How to Write the Conclusion Section of a Scientific Article?

SAER Journal · Academic Writing Guide

The Conclusion presents the study's main message briefly and directly. It should state what the research ultimately shows, clarify its contribution, and, where appropriate, offer restrained implications for practice or future research.

What Should the Conclusion Do?

By the end of the section, the reader should understand:

  • What the study ultimately found
  • How that finding answers the study aim or question
  • What the study contributes scientifically or practically
  • What inferences the evidence supports
  • What may deserve attention in practice or future research

How Should the Conclusion Begin?

Begin by stating the overall finding directly. There is no need to restate the research problem or reproduce the Introduction.

Example: This study shows that X has a significant effect on Y and that this relationship varies according to Z.

1. Summarise Only the Most Important Finding

The Conclusion should include only the findings that matter most. Detailed statistics, tables, and secondary analyses belong in the Results section rather than being repeated here.

2. Answer the Research Aim Directly

The Conclusion should give a clear response to the question or objective that motivated the study. The reader should be able to answer, “What did this research teach us?” without searching elsewhere in the paper.

3. State the Contribution Precisely

The scientific, theoretical, methodological, clinical, technical, social, or practical contribution may be stated briefly.

Avoid vague claims such as “this study contributes to the literature.” Specify what the study adds.

Example: The findings provide new evidence on the relationship between X and Y, which has previously received limited attention.

4. Indicate Practical Meaning Where Relevant

If the findings have practical implications, state for whom they matter and under what conditions. Recommendations should remain within the limits of what the evidence supports.

5. Offer Focused Suggestions for Future Research

Rather than writing only that “further research is needed,” identify which population, variable, method, or design would be most useful to examine next.

How Long Should the Conclusion Be?

There is no universal word or paragraph count.

In most articles, the Conclusion should remain concise and focused. A few paragraphs are often sufficient. It should not develop into a second Discussion section.

Can New Information Be Introduced in the Conclusion?

New analyses, data, or claims that have not appeared in the Results or Discussion should not be introduced here. The Conclusion should arise from evidence already presented in the paper.

What Is the Difference Between Conclusion and Discussion?

Discussion examines what the findings mean, how they relate to previous research, and why similarities or differences may have occurred.

Conclusion presents the study's take-home message more briefly and directly. Discussion interprets; Conclusion distils.

Conclusion by Study Type

Quantitative Research

Summarise the main relationship, difference, effect, or model result and connect it to the research questions or hypotheses. Emphasise meaning rather than repeating all statistical values.

Qualitative Research

State what the themes and patterns mean when considered together. The Conclusion should not merely repeat the list of themes.

Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses

Summarise the overall direction of the evidence, its strength, and the answer that can reasonably be given to the review question. If evidence is limited, heterogeneous, or low in quality, the wording of the Conclusion should reflect that uncertainty.

Common Problems in Conclusion Sections

  • Repeating the entire Results section
  • Repeating the Discussion
  • Introducing new data or analyses
  • Making claims stronger than the evidence supports
  • Drawing causal conclusions from non-causal designs
  • Using vague statements such as “this study contributes to the literature”
  • Failing to state the study's main message clearly
  • Making policy or practice recommendations beyond the study's scope
  • Making the Conclusion unnecessarily long

A Useful Writing Sequence

For a concise Conclusion, the following sequence is often effective:

Most important finding → Answer to the research question → Scientific / practical contribution → Focused implication, if warranted

This is not a rigid template; it is a way to keep the Conclusion concise, coherent, and proportionate to the evidence.

Before Submission, Check the Following

  • Does the Conclusion state the study's most important finding clearly?
  • Does it answer the research aim or question directly?
  • Is the contribution described specifically?
  • Has any new data or analysis been introduced?
  • Are interpretations consistent with the study design?
  • Are recommendations supported by the findings?
  • Have unnecessary repetitions been removed?
  • Can the reader understand the study's main message in a few sentences?