DRAWING CONCLUSIONS

FROM PATTERN AND

THEMES
 INTRODUCTION
A conclusion is like the final chord in a song. It is the section in a research report
where the researcher finds a chance of leaving a lasting impression. It usually
includes a comprehensive summary of the findings. The key points are
highlighted briefly based on the analysis or results of the study. Important
implications applied to practice are specifically noted. Furthermore, the
conclusion points out to what were factually learned from the inquiry. This
section elucidates on drawing and writing the conclusion of the research paper.
You have to state your conclusions in clear, simple language. No new information
should be added to the conclusion. It is the conclusion where you describe the
value of your research.
 CHARACTERISTICS OF CONCLUSIONS
• Conclusions are inferences, deductions, abstractions, implications,
interpretations, general statements and/or generalizations based upon the
findings.
• Conclusions should appropriately answer the specific questions raised at the
beginning of the investigation in the order they are given under the statement
of the problem
• Conclusions should point out what were factually learned from the inquiry.
• Conclusions should be formulated concisely that is, brief and short, yet they
convey all the necessary information resulting from the investigation.
 PURPOSE OF A CONCLUSION

• Stress the importance of the thesis statement.

• Give the written work sense of completeness.
• Leave a final impression on the reader.
• Demonstrates good organization.
 IMPORTANCE OF A GOOD
CONCLUSIONS
• Presenting the last word on the issues you raised in your paper.
• Summarizing your thoughts and conveying the larger significance of
your study.
• Identifying how a gap in the literature has been addressed.
• Demonstrating the importance of your ideas.
• Introduction possible new or expended ways of thinking about the
research problem.
 STRATEGIES IN WRITING
CONCLUSIONS
• Echoing your introduction, or simply reiterate or link ideas
expressed in the other sections of the research.
• Challenging the reader by directing or showing how readers
can apply the study in their own lives.
• Looking to the future by emphasizing the importance of your
paper or redirecting the reader’s thought process in looking at
things more globally.
 STRATEGIES IN WRITING
CONCLUSIONS
• Posing questions where the readers can gain a new
perspective on the topic or you may also bring your main
ideas together to create a new meaning.
 STRATEGIES IN WRITING
CONCLUSIONS
The process of drawing conclusions begins early as you code your
data. As you review and code your data, begin to form ideas about the
important phenomena they indicate as well generate propositions
about them and the relationships among them. Once the data are
coded, you will look over the propositions to write your conclusions.
In drawing and verifying conclusions from qualitative data among the
most useful in the analysis are:
 STRATEGIES IN WRITING
CONCLUSIONS
• Nothing patterns and theme. These are recurring themes which put
together many separate pieces of data. The data may be grouped
according to theme. It may however happen that evidence may be
applicable to one more themes.
• Making contrast and comparisons. Comparison is a classic way to
test a conclusion. The responses gathered from parents, students,
teachers, and other groups can compared and contrasted so that
differences can be noted. When conflicting information comes up,
then you can refer to the sources of the different data.
 STRATEGIES IN WRITING
CONCLUSIONS
• Clustering. This process refers to the grouping of data, then
conceptualizing information that has similar patterns or
characteristics. It is called “categorizing” because steps must be
taken to ensure that other information are considered or included.
• Counting. Qualitative research, as discussed is basically descriptive
and goes beyond how much of something to describe the subject or
topic under investigation. However, the number of times something
occurs or is reported tells something about how important or how
significant an item is.
 GENERAL RULES FOR WRITING A
CONCLUSION
• State your conclusions in clear, simple language.
• Do not simply reiterate your results or the discussion.
• Indicate opportunities for the future research as long as
you haven’t already done so in the discussion section of
your paper.
 GENERAL RULES FOR WRITING A
CONCLUSION
The function of your paper’s conclusion is to restate the
main argument. It reminds the reader of the strengths of
your main arguments and reiterates the most important
evidence supporting those arguments. Make sure, however,
that your conclusion is not simply a repetitive summary of
the findings because this reduces the impact of the
arguments you have developed in you essay.
 GENERAL RULES FOR WRITING A
CONCLUSION
Consider the following points to help ensure your conclusion is
appropriate:
• If the argument or point of your paper is complex, you may need to
summarize the argument for your reader.
• If, prior to your conclusions, you have not yet explained the
significance of your findings or if you are proceeding inductively, use
the end of your paper to describe your main points and explain their
significance.
 GENERAL RULES FOR WRITING A
CONCLUSION
• Move from a detailed to a general level of consideration
that returns the topic to the context provided by the
introduction or within a new context that emerges from
the data.
 GENERAL RULES FOR WRITING A
CONCLUSION
The conclusion also provides a place for you to persuasively and
succinctly research problem, given that the reader has now been
presented with all the in formation about the topic. Depending on the
discipline you are writing in, the concluding paragraph may contain
your reflections on the evidence presented, or on the essay’s central
research problem. However, the nature of being introspective about
the research you have done will depend on the topic and whether your
professor wants you to express your observations in this way.