Answer the research question The conclusion should begin from 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, but synthesize them into a final takeaway that the reader will remember.
Examples In a thesis that set out to solve a practical problem with empirical research, the conclusion might begin like this:
This research aimed to identify effective fundraising strategies for environmental non-profit organizations. Based on a quantitative and qualitative analysis of donation intention in response to campaign materials, it can be concluded that social distance and temporal distance are important factors to consider when designing and targeting campaigns. The results indicate that potential donors are more receptive to images portraying a large social distance and a small temporal distance.
In a thesis that set out to make a theoretical argument based on an analysis of case studies, it might begin like this:
By analyzing changing representations of migration and UK border policy in the past ten years, this thesis has shown how media discourse can directly and indirectly shape political decision-making.
Note that in the second example, the research aim is not directly restated, but is implicit in the statement (the research aimed to analyze the relationship between media discourse and migration policy). 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.
