124 Chapter 8 together the different sections of the report and to provide an appropriate closure to the whole report As the conclusion comes at the end of your report, you should remember not to include any new information at this late stage In terms of organisa- tion, the conclusion has a reverse pattern compared to the introduction of a report, progressing from specific information of the study to general information in the broader context of the field of research As for language, you will find that you cannot main- tain an impersonal stance in your conclusion, as you will be required to comment on the many aspects of your research ORGANISING YOUR CONCLUSION The conclusion section 1s closely tied to the objectives and results of your research The concluding statement, on the basis of the results, clearly states whether the aim of the experiment has been met Table 8 1 shows some common correspondences between the objectives and the conclusions Confirming whether the objectives of your research have been met would be a good point to end your report However, some researchers extend their conclusion by discussing the difficulties in carrying out the experiment, experimental errors, advan- tages/disadvantages of alternative techniques, and/or applications of findings There- fore a typical conclusion has two sets of elements + The first set of elements are nward-looking in that they specifically deal with the objectives and results of the present study + The second set of elements are outward-looking in that they assess the find- ings of the study in the context of other studies in the field The first set of elements comprise the following + Restatement of your objectives + Review of your findings + Explanation for your findings + Evaluation of your research (strengths and lnmitations) ‘The second set of elements comprise the following + Implications of your research + Recommendauons for future research + Applications of your research Table 8.1 Correspondence between Objectives and Conclusions Objectives Conclusions To verify X X was (not) verified To measure X X was found to be To compare X with an X was found tobe which agrees with (differs from) accepted value the accepted value within/by n%