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Future Research – Thesis Guide

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Future Research

Definition:

Future research refers to investigations and studies that are yet to be conducted, and are aimed at expanding our understanding of a particular subject or area of interest. Future research is typically based on the current state of knowledge and seeks to address unanswered questions, gaps in knowledge, and new areas of inquiry.

How to Write Future Research in Thesis

Here are some steps to help you write effectively about future research in your thesis :

• Identify a research gap: Before you start writing about future research, identify the areas that need further investigation. Look for research gaps and inconsistencies in the literature , and note them down.
• Specify research questions : Once you have identified a research gap, create a list of research questions that you would like to explore in future research. These research questions should be specific, measurable, and relevant to your thesis.
• Discuss limitations: Be sure to discuss any limitations of your research that may require further exploration. This will help to highlight the need for future research and provide a basis for further investigation.
• Suggest methodologies: Provide suggestions for methodologies that could be used to explore the research questions you have identified. Discuss the pros and cons of each methodology and how they would be suitable for your research.
• Explain significance: Explain the significance of the research you have proposed, and how it will contribute to the field. This will help to justify the need for future research and provide a basis for further investigation.
• Provide a timeline : Provide a timeline for the proposed research , indicating when each stage of the research would be conducted. This will help to give a sense of the practicalities involved in conducting the research.
• Conclusion : Summarize the key points you have made about future research and emphasize the importance of exploring the research questions you have identified.

Examples of Future Research in Thesis

SomeExamples of Future Research in Thesis are as follows:

Future Research:

Although this study provides valuable insights into the effects of social media on self-esteem, there are several avenues for future research that could build upon our findings. Firstly, our sample consisted solely of college students, so it would be beneficial to extend this research to other age groups and demographics. Additionally, our study focused only on the impact of social media use on self-esteem, but there are likely other factors that influence how social media affects individuals, such as personality traits and social support. Future research could examine these factors in greater depth. Lastly, while our study looked at the short-term effects of social media use on self-esteem, it would be interesting to explore the long-term effects over time. This could involve conducting longitudinal studies that follow individuals over a period of several years to assess changes in self-esteem and social media use.

While this study provides important insights into the relationship between sleep patterns and academic performance among college students, there are several avenues for future research that could further advance our understanding of this topic.

• This study relied on self-reported sleep patterns, which may be subject to reporting biases. Future research could benefit from using objective measures of sleep, such as actigraphy or polysomnography, to more accurately assess sleep duration and quality.
• This study focused on academic performance as the outcome variable, but there may be other important outcomes to consider, such as mental health or well-being. Future research could explore the relationship between sleep patterns and these other outcomes.
• This study only included college students, and it is unclear if these findings generalize to other populations, such as high school students or working adults. Future research could investigate whether the relationship between sleep patterns and academic performance varies across different populations.
• Fourth, this study did not explore the potential mechanisms underlying the relationship between sleep patterns and academic performance. Future research could investigate the role of factors such as cognitive functioning, motivation, and stress in this relationship.

Overall, there is a need for continued research on the relationship between sleep patterns and academic performance, as this has important implications for the health and well-being of students.

Further research could investigate the long-term effects of mindfulness-based interventions on mental health outcomes among individuals with chronic pain. A longitudinal study could be conducted to examine the sustainability of mindfulness practices in reducing pain-related distress and improving psychological well-being over time. The study could also explore the potential mediating and moderating factors that influence the relationship between mindfulness and mental health outcomes, such as emotional regulation, pain catastrophizing, and social support.

Purpose of Future Research in Thesis

Here are some general purposes of future research that you might consider including in your thesis:

• To address limitations: Your research may have limitations or unanswered questions that could be addressed by future studies. Identify these limitations and suggest potential areas for further research.
• To extend the research : You may have found interesting results in your research, but future studies could help to extend or replicate your findings. Identify these areas where future research could help to build on your work.
• To explore related topics : Your research may have uncovered related topics that were outside the scope of your study. Suggest areas where future research could explore these related topics in more depth.
• To compare different approaches : Your research may have used a particular methodology or approach, but there may be other approaches that could be compared to your approach. Identify these other approaches and suggest areas where future research could compare and contrast them.
• To test hypotheses : Your research may have generated hypotheses that could be tested in future studies. Identify these hypotheses and suggest areas where future research could test them.
• To address practical implications : Your research may have practical implications that could be explored in future studies. Identify these practical implications and suggest areas where future research could investigate how to apply them in practice.

Applications of Future Research

Some examples of applications of future research that you could include in your thesis are:

• Development of new technologies or methods: If your research involves the development of new technologies or methods, you could discuss potential applications of these innovations in future research or practical settings. For example, if you have developed a new drug delivery system, you could speculate about how it might be used in the treatment of other diseases or conditions.
• Extension of your research: If your research only scratches the surface of a particular topic, you could suggest potential avenues for future research that could build upon your findings. For example, if you have studied the effects of a particular drug on a specific population, you could suggest future research that explores the drug’s effects on different populations or in combination with other treatments.
• Investigation of related topics: If your research is part of a larger field or area of inquiry, you could suggest potential research topics that are related to your work. For example, if you have studied the effects of climate change on a particular species, you could suggest future research that explores the impacts of climate change on other species or ecosystems.
• Testing of hypotheses: If your research has generated hypotheses or theories, you could suggest potential experiments or studies that could test these hypotheses in future research. For example, if you have proposed a new theory about the mechanisms of a particular disease, you could suggest experiments that could test this theory in other populations or in different disease contexts.

Advantage of Future Research

Including future research in a thesis has several advantages:

• Demonstrates critical thinking: Including future research shows that the author has thought deeply about the topic and recognizes its limitations. It also demonstrates that the author is interested in advancing the field and is not satisfied with only providing a narrow analysis of the issue at hand.
• Provides a roadmap for future research : Including future research can help guide researchers in the field by suggesting areas that require further investigation. This can help to prevent researchers from repeating the same work and can lead to more efficient use of resources.
• Shows engagement with the field : By including future research, the author demonstrates their engagement with the field and their understanding of ongoing debates and discussions. This can be especially important for students who are just entering the field and want to show their commitment to ongoing research.
• I ncreases the impact of the thesis : Including future research can help to increase the impact of the thesis by highlighting its potential implications for future research and practical applications. This can help to generate interest in the work and attract attention from researchers and practitioners in the field.

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Muhammad Hassan

Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer

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How to Write the Conclusion and Future Work section of Your Dissertation or Thesis?

The conclusion and future work section of a PhD or Post Graduate dissertation serves as the pivotal culmination of extensive research, critical analysis, and scholarly exploration. It is the chapter where the researcher brings their study to a satisfying closure, summarizing the main findings, discussing their implications, and paving the way for future investigations. In this discussion, we will delve into the intricacies of crafting an impactful conclusion and future work section, focusing on their purpose, significance, and key elements.

The conclusion and future work section holds paramount importance in a dissertation, as it encapsulates the essence of the entire research endeavor. It provides a concise and comprehensive summary of the study’s outcomes, reinforcing the significance of the research questions and objectives. By carefully crafting this section, researchers not only reinforce the value of their own work but also contribute to the broader body of knowledge in their respective fields.

Within the conclusion section, the researcher has the opportunity to restate the research questions and objectives, emphasizing their relevance and the study’s focus. This serves as a gentle reminder to the reader, bringing them back to the core aspects of the research. Additionally, summarizing the main findings allows for a concise overview of the research outcomes, enabling readers to grasp the key insights and discoveries at a glance. Moreover, discussing the implications of the findings showcases the researcher’s understanding of how their work contributes to the existing knowledge in the field, addresses gaps, and potentially influences future practices or theories.

Equally crucial is the future work section, which demonstrates the researcher’s awareness of the study’s limitations and presents directions for future research. By acknowledging the constraints and suggesting potential avenues for further investigation, the researcher invites future scholars to build upon the current work, advancing the field and propelling innovation. It is through this section that researchers showcase their thought leadership and forward-thinking mindset, leaving a lasting impact on the academic community.

In the following sections, we will explore the art of writing a conclusion for PhD or Post Graduate dissertation. We will delve into the importance of restating the research questions and objectives, summarizing the main findings, discussing the implications, reflecting on the significance of the research, and providing a concise summary. Additionally, we will examine the significance of the future work section, highlighting its purpose in demonstrating awareness of limitations and offering directions for future research.

By meticulously crafting the conclusion and future work section, researchers can not only conclude their dissertation effectively but also make a lasting impression on readers and inspire the next generation of scholars to push the boundaries of knowledge in their respective fields.

Let us now embark on a journey to uncover the secrets of writing an exceptional conclusion and future work section in a dissertation.

If you are in paucity of time, not confident of your writing skills and in a hurry to complete the writing task then you can think of hiring a research consultant that solves all your problems. Please visit my article on Hiring a Research consultant for your research tasks for further details.

Introduction

A. restating the research questions/objectives, b. summarizing the main findings, c. discussing the implications, d. reflecting on the significance of the research, e. providing a concise summary, writing the future work.

In a dissertation, the conclusion section serves as a crucial component that brings together the research findings and provides a comprehensive summary of the study. It allows researchers to reflect on the implications of their work and discuss potential future directions. – The future work section, on the other hand, highlights the researcher’s awareness of the study’s limitations and provides suggestions for further research to build upon the current work.

The conclusion section consolidates the main findings and insights from the research, emphasizing the significance of the study. It allows the researcher to demonstrate the impact of their work and its contributions to the field.

The future work section offers a forward-looking perspective by identifying areas that warrant further investigation, addressing research gaps, and proposing potential extensions or improvements to the existing research.

Example 1: In the field of computer vision , the conclusion section of a dissertation might summarize the key findings and insights obtained from developing a novel object detection algorithm. It could discuss the algorithm’s performance in terms of accuracy and efficiency, highlighting its potential applications in various domains such as autonomous vehicles, surveillance systems, and medical imaging. The conclusion might also reflect on the challenges faced during the research and suggest improvements or alternative approaches to enhance the algorithm’s performance in future work.

Example 2: In the domain of natural language processing , the conclusion section could summarize the results of a dissertation focused on sentiment analysis in social media data. It might discuss the effectiveness of the proposed sentiment analysis model in capturing the nuances of sentiments expressed in user-generated content. The conclusion could emphasize the practical implications of the research, such as aiding businesses in understanding customer feedback and improving their products or services. The future work section might suggest exploring multilingual sentiment analysis, investigating sentiment evolution over time, or incorporating contextual information for more accurate sentiment classification.

By providing these examples, researchers can understand how the conclusion and future work sections serve as essential components of a dissertation, allowing them to effectively communicate the significance of their research and guide future studies.

Writing the Conclusion

Restating the research questions or objectives in the conclusion section is crucial as it helps the reader remember the main purpose of the study. It serves as a reminder of the specific goals and objectives that guided the research process.

For instance:

“The primary research question of this study aimed to investigate the feasibility of accurately classifying sentiment in social media posts using machine learning techniques. In pursuit of this goal, we designed and implemented a novel sentiment analysis system and evaluated its effectiveness on a diverse dataset. By restating the research question and objectives, we emphasize the primary aim of the study and provide the reader with a clear reminder of the research’s specific focus.”

Restating the research questions or objectives in the conclusion helps create a cohesive conclusion by maintaining the connection between the findings and the original research intent. It allows the reader to see how the research directly addresses the initial questions or objectives.

Summarizing the main findings in the conclusion allows the reader to quickly grasp the essential outcomes of the research. It provides a condensed overview of the key results and insights gained from the study.

Example: Building upon the previous example of developing an automated sentiment analysis system for social media data, let’s consider the main findings of the study. The findings may include the accuracy achieved by the developed system, comparisons with existing approaches, and insights into the challenges and limitations of sentiment analysis in the social media domain.

In the conclusion section, summarizing the main findings would involve providing a concise overview of the key results and insights. For instance:

“Our findings demonstrate that the developed sentiment analysis system achieved an accuracy of 85% on the social media dataset, outperforming existing state-of-the-art approaches by a significant margin. This highlights the effectiveness of incorporating contextual information and deep learning techniques for sentiment classification. Furthermore, the study shed light on the challenges of sentiment analysis in social media due to the presence of slang, abbreviations, and contextual nuances. These insights emphasize the importance of developing robust models that can handle the intricacies of social media data.”

By summarizing the main findings, researchers allow readers to gain a quick understanding of the crucial outcomes and insights obtained from the study. It helps readers identify the key contributions and impact of the research in a concise manner. Summarizing the main findings also assists readers in connecting the dots between the research questions or objectives and the results obtained, providing a clear and coherent picture of the research outcomes.

Moreover, a well-crafted summary of the main findings serves as a reference point for readers, enabling them to recall the significant results without revisiting the entire dissertation. It allows researchers to convey the core contributions of their study efficiently and reinforces the value and relevance of the research in the field of computer science.

Continuing from the previous example of developing an automated sentiment analysis system for social media data, let’s consider the implications of the findings, the research’s contribution to the existing knowledge, and the limitations addressed in the conclusion section.

Discussing the implications of the findings in the conclusion helps provide a broader understanding of the research’s significance. It allows the researcher to explore the practical and theoretical implications of the results and their potential impact on the field.

“The findings of this study have significant implications for various domains relying on sentiment analysis, such as brand monitoring, market research, and customer feedback analysis. The high accuracy achieved by our sentiment analysis system demonstrates its potential for real-world applications, enabling organizations to gain valuable insights from social media data. The system’s ability to handle contextual nuances and accurately classify sentiment can help businesses make informed decisions and enhance customer satisfaction.”

Analyzing how the research contributes to the existing knowledge in the field helps situate the study within the broader research landscape. It allows the researcher to demonstrate how their work fills gaps, extends current understanding, or challenges existing theories or practices.

“The findings of this study have significant implications for various domains relying on sentiment analysis, such as brand monitoring, market research, and customer feedback analysis. The high accuracy achieved by our sentiment analysis system demonstrates its potential for real-world applications, enabling organizations to gain valuable insights from social media data. The system’s ability to handle contextual nuances and accurately classify sentiment can help businesses make informed decisions and enhance customer satisfaction.” Addressing the limitations or constraints of the study in the conclusion section shows the researcher’s awareness of the study’s boundaries. It also provides an opportunity to suggest areas for future research, building upon the current study’s findings.

“This study contributes to the existing knowledge in sentiment analysis by incorporating deep learning techniques and contextual information specific to social media data. Our research extends current understanding by demonstrating the effectiveness of leveraging these approaches for improved sentiment classification. Additionally, the insights gained from addressing the challenges of sentiment analysis in the social media domain contribute to the ongoing discourse on refining sentiment analysis models for diverse text sources.”

Reflecting on the significance and impact of the research in the broader context of the field allows the researcher to highlight the relevance and importance of their work. It helps the reader understand the broader implications and potential contributions of the research.

Example: Continuing from the previous example of developing an automated sentiment analysis system for social media data

Significance and Impact:

“Reflecting on the significance and impact of our research reveals its potential to revolutionize sentiment analysis methodologies. By developing an accurate sentiment analysis system tailored to social media data, our study addresses a critical need in today’s digitally connected world. The insights gained from this research have far-reaching implications for understanding public sentiment, market trends, and brand perception. Our work has the potential to empower businesses and organizations with actionable insights, leading to informed decision-making and improved customer satisfaction.”

Advancement of Knowledge and Filling Gaps in Existing Literature:

“Our study contributes to advancing the knowledge in sentiment analysis by addressing several gaps in the existing literature. By incorporating deep learning techniques and considering the contextual nuances specific to social media data, our research provides a fresh perspective on sentiment analysis approaches. We extend current understanding by showcasing the effectiveness of these techniques in improving sentiment classification accuracy. Additionally, our work sheds light on the challenges of sentiment analysis in the social media domain, highlighting areas where further research and refinement are required.”

Practical Implications in Real-World Scenarios:

“The practical implications of our research are significant, with potential applications in various domains. Our sentiment analysis system can be leveraged by businesses for brand monitoring, customer feedback analysis, and market research. It enables organizations to gain valuable insights into customer sentiment, enabling them to identify areas for improvement, monitor brand reputation, and make informed business decisions. Furthermore, our work opens avenues for the development of new tools and applications that can assist in sentiment analysis across diverse social media platforms.”

By reflecting on the significance and impact of the research, researchers convey the broader relevance and importance of their work. It allows readers to understand the potential contributions and implications of the research in a wider context.

Explaining how the study advances knowledge and fills gaps in existing literature demonstrates the originality and novelty of the research. It showcases how the research addresses unanswered questions, challenges prevailing methodologies, or provides new insights, thereby contributing to the growth of the field.

Considering the potential practical implications of the research in real-world scenarios helps highlight its relevance and application. It allows researchers to discuss how the findings can be implemented or used to solve real-world problems, thereby bridging the gap between academic research and practical applications.

Overall, by reflecting on the significance and impact, explaining the advancement of knowledge and filling gaps, and considering practical implications, researchers highlight the broader implications and potential contributions of their research. It allows readers to appreciate the relevance, novelty, and practicality of the study, paving the way for future advancements in the field of study.

A concise summary within the conclusion section plays a pivotal role in reinforcing the main points and takeaways from the research. By distilling the essential findings, implications, and future research directions, researchers ensure that readers grasp the core essence of their work.

Highlighting the key points discussed throughout the dissertation reaffirms the significance and contributions of the research. It allows readers to quickly grasp the overarching themes and outcomes, reinforcing the main arguments and supporting evidence presented in the study. By providing a condensed overview of the research, researchers ensure that the core messages resonate with readers, leaving a lasting impact.

A concise and impactful summary also aids in information retention. As readers progress through a lengthy dissertation, a well-crafted summary serves as a mental anchor, reinforcing the most salient aspects of the study. It enables readers to revisit and recall the main findings, implications, and future research possibilities long after they have completed reading the document.

To achieve a concise and impactful summary, researchers should focus on extracting the most relevant and significant elements from each section of the dissertation. They should avoid repetition and prioritize clarity and precision in their language. By distilling complex ideas into digestible snippets, researchers ensure that their summary effectively encapsulates the core essence of their research.

Example: Continuing from the previous example of developing an automated sentiment analysis system for social media data, let’s explore how a concise summary within the conclusion section helps reinforce the main points and takeaways from the research.

“In conclusion, our study on developing an automated sentiment analysis system for social media data has demonstrated significant advancements in the field. By incorporating deep learning techniques and considering contextual nuances, we achieved an accuracy of 85%, surpassing existing state-of-the-art approaches. The practical implications of our research are substantial, with potential applications in brand monitoring, market research, and customer feedback analysis.

Furthermore, our findings contribute to the existing knowledge in sentiment analysis by filling gaps in the literature. We highlight the challenges posed by social media data, such as slang and contextual nuances, and propose future research directions for handling these complexities. This study underscores the importance of refining sentiment analysis models to cater to the unique characteristics of social media platforms.

In summary, our research not only advances sentiment analysis methodologies but also offers valuable insights for businesses and organizations seeking to harness the power of social media data. We emphasize the need for further exploration in adapting sentiment analysis to different domains and languages, as well as refining models to handle sarcasm and irony. Overall, our work showcases the relevance and potential impact of sentiment analysis in today’s digital age.”

In conclusion, a concise summary within the conclusion section is an invaluable tool for reinforcing the main takeaways from the research. By highlighting the key points and delivering them in a concise and impactful manner, researchers leave readers with a clear understanding of the study’s significance and contributions. A well-crafted summary ensures that the main findings and implications resonate with readers long after they have completed reading the dissertation, solidifying the research’s impact in the field.

Including a future work section in a dissertation is significant as it demonstrates the researcher’s understanding of the study’s limitations and the potential for further research. It acknowledges that research is an iterative process and provides valuable insights for future researchers in the field.

The future work section showcases the researcher’s awareness of the limitations and constraints of their study. It acknowledges that there may be unanswered questions, unexplored avenues, or areas that require further investigation. By providing directions for future research, the researcher contributes to the continuous advancement of knowledge in their field.

Example1 : Continuing from the previous example of developing an automated sentiment analysis system for social media data, let’s explore how including a future work section in the conclusion acknowledges the study’s limitations and offers valuable insights for future research.

“The inclusion of a future work section in this dissertation is crucial in acknowledging the limitations of our study and providing a roadmap for future research endeavors. While our research has made significant advancements in sentiment analysis for social media data, several areas warrant further investigation.

Firstly, the scalability of our sentiment analysis system can be explored to handle large volumes of data in real-time. As social media platforms continue to grow, the need for efficient and scalable sentiment analysis techniques becomes paramount.

Additionally, investigating the generalizability of our model across different languages and cultural contexts is an exciting avenue for future research. Adapting sentiment analysis techniques to diverse languages, understanding regional variations in sentiment expressions, and accounting for cultural nuances can enhance the applicability of sentiment analysis in a global context.

Moreover, exploring the integration of multimodal data, such as text, images, and videos, presents an intriguing opportunity. Sentiment analysis systems that can effectively analyze and interpret multimodal content have the potential to offer deeper insights into user sentiments and experiences.

Furthermore, the ethical implications of sentiment analysis in terms of privacy, bias, and fairness need to be thoroughly investigated. Designing and implementing ethical guidelines and frameworks for sentiment analysis can ensure responsible and unbiased use of these technologies.

By including a future work section, we recognize that research is an ongoing process and acknowledge the possibilities for further exploration. This section serves as a valuable resource for future researchers in the field, providing a starting point and suggesting intriguing directions for their investigations.

In summary, the future work section of this dissertation highlights the limitations of our study and opens up exciting avenues for future research. The research community can build upon our work to address the identified challenges, expand the scope of sentiment analysis, and develop more robust and context-aware models. By continually advancing the field, we can enhance the accuracy, applicability, and ethical use of sentiment analysis techniques in the digital age.” Example 2: In the field of data mining, a dissertation might propose a new algorithm for anomaly detection in large-scale datasets. In the future work section, the researcher can acknowledge the limitations of the proposed algorithm, such as its performance on specific types of anomalies or scalability to even larger datasets. They can suggest investigating techniques to handle these challenges, exploring the application of the algorithm to different domains, or evaluating its performance under various real-world scenarios. This demonstrates the researcher’s awareness of the study’s limitations and provides clear directions for future research in improving and extending the anomaly detection algorithm. Example 3: In the domain of computer networks, a dissertation focused on improving network performance might present a novel congestion control mechanism. In the future work section, the researcher can acknowledge potential limitations in the mechanism, such as its adaptability to dynamic network conditions or its interoperability with different network protocols. They can suggest conducting further experiments to evaluate the mechanism’s performance in more complex network topologies, exploring its integration with emerging network technologies, or investigating the impact of various parameters on its effectiveness. This showcases the researcher’s awareness of the study’s limitations and provides concrete guidance for future researchers interested in advancing network performance optimization.

By including a future work section in a dissertation, researchers demonstrate their awareness of the study’s limitations and contribute to the ongoing progress in their field. Providing directions for future research guides the efforts of future researchers and fosters the continuous development of knowledge and innovation.

The conclusion and future work section of a PhD or Post Graduate dissertation holds immense significance as it brings the research journey to a satisfying close while setting the stage for future explorations. Throughout this discussion, we have explored the key elements and best practices for crafting an impactful conclusion that leaves a lasting impression on readers.

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• GETTING STARTED
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FUTURE RESEARCH

Types of future research suggestion.

The Future Research section of your dissertation is often combined with the Research Limitations section of your final, Conclusions chapter. This is because your future research suggestions generally arise out of the research limitations you have identified in your own dissertation. In this article, we discuss six types of future research suggestion. These include: (1) building on a particular finding in your research; (2) addressing a flaw in your research; examining (or testing) a theory (framework or model) either (3) for the first time or (4) in a new context, location and/or culture; (5) re-evaluating and (6) expanding a theory (framework or model). The goal of the article is to help you think about the potential types of future research suggestion that you may want to include in your dissertation.

Before we discuss each of these types of future research suggestion, we should explain why we use the word examining and then put or testing in brackets. This is simply because the word examining may be considered more appropriate when students use a qualitative research design; whereas the word testing fits better with dissertations drawing on a quantitative research design. We also put the words framework or model in brackets after the word theory . We do this because a theory , framework and model are not the same things. In the sections that follow, we discuss six types of future research suggestion.

Addressing research limitations in your dissertation

Building on a particular finding or aspect of your research, examining a conceptual framework (or testing a theoretical model) for the first time, examining a conceptual framework (or testing a theoretical model) in a new context, location and/or culture.

• Expanding a conceptual framework (or testing a theoretical model)

Re-evaluating a conceptual framework (or theoretical model)

In the Research Limitations section of your Conclusions chapter, you will have inevitably detailed the potential flaws (i.e., research limitations) of your dissertation. These may include:

An inability to answer your research questions

Theoretical and conceptual problems

Limitations of your research strategy

Problems of research quality

Identifying what these research limitations were and proposing future research suggestions that address them is arguably the easiest and quickest ways to complete the Future Research section of your Conclusions chapter.

Often, the findings from your dissertation research will highlight a number of new avenues that could be explored in future studies. These can be grouped into two categories:

Your dissertation will inevitably lead to findings that you did not anticipate from the start. These are useful when making future research suggestions because they can lead to entirely new avenues to explore in future studies. If this was the case, it is worth (a) briefly describing what these unanticipated findings were and (b) suggesting a research strategy that could be used to explore such findings in future.

Sometimes, dissertations manage to address all aspects of the research questions that were set. However, this is seldom the case. Typically, there will be aspects of your research questions that could not be answered. This is not necessarily a flaw in your research strategy, but may simply reflect that fact that the findings did not provide all the answers you hoped for. If this was the case, it is worth (a) briefly describing what aspects of your research questions were not answered and (b) suggesting a research strategy that could be used to explore such aspects in future.

You may want to recommend that future research examines the conceptual framework (or tests the theoretical model) that you developed. This is based on the assumption that the primary goal of your dissertation was to set out a conceptual framework (or build a theoretical model). It is also based on the assumption that whilst such a conceptual framework (or theoretical model) was presented, your dissertation did not attempt to examine (or test) it in the field . The focus of your dissertations was most likely a review of the literature rather than something that involved you conducting primary research.

Whilst it is quite rare for dissertations at the undergraduate and master's level to be primarily theoretical in nature like this, it is not unknown. If this was the case, you should think about how the conceptual framework (or theoretical model) that you have presented could be best examined (or tested) in the field . In understanding the how , you should think about two factors in particular:

What is the context, location and/or culture that would best lend itself to my conceptual framework (or theoretical model) if it were to be examined (or tested) in the field?

What research strategy is most appropriate to examine my conceptual framework (or test my theoretical model)?

If the future research suggestion that you want to make is based on examining your conceptual framework (or testing your theoretical model) in the field , you need to suggest the best scenario for doing so.

More often than not, you will not only have set out a conceptual framework (or theoretical model), as described in the previous section, but you will also have examined (or tested) it in the field . When you do this, focus is typically placed on a specific context, location and/or culture.

If this is the case, the obvious future research suggestion that you could propose would be to examine your conceptual framework (or test the theoretical model) in a new context, location and/or culture. For example, perhaps you focused on consumers (rather than businesses), or Canada (rather than the United Kingdom), or a more individualistic culture like the United States (rather than a more collectivist culture like China).

When you propose a new context, location and/or culture as your future research suggestion, make sure you justify the choice that you make. For example, there may be little value in future studies looking at different cultures if culture is not an important component underlying your conceptual framework (or theoretical model). If you are not sure whether a new context, location or culture is more appropriate, or what new context, location or culture you should select, a review the literature will often help clarify where you focus should be.

Expanding a conceptual framework (or theoretical model)

Assuming that you have set out a conceptual framework (or theoretical model) and examined (or tested) it in the field , another series of future research suggestions comes out of expanding that conceptual framework (or theoretical model).

We talk about a series of future research suggestions because there are so many ways that you can expand on your conceptual framework (or theoretical model). For example, you can do this by:

Examining constructs (or variables) that were included in your conceptual framework (or theoretical model) but were not focused.

Looking at a particular relationship aspect of your conceptual framework (or theoretical model) further.

Adding new constructs (or variables) to the conceptual framework (or theoretical model) you set out (if justified by the literature).

It would be possible to include one or a number of these as future research suggestions. Again, make sure that any suggestions you make have are justified , either by your findings or the literature.

With the dissertation process at the undergraduate and master's level lasting between 3 and 9 months, a lot a can happen in between. For example, a specific event (e.g., 9/11, the economic crisis) or some new theory or evidence that undermines (or questions) the literature (theory) and assumptions underpinning your conceptual framework (or theoretical model). Clearly, there is little you can do about this. However, if this happens, reflecting on it and re-evaluating your conceptual framework (or theoretical model), as well as your findings, is an obvious source of future research suggestions.

Opinion Dynamics and the Evolution of Social Power in Social Networks pp 191–199 Cite as

Conclusions and Future Work

• Mengbin Ye 2  
• First Online: 20 February 2019

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By way of conclusion, the main contributions of this thesis are now summarised and discussed. Possible future research directions are also outlined in Sect.  10.2 .

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In multi-agent systems research, study of single-integrator agents (Abelson and Taylor models) naturally led to research on agents with double-integrator, linear, and then nonlinear dynamics, in an attempt to capture more realistic dynamics of autonomous agents. The motivation here is entirely different, and is driven by social concepts.

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Ye, M. (2019). Conclusions and Future Work. In: Opinion Dynamics and the Evolution of Social Power in Social Networks. Springer Theses. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-10606-5_10

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• Dissertation
• How to Write a Thesis or Dissertation Conclusion

How to Write a Dissertation Conclusion | Checklist and Examples

Published on 9 September 2022 by Tegan George and Shona McCombes. Revised on 10 October 2022.

The conclusion is the very last part of your thesis or dissertation . It should be concise and engaging, leaving your reader with a clear understanding of your main findings, as well as the answer to your research question .

In it, you should:

• Clearly state the answer to your main research question
• Summarise and reflect on your research process
• Make recommendations for future work on your topic
• Show what new knowledge you have contributed to your field
• Wrap up your thesis or dissertation

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Table of contents

Discussion vs. conclusion, how long should your conclusion be, step 1: answer your research question, step 2: summarise and reflect on your research, step 3: make future recommendations, step 4: emphasise your contributions to your field, step 5: wrap up your thesis or dissertation, full conclusion example, conclusion checklist, frequently asked questions about conclusion sections.

While your conclusion contains similar elements to your discussion section , they are not the same thing.

Your conclusion should be shorter and more general than your discussion. Instead of repeating literature from your literature review , discussing specific research results , or interpreting your data in detail, concentrate on making broad statements that sum up the most important insights of your research.

As a rule of thumb, your conclusion should not introduce new data, interpretations, or arguments.

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Depending on whether you are writing a thesis or dissertation, your length will vary. Generally, a conclusion should make up around 5–7% of your overall word count.

An empirical scientific study will often have a short conclusion, concisely stating the main findings and recommendations for future research. A humanities topic or systematic review , on the other hand, might require more space to conclude its analysis, tying all the previous sections together in an overall argument.

Your conclusion should begin with the main question that your thesis or dissertation aimed to address. This is your final chance to show that you’ve done what you set out to do, so make sure to formulate a clear, concise answer.

• Don’t repeat a list of all the results that you already discussed
• Do synthesise them into a final takeaway that the reader will remember.

An empirical thesis or dissertation conclusion may begin like this:

A case study –based thesis or dissertation conclusion may begin like this:

In the second example, the research aim is not directly restated, but rather added implicitly to the statement. To avoid repeating yourself, it is helpful to reformulate your aims and questions into an overall statement of what you did and how you did it.

Your conclusion is an opportunity to remind your reader why you took the approach you did, what you expected to find, and how well the results matched your expectations.

To avoid repetition , consider writing more reflectively here, rather than just writing a summary of each preceding section. Consider mentioning the effectiveness of your methodology , or perhaps any new questions or unexpected insights that arose in the process.

You can also mention any limitations of your research, but only if you haven’t already included these in the discussion. Don’t dwell on them at length, though – focus on the positives of your work.

• While x limits the generalisability of the results, this approach provides new insight into y .
• This research clearly illustrates x , but it also raises the question of y .

You may already have made a few recommendations for future research in your discussion section, but the conclusion is a good place to elaborate and look ahead, considering the implications of your findings in both theoretical and practical terms.

• Based on these conclusions, practitioners should consider …
• To better understand the implications of these results, future studies could address …
• Further research is needed to determine the causes of/effects of/relationship between …

When making recommendations for further research, be sure not to undermine your own work. Relatedly, while future studies might confirm, build on, or enrich your conclusions, they shouldn’t be required for your argument to feel complete. Your work should stand alone on its own merits.

Just as you should avoid too much self-criticism, you should also avoid exaggerating the applicability of your research. If you’re making recommendations for policy, business, or other practical implementations, it’s generally best to frame them as ‘shoulds’ rather than ‘musts’. All in all, the purpose of academic research is to inform, explain, and explore – not to demand.

Make sure your reader is left with a strong impression of what your research has contributed to the state of your field.

Some strategies to achieve this include:

• Returning to your problem statement to explain how your research helps solve the problem
• Referring back to the literature review and showing how you have addressed a gap in knowledge
• Discussing how your findings confirm or challenge an existing theory or assumption

Again, avoid simply repeating what you’ve already covered in the discussion in your conclusion. Instead, pick out the most important points and sum them up succinctly, situating your project in a broader context.

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 formatted. To speed up the process, you can use our free APA citation generator .
• Once you’ve added any appendices , you can create a table of contents and title page .
• Finally, read through the whole document again to make sure your thesis is clearly written and free from language errors. You can proofread it yourself , ask a friend, or consider Scribbr’s proofreading and editing service .

Here is an example of how you can write your conclusion section. Notice how it includes everything mentioned above:

V. Conclusion

The current research aimed to identify acoustic speech characteristics which mark the beginning of an exacerbation in COPD patients.

The central questions for this research were as follows: 1. Which acoustic measures extracted from read speech differ between COPD speakers in stable condition and healthy speakers? 2. In what ways does the speech of COPD patients during an exacerbation differ from speech of COPD patients during stable periods?

All recordings were aligned using a script. Subsequently, they were manually annotated to indicate respiratory actions such as inhaling and exhaling. The recordings of 9 stable COPD patients reading aloud were then compared with the recordings of 5 healthy control subjects reading aloud. The results showed a significant effect of condition on the number of in- and exhalations per syllable, the number of non-linguistic in- and exhalations per syllable, and the ratio of voiced and silence intervals. The number of in- and exhalations per syllable and the number of non-linguistic in- and exhalations per syllable were higher for COPD patients than for healthy controls, which confirmed both hypotheses.

However, the higher ratio of voiced and silence intervals for COPD patients compared to healthy controls was not in line with the hypotheses. This unpredicted result might have been caused by the different reading materials or recording procedures for both groups, or by a difference in reading skills. Moreover, there was a trend regarding the effect of condition on the number of syllables per breath group. The number of syllables per breath group was higher for healthy controls than for COPD patients, which was in line with the hypothesis. There was no effect of condition on pitch, intensity, center of gravity, pitch variability, speaking rate, or articulation rate.

This research has shown that the speech of COPD patients in exacerbation differs from the speech of COPD patients in stable condition. This might have potential for the detection of exacerbations. However, sustained vowels rarely occur in spontaneous speech. Therefore, the last two outcome measures might have greater potential for the detection of beginning exacerbations, but further research on the different outcome measures and their potential for the detection of exacerbations is needed due to the limitations of the current study.

Checklist: Conclusion

I have clearly and concisely answered the main research question .

I have summarized my overall argument or key takeaways.

I have mentioned any important limitations of the research.

I have given relevant recommendations .

I have clearly explained what my research has contributed to my field.

I have  not introduced any new data or arguments.

You've written a great conclusion! Use the other checklists to further improve your dissertation.

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.

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.

For a stronger dissertation conclusion , avoid including:

• Generic concluding phrases (e.g. “In conclusion…”)
• Weak statements that undermine your argument (e.g. “There are good points on both sides of this issue.”)

Your conclusion should leave the reader with a strong, decisive impression of your work.

The conclusion of your thesis or dissertation shouldn’t take up more than 5-7% of your overall word count.

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

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• How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples

How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples

Published on January 11, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on August 15, 2023 by Eoghan Ryan.

A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . It usually comes near the end of your introduction .

Your thesis will look a bit different depending on the type of essay you’re writing. But the thesis statement should always clearly state the main idea you want to get across. Everything else in your essay should relate back to this idea.

You can write your thesis statement by following four simple steps:

• Start with a question
• Write your initial answer
• Develop your answer
• Refine your thesis statement

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Table of contents

What is a thesis statement, placement of the thesis statement, step 1: start with a question, step 2: write your initial answer, step 3: develop your answer, step 4: refine your thesis statement, types of thesis statements, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about thesis statements.

A thesis statement summarizes the central points of your essay. It is a signpost telling the reader what the essay will argue and why.

The best thesis statements are:

• Concise: A good thesis statement is short and sweet—don’t use more words than necessary. State your point clearly and directly in one or two sentences.
• Contentious: Your thesis shouldn’t be a simple statement of fact that everyone already knows. A good thesis statement is a claim that requires further evidence or analysis to back it up.
• Coherent: Everything mentioned in your thesis statement must be supported and explained in the rest of your paper.

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The thesis statement generally appears at the end of your essay introduction or research paper introduction .

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts and among young people more generally is hotly debated. For many who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its many benefits for education: the internet facilitates easier access to information, exposure to different perspectives, and a flexible learning environment for both students and teachers.

You should come up with an initial thesis, sometimes called a working thesis , early in the writing process . As soon as you’ve decided on your essay topic , you need to work out what you want to say about it—a clear thesis will give your essay direction and structure.

You might already have a question in your assignment, but if not, try to come up with your own. What would you like to find out or decide about your topic?

For example, you might ask:

After some initial research, you can formulate a tentative answer to this question. At this stage it can be simple, and it should guide the research process and writing process .

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Now you need to consider why this is your answer and how you will convince your reader to agree with you. As you read more about your topic and begin writing, your answer should get more detailed.

In your essay about the internet and education, the thesis states your position and sketches out the key arguments you’ll use to support it.

The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its many benefits for education because it facilitates easier access to information.

In your essay about braille, the thesis statement summarizes the key historical development that you’ll explain.

The invention of braille in the 19th century transformed the lives of blind people, allowing them to participate more actively in public life.

A strong thesis statement should tell the reader:

• Why you hold this position
• What they’ll learn from your essay
• The key points of your argument or narrative

The final thesis statement doesn’t just state your position, but summarizes your overall argument or the entire topic you’re going to explain. To strengthen a weak thesis statement, it can help to consider the broader context of your topic.

These examples are more specific and show that you’ll explore your topic in depth.

Your thesis statement should match the goals of your essay, which vary depending on the type of essay you’re writing:

• In an argumentative essay , your thesis statement should take a strong position. Your aim in the essay is to convince your reader of this thesis based on evidence and logical reasoning.
• In an expository essay , you’ll aim to explain the facts of a topic or process. Your thesis statement doesn’t have to include a strong opinion in this case, but it should clearly state the central point you want to make, and mention the key elements you’ll explain.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

• Ad hominem fallacy
• Post hoc fallacy
• Appeal to authority fallacy
• False cause fallacy
• Sunk cost fallacy

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A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.

The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:

• It gives your writing direction and focus.
• It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.

Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.

Follow these four steps to come up with a thesis statement :

• Ask a question about your topic .
• Write your initial answer.
• Develop your answer by including reasons.
• Refine your answer, adding more detail and nuance.

The thesis statement should be placed at the end of your essay introduction .

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