ConclusionInyourconclusions,addressthefollowing:reachconclusionsabouttheinitialobjectivesshowadvantagesofyourmethodoverpreviouslypublishedmethodsstateopenproblemsidentifyneedednextstepsinresearchontheproblemcommonprobleminwritingaconcludingparagragh1.Toolong.Theconclusionsectionshouldbeshort.Oftentheconclusionsectionisaslittleas2.5%ofanentirepieceofpublishedresearch.2.Toomuchdetail.Conclusionsthataretoolongoftenhaveunnecessarydetail.Theconclusionsectionisnottheplacefordetailsaboutyourmethodologyorresults.Althoughyoushouldgiveasummaryofwhatwaslearntfromyourresearch,thissummaryshouldbeshort,sincetheemphasisintheconclusionssectionisontheimplications,evaluations,etc.thatyoumake.3.Failuretocommentonlarger,moresignificantissues.Whereasintheintroductionyourtaskwastomovefromgeneral(yourfield)tospecific(yourresearch),intheconcludingsectionyourtaskistomovefromspecific(yourresearch)backtogeneral(yourfield,howyourresearchwillaffecttheworld).Inotherwords,intheconclusionyoushouldputyourresearchincontext.4.Failuretorevealthecomplexitiesofaconclusionorsituation.Negativeaspectsofyourresearchshouldnotbeignored.Problems,drawbacksetc.canbeincludedinsummaryinyourconclusionsectionasawayofqualifyingyourconclusions(i.e.pointingoutthenegativeaspects,eveniftheyareoutweighedbythepositiveaspects).commonprobleminwritingaconcludingparagraghcommonprobleminwritingaconcludingparagragh5.Lackofaconcisesummaryofwhatwaslearned.Inordertobeabletodiscusshowyourresearchfitsbackintoyourfieldofstudy(andtheworldatlarge)youneedtosummarizeitverybriefly.Oftenthesummaryisonlyafewsentences.6.Failuretomatchtheobjectivesoftheresearch.Oftenresearchobjectiveschangewhiletheresearchisbeingcarriedout.Thisisnotaproblemunlessyouforgettogobackandrewriteyouroriginalobjectivesinyourintroductionsothattheyaccuratelyreflectwhatyouweretryingtoaccomplishinyourresearch(notwhatyouthoughtyoumightaccomplishwhenyoubegan).exerciseHereisanexampleofanobjectiveandconclusionthatdonotmatch:Objective:Themainobjectiveofthisstudywastoassesstheimpactofroadbuildingonvillagesonruralcommunities.Conclusion:Themodelproducedinthisstudycanaccuratelypredictthesocialandeconomicimpactofroad-buildingonvillagesinsouthwestChina.Ifwerewritetheobjectivetomatchwhatweactuallydid(wedevelopedamodel),itwillfittheconclusion:Rewrittenobjective:Themainobjectiveofthisstudywastodevelopamodeltopredictthesocialandeconomicimpactofroad-buildingonruralcommunities.warning1.Don'tdependonyourconclusiontosumupthebodyparagraphs.Yourparagraphsshouldflownaturallyintooneanotherandconnectionsshouldbemadeamongthem.Summarycanbeanimportantfunctionofconclusionsbutkeepthispartbrief;avoidrepeating,word-for-word,astatementyouhavemadeearlierinthepaper.2.Don'tsimplyrepeatyourintroduction.Trytotalkaboutyourtopicinanewway.Thetoneofyourconclusionisdifferentbecausethereaderhasfinishedyourpaper.3.Don'tendyourconclusionwithaquotationorwithastatementthatcouldverywellbethesubjectofanotherpaper.Theformerdeflectsattentionawayfromyouaswriterandthinker;thelatterdeflectsattentionfromwhatyou'resayinginyourpaper.Itisoktoquote,butitisbettertoaddacommentofyourowntoendon.Thisshowsthatyouareincontroltotheveryend.warning4.Don’tuseclichésoranoverlysentimentalorobviousstatement.Theformersoundgoodbutmeannothing;thelatterwillweakenratherthanstrengthenyouressay.5.Don’tintroducenewarguments,evidence,ordetailsinyourconcludingparagraph.Itisnotplacetointroduceideasyouforgottomentioninthebodyofthepaper.Nevermakeaclaiminyourconclusionthatisunsubstantiatedorevenunmentionedanywhereelse.Newmaterialmayenteraconclusionoccasionally,butitmustbecloselyrelatedtoeverythingelseyouhavesaid.6.Don’tapologizefordoingapoorjobofresentingthematerial.Thiswillruinyoureffort.StrategiesforwritingaconclusionSuggestions1.Answerquestions.Striveforanswerstothequestionsreaderslogicallyraise--Whyareyoutellingmethis?WhydoyouthinkIneedtounderstandyourmainpoint?Showyourreaderswhythispaperwasimportant.Showthemthatyourpaperwasmeaningfulanduseful.Pointouttheimportanceortheimplicationsofwhatyou'vejustsaidonanareaofsocietalconcernisperhapsabitmoredramatic.2.Synthesize,don'tsummarize.Don'tsimplyrepeatthingsthatwereinyourpaper.Theyhavereadit.Showthemhowthepointsyourmadeandthesupportandexamplesyouusedwerenotrandom,butfittogether.Suggestions3.Redirectyourreaders.Giveyourreadersomethingtothinkabout,perhapsawaytouseyourpaperintherealworld.Placethepaperinalargercontext.Ifyourintroductionwentfromgeneraltospecific,makeyourconclusiongofromspecifictogeneral.Thinkglobally.Foranalyticalpapersinparticular,youcouldmentionthelackofconclusioninthefield.Thisdemonstratesthatyouunderstandthecomplexityofthesubjectmatter.4.Createanewmeaning.Youdon'thavetogivenewinformationtocreateanewmeaning.Bydemonstratinghowyourideasworktogether,youcancreateanewpicture.Oftenthesumofthepaperisworthmorethanitsparts.Strategies1.Echoingtheintroduction:Echoingyourintroductioncanbeagoodstrategyifitismeanttobringthereaderfull-circle.Ifyoubeginbydescribingascenario,youcanendwiththesamescenarioasproofthatyouressaywash