History Research Guide

Conclusion

Your conclusion should be a logical outcome of your argument. It should also reflect your introduction. In general, a conclusion provides a concise answer to your research question. In other words, it either proves or disproves your thesis statement. In a sense, it is a brief reiteration of your entire argument and your introduction.

  • A good conclusion is a concise answer to your research question. It summarizes your arguments without reiterating every single logical step. It reminds your readers of your thesis statement and the topics you discussed in the body of the text.
  • By definition, a conclusion may not contain any new information. Stylistically speaking, however, it is better to avoid verbatim repetition of your phrasing. Even though the content is not new, try to vary the wording.
  • A conclusion is more than a straight summary, however. It should place the events and your findings in the historical context and theoretical framework described in your introduction. Often, the full importance of your topic only becomes clear when you draw the connection to a wider framework.

Conclusion and introduction need to cover more or less the same ground. They need to be written in such a fashion that readers who only read the introduction and the conclusion still get a clear idea of your entire argument.