Your dissertation’s conclusion is one of its most crucial elements. It’s your last opportunity to summarize your research, reinforce your main findings, and leave a strong final impression on the reader. 

Here’s how to write an impactful conclusion for your thesis or dissertation.

Discussion vs. conclusion

In some cases, the conclusion forms part of the larger Discussion chapter, but in other disciplines, it is treated as a separate section. Check your department guidelines to see what is expected.

Generally, the discussion should interpret and explore the significance of your findings in detail, while the conclusion should remain more objective and concise.

how long should a dissertation conclusion be?

While there are no strict rules, most conclusions take up 2-4 pages for an undergraduate thesis and 5-7% of your overall word count for a doctoral dissertation. It should be long enough to restate your research aims and main findings but not too long before you start introducing new arguments or evidence. When writing a dissertation conclusion, aim for clarity and conciseness.

Steps to Writing a Dissertation Conclusion

Step 1: Answer your research question

The beginning of your conclusion should revisit your main research question and offer a direct and clear answer based on the evidence you have provided. This helps focus the reader on your key argument.

For example:

“This study has shown that social media usage negatively impacts students’ academic performance, with higher usage linked to poorer grades.”

Step 2: Summarize and reflect on your research

Next, summarize the key points and findings from each section of your thesis. Don’t simply repeat things verbatim from earlier chapters; rather, synthesize and restate your main ideas concisely. Reflect on how the research fits into the existing literature and your original aims.

Use this space to elaborate on the significance and implications of your research. What new insights did you provide? Why are your findings relevant, and to whom?

Step 3: Make future recommendations

Your conclusion should suggest new questions for future research. Consider the limitations of your study and what other aspects remain unexplored due to scope, time, or methodological constraints.

For example:

“Further studies over a longer period are needed to understand if the negative effects of social media are long-lasting. Additional research controlling for socioeconomic background would also shed more light on potential moderating factors.”

Step 4: Emphasize your contributions to your field

Clearly communicate the novel contributions your work makes. What gap did it fill? What critical debate did it engage with and advance? Your conclusion is your final chance to drive home the value and importance of what you’ve achieved.

Some relevant phrases include:

  • “This study was the first to…”
  • “These findings provide new evidence that…”
  • “This work offers a new theoretical framework for…”

Step 5: Wrap up your thesis or dissertation

End your conclusion by reiterating your thesis conclusion statement and main arguments one last time in a succinct and impactful way. Aim to leave the reader feeling you have provided a complete, compelling, and persuasive case.

For example:

“In summary, this dissertation provides robust evidence that social media is detrimental to academic success, suggesting an urgent need for schools and policymakers to address this growing concern.”

Full conclusion example

Here is an example conclusion from a hypothetical social science dissertation:

“This study set out to investigate the effects of social media usage on the academic performance of college students. The results demonstrate a statistically significant negative relationship: Higher social media engagement was associated with lower GPAs, even after controlling for other factors like time spent working or studying.

These findings corroborate prior research showing social media can be detrimental to productivity and learning outcomes for students. At the same time, it contradicts narratives touting social media as a valuable educational tool. The implications suggest schools should carefully weigh policies around social media and counsel students on sustainable usage.

While this study provides helpful insights, future research on larger and more diverse samples tracked longitudinally would help clarify whether social media impacts persist over longer periods. Exploring potential socioeconomic moderators could also further contextualize these effects.

Overall, this work highlights the academic costs of uncontrolled social media habits. As these platforms become increasingly embedded in modern life, this dissertation highlights an urgent need for greater awareness, regulation, and support services to empower students to succeed despite this distracting influence.”

Conclusion checklist

To ensure your conclusion hits all the key points, use this checklist:

  • Does it clearly restate your research question and provide a direct answer?
  • Does it summarize your key arguments and findings from each section concisely?
  • Does it evaluate and reflect on the significance of your study’s contribution?
  • Does it suggest clear implications and pathways for future research?
  • Does it reinforce your main takeaways and thesis statement one final time?
  • Is it 2-7 pages long, sticking to the main points without introducing new content?