minutes a day.
You'll get our 5 free 'One Minute Life Skills' and our weekly newsletter.
We'll never share your email address and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Once you have completed the main body of your dissertation or thesis, you then need to worry about drawing your conclusions, and the additional pages, such as whether to include a table of contents.
Your university may have guidelines but, otherwise, you will have to use your own judgement.
This page gives some advice about what is often included and why.
You may have been permitted, and have chosen, to include your conclusions in the discussion section, see our page on Results and Discussion for some ideas about why you might choose to do this.
However, it is normal practice to include a short section at the end of your dissertation that draws out your conclusions.
This section will need to have several elements, including:
A brief summary , just a few paragraphs, of your key findings, related back to what you expected to see (essential);
The conclusions which you have drawn from your research (essential);
Why your research is important for researchers and practitioners (essential);
Recommendations for future research (strongly recommended, verging on essential);
Recommendations for practitioners (strongly recommended in management and business courses and some other areas, so check with your supervisor whether this will be expected); and
A final paragraph rounding off your dissertation or thesis.
Your conclusion does not need to be very long; no more than five pages is usually sufficient, although detailed recommendations for practice may require more space.
Your university will almost certainly have formal guidelines on the format for the title page, which may need to be submitted separately for blind marking purposes.
As a general rule, the title page should contain the title of the thesis or dissertation, your name, your course, your supervisor and the date of submission or completion.
This is a one page summary of your dissertation or thesis, effectively an executive summary .
Not every university requires a formal abstract, especially for undergraduate or master's theses, so check carefully. If one is required, it may be either structured or unstructured.
A structured abstract has subheadings, which should follow the same format as your dissertation itself (usually Literature, Methods, Results and Discussion). There will probably also be a word limit for the abstract.
If an abstract is required, it may be published separately from your thesis, as a way of indexing it. It will therefore be assessed both as a part of your thesis, and as a stand-alone document that will tell other researchers whether your dissertation will be useful in their studies. It is generally best to write the abstract last, when you are sure of the thread of your argument, and the most important areas to highlight.
You should include a table of contents, which should include all headings and subheadings.
It is probably best to use the standard software tools to create and update this automatically, as it leads to fewer problems later on. If you’re not sure how to do this, use the Help function in the software, or Google it.
The time spent learning how to do it accurately will be more than saved later on when you don’t have to update it manually.
You only really need to include this if you have a lot of figures. As with your table of contents, it’s best to use the tools available in the software to create this, so that it will update automatically even if you move a table or figure later.
This section is used to ensure that you do not inadvertently fall foul of any ‘taking help’ guidance.
Use it to thank:
Anyone who provided you with information, or who gave you their time as part of your research, for example, interviewees, or those who returned questionnaires;
Any person or body who has provided you with funding or financial support that has enabled you to carry out your research;
Anyone who has helped you with the writing, including anyone who has read and commented on a draft such as your supervisor, a proof-reader or a language editor, whether paid or unpaid;
Anyone to whom you are particularly grateful, like your spouse or family for tolerating your absence from family occasions for years during your studies.
You should not use appendices as a general ‘dumping ground’ for stuff you found interesting, but couldn’t manage to shoehorn in anywhere else, or which you wanted to include but couldn’t within the word count.
Appendices should be used for relevant information only, such as copies of your questionnaires or interview outlines, letters asking people to participate or additional proofs.
You can be reasonably confident that nobody will read them in any detail, so don’t bother to use an appendix to explain why your argument is correct. Anything that you want to be read should be included in the main body of your text.
Check, check and check again.
Every university’s requirements are slightly different in terms of format, what sections need to be included and so on.
Make sure that you check what you have done against your university’s guidelines and that it conforms exactly .
If in doubt, check with the administrative staff dealing with submissions or with your supervisor. You really do not want to be penalised for an error of formatting.
Make sure that you put your dissertation together in a single document, and read it over as a whole before submitting it.
It is also a good idea to get somebody else to proofread your work to check for any mistakes that you may have missed.
Collating your dissertation may introduce errors of formatting or style, or you may notice duplication between chapters that you had previously missed.
Allow sufficient time for collating and final checks, and also for any formal binding required by the university, to avoid any last minute panics.
Continue to: Assignment Finishing Touches Reflecting on Marked Work
See Also: Writing a Research Proposal | Graduate Employability Skills Transferable Skills | Learning Styles
(Last updated: 20 December 2023)
We have helped 10,000s of undergraduate, Masters and PhD students to maximise their grades in essays, dissertations, model-exam answers, applications and other materials. If you would like a free chat about your project with one of our UK staff, then please just reach out on one of the methods below.
Firstly, writing retrospectively means that your dissertation introduction and conclusion will ‘match’ and your ideas will all be tied up nicely.
Secondly, it’s time-saving. If you write your introduction before anything else, it’s likely your ideas will evolve and morph as your dissertation develops. And then you’ll just have to go back and edit or totally re-write your introduction again.
Thirdly, it will ensure that the abstract accurately contains all the information it needs for the reader to get a good overall picture about what you have actually done.
So as you can see, it will make your life much easier if you plan to write your introduction, conclusion, and abstract last when planning out your dissertation structure.
In this guide, we’ll break down the structure of a dissertation and run through each of these chapters in detail so you’re well equipped to write your own. We’ve also identified some common mistakes often made by students in their writing so that you can steer clear of them in your work.
Getting started.
Provide preliminary background information that puts your research in context
Clarify the focus of your study
Point out the value of your research (including secondary research)
Specify your specific research aims and objectives
There are opportunities to combine these sections to best suit your needs. There are also opportunities to add in features that go beyond these four points. For example, some students like to add in their research questions in their dissertation introduction so that the reader is not only exposed to the aims and objectives but also has a concrete framework for where the research is headed. Other students might save the research methods until the end of the literature review/beginning of the methodology.
In terms of length, there is no rule about how long a dissertation introduction needs to be, as it is going to depend on the length of the total dissertation. Generally, however, if you aim for a length between 5-7% of the total, this is likely to be acceptable.
The reader needs to know why your research is worth doing. You can do this successfully by identifying the gap in the research and the problem that needs addressing. One common mistake made by students is to justify their research by stating that the topic is interesting to them. While this is certainly an important element to any research project, and to the sanity of the researcher, the writing in the dissertation needs to go beyond ‘interesting’ to why there is a particular need for this research. This can be done by providing a background section.
You are going to want to begin outlining your background section by identifying crucial pieces of your topic that the reader needs to know from the outset. A good starting point might be to write down a list of the top 5-7 readings/authors that you found most influential (and as demonstrated in your literature review ). Once you have identified these, write some brief notes as to why they were so influential and how they fit together in relation to your overall topic.
You may also want to think about what key terminology is paramount to the reader being able to understand your dissertation. While you may have a glossary or list of abbreviations included in your dissertation, your background section offers some opportunity for you to highlight two or three essential terms.
When reading a background section, there are two common mistakes that are most evident in student writing, either too little is written or far too much! In writing the background information, one to two pages is plenty. You need to be able to arrive at your research focus quite quickly and only provide the basic information that allows your reader to appreciate your research in context.
It is essential that you are able to clarify the area(s) you intend to research and you must explain why you have done this research in the first place. One key point to remember is that your research focus must link to the background information that you have provided above. While you might write the sections on different days or even different months, it all has to look like one continuous flow. Make sure that you employ transitional phrases to ensure that the reader knows how the sections are linked to each other.
The research focus leads into the value, aims and objectives of your research, so you might want to think of it as the tie between what has already been done and the direction your research is going. Again, you want to ease the reader into your topic, so stating something like “my research focus is…” in the first line of your section might come across overly harsh. Instead, you might consider introducing the main focus, explaining why research in your area is important, and the overall importance of the research field. This should set you up well to present your aims and objectives.
The biggest mistake that students make when structuring their dissertation is simply not including this sub-section. The concept of ‘adding value’ does not have to be some significant advancement in the research that offers profound contributions to the field, but you do have to take one to two paragraphs to clearly and unequivocally state the worth of your work.
There are many possible ways to answer the question about the value of your research. You might suggest that the area/topic you have picked to research lacks critical investigation. You might be looking at the area/topic from a different angle and this could also be seen as adding value. In some cases, it may be that your research is somewhat urgent (e.g. medical issues) and value can be added in this way.
Whatever reason you come up with to address the value added question, make sure that somewhere in this section you directly state the importance or added value of the research.
Typically, a research project has an overall aim. Again, this needs to be clearly stated in a direct way. The objectives generally stem from the overall aim and explain how that aim will be met. They are often organised numerically or in bullet point form and are terse statements that are clear and identifiable.
Starting each objective with a key word (e.g. identify, assess, evaluate, explore, examine, investigate, determine, etc.)
Beginning with a simple objective to help set the scene in the study
Finding a good numerical balance – usually two is too few and six is too many. Aim for approximately 3-5 objectives
Remember that you must address these research objectives in your research. You cannot simply mention them in your dissertation introduction and then forget about them. Just like any other part of the dissertation, this section must be referenced in the findings and discussion – as well as in the conclusion.
This section has offered the basic sections of a dissertation introduction chapter. There are additional bits and pieces that you may choose to add. The research questions have already been highlighted as one option; an outline of the structure of the entire dissertation may be another example of information you might like to include.
As long as your dissertation introduction is organised and clear, you are well on the way to writing success with this chapter.
It is your job at this point to make one last push to the finish to create a cohesive and organised final chapter. If your concluding chapter is unstructured or some sort of ill-disciplined rambling, the person marking your work might be left with the impression that you lacked the appropriate skills for writing or that you lost interest in your own work.
To avoid these pitfalls and fully understand how to write a dissertation conclusion, you will need to know what is expected of you and what you need to include.
There are three parts (at a minimum) that need to exist within your dissertation conclusion. These include:
Research objectives – a summary of your findings and the resulting conclusions
Contributions to knowledge.
Furthermore, just like any other chapter in your dissertation, your conclusion must begin with an introduction (usually very short at about a paragraph in length). This paragraph typically explains the organisation of the content, reminds the reader of your research aims/objectives, and provides a brief statement of what you are about to do.
The length of a dissertation conclusion varies with the length of the overall project, but similar to a dissertation introduction, a 5-7% of the total word count estimate should be acceptable.
1. As a result of the completion of the literature review , along with the empirical research that you completed, what did you find out in relation to your personal research objectives? 2. What conclusions have you come to?
A common mistake by students when addressing these questions is to again go into the analysis of the data collection and findings. This is not necessary, as the reader has likely just finished reading your discussion chapter and does not need to go through it all again. This section is not about persuading, you are simply informing the reader of the summary of your findings.
There are two types of recommendations you can make. The first is to make a recommendation that is specific to the evidence of your study, the second is to make recommendations for future research. While certain recommendations will be specific to your data , there are always a few that seem to appear consistently throughout student work. These tend to include things like a larger sample size, different context, increased longitudinal time frame, etc. If you get to this point and feel you need to add words to your dissertation, this is an easy place to do so – just be cautious that making recommendations that have little or no obvious link to the research conclusions are not beneficial.
A good recommendations section will link to previous conclusions, and since this section was ultimately linked to your research aims and objectives, the recommendations section then completes the package.
Your main contribution to knowledge likely exists within your empirical work (though in a few select cases it might be drawn from the literature review ). Implicit in this section is the notion that you are required to make an original contribution to research, and you are, in fact, telling the reader what makes your research study unique. In order to achieve this, you need to explicitly tell the reader what makes your research special.
There are many ways to do this, but perhaps the most common is to identify what other researchers have done and how your work builds upon theirs. It may also be helpful to specify the gap in the research (which you would have identified either in your dissertation introduction or literature review) and how your research has contributed to ‘filling the gap.’
Another obvious way that you can demonstrate that you have made a contribution to knowledge is to highlight the publications that you have contributed to the field (if any). So, for example, if you have published a chapter of your dissertation in a journal or you have given a conference presentation and have conference proceedings, you could highlight these as examples of how you are making this contribution.
In summing up this section, remember that a dissertation conclusion is your last opportunity to tell the reader what you want them to remember. The chapter needs to be comprehensive and must include multiple sub-sections.
Ensure that you refresh the reader’s memory about your research objectives, tell the reader how you have met your research objectives, provide clear recommendations for future researchers and demonstrate that you have made a contribution to knowledge. If there is time and/or space, you might want to consider a limitations or self-reflection section.
A statement of the problem or issue that you are investigating – including why research on this topic is needed
The research methods used
The main results/findings
The main conclusions and recommendations
Different institutions often have different guidelines for writing the abstract, so it is best to check with your department prior to beginning.
When you are writing the abstract, you must find the balance between too much information and not enough. You want the reader to be able to review the abstract and get a general overall sense of what you have done.
As you write, you may want to keep the following questions in mind:
1. Is the focus of my research identified and clear? 2. Have I presented my rationale behind this study? 3. Is how I conducted my research evident? 4. Have I provided a summary of my main findings/results? 5. Have I included my main conclusions and recommendations?
In some instances, you may also be asked to include a few keywords. Ensure that your keywords are specifically related to your research. You are better off staying away from generic terms like ‘education’ or ‘science’ and instead provide a more specific focus on what you have actually done with terms like ‘e-learning’ or ‘biomechanics’.
Finally, you want to avoid having too many acronyms in your abstract. The abstract needs to appeal to a wide audience, and so making it understandable to this wider audience is absolutely essential to your success.
Many students also choose to make the necessary efforts to ensure that their chapter is ready for submission by applying an edit to their finished work . It is always beneficial to have a fresh set of eyes have a read of your chapter to make sure that you have not omitted any vital points and that it is error free.
Cryptocurrency payments.
This template covers all the core components required in the conclusion chapter of a typical dissertation, thesis or research project:
The purpose of each section is explained in plain language, followed by an overview of the key elements that you need to cover. The template also includes practical examples to help you understand exactly what’s required, along with links to additional free resources (articles, videos, etc.) to help you along your research journey.
The cleanly formatted Google Doc can be downloaded as a fully editable MS Word Document (DOCX format), so you can use it as-is or convert it to LaTeX.
PS – if you’d like a high-level template for the entire thesis, you can we’ve got that too .
What format is the template (doc, pdf, ppt, etc.).
The conclusion chapter template is provided as a Google Doc. You can download it in MS Word format or make a copy to your Google Drive. You’re also welcome to convert it to whatever format works best for you, such as LaTeX or PDF.
This template can be used for a dissertation, thesis or research project at any level of study. Doctoral-level projects typically require a lengthier, more comprehensive conclusion, but the structure will typically remain the same. Again, be sure to check your university’s requirements and norms in terms of document structure.
The conclusion chapter template follows the standard format for academic research projects, which means it will be suitable for the majority of dissertations, theses and research projects (especially those within the sciences).
Keep in mind that the exact requirements for the conclusion chapter/section will vary between universities and degree programs. For example, your university may require that the discussion chapter and conclusion chapter are merged into one (this is common for shorter projects). So, be sure to double-check your university’s requirements before you finalize your structure.
This can vary a fair deal, depending on the level of study (undergrad, Master or Doctoral), the field of research, as well as your university’s specific requirements. Therefore, it’s best to check with your university or review past dissertations from your program to get an accurate estimate.
Yes, you’re welcome to share this template in its original format (no editing allowed). If you want to post about it on your blog or social media, please reference this page as your source.
Yes, we do. We are constantly developing our collection of free resources to help students complete their dissertations and theses. You can view all of our template resources here .
by Antony W
June 27, 2024
You’ve come a long way with your dissertation project, and now it’s time to wrap it up with the conclusion chapter. In this guide, you’ll learn how to write a conclusion for your dissertation or thesis project in the shortest time possible.
In a dissertation project, the conclusion is the final chapter, which summarizes your study results.
While certain publications, such as journal articles and research papers , combine discussion and conclusion in one chapter, a dissertation or thesis needs to have a conclusion chapter of its own.
The conclusion chapter is generic and high-level in character. It will take a larger view, reflecting on the major research findings. Then, you’ll explain how you used those findings to answer your research question.
The goal of the conclusion chapter is to summarize your study’s important points and to inform the reader of what they should take away from your work. Essentially, you must explain:
As a guiding rule, don’t copy and paste what you wrote in your discussion chapter into the conclusion chapter.
A strong dissertation conclusion chapter should:
Notably, you must avoid including fresh results or data points. Your conclusion chapter should focus on the data and analysis findings offered in the previous chapters.
Perhaps one of the most common practices when it comes to reading a dissertation project is that a reader will go immediately to the conclusions chapter to check the study’s objective and important findings.
As a result, when writing your conclusion chapter, it’s helpful to imagine that the reader hasn’t read your dissertation or thesis’s internal chapters. Your conclusion chapter should show a strong link and a natural flow between the introduction and conclusion chapters.
Get custom dissertation writing help at a cheaper rate and get your long assignment completed in the shortest time possible.
Now that you have a better understanding of what the conclusion chapter is about, here’s how you can structure and write the introduction chapter from start to finish:
In this introduction part, inform the reader about the contents of the chapter and the order in which they’ll discover them.
The purpose here is to offer the reader a taste of what’s to come, not a synopsis of the chapter. Therefore, make it brief and succinct. A paragraph or two should be enough.
Explain the study’s overall findings in relation to the research objectives and research questions.
Zoom out a little and focus on the larger findings, especially how they contribute to meeting the study objectives.
Begin by reminding your reader of your study objectives and research questions, since this helps to contextualize the findings. Phrases such as “this research intended to…” and “the results show that…” will almost certainly come in helpful in this area.
Avoid making assertions such as “this study demonstrates that” or “the findings refute the established hypothesis.” It is unlikely for a single research to confirm or deny something. So, do not make unduly strong statements in the end of your dissertation.
Describe the theoretically and practically affect that your research has had on the area of study. Here’s where you discus the results of your study, emphasizing their significance and value, and demonstrating how they may be used or used.
Create a good balance between assertiveness and humility in your arguments here. At the same time, you must deliver your points confidently, stating unequivocally the value of your study, regardless of how modest that value may be.
Depending on your university’s structure preferences, you may have previously addressed this in the discussion chapter, so be cautious not to repeat yourself excessively.
Numerous restrictions may apply to any particular research. Several examples include the following:
While discussing the limits of your study may seem self-defeating, it is a necessary component of high-quality research. It is critical to recognize that all studies have limits and recognizing these limitations lends credibility to your study by demonstrating that you understand the constraints of your research design.
It is important to find a balance between acknowledging the limits of your study and emphasizing its value despite those constraints. Demonstrate to the reader that you understand the limits, that they are justified in light of the constraints, and that you understand how they might be improved.
Provide recommendations for more research based on the constraints you described.
A good source of future research recommendations may be any data points or analytic findings that were fascinating or unexpected but did not immediately connect to your study’s research objectives and research questions.
The goal here is to discuss how other researchers might build on your findings to advance the field of knowledge and contribute to its development. Therefore, consider the new questions presented by your work carefully and explicitly explain them for future scholars to pursue.
The concluding summary should act as a fast reference for your readers, recapitulating the points made throughout the conclusion chapter. Ascertain that you do not introduce any new information
About the author
Antony W is a professional writer and coach at Help for Assessment. He spends countless hours every day researching and writing great content filled with expert advice on how to write engaging essays, research papers, and assignments.
What should i include in a thesis or dissertation conclusion.
The conclusion of your thesis or dissertation should include the following:
Dissertation word counts vary widely across different fields, institutions, and levels of education:
However, none of these are strict guidelines – your word count may be lower or higher than the numbers stated here. Always check the guidelines provided by your university to determine how long your own dissertation should be.
A dissertation prospectus or proposal describes what or who you plan to research for your dissertation. It delves into why, when, where, and how you will do your research, as well as helps you choose a type of research to pursue. You should also determine whether you plan to pursue qualitative or quantitative methods and what your research design will look like.
It should outline all of the decisions you have taken about your project, from your dissertation topic to your hypotheses and research objectives , ready to be approved by your supervisor or committee.
Note that some departments require a defense component, where you present your prospectus to your committee orally.
A thesis is typically written by students finishing up a bachelor’s or Master’s degree. Some educational institutions, particularly in the liberal arts, have mandatory theses, but they are often not mandatory to graduate from bachelor’s degrees. It is more common for a thesis to be a graduation requirement from a Master’s degree.
Even if not mandatory, you may want to consider writing a thesis if you:
The conclusion of your thesis or dissertation shouldn’t take up more than 5–7% of your overall word count.
For a stronger dissertation conclusion , avoid including:
Your conclusion should leave the reader with a strong, decisive impression of your work.
While it may be tempting to present new arguments or evidence in your thesis or disseration conclusion , especially if you have a particularly striking argument you’d like to finish your analysis with, you shouldn’t. Theses and dissertations follow a more formal structure than this.
All your findings and arguments should be presented in the body of the text (more specifically in the discussion section and results section .) The conclusion is meant to summarize and reflect on the evidence and arguments you have already presented, not introduce new ones.
A theoretical framework can sometimes be integrated into a literature review chapter , but it can also be included as its own chapter or section in your dissertation . As a rule of thumb, if your research involves dealing with a lot of complex theories, it’s a good idea to include a separate theoretical framework chapter.
A literature review and a theoretical framework are not the same thing and cannot be used interchangeably. While a theoretical framework describes the theoretical underpinnings of your work, a literature review critically evaluates existing research relating to your topic. You’ll likely need both in your dissertation .
While a theoretical framework describes the theoretical underpinnings of your work based on existing research, a conceptual framework allows you to draw your own conclusions, mapping out the variables you may use in your study and the interplay between them.
A thesis or dissertation outline is one of the most critical first steps in your writing process. It helps you to lay out and organize your ideas and can provide you with a roadmap for deciding what kind of research you’d like to undertake.
Generally, an outline contains information on the different sections included in your thesis or dissertation , such as:
When you mention different chapters within your text, it’s considered best to use Roman numerals for most citation styles. However, the most important thing here is to remain consistent whenever using numbers in your dissertation .
In most styles, the title page is used purely to provide information and doesn’t include any images. Ask your supervisor if you are allowed to include an image on the title page before doing so. If you do decide to include one, make sure to check whether you need permission from the creator of the image.
Include a note directly beneath the image acknowledging where it comes from, beginning with the word “ Note .” (italicized and followed by a period). Include a citation and copyright attribution . Don’t title, number, or label the image as a figure , since it doesn’t appear in your main text.
Definitional terms often fall into the category of common knowledge , meaning that they don’t necessarily have to be cited. This guidance can apply to your thesis or dissertation glossary as well.
However, if you’d prefer to cite your sources , you can follow guidance for citing dictionary entries in MLA or APA style for your glossary.
A glossary is a collection of words pertaining to a specific topic. In your thesis or dissertation, it’s a list of all terms you used that may not immediately be obvious to your reader. In contrast, an index is a list of the contents of your work organized by page number.
The title page of your thesis or dissertation goes first, before all other content or lists that you may choose to include.
The title page of your thesis or dissertation should include your name, department, institution, degree program, and submission date.
Glossaries are not mandatory, but if you use a lot of technical or field-specific terms, it may improve readability to add one to your thesis or dissertation. Your educational institution may also require them, so be sure to check their specific guidelines.
A glossary or “glossary of terms” is a collection of words pertaining to a specific topic. In your thesis or dissertation, it’s a list of all terms you used that may not immediately be obvious to your reader. Your glossary only needs to include terms that your reader may not be familiar with, and is intended to enhance their understanding of your work.
A glossary is a collection of words pertaining to a specific topic. In your thesis or dissertation, it’s a list of all terms you used that may not immediately be obvious to your reader. In contrast, dictionaries are more general collections of words.
An abbreviation is a shortened version of an existing word, such as Dr. for Doctor. In contrast, an acronym uses the first letter of each word to create a wholly new word, such as UNESCO (an acronym for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).
As a rule of thumb, write the explanation in full the first time you use an acronym or abbreviation. You can then proceed with the shortened version. However, if the abbreviation is very common (like PC, USA, or DNA), then you can use the abbreviated version from the get-go.
Be sure to add each abbreviation in your list of abbreviations !
If you only used a few abbreviations in your thesis or dissertation , you don’t necessarily need to include a list of abbreviations .
If your abbreviations are numerous, or if you think they won’t be known to your audience, it’s never a bad idea to add one. They can also improve readability, minimizing confusion about abbreviations unfamiliar to your reader.
A list of abbreviations is a list of all the abbreviations that you used in your thesis or dissertation. It should appear at the beginning of your document, with items in alphabetical order, just after your table of contents .
Your list of tables and figures should go directly after your table of contents in your thesis or dissertation.
Lists of figures and tables are often not required, and aren’t particularly common. They specifically aren’t required for APA-Style, though you should be careful to follow their other guidelines for figures and tables .
If you have many figures and tables in your thesis or dissertation, include one may help you stay organized. Your educational institution may require them, so be sure to check their guidelines.
A list of figures and tables compiles all of the figures and tables that you used in your thesis or dissertation and displays them with the page number where they can be found.
The table of contents in a thesis or dissertation always goes between your abstract and your introduction .
You may acknowledge God in your dissertation acknowledgements , but be sure to follow academic convention by also thanking the members of academia, as well as family, colleagues, and friends who helped you.
A literature review is a survey of credible sources on a topic, often used in dissertations , theses, and research papers . Literature reviews give an overview of knowledge on a subject, helping you identify relevant theories and methods, as well as gaps in existing research. Literature reviews are set up similarly to other academic texts , with an introduction , a main body, and a conclusion .
An annotated bibliography is a list of source references that has a short description (called an annotation ) for each of the sources. It is often assigned as part of the research process for a paper .
In a thesis or dissertation, the discussion is an in-depth exploration of the results, going into detail about the meaning of your findings and citing relevant sources to put them in context.
The conclusion is more shorter and more general: it concisely answers your main research question and makes recommendations based on your overall findings.
In the discussion , you explore the meaning and relevance of your research results , explaining how they fit with existing research and theory. Discuss:
The results chapter or section simply and objectively reports what you found, without speculating on why you found these results. The discussion interprets the meaning of the results, puts them in context, and explains why they matter.
In qualitative research , results and discussion are sometimes combined. But in quantitative research , it’s considered important to separate the objective results from your interpretation of them.
Results are usually written in the past tense , because they are describing the outcome of completed actions.
The results chapter of a thesis or dissertation presents your research results concisely and objectively.
In quantitative research , for each question or hypothesis , state:
In qualitative research , for each question or theme, describe:
Don’t interpret or speculate in the results chapter.
To automatically insert a table of contents in Microsoft Word, follow these steps:
Make sure to update your table of contents if you move text or change headings. To update, simply right click and select Update Field.
All level 1 and 2 headings should be included in your table of contents . That means the titles of your chapters and the main sections within them.
The contents should also include all appendices and the lists of tables and figures, if applicable, as well as your reference list .
Do not include the acknowledgements or abstract in the table of contents.
The abstract appears on its own page in the thesis or dissertation , after the title page and acknowledgements but before the table of contents .
An abstract for a thesis or dissertation is usually around 200–300 words. There’s often a strict word limit, so make sure to check your university’s requirements.
In a thesis or dissertation, the acknowledgements should usually be no longer than one page. There is no minimum length.
The acknowledgements are generally included at the very beginning of your thesis , directly after the title page and before the abstract .
Yes, it’s important to thank your supervisor(s) in the acknowledgements section of your thesis or dissertation .
Even if you feel your supervisor did not contribute greatly to the final product, you must acknowledge them, if only for a very brief thank you. If you do not include your supervisor, it may be seen as a snub.
In the acknowledgements of your thesis or dissertation, you should first thank those who helped you academically or professionally, such as your supervisor, funders, and other academics.
Then you can include personal thanks to friends, family members, or anyone else who supported you during the process.
Want to contact us directly? No problem. We are always here for you.
Our team helps students graduate by offering:
Scribbr specializes in editing study-related documents . We proofread:
Scribbr’s Plagiarism Checker is powered by elements of Turnitin’s Similarity Checker , namely the plagiarism detection software and the Internet Archive and Premium Scholarly Publications content databases .
The add-on AI detector is powered by Scribbr’s proprietary software.
The Scribbr Citation Generator is developed using the open-source Citation Style Language (CSL) project and Frank Bennett’s citeproc-js . It’s the same technology used by dozens of other popular citation tools, including Mendeley and Zotero.
You can find all the citation styles and locales used in the Scribbr Citation Generator in our publicly accessible repository on Github .
Free All-in-One Office Suite with PDF Editor
Edit Word, Excel, and PPT for FREE.
Read, edit, and convert PDFs with the powerful PDF toolkit.
Microsoft-like interface, easy to use.
Windows • MacOS • Linux • iOS • Android
Select areas that need to improve
Fields marked * are required please
Please leave your suggestions below
Once you have a single idea to anchor your essay, build the entire piece around it. Starting an essay can be challenging; it's like revving up the engine and keeping your ideas flowing throughout. But I've got a foolproof plan for you. In this article I will show you how to start an essay and write a powerful, impactful piece for your class.
Just like any task that requires organization, writing an essay follows a structured process. If you want to ensure that your essay is well-organized and not just a free flow of ideas, consider the following process:
Read and Understand the Prompt: Begin by carefully reading the essay prompt to fully grasp what is being asked of you. Break it down into manageable parts to ensure you cover every aspect in your essay.
Plan Your Essay: Take time to brainstorm and organize your ideas. Creating an outline or a web of your ideas and supporting details will make the writing process much smoother. This will help you structure your essay logically and ensure all your points are well thought out.
Use and Cite Sources: Conduct thorough research to gather information and evidence to support your arguments. Use quotes and paraphrases from credible sources, but always avoid plagiarism by properly citing your sources.
Write a Draft: Start by writing a rough draft. As Ernest Hemingway said, “The first draft of anything is always crap.” This stage allows you to get all your ideas down without worrying about perfection. Drafts are essential for organizing your thoughts and refining your arguments.
Develop a Strong Thesis: Your thesis statement is the main argument of your essay and the most important sentence you'll write. Make it clear and compelling, setting the stage for your entire essay.
Respond to the Prompt: Once you've refined your draft, ensure that you are directly addressing every part of the prompt. Your final draft should be a polished version of your ideas, with a clear and logical flow.
Proofread: Review your essay carefully to catch any grammatical errors, typos, or awkward sentences. Proofreading is crucial because even small mistakes can undermine the professionalism and clarity of your essay.
Although more advanced academic papers have their own unique structures, the basic high school or college essay typically follows a standardized five-paragraph format:
1.Introduction
Writing a well-structured essay is crucial for clearly conveying your ideas and arguments. While advanced academic papers may have complex structures, the basic high school or college essay typically follows a standardized five-paragraph format. This format includes an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion, each serving a specific purpose to guide the reader through your argument.
The introduction paragraph is where you start by grabbing the reader’s attention with an engaging "hook," such as a relevant quote or a surprising fact. Following this, you introduce your thesis statement, which is the central argument or point of your essay. To set the stage for the rest of the essay, you provide a brief preview of the three main points that will be covered in the body paragraphs.
The first body paragraph begins with a topic sentence that introduces the first subtopic related to your thesis. This paragraph includes supporting details or examples that illustrate your point, followed by an explanation of how these details or examples support your thesis. This structured approach ensures clarity and coherence, making your argument more persuasive.
The second body paragraph follows a similar format. It starts with a topic sentence that introduces the second subtopic. Again, you provide supporting details or examples and explain their relevance to your thesis. This repetition of structure helps reinforce your argument and makes it easier for the reader to follow your reasoning.
The third body paragraph introduces the third subtopic with a topic sentence. Just like the previous paragraphs, it includes supporting details or examples and explains how they support your thesis. This consistent format throughout the body paragraphs ensures that each point is clearly presented and thoroughly examined.
3.Conclusion
The conclusion paragraph begins with a concluding transition, such as "in conclusion," signaling that you are wrapping up your essay. You restate your thesis in a new way to reinforce your main argument. Then, you summarize the key points discussed in the body paragraphs, tying them back to your thesis.
Finally, you end with a "global statement" or call to action, leaving the reader with a final thought or suggestion related to your topic. This structured approach to essay writing helps ensure that your arguments are clear, cohesive, and compelling from start to finish.
Starting an essay can bring a mix of thoughts: how to begin, how to end, what supporting points to use. This confusion often leads students to produce subpar essays. Writing an essay is a process that requires structure, which is why learning how to start an essay is crucial.
From my experience, the first tip is to analyze the question and begin brainstorming. This is followed by a series of steps I'll discuss to help you craft an essay that communicates your message effectively. Let's explore how to start an essay, including examples, samples, and techniques like opening with a thought-provoking question. Whether you're looking for "how to start an essay with examples" or a "how to start an essay sample," these tips will guide you towards a strong introduction that sets the tone for your entire piece.
Your introduction sets the tone for your entire essay. It's your opportunity to grab the reader's attention and provide a roadmap for what's to come. Let's break down the key components following up with how to start an essay examples:
The hook is your opening statement that captivates your audience. It should be intriguing, thought-provoking, and relevant to your topic. A strong hook can take various forms, such as a startling statistic, a provocative question, or a vivid anecdote. The key is to pique your reader's curiosity and make them eager to read more.
a) "Imagine a world where your morning coffee could power your entire house for a day. While this might sound like science fiction, recent advancements in bioenergy are bringing us closer to this reality."
b) "In the time it takes you to read this sentence, over 200 species will have gone extinct. The alarming rate of biodiversity loss is not just a statistic—it's a call to action that we can no longer ignore."
Context / Background
After hooking your reader, provide context that helps them understand the significance of your topic. This background information should bridge the gap between your hook and your thesis statement. Explain why your topic matters, touch on recent developments or historical context, and set the stage for your main argument.
"The concept of artificial intelligence (AI) has evolved from the realm of science fiction to a cornerstone of modern technology. Over the past decade, AI has permeated various aspects of our lives, from voice assistants in our homes to complex algorithms driving social media platforms. As AI continues to advance at an unprecedented pace, it raises profound questions about the future of work, privacy, and even what it means to be human. Understanding the implications of this technological revolution is crucial as we navigate an increasingly AI-driven world."
Thesis Statement
Your thesis statement is the cornerstone of your essay. It clearly articulates your main argument or purpose, providing a preview of what you'll discuss in the body of your essay. A strong thesis should be specific, arguable, and concise. It sets expectations for your readers and guides the structure of your essay.
"This essay will examine the ethical implications of AI development, arguing that while artificial intelligence offers tremendous benefits in fields such as healthcare and environmental protection, it also poses significant risks to privacy, job security, and social equality. By analyzing these challenges and proposing a framework for responsible AI development, I aim to demonstrate that proactive ethical considerations are essential to harnessing AI's potential while mitigating its dangers."
Overview Ending (Optional)
To round off your introduction, you might choose to provide a brief overview of your essay's structure. This can help orient your readers and give them a clear idea of what to expect. However, be careful not to give away too much—you want to maintain some element of anticipation.
"In exploring the ethical landscape of AI, we will first delve into its transformative potential across various sectors. Then, we'll critically examine the challenges and risks associated with widespread AI adoption. Finally, we'll propose a set of ethical guidelines and policy recommendations aimed at fostering responsible AI development. Through this analysis, we'll uncover how balancing innovation with ethical considerations is crucial for creating an AI-enhanced future that benefits all of humanity."
Once we have written our overview ending, our introduction paragraph is complete. Here is an example of an introduction paragraph:
This might initially appear daunting due to its size, but leveraging WPS AI can streamline and condense the content effectively. Here's how you can simplify and refine it:
Step 1: Select your entire introduction paragraph, and then click on the "WPS AI" icon in the hover menu.
Step 2: From the list of WPS AI options, click on "Make shorter" to help reduce the length of your content.
Step 3: WPS AI will display a shorter version of your introduction in a small window; click on "Replace".
Step 4: The introduction paragraph will now be replaced with a shorter version for your essay.
The body of your essay is where you develop your arguments and provide evidence to support your thesis. It's the meat of your essay, where you dive deep into your topic and showcase your knowledge and critical thinking skills.
Present and develop the main arguments that support your thesis statement. Each paragraph should focus on a single main idea or argument that contributes to your overall thesis. This structure helps your reader follow your logic and understand your points clearly.
Let's say your thesis is about the impact of renewable energy on climate change mitigation. One argument could be:
"The widespread adoption of solar power technology has significantly reduced carbon emissions in countries that have invested heavily in this renewable energy source."
Support each argument with solid evidence that reinforces your point. Evidence can include facts, statistics, research findings, expert opinions, or examples from real-life situations. The stronger and more varied your evidence, the more convincing your argument will be.
"According to a 2023 report by the International Energy Agency, countries with high solar power adoption have seen an average reduction in carbon emissions of 15% over the past five years. For instance, Germany, a leader in solar energy, has cut its carbon emissions by 28% since 2010, with solar power contributing to more than half of this reduction."
Ideas (Paragraphs)
Organize your ideas into coherent paragraphs. Each paragraph should start with a topic sentence that introduces the main idea of the paragraph. Follow this with your evidence and analysis, explaining how this information supports your argument and relates to your thesis.
Topic sentence: "Beyond reducing carbon emissions, solar power adoption also stimulates economic growth and job creation in the renewable energy sector."
Evidence and analysis: "A study by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that solar panel installer will be the fastest-growing job in the United States over the next decade, with an expected growth rate of 52%. This surge in employment opportunities not only helps to offset job losses in traditional energy sectors but also contributes to overall economic resilience. For example, in California, the solar industry has created over 86,000 jobs, boosting the state's economy while simultaneously reducing its carbon footprint."
This structure is followed for each body paragraph added. So, if you think you have 3 sub-topics, you will have 3 body paragraphs, stating the sub-topic followed by evidence to back your argument.
Transitions
Use transitions to link your paragraphs and ideas together smoothly. These can be words or phrases that show how one idea leads to another or how different viewpoints contrast. Good transitions help your essay flow logically and coherently.
"While solar power demonstrates significant benefits for both the environment and economy, it's essential to consider other renewable energy sources that complement its strengths and address its limitations."
Here is how a body paragraph would look like:
Your conclusion is your final opportunity to leave a lasting impression on your reader. It should tie together all the threads of your essay and reinforce your main points.
Summary / Synthesis
Summarize the main points you have discussed throughout the essay. This reminder helps solidify your arguments in the reader's mind.
"Throughout this essay, we've explored the multifaceted impact of renewable energy, particularly solar power, on our fight against climate change. We've seen how solar technology significantly reduces carbon emissions, stimulates economic growth through job creation, and complements other renewable energy sources. Moreover, we've examined the challenges of energy storage and distribution that come with increased reliance on solar power."
Importance of Your Topic
Explain why your topic is important or relevant. Connect the discussion back to the broader context or implications of your thesis statement.
"The transition to renewable energy sources like solar power is not just an environmental imperative; it's a pivotal moment in human history. As we face the growing threats of climate change, including rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and biodiversity loss, our energy choices today will shape the world for generations to come. The widespread adoption of solar and other renewable energy sources offers a path to a more sustainable, resilient, and equitable future."
Strong Closing Statement
End your conclusion with a strong closing statement that leaves a lasting impression on the reader. This could be a call to action, a prediction, or a thought-provoking question.
"As we stand at this critical juncture, the choice is clear: embrace the power of the sun and other renewable sources, or continue down a path of environmental degradation. By investing in solar technology, supporting policies that encourage renewable energy adoption, and making conscious energy choices in our daily lives, we can harness the immense potential of renewable energy. The future of our planet is bright - if we choose to make it so. Will you be part of this solar revolution?"
The final conclusion, including all the main functions, would look something like this:
The great thing about WPS Office isn't just that it comes equipped with everything a student in any field needs and has all the tools for you to write the perfect essay, but also that WPS AI helps you improve the quality of what you have at hand.
Grammar and Spelling Check:
WPS Office includes advanced grammar and spelling check tools that automatically identify and correct errors. This feature ensures that your writing is free of typos and grammatical mistakes, enhancing the overall readability and professionalism of your essays.
Let's say you have your completed essay open in WPS Office. With the help of WPS AI spell check, proofreading and spell-checking would become much easier. Simply click on "Accept All" to make all the necessary changes.
Style and Clarity Enhancement:
Beyond just fixing errors, WPS AI offers suggestions to improve your writing style and clarity. It helps you refine your sentence structure, choose more precise words, and eliminate unnecessary jargon. This ensures that your arguments are presented clearly and effectively, making your essays more compelling and easier to understand.
Writing Assistance:
WPS AI acts as a writing assistant, providing guidance on how to continue developing your ideas. Whether you’re stuck on how to transition between paragraphs or need help expanding on a particular point, the AI offers suggestions and tips to keep your writing process smooth and efficient. This can be especially helpful in maintaining a logical flow and ensuring that all your points are well-supported and clearly articulated.
1. what is the purpose of the introduction in an essay.
The purpose of the introduction in an essay is to familiarize the reader with the topic, highlighting its significance and relevance. It captures the reader's interest while providing essential background information. Additionally, the introduction outlines the main points of the essay and presents the thesis statement, which acts as the core argument that forms the foundation of the entire essay. By laying out these components, the introduction clarifies the importance of the topic and prepares the reader for what lies ahead in the essay.
A topic sentence is a statement that conveys the primary idea of a paragraph. It conveys the main point and establishes the paragraph's focus, ensuring that all subsequent sentences are connected to this key idea. Every paragraph in your paper should include a topic sentence to clarify its purpose.
A thesis statement is crucial because it defines the main argument of an essay, guiding the writer's direction and helping the reader understand the central focus. It serves as a roadmap for the content that follows, ensuring that all points are relevant to the main idea.
To create a memorable essay introduction, begin with an engaging hook, such as an intriguing fact, a thought-provoking quote, or a vivid illustration. Additionally, ensure that your introduction is concise, focused, and directly related to the main topic of the essay. This approach will draw the reader in and establish a solid foundation for your argument.
Learning how to start an essay will ultimately help you transform your ideas into a compelling narrative. All you need is a prompt and a topic to craft the best essay possible. Remember to infuse your work with a bit of heart to give it a personalized touch, making your writing truly unique and engaging. WPS Office is an excellent tool to help you achieve a well-crafted essay. It assists in forming proper sentences and generating new ideas, ensuring your essay is both coherent and creative.
With features like grammar and spelling checks, style and clarity enhancement, and writing assistance, WPS Office supports you every step of the way in your writing process. Download WPS Office now and experience its capabilities for yourself. It’s designed to make essay writing easier and more efficient, allowing you to focus on expressing your ideas and arguments effectively.
15 years of office industry experience, tech lover and copywriter. Follow me for product reviews, comparisons, and recommendations for new apps and software.
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
Step 5: Wrap up your thesis or dissertation. The end is near! Once you've finished writing your conclusion, it's time to wrap up your thesis or dissertation with a few final steps: It's a good idea to write your abstract next, while the research is still fresh in your mind. Next, make sure your reference list is complete and correctly ...
Some universities will prefer that you cover some of these points in the discussion chapter, or that you cover the points at different levels in different chapters. Step 1: Craft a brief introduction section. As with all chapters in your dissertation or thesis, the conclusions chapter needs to start with a brief introduction.
How to Write Dissertation Conclusion Example. Here is a dissertation conclusion example of a dissertation that aimed to test a theoretical argument based on an analysis of a case study; Proposed anaerobic digestion plant in Tripoli. Chapter 5 - Dissertation Conclusion. 5.1 Background.
The conclusion is the very last part of your thesis or dissertation, it should be concise and engaging. In this video, you'll learn how to write a conclusion...
A good conclusion will review the key points of the thesis and explain to the reader why the information is relevant, applicable, or related to the world as a whole. Make sure to dedicate enough of your writing time to the conclusion and do not put it off until the very last minute. Organize your papers in one place. Try Paperpile.
Step 1: Restate the problem. The first task of your conclusion is to remind the reader of your research problem. You will have discussed this problem in depth throughout the body, but now the point is to zoom back out from the details to the bigger picture. While you are restating a problem you've already introduced, you should avoid phrasing ...
Craft a convincing dissertation or thesis research proposal. Write a clear, compelling introduction chapter. Undertake a thorough review of the existing research and write up a literature review. Undertake your own research. Present and interpret your findings. Draw a conclusion and discuss the implications.
Guide contents. As part of the Writing the Dissertation series, this guide covers the essentials of writing a strong conclusion, giving you the necessary knowledge, tips and guidance needed to leave a positive impression on your markers! Here's what to expect: Getting Started - Defines the overarching purpose of the conclusion.; Structure - Breaks down the conclusion's 'narrow to broad ...
Step 1: Return to your thesis. To begin your conclusion, signal that the essay is coming to an end by returning to your overall argument. Don't just repeat your thesis statement —instead, try to rephrase your argument in a way that shows how it has been developed since the introduction. Example: Returning to the thesis.
It's therefore important that the conclusion to your dissertation is clear, concise and compelling. Here are a few "dos" and "don'ts" to keep in mind when writing your conclusion! DO… 1. Summarize Your Argument. A good conclusion will briefly restate your hypothesis, key findings and the implications of your research.
Depending on the complexity of your research and document length, the length will differ. The thesis or dissertation conclusion should be 5-7% of your paper's overall word count. For example, if your thesis is 30,000 words, the conclusion can be 1,500-2100 words. The conclusion for empirical or scientific theses or dissertations is often brief.
Step 2: Summarize and reflect on your research. Step 3: Make future recommendations. Step 4: Emphasize your contributions to your field. Step 5: Wrap up your thesis or dissertation. Full conclusion example. Conclusion checklist. Other interesting articles. Frequently asked questions about conclusion sections.
You need to make sure that you do not repeat information that has already been covered in the discussion. Choose only the important points and provide a brief overview. Complete the Dissertation. Once the conclusion is written, there are a few final steps to complete your dissertation: Write the thesis abstract in 200 words or less.
In general, you should use the following approach: Use an approach where you would 1) proofread, 2) take notes, and 3) summarize every single chapter of your work. This will pave the way and give you the structure you need for your dissertation conclusion. After you do this, simply copy & paste these mini chapter summaries and combine them into ...
To begin with, you do need to bring your reader up to speed with the thesis thus far. Examiners and other readers are unlikely to read your whole PhD in one go, so ending each chapter with a brief summary, and starting the next one with a short section that connects the present chapter to the previous one is a good idea for creating coherent ...
Here is a format that you could follow while writing the conclusion of your thesis: 1. Restate your thesis statement. Rephrase it so that slightly different from the thesis statement presented in the introduction and does not sound repetitive. 2. Reiterate the key points of your work. To do this, go back to your thesis and extract the topic ...
The conclusion is the final major chapter of an academic paper, thesis, or dissertation, providing a brief concluding summary of research findings. Its essential purpose is to give the reader a distinct comprehension of the author's primary findings and the solution to the research question. Let's see what a conclusion should include.
Writing your Conclusion. You may have been permitted, and have chosen, to include your conclusions in the discussion section, see our page on Results and Discussion for some ideas about why you might choose to do this. However, it is normal practice to include a short section at the end of your dissertation that draws out your conclusions.
Clarify the focus of your study. Point out the value of your research (including secondary research) Specify your specific research aims and objectives. While the 'background information' usually appears first in a dissertation introduction, the structure of the remaining three points is completely up to you.
This template covers all the core components required in the conclusion chapter of a typical dissertation, thesis or research project: The purpose of each section is explained in plain language, followed by an overview of the key elements that you need to cover. The template also includes practical examples to help you understand exactly what ...
A paragraph or two should be enough. 2. Write an Analysis of the Overall Findings of the Study. Explain the study's overall findings in relation to the research objectives and research questions. Zoom out a little and focus on the larger findings, especially how they contribute to meeting the study objectives.
The conclusion of your thesis or dissertation should include the following: A restatement of your research question. A summary of your key arguments and/or results. A short discussion of the implications of your research.
Are you struggling with writing the perfect conclusion for your research paper or dissertation?Well, worry no more! I'm here to help.When writing your conclu...
3.Conclusion. The conclusion paragraph begins with a concluding transition, such as "in conclusion," signaling that you are wrapping up your essay. You restate your thesis in a new way to reinforce your main argument. Then, you summarize the key points discussed in the body paragraphs, tying them back to your thesis.