How to Write a Conclusion for a Research Paper: Steps, Formula & Examples

Composing the final paragraph of a research paper can be difficult, especially when you are required to summarize your work without repeating every earlier point. A conclusion has to give answers to the research question posed, link together the major discoveries, and explain why they are important. The right way allows you to compose a final part that would sound convincing and appropriate. No matter whether you write a scientific research, an argumentative paper, or a thesis, knowing what should be included in a conclusion would allow saving your time and effort. In this guide, you will find out about the R.I.S.E. formula, useful tips, template examples, and what are the common mistakes to avoid. 

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What Is a Conclusion in a Research Paper?

The conclusion of a research paper is the last part of the paper, which provides the answer to the research problem posed. Sums up all major findings/arguments made in the paper and tells how significant they are.

Contrary to what many students think, a conclusion is not just a copy of an introduction. Rather, it shows how the evidence presented in the paper helped prove the paper's main thesis and how the readers must understand that evidence. A good conclusion leads from particular evidence provided in the body of the paper to its general meaning.

For example, if the introduction says that the paper analyzes distant learning influences college students' academic involvement, the conclusion should not contain this sentence verbatim. Rather, the conclusion should tell what findings were obtained during the analysis, what conditions led to the certain outcome, and why these findings are important for students or teachers.

Conclusions have the following four inter-related tasks:

• Rephrase the research problem or thesis.
• Summarize the key findings or arguments.
• Describe the importance or implications of the findings.
• Conclude with some recommendations or further research.

Evidence and unrelated information or arguments must not be introduced in this part for the first time. As per the research paper writing guide, the conclusion must restate the research problem, summarize the findings, and discuss the implications but not introduce any new evidence.

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Why a Strong Conclusion Matters

The importance of a good conclusion cannot be overstated since it is the last chance to influence how the audience understands the research. In cases where readers only get one general idea out of a paper, the conclusion will determine what the idea is.

Lack of a good ending makes the thoroughly researched paper seem unfinished. The reader will feel confused about the meaning of the results, thesis statement, or the significance of the topic; the conclusion, on the other hand, gives purpose to the paper.

There are several reasons why the conclusion is important in academic and professional circles:

• It proves that you grasp the wider significance of your research.
• It proves how the data answers your initial question.
• It enables readers to recognize the main message of the paper.
• It relates a certain research to a broader problem in academia or in practice.
• It leaves a reader with an impression of clarity and confidence.

Since readers tend to read research papers quickly and scan through abstract, headings, discussions, and conclusions, it is very important that your conclusion be concise and allow them to grasp the result of your research without having to go through each page again.

This means that the conclusion has to be well-deserved. One cannot make a bold statement that one cannot prove in the body, but one also should not make statements with a touch of doubt.

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The R.I.S.E. Method — A Simple 4-Part Formula

The R.I.S.E. framework gives you an easy-to-follow four-step strategy for writing the conclusions of research papers. Each letter stands for a step that will take your paragraph from summarizing information towards finding its significance.

R — Restate the research problem

Start by restating the research problem, question, or thesis statement. You do not need to repeat it verbatim but should use new wording.

The reason is to remind readers of the research question the paper intended to answer. This introductory statement should be formulated more knowledgeably than the initial thesis.

Example: 

• Original: “In this paper, the impact of flexible working hours on employee productivity will be analyzed.”
• Conclusion: “It is found that flexible scheduling could increase productivity in case the employees’ expectations and communication are dependable.”

I — Interpret the findings 

Now, interpret the results of the research and discuss the main findings rather than citing specific examples, statistics, and sources.

In the case of an empirical paper, it is enough to discuss the main result, while in the case of an argumentative one, one should discuss how the main reasons helped prove the thesis.

S — Explain the significance 

The significance section will answer the reader’s key question: "So what?"

Here is where you will explain the consequences and impact of the findings. In other words, how the findings will influence policy, education, practice, general knowledge, research in the future, or some specific group.

E — End with purpose 

End your paper with a forward-looking sentence that gives your research a purpose. You may make a recommendation for action, propose further research, point to an application, or reemphasize the issue presented in the introduction.

Similar advice from Harvard’s writing guide suggests moving from the "what" to the "so what" and then on to the "now what."

R.I.S.E. in one sentence 

It should revisit the central problem, provide the interpretation of the key results, and conclude with a meaningful statement.

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How to Write a Conclusion Step-by-Step

The R.I.S.E. method provides the structure, and through this process, here is how to write the conclusion part.

Step 1: Reread the introduction and thesis 

Before starting the draft, go back over your introduction, research question, thesis statement, and purpose of the paper. Also, look at the first sentence of each body paragraph.

The purpose of this little reminder is to remind yourself of the original direction of your paper, and find out whether the final argument turned out to be different than you initially thought it would.

List the following prior to writing:

• The research question
• Central claim or hypothesis
• Two or three most significant results
• The implication of these results.
• A potential recommendation or future research avenue.

Step 2: Restate the central problem in new words

Bring back the research problem without reproducing the thesis statement. You can alter the sentence structure, find different verbs, or switch from the specific research question to a general statement.

Do not use formulations such as “This paper is about…” since they are too mechanical. Write about the research results directly.

Weak:

“This paper is about the influence of social media on adolescents.”

Stronger:

“The findings indicate that social media impacts adolescents most when its usage is intensive and goes along with social comparison and disturbed sleep.”

Step 3: Summarize the answer briefly

Explain how your body paragraphs addressed the question. Choose only those results or arguments which are required to arrive at the conclusion.

In a typical research paper, this will be only a few sentences. In a long thesis or dissertation, it will probably be an entire paragraph about the important results, contributions, limitations, and suggestions.

Do not transform the conclusion into a mere list of the entire contents of the research paper help. The readers want synthesis, not mere repetition.

Instead of writing: 

“The first finding was this. The second finding was this. The third finding was this.”

Write: 

In combination, these results demonstrate that “access alone is not sufficient for ensuring successful online learning, but rather that other factors influence the academic engagement of the learners.”

Step 4: Explain why the findings matter

The “so what?” aspect is often the most valuable part of your conclusion. It demonstrates your ability to analyze your findings instead of just listing them.

Think about:

• Whom do the findings affect?
• What decision may be influenced by the findings?
• Do the findings agree with, disprove, or extend the current knowledge base?
• What change will happen as a result?
• What greater issue do the findings shed light on?

Remember to stay connected to your evidence. You shouldn’t claim that your classroom-based findings prove something for the whole country.

Step 5: Acknowledge limitations when appropriate

Some research papers can also make use of a limitation statement, specifically empirical research papers. Identify the limitation first and provide an explanation about what needs to be done in future research.

Example:

“With the inclusion of participants from one public university, future research needs to explore whether the pattern exists among other institutions and among other age groups.”

The limitation of the study does not necessarily make your research weak. This is because it reveals that you know your limitations and are capable of generating another research question.

Step 6: Write one strong final sentence 

The final sentence needs to give readers a good reason for remembering the paper. This could take the form of suggesting some action to be taken or indicating where further research needs to be done.

Some ways in which good final sentences start include:

• "Further research would be well advised to..."
• "These findings imply that..."
• "For educational practitioners/policymakers..."
• "As a result, the evidence suggests..."
• "The larger picture that emerges is..."

Do not try to use a surprising quote or make predictions which might not be true. An accurate sentence would work better than a vague one.

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Conclusions by Paper Type (segment like the grade-level section)

Each paper will have its own way of making emphasis; also, there is no change in the fundamental elements of a conclusion. However, the contents have to be in accordance with the research methodology that has been used.

Empirical/Scientific Research Paper

The elements of an empirical conclusion include the research problem, findings, interpretations, limitations, and future research.

Structure of a good conclusion could be as follows:

• Restate your research question or hypothesis.
• State the main finding in one or two sentences.
• What does this finding imply?
• Point out any limitation in one sentence if you have to.
• State your recommended direction of future research.

Do not introduce any new tables, tests, or sources into your conclusion. If the finding is worthy of reporting, then it probably should go in your results section.

Example structure:

“This study tested whether sleep duration is predictive of the academic performance of college freshmen. Students who slept consistently had higher grades than those who did not, though the effects were less pronounced among those who worked for many hours. It seems, therefore, that sleep is one of the factors that can facilitate academic success, though the sample size restricts the generalizability of the findings.”

Argumentative/humanities research papers

An argumentative essay must be able to restate the thesis, synthesize the argument, and analyze the consequences of the argument made.

A good argumentative essay conclusion will be able to:

• Restate the thesis in a more refined manner.
• State how the evidence used supports the main argument of the essay.
• Stress the importance of the argument beyond the essay itself.
• Advocate for a policy, behavioral, or interpretive change.
• Pose a final question to the reader.

The final part of the essay should not present any opposing argument. In case an opposing argument is needed, make sure to incorporate it into the essay before concluding.

Thesis/dissertation conclusions 

Conclusions for thesis and dissertations typically have to be developed more than a regular classroom paper. It can contain a summary of findings, a contribution to the research, limitations, implications and recommendations.

The conclusion of a thesis or dissertation is usually about 5–7% of the entire word count, or as specified by the department.

If you have an extensive conclusion, you can include headings like the following:

• Summary of findings.
• Contribution to the field.
• Implications.
• Limitations.
• Future recommendations.

In any case, do not summarize the entire literature review in your conclusion.

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Free Conclusion Template & Checklist

The table provided below is more flexible than a paragraph because you can replace the blanks in it with concepts from your own research.

Part	What to do	Sentence starter
Restate	Reintroduce the research problem or thesis using fresh language.	“This study set out to examine .”
Interpret	Summarize the main findings or arguments.	“The evidence presented shows .”
Connect	Show how the findings answer the research question.	“Taken together, these results indicate .”
Significance	Explain why the findings matter.	“These findings matter because .”
Limitation	Identify a meaningful boundary when needed.	“Because this study focused on, future research should .”
End strong	Offer a recommendation, application, or future direction.	“Moving forward, _ should .”

Fill-in-the-blank paragraph 

"This paper explored. As is seen from the results. All of these indicate that. This is important because. Despite the limitations of the research, such as future studies may. In conclusion, “_” avoid using every sentence starter mechanically; select those that suit your writing task.

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Conclusion checklist

Before finalizing your essay, ensure that your conclusion:

• Rephrases the research problem or thesis statement.
• Recaps the most significant findings or arguments.
• Justifies the significance of findings or arguments.
• Links the conclusion back to the introduction.
• Does not contain any additional facts, statistics, or irrelevant arguments.
• Is not an exact repetition of the abstract.
• Contains a limitation if it is meaningful.
• Gives a recommendation or future direction at the end.
• Has an authoritative tone.
• Fits your instructor’s formatting requirements.

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Example Conclusion Paragraphs

Here are examples to help you see the pattern more clearly. Each of the paragraphs below is an example from my original paper of how R.I.S.E. can be used on papers of different formats.

Argumentative research paper example

The use of public libraries should not be underestimated within community digital inclusion programs due to a number of reasons. First of all, such programs provide access to both affordable technology and professional advice from employees of public libraries. This feature makes library-based programs particularly beneficial for elderly people, poor people and unemployed citizens, who do not have other sources of help and support. In spite of the fact that it will be necessary to provide financing for these programs, refusal from their use will only increase inequality.

Why this works: 

• The first sentence repeats the position statement.
• The second sentence integrates the evidence presented.
• The middle paragraph explains the social importance.
• The last sentence gives an action-oriented recommendation.

Empirical research paper example

In this study, it was investigated whether structured feedback had any positive effect on revision strategies among first-year college students. The results showed that those students who were receiving feedback according to particular criteria of revision made more effective revisions than the other group of students who were getting less structured feedback, though the small number of participants makes generalization difficult. From the results one can conclude that feedback is most efficient when a student knows what needs to be revised and what the reason for such revision is. Thus, instructors need to provide feedback and revision criteria at the same time.

Why this works:

• It states the research question.
• It provides the main result without duplicating all the numbers.
• It points to a drawback.
• It provides a real-life application and future research direction.

Short literature-based example 

Literature has shown that flexibility at work is most productive in the context where organizational flexibility is accompanied by communication and performance management. It is important to note that literature does not back up the notion of inherent productivity improvement or deterioration when working remotely – instead, it is dependent on policy specifics. This point is significant because blanket policies do not account for differences in employees, positions, and industries. Future research needs to compare flexible-work policies across sectors with regards to productivity and employee satisfaction.

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Common Mistakes in Research Paper Conclusions (and How to Fix Them)

Recognizing common problems can help you revise more efficiently while writing research papers.

Starting with “In conclusion”

The phrase is not always incorrect, but it often creates a weak opening because it announces the paragraph without adding meaning.

Weak:

“In conclusion, this paper has shown that recycling is important.”

Better:

“The evidence shows that recycling programs are most effective when convenient collection systems are paired with clear public guidance.”

Start with the idea itself rather than labeling the paragraph.

Copying the introduction

Paraphrasing the thesis verbatim makes the conclusion incomplete. What is needed is an interpretation, not a repeat of the introductory statement.

Solution: Paraphrase the thesis and include the conclusions drawn from the research.

• Repeating every body paragraph

Enumerating many points will not demonstrate synthesis; the reader is required to come up with a main idea.

Solution: Organize the related findings and present their relationships.

• Introducing new evidence

Introducing something like a statistic, quotation, or source in the conclusion shows that the research is incomplete. It will also appear unsupported if not explained further.

Solution: Add the new evidence to the discussion part.

• Making claims that are too broad

Concluding that one particular class, company, or community proves a bigger idea on a national or international level is making too much of a generalization.

Solution: The conclusion should not exceed the extent of the research.

• Apologizing for the research

Statements such as “This study is only a small attempt” reduce the credibility of the research.

Solution: Present the limitations of the research and state what future studies should consider.

• Ending abruptly

The conclusion ending after summarizing the paper doesn’t leave readers with any final take-away.

Solution: Include one sentence giving a recommendation, application, or future research question.

• Using an unrelated quotation

The quote could be quite impressive but could divert attention from the topic of research by adding somebody else’s idea at the end.

Solution: Unless the quote supports the implication of the paper, do not end in somebody else’s voice.

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Final Words

The powerful ending is not only a closure but a tool that will give the readers an incentive to take your whole paper into consideration. State the issue again, interpret the results, analyze their significance, and finish with some direction. Once you learn how to do it properly, you will be able to apply it to practically any paper that you will be writing in the future. Ready to try out the R.I.S.E. technique? Take out your draft and follow the steps to write a powerful conclusion.