Introduction

In research paper writing, a well-prepared conclusion can offer the last remark on the significance of the research and future research directions. It is often considered the most difficult part of the research paper writing for the interpretation of paper objectives.

Many times an author may feel that all discussion is already covered in the discussion section and nothing more to write for the conclusion section. Authors should keep in mind that the conclusion is a summary of the entire work; it can be easily remembered by the readers as future research direction in its best form; should be the best part of the research paper.

A good conclusion will greatly increase the purpose of the paper and appeal to the reader.  It must not be drawn from emotions in order to make the paper more appealing to the readers. It must be written in an interesting yet academic manner. Emotional praise is strictly prohibited, but a third-person or commentary on the research domain is acceptable.

The length of the conclusion section of a  research paper may be different. Generally, its length depends on the overall length of the paper. A research paper that is very long,  may require a conclusion that is extended to one or two pages. The conclusion of a research paper that is written for a conference or a journal may need only one or two paragraphs of around 200-300 words.

As you are in the last part of your research paper writing, in a hurry to submit the paper to a journal/ conference do not compromise on the quality of the conclusion as this section will be read by many researchers to find limitations and future directions. Please use a professional grammar-correcting tool and get your article including the conclusion section, proofread by a professional agency.

 

Essential Features of a Conclusion  Section

Precise

Good conclusions that explain the objectives and results of the research work are always precise. Summarize the research paper and provide a brief description of all the results analysis. With this in mind, the tone of the conclusion should match that of the results and analysis. Not at all try to add in new thoughts and do not add new things whilst scripting a conclusion.

I suggest you take the help of some professional tools to summarize your research paper as it can make your tasks simpler.

Help for the Reader’s Memory

The conclusion of a research paper should be captivating and strong enough to attract readers’ attention. Anyone who follows the conclusion has already read the entire paper. Therefore, its conclusion must be strong enough to help readers recall the things described in detail in the paper.

Summary of  the Results

When writing the conclusion section of your research paper, it is important to remember that your conclusion should not be independent from the results of your research. Your conclusion should have a clear and direct association with the results of your paper. This means that you should link the final comments of your conclusion with the findings and outcomes of your research.

To achieve this, you can start by summarizing the key results of your research in the conclusion section. This can involve highlighting the most important findings, describing the patterns or trends that emerged from your data analysis, or outlining the main contributions of your research to the field.

In addition, it’s important to highlight the significance of the results in the context of the research objectives that you set out at the beginning of your paper. This means briefly discussing how your findings relate to the research questions or hypotheses that you posed, and how they contribute to the overall understanding of the research problem.

For example, if you conducted a study on the effectiveness of a new machine learning algorithm for predicting customer behavior, you might summarize the key findings in your conclusion by stating which algorithm performed best and why. You could then go on to highlight the significance of these findings by discussing how they address the research objectives you set out at the beginning of your paper, such as improving the accuracy of customer behavior prediction in the field of marketing.

Overall, your conclusion should not just summarize your research, but also provide a clear link between your findings and the research objectives that you set out to achieve. By doing so, you can ensure that your conclusion provides a strong and compelling end to your research paper.

Example 1: Suppose you conducted a study on the performance of different algorithms for image recognition. In your conclusion, you can summarize the results by stating which algorithm performed the best and how much better it performed compared to the other algorithms. You can also highlight the significance of the results by discussing the implications of the findings for real-world applications of image recognition technology.

Example 2: Let’s say you conducted a study on the usability of a new software application. In your conclusion, you can summarize the results by stating which features of the application were most helpful to users and which features were confusing or difficult to use. You can also highlight the significance of the results by discussing how these findings can be used to improve the design of future software applications.

Example 3: Suppose you conducted a study on the impact of social media on mental health. In your conclusion, you can summarize the results by stating whether or not there was a significant correlation between social media use and mental health outcomes. You can also highlight the significance of the results by discussing how these findings can be used to develop interventions or guidelines for responsible social media use.

In each of these examples, the conclusion section is closely linked to the results of the research paper. The final comments provide a brief overview of the key findings and highlight their significance in the context of the research objectives.

For more details on how to write results and the discussion section of your research paper refer to my blog post here.

Comparisons with Other Methods

When writing the conclusion section of a research paper, it is important to critically evaluate the proposed method or approach and highlight its strengths and weaknesses. This will help the reader to better understand the contributions of your research and how it compares to state-of-the-art techniques in the field.

One way to highlight the strengths of the proposed method is to emphasize its advantages over existing techniques. This could involve discussing how your method achieves better performance, is more efficient, or is more reliable than other approaches. For example, if you developed a new algorithm for optimizing search engine results, you might highlight its strengths by demonstrating that it achieves higher precision and recall rates than other algorithms in the field.

On the other hand, it is also important to acknowledge the weaknesses or limitations of your method. This could involve discussing areas where the method could be improved, or highlighting cases where it may not perform as well as existing techniques. For example, if you developed a new machine learning algorithm for predicting customer behavior, you might acknowledge its limitations by discussing the challenges of collecting large amounts of training data, or the difficulty of interpreting the model’s decision-making processes.

Additionally, it is important to compare your proposed method with state-of-the-art techniques in the field. This will help to position your research within the broader context of current research in the field and highlight its contributions. You can do this by discussing how your method compares to existing techniques in terms of performance, accuracy, scalability, and other factors. For example, if you developed a new approach for detecting malware in computer systems, you might compare its performance with existing techniques such as signature-based detection or behavior-based detection.

Example 1: Proposed method for improving network security Suppose you developed a new method for improving network security by analyzing network traffic and detecting anomalies. In the conclusion section of your research paper, you might highlight the strengths of your proposed method by discussing how it achieves better accuracy in detecting anomalies than existing techniques. Additionally, you could acknowledge the limitations of your method, such as the challenge of analyzing encrypted traffic. Finally, you could compare your proposed method with state-of-the-art techniques in the field and demonstrate its potential impact on network security.

Example 2: Suppose you developed a new machine learning algorithm for improving recommendation systems by predicting user preferences. In the conclusion section of your research paper, you might highlight the strengths of your proposed method by discussing how it achieves better accuracy in predicting user preferences than existing algorithms. Additionally, you could acknowledge the limitations of your method, such as the challenge of dealing with sparse data. Finally, you could compare your proposed method with state-of-the-art techniques in the field and demonstrate its potential impact on recommendation systems.

Example 3: Suppose you developed a new deep learning architecture for improving image recognition by enhancing the feature extraction process. In the conclusion section of your research paper, you might highlight the strengths of your proposed method by discussing how it achieves better accuracy in recognizing images than existing architectures. Additionally, you could acknowledge the limitations of your method, such as the challenge of training deep networks with limited data. Finally, you could compare your proposed method with state-of-the-art techniques in the field and demonstrate its potential impact on image recognition.

In summary, the conclusion section of a research paper should critically evaluate the proposed method and highlight its strengths and weaknesses. This can be achieved by comparing it with existing techniques in the field and discussing how it contributes to the broader research landscape. By doing so, you can provide a clear and compelling end to your research paper that emphasizes the significance of your findings and their potential impact on the field.

Thoughts on Unexpected  Outcomes

When conducting research, it is not uncommon to encounter unexpected results that may deviate from the initial hypotheses or expectations. These outcomes can be valuable for the research community, as they may lead to new insights or opportunities for further investigation. Therefore, it is important to address any unexpected outcomes in the conclusion section of your research paper and reflect on their significance.

One way to approach unexpected outcomes in the conclusion section is to share your thoughts on the implications of these results. This could involve discussing the potential impact of these findings on the broader research landscape, or highlighting any limitations or challenges that may have contributed to the unexpected outcomes. By reflecting on these outcomes, you can demonstrate the rigor and integrity of your research, and provide insight into the potential avenues for future research in the field.

Here are some examples from the computer science domain that demonstrate how to address unexpected outcomes in the conclusion section of a research paper:

Example 1: However, during the course of the study, you observed unexpected traffic patterns that deviated from the initial hypotheses. In the conclusion section of your research paper, you could reflect on the implications of these findings and discuss how they challenge existing assumptions about network traffic. You could also suggest potential avenues for further research to investigate the causes and significance of these unexpected outcomes.

Example 2: Suppose you conducted a study on user behavior on social media with the goal of improving content recommendations. However, during the course of the study, you observed unexpected patterns of behavior that deviated from the initial hypotheses. In the conclusion section of your research paper, you could reflect on the implications of these findings and discuss how they challenge existing assumptions about user behavior on social media. You could also suggest potential avenues for further research to investigate the causes and significance of these unexpected outcomes.

Example 3: Suppose you conducted a study on machine learning algorithms for natural language processing with the goal of improving language understanding. However, during the course of the study, you observed unexpected performance outcomes that deviated from the initial hypotheses. In the conclusion section of your research paper, you could reflect on the implications of these findings and discuss how they challenge existing assumptions about the effectiveness of machine learning algorithms for natural language processing. You could also suggest potential avenues for further research to investigate the causes and significance of these unexpected outcomes.

Shortcomings

When writing the conclusion section of your research paper, it is important to acknowledge any limitations or shortcomings you may have encountered during your research. These shortcomings may be related to your methodology, data sources, or other factors that may have impacted the validity or generalizability of your results. By addressing these shortcomings in your conclusion, you can demonstrate the transparency and honesty of your research, and provide valuable insights for future researchers in the field.

Here are some examples from the computer science domain that demonstrate how to highlight shortcomings in the conclusion section of a research paper:

Example 1: Limitations in a study of data mining techniques Suppose you conducted a study on data mining techniques with the goal of identifying patterns in large datasets. However, during the course of the study, you encountered limitations in your data sources, such as missing data or inconsistent formatting. In the conclusion section of your research paper, you could acknowledge these limitations and discuss how they may have impacted the validity or generalizability of your results. You could also suggest potential avenues for future research to address these limitations and improve the effectiveness of data mining techniques.

Example 2: Shortcomings in a study of software development methodologies Suppose you conducted a study on software development methodologies with the goal of improving the efficiency and quality of software development. However, during the course of the study, you encountered shortcomings in your methodology, such as the limited scope of the study or the lack of diversity in the study population. In the conclusion section of your research paper, you could acknowledge these shortcomings and discuss how they may have impacted the validity or generalizability of your results. You could also suggest potential avenues for future research to address these shortcomings and improve the effectiveness of software development methodologies.

Example 3: Limitations in a study of cybersecurity protocols Suppose you conducted a study on cybersecurity protocols with the goal of identifying vulnerabilities and improving security measures. However, during the course of the study, you encountered limitations in your methodology, such as the limited scope of the study or the lack of access to certain data sources. In the conclusion section of your research paper, you could acknowledge these limitations and discuss how they may have impacted the validity or generalizability of your results. You could also suggest potential avenues for future research to address these limitations and improve the effectiveness of cybersecurity protocols.

Suggestions for Future Work

When writing the conclusion section of your research paper, it is important to provide suggestions for future work that could help build on your research and contribute to the advancement of your field. These suggestions should be practical and feasible, and should focus on areas that were not addressed in your research or that require further exploration. By providing such suggestions, you can demonstrate the potential impact and relevance of your research, and encourage other researchers to build on your work.

Remember, most researchers read your abstract and conclusion and decide whether add it to their reference or not. If they add it to their reference then it will increase your citation score. You can refer to my blog post on increasing the citation score of your research paper.

Here are some examples from the computer science domain that demonstrate how to provide suggestions for future work in the conclusion section of a research paper:

Example 1: Suggestions for future work in a study of machine learning algorithms Suppose you conducted a study on machine learning algorithms with the goal of improving their accuracy and efficiency. In the conclusion section of your research paper, you could provide suggestions for future work, such as exploring the effectiveness of the algorithms on larger datasets, or investigating the impact of different input parameters on the performance of the algorithms. You could also suggest potential applications for the algorithms in other domains, such as healthcare or finance.

Example 2: Suggestions for future work in a study of software testing techniques Suppose you conducted a study on software testing techniques with the goal of improving the quality and reliability of software products. In the conclusion section of your research paper, you could provide suggestions for future work, such as investigating the effectiveness of the techniques on more complex software systems or exploring the potential of automated testing tools. You could also suggest potential collaborations with industry partners to test the techniques in real-world scenarios.

Example 3: Suggestions for future work in a study of cybersecurity threats Suppose you conducted a study on cybersecurity threats with the goal of identifying vulnerabilities and improving security measures. In the conclusion section of your research paper, you could provide suggestions for future work, such as investigating the effectiveness of different countermeasures against specific threats or developing new algorithms for detecting and preventing cyber-attacks. You could also suggest potential collaborations with government agencies or private companies to share data and insights on emerging threats and vulnerabilities.

Phrasal Verbs that can be used in the Conclusion Section of a Research Paper

Here are some common academic phrases that can be used in the conclusion section of a paper or research article, along with examples of how they might be used:

Phrase	Example
Restating the main findings: This phrase is used to summarize the key findings of the study.	“In this study, we have shown that the proposed algorithm outperforms existing methods in terms of accuracy and processing time.”
Implications for theory and practice: This phrase is used to discuss the broader implications of the research for the field of computer science.	“Our findings have important implications for the development of machine learning algorithms and their use in real-world applications.”
Limitations of the study: This phrase is used to acknowledge any limitations or weaknesses of the study.	“One limitation of our study is that we only evaluated the performance of the algorithm on a single dataset, and future work should investigate its performance on a wider range of datasets.”
Suggestions for future research: This phrase is used to provide suggestions for future research based on the findings of the study.	“Future research should investigate the impact of different hyperparameters on the performance of the algorithm, and also explore its use in other domains such as natural language processing.”
Conclusion of the research: This phrase is used to provide a general conclusion to the research.	“In conclusion, this study has demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm in improving the accuracy and efficiency of machine learning tasks, and has provided valuable insights into the development of more effective algorithms in the future.”

 

A simple Checklist to Write a Conclusion

•  Are the objectives of the research paper recollected and addressed?
•  Have you conveyed the importance and the purpose of the paper  (in terms of social change) to the reader?
•  Have you avoided presenting new information?
• Have you summarized the results presented in charts and Tables?
•  Have you compared the results with state-of-the-art methods?
• Have you visualized the unexpected outcomes in a new way?
• Have you suggested future directions to the budding researchers?

• Have you avoided any emotional appeals being made regarding the domains, software, and hardware associated with the research?
• Have you checked the grammar and proofread the section?

Example: Conclusion Section of one of My Research Papers:

“An Optimized Fuzzy Based Short Term Object Motion Prediction for Real-Life Robot Navigation Environment”

In a dynamic navigation system, a Robot with vision capabilities has to avoid stationary and moving objects to reach the final destination. Short Term motion prediction for moving objects in such an environment is a challenging problem.

This paper has proposed a simplified approach for predicting the future position of a moving object using Fuzzy Inference Rules derived from expert knowledge. Fuzzy-based prediction is more flexible and can have more real-life parameters, comparable to the existing approaches.

The results of the study indicate that the Fuzzy predictor algorithm with Mean of Maximum(MOM) defuzzification gives better performance when compared with other prediction techniques. This approach looks more promising for real-life applications like developing Robotic wheelchair for the old aged and disabled.

The authors are in the process of further optimizing the rule base and improving the response time of the predictor. The proposed approach considers the Robot as temporarily stationary while capturing the moving object’s position. Future work considers both the Robot and objects in the state of motion while capturing object positions from the Robot.

 

Conclusion

The conclusion section gives the overall review of the paper. It highlights the aims and objectives of the paper and throws light on the methodology, results, and analysis.  This section will help a researcher to identify the limitations of the work carried out and the future directions one can think of.

After writing the conclusion section you need to write the references in a proper format. For this, you can refer to my blog post on writing references in IEEE format.

Frequently Asked Questions