Dissertation Conclusion Help: How to Write Conclusions and Recommendations for a UK Dissertation Guide
Last updated: November 2026 · Reviewed by the HND Assignment Help tutoring team
Quick answer
A dissertation conclusion chapter answers your research question directly. In UK undergraduate and master's dissertations it typically restates the aim, summarises findings against each objective, explains the contribution, gives evidence-based recommendations, notes limitations and suggests future research, in about 5 to 10 percent of the word count. Markers reward a clear answer, recommendations that follow from findings and honest limitations.
Dissertation conclusion at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Answer the research question and show what the study adds |
| Typical length | Around 5 to 10 percent of the total word count; check your handbook |
| Usual sections | Summary of findings, contribution, recommendations, limitations, future research |
| What not to include | New data, new literature, or a repeat of the discussion chapter |
| Applies to | UK undergraduate, master's, MBA and HND or top-up research projects |
Some UK departments combine discussion and conclusion into one chapter, and some put recommendations in a separate chapter. Check your brief or module handbook before planning.
How to write each part
1. Restate the aim and answer the question
Open with one or two sentences that remind the reader of the aim, then give a direct answer. Avoid hedging so much that the reader cannot tell what you concluded.
2. Summarise findings by objective
Work through each objective in turn and state what you found. Keep it short: one paragraph per objective is usually enough. A table can help markers see that every objective has been answered.
| Objective | Key finding | Conclusion drawn |
|---|---|---|
| Objective 1 | One-sentence summary of the main result | What this means for the research question |
| Objective 2 | One-sentence summary | What this means |
| Objective 3 | One-sentence summary | What this means |
3. Explain the contribution
Say what your study adds: a new setting, a new sample, a test of a theory in a UK context, or practical insight for an organisation. Be modest and specific; a small study rarely changes a whole field.
4. Make recommendations
Each recommendation should link to a finding, name who should act, and say what they should do. For practice-based dissertations, add an indicative timescale or cost where it helps.
| Finding | Recommendation | Who acts | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Link to a specific result | A clear action | Named role or team | High, medium or low |
5. Limitations and future research
State the two or three limitations that matter most, such as sample size, single-site setting or self-reported data, and explain their effect. Then suggest future research that would address them.
Worked method example (not an answer): Imagine an invented 10,000-word dissertation on staff turnover in a UK care home group. A conclusion of 800 words could be split as: aim and direct answer 100 words; findings by three objectives 300 words; contribution 80 words; three recommendations 180 words; limitations and future research 140 words. If an objective found that night-shift staff left at twice the rate of day staff, a matching recommendation might target night-shift scheduling, and a limitation might be that exit data came from one region only. Your own split and content must come from your own findings.
Linking back to the literature
Your conclusion should close the loop with the literature review without re-running it. One or two sentences that say whether your findings support, extend or challenge the main theory or study you relied on are enough. For example, you might say your results support a well-known model in a large-firm setting but not in small UK firms. This shows the marker you understand where your work sits.
Writing style for the conclusion
Use confident but measured language. Phrases such as the findings indicate or this study suggests are better than proves or definitely shows, especially with small samples. Write in the past tense for what you found and the present tense for what it means. Keep paragraphs short and use the same key terms as your introduction so the reader can see the aim has been met. If your department allows it, a short final paragraph can reflect on what the research process taught you, but keep personal reflection brief unless the brief asks for a reflective section.
When recommendations need their own chapter
In some MBA, management and health dissertations the brief asks for a separate recommendations or action plan chapter. In that case keep the conclusion short and move detailed actions, costs, timescales and risks into the separate chapter, using a table that links each action to a finding.
Common mistake: introducing new evidence or literature in the conclusion, or simply repeating the discussion chapter. The conclusion should be shorter, sharper and forward-looking, and every recommendation should trace back to a finding.
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How markers judge a dissertation conclusion
| What markers look for | Weaker conclusion | Stronger conclusion |
|---|---|---|
| Answering the question | Restates the topic only | Gives a clear, direct answer |
| Coverage | Some objectives missing | Every objective addressed |
| Recommendations | Generic or unrelated to findings | Specific, prioritised, linked to findings |
| Limitations | Missing or defensive | Honest, with effect on confidence explained |
| Consistency | Contradicts earlier chapters | Matches aims, method and findings |
Pre-submission checklist
- Aim restated and answered directly
- Every objective has a finding and a conclusion
- No new data or new literature
- Contribution stated modestly and specifically
- Each recommendation links to a finding
- Limitations explained, not just listed
- Future research suggestions are realistic
- Length fits your handbook guidance
- Wording matches your introduction and abstract
- Proofread for tense and consistency
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Dissertation conclusion answer hints and sample structure
There is no conclusion to copy: it must reflect your own findings. Use this structure as a planning aid and adjust it to your handbook.
| Section | Purpose | Suggested share |
|---|---|---|
| Aim and direct answer | Answers the research question | 10 to 15% |
| Findings by objective | Shows every objective was met | 35 to 40% |
| Contribution | States what the study adds | 10% |
| Recommendations | Turns findings into action | 20 to 25% |
| Limitations and future research | Shows critical awareness | 15% |
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Frequently asked questions
What goes in a dissertation conclusion chapter?
A UK dissertation conclusion usually restates the aim, summarises the key findings against each objective, states the contribution, gives recommendations, acknowledges limitations and suggests future research. It should not introduce new data or new literature.
How long should a dissertation conclusion be?
Many UK supervisors suggest around 5 to 10 percent of the total word count, so roughly 500 to 1,000 words in a 10,000-word dissertation. Your handbook or marking scheme is the final guide.
What is the difference between the discussion and the conclusion?
The discussion interprets your findings against the literature in detail. The conclusion steps back, answers the research question directly and explains what should happen next.
Can I put recommendations in the conclusion?
Yes. Most UK business, management, health and education dissertations expect practical recommendations in or alongside the conclusion. Each one should follow from a specific finding.
Should I include limitations in the conclusion?
Yes, briefly. State the main limitations honestly, explain how they affect the confidence of your conclusions and show how future research could address them.
Can I cite sources in the conclusion?
You can cite sparingly, for example to show where your findings support or challenge a key study, but the conclusion should not introduce new literature that was not discussed earlier.
Can a tutor review my conclusion chapter?
Yes. A tutor can check that your conclusion answers each objective, that recommendations follow from findings and that the chapter fits your word count. You remain the author of the dissertation.
Related help
- Dissertation help UK
- Dissertation discussion chapter guide
- Dissertation methodology chapter guide
- UK dissertation structure: chapter by chapter
Academic integrity: this guide explains how to plan a dissertation conclusion. It does not provide a finished chapter. Follow your university rules on referencing, proofreading and AI tools, and submit only work you have written yourself.