Why Your Conclusion Feels Flat (and How to Fix It)
We’ve all done it. You write your way through a dense, carefully constructed academic paper …theory, method, analysis… only to arrive at the final section and… sigh. You say “more research is needed,” nod vaguely toward future directions, and hit submit.
But a weak conclusion is a wasted opportunity.
If the introduction is the hook, the conclusion is the handover. It’s your last chance to tell the reader why any of this matters, what it adds, and what happens next. So why do so many academic conclusions fall flat? And how can we write ones that actually deliver?
Let’s dig into it.
Why Academic Conclusions Often Miss the Mark
Academic writing is often structured to prioritise caution. We hedge. We qualify. We avoid overclaiming - which is good. But by the time we reach the conclusion, we’ve sometimes edited ourselves into submission. We don't restate our insights with clarity or courage. We just kinda... fizzle out.
Here are the usual suspects behind a flat conclusion:
Repetition without emphasis: You restate the thesis, but don’t build on it.
Overused phrases: “This study has shown…” or “Further research is needed…” (We know.)
No sense of consequence: You’ve presented findings, but haven’t explained why they matter in the broader context.
What a Strong Conclusion Should Actually Do
A compelling conclusion should do more than tie things up neatly. It should:
Reaffirm the main insight - with confidence.
Show the stakes - what’s at risk or what’s possible if your work is taken seriously.
Offer direction - not just for other researchers, but for policy, practice, or theory.
Leave an impression - something worth sitting with after the article ends.
You don’t need to be grandiose. But you do need to be deliberate.
Four Practical Fixes for Flat Conclusions
1. Think of It as a Response, Not a Summary
Instead of summarising what you did, respond to the question: So what?
What changes if your reader accepts your findings? What becomes newly visible or newly questionable?
Instead of: “This paper explored X.”
Try: “Recognising X forces us to reconsider how we approach Y.”
2. Name the Tension, Not Just the Gap
We love saying “more research is needed.” But why is it needed? What’s at stake in what we don’t know yet? Where’s the friction?
Instead of: “Future studies could explore Z.”
Try: “This ambiguity around Z points to a deeper tension between [A] and [B] that warrants closer attention.”
3. Reconnect with the Real World
Conclusions are a chance to reach outside the bounds of your data. Ask: how might this insight shift a conversation in policy, education, clinical practice, activism, or everyday life?
Instead of: “This adds to the literature on…”
Try: “These findings raise important considerations for how we [teach/diagnose/respond to/etc.].”
4. Echo Your Opening - But Elevated
Return to the idea, question, or anecdote you opened with, but show how your journey through the paper has changed it. This gives your conclusion a satisfying narrative loop.
Opening: “X is often taken for granted.”
Closing: “But as this paper shows, taking X seriously invites us to rethink how we approach [larger issue].”
One Final Tip: Don't Let It Trail Off
Your conclusion doesn’t need to solve the field or write a manifesto. But it should feel like a deliberate full stop - not an ellipsis.
So ask yourself: what’s the one sentence you want your reader to remember five minutes after they’ve finished? Say that. And say it like you mean it.
Because if your research mattered enough to write,
it matters enough to end with impact.
