We explain what a conclusion is and what it is for. Also, what are the steps to make an effective conclusion.
What is a conclusion?
The conclusion, as its name indicates, derived from the Latin conclusionĭor (literally "closing" or "end"), it is the last part of a argument, a study or a dissertation. It is expected that the premises and the development of the thought lead to establish something as true, as valid or as possible, always in accordance with what was explored and previously established.
Thus, from a scientific investigation the conclusions are expected to be findings or discoveries that yield new information on the subject; From a theoretical essay, the conclusions are expected to defend a way of interpreting the matter in question; As much as a police investigation, the conclusions are expected to yield a culprit.
In the field of logic, the conclusion is the final premise of an argument, the validity of which 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 arrive at it.
Depending on the context, we may have at the end of a rehearsal or research a section of conclusions, conclusions and recommendations (which must be handled differently) or simply a general conclusion such as goal.
It should be clarified that a conclusion is not an opinion, nor a suggestion, nor a resume of the aforementioned, but an argument logically derived from the evaluated premises, that is, the result of a work of thought and evaluation.
How to make a conclusion?
Although each topic and each investigation requires its own methods of analysis, it is possible to broadly propose a way of finding the conclusions in a reasoning or an investigation.
The steps would be the following:
- Evaluate the premises. This will often mean going back to what has already been stated, rereading the body of research or reflection where we have raised the points to debate and we have developed the theme. A conclusion cannot be drawn without first understanding the specific topic.
- Choose key information. Separate contextual and superfluous information from the core of the trouble, so to speak, since the conclusions have to do more than anything with the objective general research, with its central theme of interest, although it is possible later to obtain secondary conclusions about underlying themes.
- Choose a posture. Although this does not necessarily imply issuing an opinion, or pronouncing ourselves in a subjective or personal way, to reach a conclusion, a position must be assumed 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 research results 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 are understood and a position has been established regarding the results, a message can be issued, which provides a closure to the investigation or reasoning and allows the extraction of knowledge final (general or specific) of the matter addressed.