Table of contents Step 1: Restate the problem

The conclusion of a research paper is where you wrap up your ideas and leave the reader with a strong final impression. It has several key goals:

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  Restate the research problem addressed in the paper
  

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  Summarize your overall arguments or findings
  

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  Suggest the key takeaways from your paper
  

The content of the conclusion varies depending on whether your paper presents the results of original empirical research or constructs an argument through engagement with sources.

The steps below show you how to construct an effective conclusion for either type of research paper.

Table of contents


Step 1: Restate the problem
The first task of your conclusion is to remind the reader of your research problem. You will have discussed this problem in depth throughout the body, but now the point is to zoom back out from the details to the bigger picture.

While you are restating a problem you’ve already introduced, you should avoid phrasing it identically to how it appeared in the introduction. Ideally, you’ll find a novel way to circle back to the problem from the more detailed ideas discussed in the body.

For example, an argumentative paper advocating new measures to reduce the environmental impact of agriculture might restate its problem as follows:

While the role of cattle in climate change is by now common knowledge, countries like the Netherlands continually fail to confront this issue with the urgency it deserves.

Meanwhile, an empirical paper studying the

relationship of Instagram use with body image issues might present its problem like this:

As social media becomes increasingly central to young people’s everyday lives, it is important to understand how different platforms affect their developing self-conception.

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  “In conclusion …”
  

Avoid starting your conclusion with phrases like “In conclusion” or “To conclude,” as this can come across as too obvious and make your writing seem unsophisticated. The content and placement of your conclusion should make its function clear without the need for additional signposting.