What is a conclusion?

We explain what a conclusion is and what it is for. In addition, what are the steps to make an effective conclusion.

1. What is a conclusion?

The conclusion, as its name indicates, derived from the Latin concluded ĭ or (literally “closing” or “final”), is the last part of an argument , a study or a dissertation . It is expected that the premises and the development of thought lead to establish something as true, as valid or as possible, always in accordance with the previously explored and established.

Thus, from a scientific investigation the conclusions are expected to be findings or discoveries that throw new information on the subject; from a theoretical essay the conclusions are expected to defend a form of interpretation of the subject matter ; as much as a police investigation the conclusions are expected to throw a culprit.

In the field of logic , the conclusion is the final premise of a reasoning , whose validity follows from the previous premises. A conclusion can be true even if its premises are not, so that a valid conclusion does not also make valid the steps taken to reach it.

Depending on the context, we may have at the end of an essay or investigation a section of conclusions, conclusions and recommendations (which must be handled differently) or simply a general conclusion as a goal .

It should be clarified that a conclusion is not an opinion, nor a suggestion, nor a summary of the above , but an argument logically derived from the premises evaluated, that is, the result of a work of thought and evaluation.

2. How to make a conclusion?

Although each topic and each investigation require their own methods of analysis , it is possible in broad strokes to propose a way to find the conclusions in a reasoning or an investigation.

The steps would be as follows:

• Evaluate the premises . This will often mean going back to what has already been said, rereading the body of research or reflection where we have raised the points to be discussed and developed the theme. A conclusion cannot be obtained without first understanding the specific topic.
• Choose the key information . Separate contextual and superfluous information from the core of the problem , so to speak, since the conclusions have more to do with the general objective of the investigation, with its central theme of interest, although it is possible to obtain secondary conclusions about underlying issues.
• Choose a posture . While this does not necessarily imply issuing an opinion, or pronouncing ourselves in a subjective or personal way, to reach a conclusion one must assume a position regarding the results of the dissertation. You must have something to say about the results obtained, and for this it is possible to ask yourself a series of key questions:
  • What do the results of the investigation mean?
  • What consequences do they have?
  • What implications do they have?
  • Because they are important?
  • Where do they lead us?
• Send a message . Once the premises have been understood and a position has been established regarding the results, a message may be issued, which will close the investigation or the reasoning and allow final knowledge (general or specific) to be extracted from the subject addressed.