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How to Write a Dissertation Conclusion | Checklist and Examples

Published on 9 September 2022 by Tegan George and Shona McCombes. Revised on 10 October 2022.

The conclusion is the very last part of your thesis or dissertation . It should be concise and engaging, leaving your reader with a clear understanding of your main findings, as well as the answer to your research question .

In it, you should:

  • Clearly state the answer to your main research question
  • Summarise and reflect on your research process
  • Make recommendations for future work on your topic
  • Show what new knowledge you have contributed to your field
  • Wrap up your thesis or dissertation

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Table of contents

Discussion vs. conclusion, how long should your conclusion be, step 1: answer your research question, step 2: summarise and reflect on your research, step 3: make future recommendations, step 4: emphasise your contributions to your field, step 5: wrap up your thesis or dissertation, full conclusion example, conclusion checklist, frequently asked questions about conclusion sections.

While your conclusion contains similar elements to your discussion section , they are not the same thing.

Your conclusion should be shorter and more general than your discussion. Instead of repeating literature from your literature review , discussing specific research results , or interpreting your data in detail, concentrate on making broad statements that sum up the most important insights of your research.

As a rule of thumb, your conclusion should not introduce new data, interpretations, or arguments.

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Depending on whether you are writing a thesis or dissertation, your length will vary. Generally, a conclusion should make up around 5–7% of your overall word count.

An empirical scientific study will often have a short conclusion, concisely stating the main findings and recommendations for future research. A humanities topic or systematic review , on the other hand, might require more space to conclude its analysis, tying all the previous sections together in an overall argument.

Your conclusion should begin with the main question that your thesis or dissertation aimed to address. This is your final chance to show that you’ve done what you set out to do, so make sure to formulate a clear, concise answer.

  • Don’t repeat a list of all the results that you already discussed
  • Do synthesise them into a final takeaway that the reader will remember.

An empirical thesis or dissertation conclusion may begin like this:

A case study –based thesis or dissertation conclusion may begin like this:

In the second example, the research aim is not directly restated, but rather added implicitly to the statement. To avoid repeating yourself, it is helpful to reformulate your aims and questions into an overall statement of what you did and how you did it.

Your conclusion is an opportunity to remind your reader why you took the approach you did, what you expected to find, and how well the results matched your expectations.

To avoid repetition , consider writing more reflectively here, rather than just writing a summary of each preceding section. Consider mentioning the effectiveness of your methodology , or perhaps any new questions or unexpected insights that arose in the process.

You can also mention any limitations of your research, but only if you haven’t already included these in the discussion. Don’t dwell on them at length, though – focus on the positives of your work.

  • While x limits the generalisability of the results, this approach provides new insight into y .
  • This research clearly illustrates x , but it also raises the question of y .

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You may already have made a few recommendations for future research in your discussion section, but the conclusion is a good place to elaborate and look ahead, considering the implications of your findings in both theoretical and practical terms.

  • Based on these conclusions, practitioners should consider …
  • To better understand the implications of these results, future studies could address …
  • Further research is needed to determine the causes of/effects of/relationship between …

When making recommendations for further research, be sure not to undermine your own work. Relatedly, while future studies might confirm, build on, or enrich your conclusions, they shouldn’t be required for your argument to feel complete. Your work should stand alone on its own merits.

Just as you should avoid too much self-criticism, you should also avoid exaggerating the applicability of your research. If you’re making recommendations for policy, business, or other practical implementations, it’s generally best to frame them as ‘shoulds’ rather than ‘musts’. All in all, the purpose of academic research is to inform, explain, and explore – not to demand.

Make sure your reader is left with a strong impression of what your research has contributed to the state of your field.

Some strategies to achieve this include:

  • Returning to your problem statement to explain how your research helps solve the problem
  • Referring back to the literature review and showing how you have addressed a gap in knowledge
  • Discussing how your findings confirm or challenge an existing theory or assumption

Again, avoid simply repeating what you’ve already covered in the discussion in your conclusion. Instead, pick out the most important points and sum them up succinctly, situating your project in a broader context.

The end is near! Once you’ve finished writing your conclusion, it’s time to wrap up your thesis or dissertation with a few final steps:

  • It’s a good idea to write your abstract next, while the research is still fresh in your mind.
  • Next, make sure your reference list is complete and correctly formatted. To speed up the process, you can use our free APA citation generator .
  • Once you’ve added any appendices , you can create a table of contents and title page .
  • Finally, read through the whole document again to make sure your thesis is clearly written and free from language errors. You can proofread it yourself , ask a friend, or consider Scribbr’s proofreading and editing service .

Here is an example of how you can write your conclusion section. Notice how it includes everything mentioned above:

V. Conclusion

The current research aimed to identify acoustic speech characteristics which mark the beginning of an exacerbation in COPD patients.

The central questions for this research were as follows: 1. Which acoustic measures extracted from read speech differ between COPD speakers in stable condition and healthy speakers? 2. In what ways does the speech of COPD patients during an exacerbation differ from speech of COPD patients during stable periods?

All recordings were aligned using a script. Subsequently, they were manually annotated to indicate respiratory actions such as inhaling and exhaling. The recordings of 9 stable COPD patients reading aloud were then compared with the recordings of 5 healthy control subjects reading aloud. The results showed a significant effect of condition on the number of in- and exhalations per syllable, the number of non-linguistic in- and exhalations per syllable, and the ratio of voiced and silence intervals. The number of in- and exhalations per syllable and the number of non-linguistic in- and exhalations per syllable were higher for COPD patients than for healthy controls, which confirmed both hypotheses.

However, the higher ratio of voiced and silence intervals for COPD patients compared to healthy controls was not in line with the hypotheses. This unpredicted result might have been caused by the different reading materials or recording procedures for both groups, or by a difference in reading skills. Moreover, there was a trend regarding the effect of condition on the number of syllables per breath group. The number of syllables per breath group was higher for healthy controls than for COPD patients, which was in line with the hypothesis. There was no effect of condition on pitch, intensity, center of gravity, pitch variability, speaking rate, or articulation rate.

This research has shown that the speech of COPD patients in exacerbation differs from the speech of COPD patients in stable condition. This might have potential for the detection of exacerbations. However, sustained vowels rarely occur in spontaneous speech. Therefore, the last two outcome measures might have greater potential for the detection of beginning exacerbations, but further research on the different outcome measures and their potential for the detection of exacerbations is needed due to the limitations of the current study.

Checklist: Conclusion

I have clearly and concisely answered the main research question .

I have summarized my overall argument or key takeaways.

I have mentioned any important limitations of the research.

I have given relevant recommendations .

I have clearly explained what my research has contributed to my field.

I have  not introduced any new data or arguments.

You've written a great conclusion! Use the other checklists to further improve your dissertation.

In a thesis or dissertation, the discussion is an in-depth exploration of the results, going into detail about the meaning of your findings and citing relevant sources to put them in context.

The conclusion is more shorter and more general: it concisely answers your main research question and makes recommendations based on your overall findings.

While it may be tempting to present new arguments or evidence in your thesis or disseration conclusion , especially if you have a particularly striking argument you’d like to finish your analysis with, you shouldn’t. Theses and dissertations follow a more formal structure than this.

All your findings and arguments should be presented in the body of the text (more specifically in the discussion section and results section .) The conclusion is meant to summarize and reflect on the evidence and arguments you have already presented, not introduce new ones.

For a stronger dissertation conclusion , avoid including:

  • Generic concluding phrases (e.g. “In conclusion…”)
  • Weak statements that undermine your argument (e.g. “There are good points on both sides of this issue.”)

Your conclusion should leave the reader with a strong, decisive impression of your work.

The conclusion of your thesis or dissertation shouldn’t take up more than 5-7% of your overall word count.

The conclusion of your thesis or dissertation should include the following:

  • A restatement of your research question
  • A summary of your key arguments and/or results
  • A short discussion of the implications of your research

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How to Write a Dissertation Conclusion – Example & Tips

Published by Jamie Walker at August 13th, 2021 , Revised On August 22, 2023

It is imperative for students to understand how to  write a dissertation  conclusion in order to achieve the highest grade in their dissertation project.

The concluding chapter of the dissertation should be appealing to the readers and give an accurate but concise review of what your research revolves around with special emphasis on the outcomes  and recommendations that you have derived from your research study.

The illustration below provides an insight into  how a first-class dissertation is structured , and we will now look in complete detail over how to manage the conclusion chapter of your dissertation.

The conclusion of a dissertation or thesis generally connects the beginning of your research ( introduction ,  research problem ,  research questions ) to the findings and implications of your research.

You must relate to the major  findings of your research  and answer the research questions that your study raised. There is no need to hesitate to state the limitations of research because it is natural that your research will have some limitations rather than none.

Writing a dissertation conclusion is, perhaps, the most critical aspect of your research work which is why it is vitally important to not miss out on the key elements surrounding a great dissertation conclusion.

Dissertation Conclusion Guidelines

Dissertation conclusion is a core element of your dissertation or thesis paper which is why you will be required to follow a specific set of guidelines in order to showcase the findings of your study in a logical manner.

How to Start a Dissertation Conclusion

Always write your conclusion in clear and simple language.  Before starting to write the conclusion chapter, it is important that students become familiar with the assessment criteria and expected outcomes in order to avoid complexities at a later stage.

The aim of a dissertation conclusion is to provide a brief overview of the main research work so the readers can figure out how your research study will add value to the existing literature.

Moreover, recommendations for future research and practitioners should also be provided in this section.

Difference between Conclusion & Discussion

The contents of the  discussion  and conclusion chapters are similar, and they are typically grouped together in journal articles and scientific papers.

Depending on your academic institute and the subject of your degree program, you could be asked to put discussion and conclusion together under the same chapter in your dissertation or thesis paper.

However, typically in a  dissertation or thesis paper , it is common to have a separate chapter for the conclusion to briefly state answers for all research questions, and summarise and reflect on the research.

The conclusion chapter is considerably shorter in length than the discussion. Here you will be expected to provide general statements to give readers a final impression of your research.

On the other hand, in the discussion chapter of a dissertation , the author states the major findings, and their interpretations and implications.

Do not introduce any new information, arguments, meanings, and interpretations in the conclusion chapter.

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What to Write in a Conclusion

An important question that one must address before writing a dissertation conclusion is what to write in a conclusion?

In the best case scenario, you will summarise the findings of your entire research in a comprehensive manner, but at the same time ensure that you are not just restating the points covered in the main body.

The purpose here is to present a synthesis of the major points covered which is why it is advised not to include any new ideas relating to your research at this point.

Methodology in a dissertation  can be a taxing and time consuming matter because a large chunk of your research is based on the methods you have adopted.

Essentially, the methodology should relate to the literature you have reviewed and provide academic justification to your  choice of research methods  – be it quantitative, qualitative or a mix of both.

Students must make sure that they shed adequate light on the methodology part in their dissertation conclusion.

It is essential to keep the dissertation conclusion concise and to the point rather than going into unnecessary details which would rather be a part of the main body.

Writing a dissertation conclusion is not a strenuous task if you stick to the fact that your goal here is to provide insight, evaluations and implications of your research study.

Structuring a Dissertation Conclusion

While writing a dissertation conclusion, you must be particular about the fact that it gives reflection of a cohesive argument and supports the points you have covered in the main body.

Your conclusion should depict the importance of why you chose this  specific research topic  and the impact your study will have on the society.

Providing solutions to the problems you have identified and predicting what might happen in the near future leaves a very good impression on the readers, and some of them might well be inclined to consider your argument long after.

When pondering over how to write a dissertation conclusion, it is important to relate your ideas with academics who are closely followed by your supervisor.

Although the dissertation belongs to you and you have the full right to express your own views where appropriate, there is absolutely no harm in slightly aligning your views with other researchers in order to achieve a good score.

Dissertation Conclusion Limitations

Every dissertation is likely to suffer from limitations which is precisely the reason why students must acknowledge and appropriately address them.

Limitations is an integral part of your dissertation conclusion because it will also help your readers to  understand your research design and philosophical approach .

This brief segment reflects upon the importance of the inherent limitations been identified; the reasons behind your choice of methods; and possible ways to counter the limitations.

It is recommended never to hide the limitations associated with your research, because your tutor will probably have years of experience with  different methods of research  and they will figure out these limitations even if you have not specifically discussed them.

Simply highlighting the dissertation limitations is not a very good idea because every research limitation must accompany ways in which it can be combated. Dissertation limitations can be methodological or conceptual.

It is necessary to briefly touch upon both types of limitations so your supervisor can figure out what part of your research was stalled by lack of data, cultural biases, sampling etc.

This section of the dissertation conclusion chapter is generally based on a world count – 200-500 words so it is appropriate to discuss only the most significant limitations of your study.

Dissertation Conclusion Length

Another important question that you might want to address in the final phase of your research work is how long should dissertation conclusion be? The length of a dissertation conclusion is in direct correlation with the length of the full dissertation paper.

On a simple basis the longer or more detailed your research is, the longer the conclusion it will have, and vice versa. The length will often depend on the writer’s personal judgement and making a call on such a matter might well turn out to be the difference between an ordinary and  professional dissertation writer.

The length of a dissertation conclusion chapter is generally 5-7% of the total dissertation word count.

Addressing Research Questions in Dissertation Conclusion

Make sure that you start your conclusion chapter by directly addressing the  research questions  or the  research problem  that your dissertation or thesis intended to address.

Conclusion chapter gives you the final chance to demonstrate to your readers that your research achieved what was aimed at the beginning of the research.

Provide a clear, concise and to the point answer to your research questions. You are not expected to repeat what you have already said in the discussion part of the paper, rather turn readers’ attentions towards a final outcome.

Dissertation Conclusion Example

No matter how much you dig into the details of writing a conclusion for your dissertation, it is always nice to have a look at a full-fledged example for guidance purposes. The graphic below gives a summarised view of what is to be written in a dissertation conclusion.

Here is an example of how to write a dissertation conclusion to help you better understand.

How to Write Dissertation Conclusion Example

Here is a dissertation conclusion example of a dissertation that aimed to test a theoretical argument based on an analysis of a case study; Proposed anaerobic digestion plant in Tripoli.

Chapter 5 – Dissertation Conclusion 5.1 Background This chapter highlights the crux of the study by briefly describing objectives and literature survey. The feasibility of the proposed plant is then discussed, leading to the study’s limitations and difficulties. In the end, some recommendations for future work are provided in brief. Some suggestions to improve and highlight the renewable energy generation techniques are also part of the chapter. 5.2 Literature Review, Survey and Interviews A Valora process AD plant, with a capacity of 0.8 tones of food waste per day, is proposed to be established in the city of Tripoli. This plant can assist the national grid in meeting the rising demands of electricity in Tripoli and on the outskirts. Public opinion about establishing such a plant is taken by conducting a survey. The survey results suggest that the people of Tripoli understand the need for a WTE plant and ensure their cooperation for the separate household food waste if provided with the containers by the municipal authorities. The food waste to energy generation plant provides a solution for both household food waste management in Tripoli and generating an adequate amount of electricity to meet the rising demand. An informal session of interviews has been conducted with the experts from the Energy Agency of Libya. The opinion and observation-based data collection are done in order to opt for the interpretive approach of research adequately. All five respondents recommended the idea of establishing an AD plant in Tripoli-Libya. Their comments and suggestions have also validated the plant location selected in the research as an appropriate location for establishing a plant. The idea of energy generation using sustainable methods is the main point they’ve endorsed. The research provides the solution for both; waste management in Tripoli and the introduction of sustainable energy generation methods in Libya. 5.3 Feasibility of the Proposed System A detailed, feasibly study was conducted, including technical details such as the amount of biogas generation, plant type, equipment sizing, and proposed location for the plant. Initial finances, operation and management costs of the proposed AD plant are estimated in the financial analysis of the proposed plant. Life cycle assessment is compared with food waste management to evaluate the environmental effects of the plant. The analysis suggests that the proposed AD plant is economically, technically and ecologically feasible to establish on 3rd Ring Road in Tripoli. 5.4 Limitations and Difficulties Some of the limitations and difficulties involved in the process of digestion or establishing a digestion plant are listed as follows; 1. Since many WTE technologies are designed to handle mixed-type food waste such as solid waste and municipal waste etc. Running the plant with specifically food waste is difficult as food waste makes comparatively less amount than MSW as a whole. 2. Some other WTE challenges include high capital cost, waste-gas cleanup, regulatory hurdles, and conversion efficiency. 3. Since domestic utilization of generated electricity is a primary objective, and it adds a limitation where even distribution of electricity distribution in domestic buildings is not possible if the plant is located outside the residential area. This issue can be resolved by centralizing a substation for the proper transmission and distribution. 4. Since the accuracy of the estimated analysis depends entirely on the data, and missing fields affect the accuracy of the estimations. 5. Since the survey is conducted among non-technical people and represents their views, no primary data is available that accurately estimates the energy generation from the amount of food or biogas generation. The calculations of estimation of biogas yield and energy generation are based on the equations taken from secondary resources thus can be erroneous. 5.5 Future Work This study is conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of establishing a large-scale plant to provide an alternative and renewable energy solution. The whole idea is applicable and implementable in the proposed area. Instead, in the future, the idea can be evaluated for the individual high-rise buildings to make them self-sufficient in energy demand and supply and to reduce the load on the national electricity grid. A cross-national study involving cost-benefit analysis of family-sized digesters in Tripoli is yet to analyze in order to predict the future of biogas technology in Libya. Information about government subsidies on renewable energy generation plants in Tripoli is important but unknown yet. This study revolves around the utilization of food waste collected from residential buildings only. Although hotels, restaurants, and canteens can also provide a considerably high amount of food waste and it is relatively easy for them to collect it separately. Thus further work can be based on the food waste collection from the food consumption areas. It is important to remember that there is no need to restate the research objectives in conclusion. Your statements should incorporate answers to research questions without you having to repeat those questions. Here is another example of dissertation conclusion.

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Summarising and Reflecting on Research

As mentioned before, the conclusion chapter gives you that final opportunity to restate what your research study intended to achieve, what approach you took in the process, where  findings  you came up as a result of your study, and whether or not they were according to your expectations. In short, a conclusion section needs to provide an overview of the building blocks of your research.

It is common to use a reflective style of writing here, rather than simply restating what you have already written in the previous chapters. This approach will also help you to avoid repetition.

For example, if there were limitations of your chosen research methodology then you might want to briefly state whether or not that could have influenced the results of your research study. You can also highlight any new insights that you recorded during the process.

Focus more on the positives of your study although you will be expected to concisely state the limitations of your research as well.

The research approach employed for this research study provided new insight into B even though it limited the generalizability of findings.

Recommendations for Future in Conclusion Chapter

Although it is common to provide recommendations for future research work in the discussion chapter, it will be a good idea to provide an overview of those endorsements in the conclusion chapter with a focus on the practical and theoretical consequences of your results.

Practitioners should consider A and B based on these conclusions….Further research needs to be conducted for better understanding in regards to the implications of these findings….The effects of the relationship between A and B are still unclear, and so further research must be conducted…

Research pertaining to a dissertation or thesis is usually expected to discover, enlighten, and educate rather than frame the results as essentials for practitioners and policymakers.

Any recommendations related to business, application, and strategy should be presented as propositions to avoid overstating the appositeness of your work.

Never undermine your research work when making propositions for future research. Your work should be recognized as complete, thorough, and reliable without the need for further research to confirm your conclusions.

Stress the Importance of Your Research in Conclusion

You don’t want your readers to leave with the impression that your work did not make a valuable contribution to the existing knowledge in your area of study. Here are some ideas to demonstrate how this is done;

  • Referring back to the problem statement to help readers understand how your work addresses the research problem originally identified.
  • Elaborate how your results validated or tested an existing hypothesis or theory.
  • Stating how your research was able to fill a certain gap in existing knowledge as pointed out in the literature review.

Again, it is recommended to avoid repetition. You do not want to reiterate what you have already discussed in the previous chapter.

Dissertation Conclusion Help from Experts

Writing a dissertation is no mean feat because it requires complete dedication and attention to detail in order to secure a good grade.

Even the very first part of your dissertation – topic selection can become a cumbersome task because of the  need to select a topic with a sufficient amount of literature available on it.

Despite putting in a lot of effort, you might still end up with a grade that is well below your own expectations which is why it is sometimes better off to approach professionals providing dissertation writing services so that the complexities surrounding a top-quality dissertation are handled by people with specialized skill set.

As we approach the conclusion of this piece, it should be clear by now as to what students are expected to do in the final phase of their dissertations. In short, they should have a clear idea about  how to write a dissertation conclusion .

Finally, it is important not to let yourself down by writing a mediocre conclusion and consequently lose crucial marks. The hard part of your dissertation is already completed so it is worthwhile to put in a concentrated effort to end on a high and impress your supervisor.

Struggling with any Chapter of your Dissertation?

Whether it is your dissertation introduction, literature review, methodology, conclusion or any other chapter, our expert dissertation writers can help you succeed. With our dissertation chapter writing service, you can be confident of having your individual chapters completed to your school’s exact guidelines. Click here to learn more about our dissertation chapter writing service. Find out how our dissertation services can help you.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many pages is a dissertation conclusion.

The length of a dissertation conclusion varies but is typically around 1 to 2 pages. It succinctly summarizes key findings, discusses implications, and restates the significance of the study, providing a resolution to the research.

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Not sure how to write the findings of a dissertation. Here are some comprehensive guidelines for you to learn to write a flawless findings chapter.

A literature review is a survey of theses, articles, books and other academic sources. Here are guidelines on how to write dissertation literature review.

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How to Write a Relevant Conclusion for Your Dissertation

Dissertation Conclusion

The last portion of your dissertation is called the conclusion. The objective of the dissertation conclusion is to answer the primary question of the research, provide a summary of the research, make recommendations for possible research on the subject and list the new information that your research contributes to the field.

Although the discussion and the conclusion have similar elements, they are not the same. They may be combined in shorter journal articles and papers. However, in a thesis, both the conclusion and discussion must be included.

While a discussion includes specific interpretations and results, the conclusion makes broader statements to sum up all the important points of your research.

Writing a good conclusion is important to clarify the main discoveries and arguments of your research. Here are some tips on how to conclude a thesis.

Provide Answers to The Primary Question in Your Research

The first step is to understand how to start a conclusion. It must begin with the key question of your dissertation. This allows you to show the results of your work. It must be clear and concise. You do not have to repeat all the results discussed along the thesis. Just combine them into a few words that will become the final takeaway for readers.

For example, the conclusion for a dissertation that aims at making theoretical arguments by analysing case studies, the beginning can be as follows:

“A detailed analysis of the changing representations of the UK border policy and migration over the last ten years, the influence of media discourse in political decision making is highlighted in this dissertation”

Summarise Your Research

The thesis conclusion gives your readers a reminder about why you approached a topic in a certain way. You must summarize the expected results and the actual results that matched these expectations.

The summary should not have too many repetitions. It is not meant to summarize every chapter. Instead, it must reflect your views and ideas that were developed through the course of the thesis. This is also a good opportunity to list any limitations in the research. You can also highlight why your methodology was best suited for the topic discussed.

Here is an example of how to restate thesis in conclusion:

This research evidently shows “X” while raising a few questions about “Y”. In keeping with the example provided above, the summary can begin as follows: “In addition to showcasing the various representations of UK border policy, this thesis also raises questions on the credibility of media exposure in these representations.”

Provide Recommendations

In the discussion of your research, you may have provided possible areas to explore in future research. However, with the conclusion, you can elaborate on these suggestions. Make sure you include the implications of all your findings in the field of study.

These examples will help you understand ways to start a dissertation conclusion recommendation:

“Further research is required to determine the relationship between the changing political views on migration and their effect on global economy”, or, “Based on the conclusions of this research, practitioners may consider studying the relationship between migration and economy”

Make sure that you do not exaggerate how applicable your research is. Instead, provide broader statements to highlight important insights of your thesis. Remember, the conclusion must not include any new interpretations, data or arguments.

Highlight the Contributions of You Research

A good thesis is one that provides some new knowledge to a particular field of study. This gives your readers a very strong impression about the contributions of your thesis. You can highlight the contributions of your research in different ways as mentioned below:

  • Go back to the problem statement and explain how your thesis has helped solve it.
  • Use references from the literature review to showcase how your research has addressed any gaps in information.
  • Write about how the results of your thesis challenges existing assumptions and theories.

You need to make sure that you do not repeat information that has already been covered in the discussion. Choose only the important points and provide a brief overview.

Complete the Dissertation

Once the conclusion is written, there are a few final steps to complete your dissertation:

  • Write the thesis abstract in 200 words or less .
  • Review your reference list and format it as per the writing style. You can also use online reference generators to speed up this process.
  • Create the table of contents and complete the title page .

Make sure you review the document completely to ensure that there are no language errors.

Dissertation Conclusion Checklist

To make sure that you have understood the essence of the conclusion, compare this checklist with any available dissertation conclusion sample:

The research question is answered The argument is summarised There is some reflection on the methods and results Limitations, if any, are highlighted The most relevant recommendations are discussed The important contributions of the thesis are explained clearly There is no inclusion of new data

If you need any thesis writing help or wish to read through example of conclusion in thesis, our experts are always ready to help you. Get in touch with us now to create an impressive conclusion for your thesis.

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dissertation conclusions examples

Writing the Dissertation - Guides for Success: The Conclusion

  • Writing the Dissertation Homepage
  • Overview and Planning
  • The Literature Review
  • The Methodology
  • The Results and Discussion
  • The Conclusion
  • The Abstract
  • Getting Started
  • Annotated Example
  • What to Avoid

Overview of writing the dissertation conclusion

The conclusion is the final chapter of the dissertation. It serves to reinforce your main argument and findings, before considering the wider implications of your research. Along with the introduction, it’s often the shortest chapter in a dissertation, but it is a chapter in its own right and should be given due care and attention.

Even so, the conclusion of a dissertation is sometimes hastily thrown together, culminating in a perfunctory and uninspiring end to such a substantial piece of work. Just like how nobody likes a bad ending to a movie, you want your conclusion to be an accurate and positive reflection of your dissertation that leaves your reader with a clear and satisfying end to the work.

Disciplinary differences

Please note: this guide is not specific to any one discipline. The conclusion can vary depending on the nature of the research and the expectations of the school or department, so please adapt the following advice to meet the demands of your project and department. Consult your supervisor for further guidance.

Guide contents

As part of the Writing the Dissertation series, this guide covers the essentials of writing a strong conclusion, giving you the necessary knowledge, tips and guidance needed to leave a positive impression on your markers! Here’s what to expect:

  • Getting Started  - Defines the overarching purpose of the conclusion.
  • Structure  - Breaks down the conclusion's 'narrow to broad' structure in two main parts.
  • Annotated Example - Provides a sample conclusion with notes to highlight the strategies the writer uses.
  • What to Avoid  - Covers a few frequent mistakes you'll want to...avoid!
  • FAQs  - Guidance on first- vs. third-person, use of secondary literature and more.
  • Checklist  - Includes a summary of key points and a self-evaluation checklist.

Training and tools

  • The Academic Skills team has recorded a Writing the Dissertation workshop series to help you with each section of a standard dissertation, including a video on writing the dissertation conclusion  (embedded below).
  • The dissertation planner tool can help you think through the timeline for planning, research, drafting and editing.
  • iSolutions offers training and a Word template to help you digitally format and structure your dissertation.

What is the conclusion?

The conclusion isn’t simply a brief recap of your previous chapters. Instead, the conclusion revisits your primary research purpose – your research question(s) and/or hypotheses – and summarises and synthesises the main research findings, or areas of discussion, to reinforce how your dissertation responds to that purpose: how does it answer question X or prove argument Y to be correct?

The conclusion then moves beyond the immediate confines of your research to engage with the wider impact and relevance of your work. That is to say, you feed the work you have completed back into the wider context to emphasise how your research has advanced our understanding of this area. This is your final opportunity to leave a positive and lasting impression on your reader, so it’s important that your conclusion captures the essential information in your dissertation and emphasises its value in the relevant profession or field of research.

Structuring a conclusion

Whilst the conclusion of a dissertation is a chapter in its own right, it’s important to consider the role that the conclusion plays in the entire structure of your dissertation. You might recognise the shape below – what is sometimes called an ‘hourglass’ structure. This represents a typical structure for an essay or dissertation. Below, we'll explore what this shape suggests about earlier sections of the dissertation as well as the conclusion.

Hourglass shape with 'Introduction & Literature Review' on broad to narrow section; 'Methods' and 'Results/Discussion' in narrow section; and 'Conclusion' in narrow to broad bottom.

Figure 1: The ‘hourglass’ shape that symbolises the broad-to-narrow, then narrow-to-broad structure of a dissertation, and academic writing in general.

Introduction and literature review

  • Broad to narrow – eases the reader into the discussion by introducing them to the broad situation within which your research sits.
  • Narrows the focus through the literature review whilst maintaining a direct interest in the wider research context.
  • Arrives at a narrow focus towards the end by clearly stating what your focus is, what research problem you are going to address, how you are going to address that problem and what your argument and findings are.

Main body (methodology, results and discussion)

  • Narrow focus – provides the finer details of your dissertation by isolating particular aspects to discuss and scrutinise, such as the details of how your study was designed.
  • Driven by the results of your study, with secondary material used to contextualise the meaning and significance of your findings.
  • Narrow to broad – reinforces your main argument and findings, then...
  • Broadens out by considering the wider implications of your work for the relevant profession or field of research.

A structure in two main parts

We’re going to break the conclusion down into two main parts:

1) A summary and synthesis of your main findings or discussion points that directly respond to, and address, your research question(s) and/or hypotheses. For this reason, it’s often useful to start by briefly repeating the research problem you’ve addressed. This constitutes the narrow part of the conclusion.

2) Engagement with the impact and relevance of your research to the wider, relevant context . This constitutes the broader part of the conclusion.

Let’s look at both in more detail.

Summary and synthesis

To write an effective conclusion for your dissertation, you need to do more than simply repeat the main points and findings of your research. Instead, you need to summarise and synthesise (definition below) your main findings and points of discussion, forming a cohesive picture for your reader that brings the different elements of your research together. This helps your reader to understand how you have reached a certain answer, or why you think your argument is correct.

It’s often useful to start with a brief recap of the research problem before stating how your dissertation has responded, in some way, to this problem by synthesising the main findings and discussion points. For example:

Despite extensive research on the application of tool X, this dissertation has noted an absence of rigorous research on how this tool can be applied to demographic Y. Considerable research demonstrates the strengths and weaknesses of applying this tool when working with various demographics, particularly A and B, but the different demands associated with demographic Y restrict the suitability of these findings for this age group. In response, this dissertation has…

Following this, you need to outline how your dissertation has responded to this problem by summarising and synthesising your main findings and/or discussion points and reinforcing your main argument. Try summarising every one of your main findings or discussion points – keep it brief (one or two sentences) – and then, where possible, try and condense and connect this information to form a brief portrait of your dissertation. See ' Annotated example' for more on this.

Wider, relevant context

Once you have reinforced your research focus and your argument by summarising and synthesising your main findings, you need to relate your research to a wider, relevant context . This might include:

‘Returning’ to the introduction

As stated earlier, you conclusion shares a close relationship with your introduction with both acting as bookends that frame your entire dissertation – like the first scene and last scene of a film. For this reason, you need to return back to your introduction by revisiting the broad, but relative, themes that opened your dissertation as a way of contextualising your argument and results.

Ask yourself the question, ‘What do we now know that we didn’t at the start?’ The argument and findings won’t be a revelation to your reader, but framing them in this slightly broader context helps to reinforce the significance and contribution of your work. This brings your work ‘full circle’ and creates a neat symmetry to your work – a narrative thread for your reader to follow.

Recommendations for future research

Where necessary, it’s a good idea to include some suggestions for relevant future research that you think will help to further advance our knowledge of the research area. Don’t commit too many words to this. You simply need to state what contributions to the research field might be worth pursuing in the future and how this might further enrich our understanding of the topic. This serves to emphasise that your work is part of an evolving landscape of research, thus engaging with the wider context. This can often feature in the discussion chapter, rather than the conclusion (see our Writing the Results and Discussion guide for more).

Recommendations for practitioners

Depending on the nature of your research, it might be necessary to suggest some recommendations for relevant professionals and industry practitioners based on your findings. Remember these are only recommendations, and they must be consistent with your findings. Briefly mention how each recommendation would serve to address and, potentially, solve a problem faced by professionals. This helps your reader to understand the real-world implications and relevance of your work. Like recommendations for future research, this can often feature in the discussion. Consult your supervisor for discipline-specific guidance.

Annotated example

Take a look at this annotated example to see how the structural components discussed in the 'Structure' tab fit together to form a conclusion. This is only a short example, and your conclusion might be longer and slightly more detailed, but this gives you an idea of the flow and structure.

By focussing on the Arab Spring uprising, this dissertation has demonstrated the ways in which social media animates forms of civil empowerment through collective political action. Whilst other examples could have been used, this dissertation has highlighted how participants in the Arab Spring coordinated a strategic network of communication, drawing on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube in both distinct and interrelated ways. By adopting social media in such a way, the Arab Spring not only demonstrates that social media can have a profound impact on forms of civil empowerment, but can also become a powerful political tool when deployed in a strategic and coordinated manner.

As outlined in Chapter 3: Methodology and Chapter 4: Results, this study collected quantitative data, such as the number of likes, retweets and views, to measure the reach of social media interactions on the Arab Spring uprising during a three month period. Qualitative data was also collected through the language and rhetoric employed by citizens posting comments, and the content of videos posted on the social media sites in question. This mixed-methods approach, along with the focus on three social media platforms, provided a triangulation of data that strengthened the depth of the research and allowed for a more nuanced portrait of how social media, when deployed in a coordinated way for a particular event, forms an interconnected network of channels through which information can flow freely. As evidenced by the quantitative data, with posts and retweets reaching their millions, the use of social media had a cumulative power with the Arab Spring by spreading the civil unrest and galvanising support for the cause.

Whilst the Arab Spring only represents one case of the relationship between social media and civil empowerment, this case study shows how the Arab Spring played an influential role in the mobilisation of the hashtag movement and the digitisation of civil activism. This is most clearly exemplified by the Me Too movement, supporting the fight against sexual harassment and assault, and Black Lives Matter, fighting against the racial oppression of black people. In examining the role of social media on these and other such cases of civil activism, perhaps a systematic comparison between social media and traditional forms of media, such as newspapers, would provide further opportunities to assess the relationship between social media and social activism.

Future research should also further explore the tension between social media and political censorship. Indeed, despite social media’s obvious potential as a tool for civil empowerment, Chapter Five: Discussion also pointed to the dangers of how oppressive governments can respond to the apparent threat of civil activism through aggressive forms of censorship. Moving forward, social media platforms must defend the freedom of its users to engage in socially active ways, and understanding the intersection between social media and political censorship is crucial to defending this freedom. Only by preserving this freedom can social media, and the internet in general, continue to realise its primary function as an open sources of communication that evades the restrictive censorship of traditional gatekeepers.

What to avoid

This portion of the guide will cover some common missteps you should try to avoid in writing your conclusion.

Excessive detail

The conclusion isn’t the place to repeat detailed statistics or retrace the finer nuances of an argument. You simply need to reinforce the main findings and the essential information in your dissertation. Only you can determine what you think is a necessary level of detail in your conclusion, but look at the following two examples as a guide:

  • Excessive:  The results showed a considerable increase from Sample A to Sample E. As expected, Sample A started low with only 6 per cent. Sample B then showed an increase of 20 per cent, with Sample C then reaching 36 per cent to show a further increase of 16 per cent. Sample D furthered this trend, reaching 59 per cent. Sample E then reached 82 per cent, showing a 23 per cent increase from the previous sample.
  • Improved: The results showed a considerable increase of 76 per cent from Sample A (6 per cent) to Sample E (82 per cent) with samples C to D and samples D to E both showing the largest increase of the study with a 23 per cent rise.

New information

You should avoid presenting any new information, such as primary data or theories, when writing your conclusion. Any primary or secondary material you deem important enough to state in the conclusion (although avoid excessive detail as stated above) should be evident in your results and/or discussion chapters.

'In conclusion...'

Whilst it might seem logical to start your conclusion with ‘In conclusion’, it’s best to avoid this. It’s not strictly wrong to start with ‘In conclusion’, ‘To summarise’, or some other variation of such phrases, but it reflects a somewhat lazy and clichéd approach given its excessive use.

The start of your conclusion should be obvious for two main reasons. Firstly, the chapter heading ‘Conclusion’ serves as a clear indication to your reader! Secondly, your conclusion should signal a rhetorical shift in your writing to a more reflective register. For example:

This dissertation has considered the complex ways in which…

The use of the present perfect tense here signals this shift to a reflective register.

Don’t state your core argument and main observations for the first time in the conclusion chapter. This is sometimes mistakenly employed as a way of maintaining a sense of mystery before the grand reveal at the end – like the dramatic third act of a play or the final twist in a film. Academic writing is not driven by the same intrigue as narrative storytelling. Instead, the ‘end’ or conclusion in a dissertation or written assignment should be clearly signposted early on – the abstract and the introduction – as a way of focusing the reader’s attention.

Q: How long should the conclusion be?

A: Roughly 5-10% of the dissertation’s word count (usually nearer the 5% end). So, for a 10,000 word dissertation, you should aim for anything between 500 words to 1,000. You should, however, be flexible with this. As always, it depends on the nature of your dissertation and the expected conventions in your department or school. It’s always worth seeking advice from your supervisor, but it’s safe to say that – along with the introduction (again dependent on the nature of the dissertation) – it’s often the shortest chapter in the dissertation.

Q: Should the conclusion include references to secondary literature?

A: Yes, but only when necessary. As noted in ' What to avoid' , you shouldn’t be bringing in new data, theories or information, which means you will likely revisit previously discussed work in light of your own findings and argument. Although you have already mentioned and cited the original work, it’s good practice to cite them again. This is also imperative in cases where you have cited more than one piece of work from the same author or authors. So, for example:

These findings support the work of Jones (2010) in which X and Y were both seen to…

Q: Should the conclusion be in the first-person or third?

A: It depends what you’ve been using throughout your dissertation – it’s important to be consistent. Typically, third-person is used in academic writing, although first-person is accepted in some disciplines. For instance, certain genres, such as reflective writing, demand the first-person. Consult your supervisor for further guidance.

The conclusion is your final chance to leave a positive impression on your reader, so it’s important that you conclude in a clear and engaging manner. Rather than simply repeating the main content from your previous chapters, you should be summarising and synthesising your main findings and discussion points and bringing them together to reinforce your central argument and respond to any research questions or hypotheses you have. You should then engage with the wider, relevant context by returning back to where you started in your introductory chapter to answer and consider the question,  ‘What do we now know that we didn’t before?’

Here’s a final checklist for writing an effective conclusion. Remember that not all of these points will be relevant for your conclusion, so make sure you cover whatever’s appropriate for your dissertation. The asterisk (*) indicates any content that might not be relevant for your dissertation. To save your own copy of the checklist to edit, please use the Word document, below.

  • Conclusion self-evaluation checklist

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5 tips for writing your thesis conclusion

Thesis conclusion tips

5 thesis conclusion tips

1. avoid too much summary, 2. try not to introduce new information, 3. ensure that your conclusion...concludes, 4. stay focused on the main point of your thesis, 5. consult thesis conclusion examples, more tips about thesis conclusions, frequently asked questions about writing a thesis conclusion, related articles.

Writing a good conclusion is crucial to the success of your thesis , since it's the last thing that your reader will see and the primary means to providing closure to your argument. In this article, we provide 5 tips for creating an outstanding conclusion.

Your conclusion will likely need to provide some summary of your overall project and how you proved and supported your main argument . Good conclusions often contain recommendations for further research or brief illustrations of the implications of the thesis.

Explaining how to apply the information covered in the paper is just as important as summarizing the key parts. Readers should also experience a sense of resolution or closure as they finish your conclusion.

You may need to introduce some new information in your thesis conclusion, especially when you're trying to give the reader a sense of how the research can be applied or expanded.

However, the conclusion is not the right place to introduce new data or other forms of evidence. While you may pose questions or explain how the information is relevant, avoid introducing additional major points.

You might be tempted to add points or data to your conclusion that you didn't include elsewhere. If you do that, the conclusion will not actually conclude anything.

Rather, your conclusion will simply raise more questions. If you find yourself in that situation, your topic might be too broad and you may need to consider narrowing your thesis.

Avoid using your conclusion to engage in over-generalized discussions that miss the point of your paper. Stay focused on the implications of your main argument and don't be tempted to wrap things up through generalizations.

If you're stuck, take a look at examples of thesis conclusions from other writers. Academic databases house thousands of theses and dissertations that you can consult for ideas about how to write a thesis conclusion .

You can also try contacting your advisor or department for examples of successful thesis conclusions written by fellow students or researchers.

Thesis : The culminating project of an undergraduate or graduate program that sustains an argument over several sections or chapters, supported by extensive research and analysis.

Data : Information collected in a research study, usually in the form of numbers or statistics.

Academic Database : A searchable collection of academic materials, such as research articles, conference proceedings, and dissertations.

Conclusion : The final section of a research paper or thesis that summarizes the main findings and provides closure to the reader.

If you need more advice, we highly recommend these sources to help you as you write your thesis conclusion:

  • How to write an excellent thesis conclusion
  • Leaving a good last impression
  • How to make a great conclusion

The conclusion is the last thing that your reader will see, so it should be memorable. To write a great thesis conclusion you should:

  • Restate the thesis
  • Review the key points of your work
  • Explain why your work is relevant
  • Add a take-home message for the reader

A conclusion basically includes a review of the main points of your thesis. It should largely consist of the research outcomes and any recommendations you may have for further research.

The length of your conclusion will depend on the length of the whole thesis. Usually, a conclusion should be around 5-7% of the overall word count.

End your conclusion with something memorable, such as a question, warning, or call to action.

You can find thousands of recent examples in Open Access: Theses and Dissertations . Take a look at theses and dissertations in your field for real-life examples of conclusions that were approved.

dissertation conclusions examples

TrueEditors

Crafting a Dissertation Conclusion: 10 Comprehensive Tips

Table of contents, introduction.

As you start your process of writing a dissertation, the dissertation formatting needs to be kept in mind.Though a conclusion comes at the very end of a dissertation or research paper , it is extremely important. It is supposed to convey what you have deduced from your research. Its crispness needs to include only what is relevant to your problem statement or dissertation questions.

Write an appropriate dissertation conclusion relative to the size of your dissertation or thesis . The length of your conclusion should not be more than 5–7% of your total dissertation word count.

Dissertation Conclusion Tips

Here are a few dissertation conclusion tips to help you write a good conclusion. Make sure to go through them before you begin writing your dissertation conclusion. Make the necessary changes if you have already written a conclusion:

1. Make the conclusion short and impactful

Avoid making the dissertation conclusion too long. Make it precise and to the point. The more objective the conclusion, the better your dissertation will appear.

The purpose of a conclusion is to sum up all that has been learned through the process of writing a dissertation. Just as an introduction would contain the point or purpose of a dissertation or thesis , the conclusion needs to sum up the findings that have become evident from the observations and analysis.

2. Do not include a detailed explanation in your conclusion

While writing a conclusion, remember that the reader is not interested in reading a detailed analysis as your conclusion. You will appear confused about the structure of your own dissertation . So, do not go on and on about the reasons behind your conclusions. You have already stated them earlier in your dissertation.

Your conclusion should make sweeping statements that cover your research well. They need not be followed by explanations, as that would be included in your analysis itself.

3. Use bullet points

You must be familiar with the aesthetic appeal of bullet points to a reader. Instead of long paragraphs, one prefers to read precise points. They are easier to go through over and over again and revise if needed.

They give the impression that the writer has a lucid purpose behind conducting their research and knows what they are doing. Use pointers in your conclusion as well. State your findings step by step, in a logical order. The points should be one-line summaries of your dissertation.

4. State and answer your Research question

As you begin writing your conclusion, try to restate your research question and then move on to answering it. Answers to the research questions addressed in the dissertation need to be stated clearly in the conclusion.

For example, you can begin your conclusion with ‘In this research paper, I tried to find out whether herbivorous animals have a color preference in the leaves they eat’.

Do not bring in new research questions in your conclusion. This will take the reader by surprise and lead to your research paper being all over the place.

5. You are allowed to reflect on your research

Every research paper has positive and/or negative observations and results. You could state whether your research was helpful in answering your research question. The aim you had in mind might have led you to your findings, which could be in your favor or not.

State whether they were good, bad, or ugly. Say whether your research was beneficial to you. Were there any personal conclusions? You might also state any surprising insights you come across in the process of working on your dissertation. While doing so, do not focus on the inclusion of your feelings while working on the dissertation. Eg, this research made me so happy.

6. Check out a few dissertation conclusion examples

Before you start writing your conclusion, read a few dissertation conclusion examples online. You can refer to a few available online or read some research papers to get a clearer idea of dissertation conclusions. You can ask your professor or advisor for a few examples as well, in order to get an idea of what they are expecting from you. The format will guide you as you work on your dissertation.

7. Go through your dissertation

As you begin writing your conclusion, it would be beneficial to go through your dissertation or research paper one more time. Evaluate the contents of your dissertation. You might find useful points to include in your conclusion. Those might have been left out while you were writing the conclusion. However, do not include new information in your conclusion while doing so. All points that you state in your dissertation conclusion should have been previously proven in your research paper or dissertation.

8. Give references

It is crucial to reference other articles related to your dissertation or response paper. It will establish you as a thorough researcher. This can be done throughout the dissertation and in the dissertation conclusion.

Cite sources of information and give credit to whoever has been of help in conducting your research and writing a dissertation. At the same time, you can state the anomalies you found while referencing a paper for your research. Assert how your dissertation disproves a pre-existing hypothesis or says more about a phenomenon mentioned in another research paper.

9. Highlight important phrases

A reader should be able to see your conclusions at a glance. In order to quote your findings, it is important that you highlight the main points that you are making in your dissertation conclusion.

Highlighting will help a reader come back to important points later. They will know what is to be focused on and kept in mind while reading your dissertation. The keywords can be highlighted as well. They will help catalog your dissertation among other research papers that might be related to your field of study. This will help with further referencing.

10. State the importance of your dissertation for future research

The implications of your research paper or dissertation can be numerous. The dissertation can be a significant step in the respective field, which can change humankind’s perspective and method of solving global problems.

The reader should see value in your research paper. They should feel your dissertation is worth thinking about and important enough for you to work on. Personal motivations (the dissertation only being of help to you) to conduct research and analysis might not be enough while stating the implications of your dissertation. In order to convince a reader of the importance of your findings, it is crucial that you believe in your findings and research.

Dissertation Conclusion Checklist

A step-by-step dissertation conclusion checklist for you will be:

  • Have bullet points, not long paragraphs.
  • State your research question and answer clearly.
  • Sum up your research findings in a few words.
  • Reference pre-existing papers.
  • Do not explain points unnecessarily.
  • State your responses to your research and dissertation .
  • Go through your dissertation once again and find out important points; check if you have included them in your conclusion.
  • Highlight the main phrases in your dissertation conclusion.

Dissertation Conclusion Samples

dissertation conclusions examples

In essence, as you delve into the intricacies of your dissertation , don’t underestimate the significance of proper formatting. The conclusion, despite its position at the end, carries substantial weight as it encapsulates the derived insights from your research. Crafting an impactful conclusion involves maintaining brevity, utilizing bullet points for clarity, and ensuring it adheres to the recommended word count range.

Additionally, restating and answering your research question, offering reflections on your findings, and highlighting key phrases for emphasis are crucial elements. Drawing inspiration from dissertation conclusion examples, conducting a thorough review of your dissertation, ensuring proper referencing, and emphasizing the research’s future implications are key steps in this process. Consider incorporating the expertise of dissertation editing services platforms like TrueEditors , WriteSmartly , ProofreadingPal, Kibin, as they have skilled dissertation editors who specialize in refining grammar, enhancing structural coherence, and elevating the overall quality of dissertations. Their adept editors bring valuable insights to ensure a polished and professional final product for your academic work. You are good to go!

-Masha Evans

dissertation conclusions examples

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dissertation conclusions examples

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Dissertation Conclusion: The Perfect Way to End Your Dissertation

dissertation conclusion

Table of Contents

  • 1. Definition of a dissertation conclusion
  • 2. How to write a dissertation conclusion
  • 3. How long should a dissertation conclusion be?
  • 4. Differentiating conclusion and discussion
  • 5. Writing a dissertation conclusion
  • 5.1. Step 1: Start by Answering the Thesis Questions
  • 5.2. Step 2: Summarize the Thesis Findings
  • 5.3. Step 3. Draw Key Recommendations
  • 5.4. Step 4. Highlight the Contribution
  • 6. Close the thesis

Dissertation Conclusion: What Is It?

The dissertation conclusion is the final chapter of the thesis, wrapping up the research conducted and summarizing the key outcomes of a discussion section.

How To Write A Dissertation Conclusion

  • Answer the research questions of the study . These are solutions to the questions that you brought forward in the first chapter of the dissertation.
  • Summarize the dissertation/ your study . The summary captures the key arguments brought out in the dissertations and also reflects on them.
  • Draw the main recommendations . These are further elaborations on the recommendations that you drew in the discussion.
  • Demonstrate the contribution you have made . This gives your readers a clear impression of the impact that you have made with the dissertation in the area of study.

When thinking of how to write thesis conclusion, it is important to make it easy-to-read, concise, and fun to read. Your goal should be putting across the argument that your dissertation brought out. Although you will most probably have handled the introduction, literature review, methodology, and discussion of the dissertation, the importance of the dissertation conclusion cannot be underestimated.

  • It answers the research questions of the study.
  • It provides you with the opportunity to summarize the findings of the study.
  • Offers you the opportunity to make recommendations for additional studies.
  • Clearly highlights the additional knowledge that your dissertation has added.

How Long Should a Dissertation Conclusion be?

Before we can dig deeper into the main ways to start a conclusion of a thesis, it is prudent to know how long it should be.

The recommended length of a dissertation conclusion is 5-7% of the overall word count .

But you should note that empirical scientific studies, which are shorter, rock shorter conclusions compared to those of studies in humanities. You might want to check a dissertation conclusion sample from a top student or expert to see how he/she did the conclusion.

Differentiating Conclusion and Discussion

Taking a closer look, you might notice that a dissertation conclusion and discussion have some similar components. Indeed, some universities recommend combining the conclusion and discussion.

The main difference between the two is that a conclusion is shorter and takes a more general perspective compared to the discussion. Note that a conclusion should not introduce new information or arguments.

Writing A Dissertation Conclusion

To make concluding your thesis easy and direct, you should follow these four steps. Since you are concluding, it is important to have the arguments clear both in your mind and the thesis. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to conclude a thesis.

Step 1: Start by Answering the Thesis Questions

If you have been wondering how to start a thesis conclusion, the best way is restating the main study questions and thesis . The conclusion offers you the chance to show the reader that the thesis achieved the core goal it was intended to. So, it is important to craft a straightforward answer to the questions of the research. Remember to avoid simply restating the findings because you will sound repetitive. Instead, synthesize them and put them across in an easy-to-remember manner. See the examples of how to restate thesis in conclusion.

By evaluating the fast-changing representation of migration and Italy border policy in the past 15 years, this demonstrated that media discourse can help to shape the decision making in a country.

Step 2: Summarize the Thesis Findings

The person who is reading your dissertation conclusion has come a long way from the first chapter. Before finishing reading the study, this is a great opportunity to remind him/her why you started working on the study in the first place. Well, go a step further and demonstrate how articulately the results from the study synched with your main expectations. So, summarize the study coherently, showing the entire journey that was followed during the study.

At this point, many students find themselves doing a lot of repetition, which can make the conclusion boring. Instead of simply summarizing chapters, consider using a reflective approach. For example, how effectively did the findings answer the questions of the study? Here are some examples of how to do it:

This study strongly demonstrates that Y, but further raises fundamental questions about X and Z

Step 3. Draw Key Recommendations

Although you are likely to have highlighted the recommendations when writing the discussions, here is another opportunity to provide further elaboration. So, how do you do it? Here are some examples :

From these conclusions, researchers should factor …. To comprehend the impacts of the findings brought out in this study, more studies could help to find out … Additional studies are required to bring out the relationship between …

Here, it is important to be factual. Remember that when you call for additional studies, a question about it could be thrown your way during the thesis defense.

Step 4. Highlight the Contribution that Your Thesis has made in Your Area of Study

As you close the thesis, your reader should not be left in doubt about the contribution that you made to knowledge in the area of study. Here are some unique ways that you can achieve this:

Revisit the main problem of the study and demonstrate how the study solves it. Using the literature review, demonstrate how the study helped to seal the gaps that existed there.

Close the Thesis

After writing the thesis, you are finally approaching the end. So, it is the best moment to hit the final steps because everything is still clear and fresh in mind. Make sure to also check another top example of conclusion in thesis and compare it with yours. The aim is to make your conclusion look better. Here are the main things that you need to work on:

  • The abstract. Although this is coming in the last part of the dissertation, it is positioned before the table of content of the dissertation.
  • Reference list.
  • Appendices.
  • Proofread your dissertation.

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How To Write a Thesis Conclusion – Example & Tips

dissertation conclusion

A thesis conclusion is the last and the most crucial section of your thesis or dissertation. It is the summary of the dissertation. Put it this way: the conclusion paragraph is your entire dissertation wrapped in a few paragraphs. But, concluding a thesis is never easy for many people. Therefore, what is the best way for concluding a thesis or dissertation?

In this post, we will take a closer look at the dissertation conclusion to help you understand how to write a winning conclusion for a research paper as well as a thesis. We will narrow it down further to outline the best structure of a conclusion.

What is the Importance of the Conclusion Paragraph?

Discussion vs conclusion, what is the best format for writing a conclusion, get a sigh of relief concluding thesis.

Before digging deeper into the mechanics of how to write a conclusion for a research paper or thesis, you need to ask yourself the question: “Why is it important?”

Your dissertation conclusion is the last part that you work on after completing the research and the write-up. No matter the area of study you are focusing on, the conclusion can help you to achieve the following goals:

  • Answering the research questions that you posed in the first chapter of the dissertation.
  • The conclusion paragraph is the part where you reflect on the dissertation.
  • In the conclusion, you draw the recommendations for additional studies in areas where you found gaps.
  • When writing a dissertation conclusion, you demonstrate what new knowledge you are contributing to the field.

Note that just like the rest of the dissertation, you should not shy from asking your supervisor for a great dissertation conclusion example, especially from past students. This is very important because your department might have a preferred format for writing dissertation conclusions. You can also get a perfect example of a conclusion in the thesis as you research your topic.

When designing a conclusion format, it is important to differentiate it from the results and discussion parts of the thesis. This will help you to strike the perfect flow and win the readers’ affection.

The dissertation results chapter outlines the findings you generated from the research. You should use tables and graphs to demonstrate the findings of the study. The results chapter comes before the discussion.

In the discussion section, you delve deeper into the results you have just presented. You are simply deciphering the findings in line with your research questions. It is the discussion that will set the stage for approving or disproving the thesis statement that you outlined in the first chapter.

NOTE: In some colleges, the results and discussions are put together into one chapter. Therefore, it is very important to follow your college’s recommendation.

While the results and discussions focus more on the results, the conclusion wraps up the entire dissertation. If your dissertation ends at the discussion part, the reader will be left hanging. But writing the conclusion makes the dissertation feel complete and authentic.

As you think about how to write a conclusion, there is one question you need to get right: “How long should a conclusion be?” If you are writing a conclusion for a standard research paper or short thesis, one to three paragraphs should suffice. To put it in percentage, the conclusion should be about 5% of the overall word count. Therefore, you should start by establishing “how long should a thesis be”.

In most cases, the conclusion for empirical scientific research is generally short while that of humanities dissertations is longer. Here is the best format for how to end a research paper or thesis.

  • Start by answering the thesis question: Your conclusion should commence by restating the main thesis question that you anticipate answering. Finally, you have the opportunity to answer the question. Ensure the answer is clear and concise.
  • Reflect on the research that you have just finished: After stating the study question, you need to remind the marker or readers why the study was important. Why did you set off on the journey, what was the anticipation, and did the results confirm the expectation? Give an overview of steps that were used during the research and construction of your argument.

At this point, you might be wondering – do I summarize every chapter? The answer is ‘no.’ Instead, you should write more reflectively and answer whether the methodology used was effective in answering the study questions. Make sure also to mention the limitations you experienced during the study.

  • Outline recommendations: Although you might have noted the areas that need further research when discussing results, the conclusion is a perfect place to elaborate. Its recommendations interweave well with personal reflections. Try to make recommendations specific. Here are some examples of how to frame recommendations:
Further studies are needed to establish the implications of …. From the conclusion, sociology researchers should consider ….. To understand the effects of the findings, further research can help to ….
  • What was your contribution? This part of the conclusion is used to answer the question: “So what?” It provides the right impression of how the thesis contributed to the researcher’s field of study. To achieve this, you can use the following strategies:
Revisit the study problem statement and explain how the thesis helped to solve it. Refer to the study’s literature review to demonstrate how the dissertation has helped to fill the existing gap. If your dissertation is in humanities, you can demonstrate how the findings challenged or confirmed the current viewpoints, assumptions, or theories.

Note that the conclusion should not appear as a stand-alone chapter in the dissertation. Rather, it should articulately interweave with the rest of the paper. To perfect your skills, make sure to also check top conclusion paragraph examples from other students.

From this post on how to write a conclusion paragraph, there is no doubt that you should find it an easy and enjoyable process. After working so hard to complete the dissertation, the conclusion paragraph is simply aimed at wrapping everything up. To get the best conclusions, you should also read top-rated conclusion paragraph examples to see how experts do it. But we must agree that even with this simplified demonstration, crafting the perfect conclusion paragraph is no easy task. It takes time and practice.

There are times when students, even after working on the biggest chunk of their dissertations, feel inadequate to write the conclusions. Often, the process can be complicated when you are required to follow specific models such as MLA or APA conclusions. Even if you have the best conclusion examples and working hard to hone your writing skills, a tight deadline or other engagements might make it hard to craft the best. If you feel inadequate about writing a Harvard or MLA format conclusion because of any reason, do not hesitate to seek writing help.

Writing help is offered by expert writers who understand the structure of Ph.D. conclusion chapters to guarantee you the best grades. No matter your area of study, the experts are cheap and will get you the best. In addition to helping you write the conclusion, they can also provide you with the best sample of a conclusion paragraph for practice. What a great way to sharpen your skills in dissertation writing?

Do not let writing a thesis conclusion stress you: Use this post to make it fun!

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The Writing Center • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Conclusions

What this handout is about.

This handout will explain the functions of conclusions, offer strategies for writing effective ones, help you evaluate conclusions you’ve drafted, and suggest approaches to avoid.

About conclusions

Introductions and conclusions can be difficult to write, but they’re worth investing time in. They can have a significant influence on a reader’s experience of your paper.

Just as your introduction acts as a bridge that transports your readers from their own lives into the “place” of your analysis, your conclusion can provide a bridge to help your readers make the transition back to their daily lives. Such a conclusion will help them see why all your analysis and information should matter to them after they put the paper down.

Your conclusion is your chance to have the last word on the subject. The conclusion allows you to have the final say on the issues you have raised in your paper, to synthesize your thoughts, to demonstrate the importance of your ideas, and to propel your reader to a new view of the subject. It is also your opportunity to make a good final impression and to end on a positive note.

Your conclusion can go beyond the confines of the assignment. The conclusion pushes beyond the boundaries of the prompt and allows you to consider broader issues, make new connections, and elaborate on the significance of your findings.

Your conclusion should make your readers glad they read your paper. Your conclusion gives your reader something to take away that will help them see things differently or appreciate your topic in personally relevant ways. It can suggest broader implications that will not only interest your reader, but also enrich your reader’s life in some way. It is your gift to the reader.

Strategies for writing an effective conclusion

One or more of the following strategies may help you write an effective conclusion:

  • Play the “So What” Game. If you’re stuck and feel like your conclusion isn’t saying anything new or interesting, ask a friend to read it with you. Whenever you make a statement from your conclusion, ask the friend to say, “So what?” or “Why should anybody care?” Then ponder that question and answer it. Here’s how it might go: You: Basically, I’m just saying that education was important to Douglass. Friend: So what? You: Well, it was important because it was a key to him feeling like a free and equal citizen. Friend: Why should anybody care? You: That’s important because plantation owners tried to keep slaves from being educated so that they could maintain control. When Douglass obtained an education, he undermined that control personally. You can also use this strategy on your own, asking yourself “So What?” as you develop your ideas or your draft.
  • Return to the theme or themes in the introduction. This strategy brings the reader full circle. For example, if you begin by describing a scenario, you can end with the same scenario as proof that your essay is helpful in creating a new understanding. You may also refer to the introductory paragraph by using key words or parallel concepts and images that you also used in the introduction.
  • Synthesize, don’t summarize. Include a brief summary of the paper’s main points, but don’t simply repeat things that were in your paper. Instead, show your reader how the points you made and the support and examples you used fit together. Pull it all together.
  • Include a provocative insight or quotation from the research or reading you did for your paper.
  • Propose a course of action, a solution to an issue, or questions for further study. This can redirect your reader’s thought process and help them to apply your info and ideas to their own life or to see the broader implications.
  • Point to broader implications. For example, if your paper examines the Greensboro sit-ins or another event in the Civil Rights Movement, you could point out its impact on the Civil Rights Movement as a whole. A paper about the style of writer Virginia Woolf could point to her influence on other writers or on later feminists.

Strategies to avoid

  • Beginning with an unnecessary, overused phrase such as “in conclusion,” “in summary,” or “in closing.” Although these phrases can work in speeches, they come across as wooden and trite in writing.
  • Stating the thesis for the very first time in the conclusion.
  • Introducing a new idea or subtopic in your conclusion.
  • Ending with a rephrased thesis statement without any substantive changes.
  • Making sentimental, emotional appeals that are out of character with the rest of an analytical paper.
  • Including evidence (quotations, statistics, etc.) that should be in the body of the paper.

Four kinds of ineffective conclusions

  • The “That’s My Story and I’m Sticking to It” Conclusion. This conclusion just restates the thesis and is usually painfully short. It does not push the ideas forward. People write this kind of conclusion when they can’t think of anything else to say. Example: In conclusion, Frederick Douglass was, as we have seen, a pioneer in American education, proving that education was a major force for social change with regard to slavery.
  • The “Sherlock Holmes” Conclusion. Sometimes writers will state the thesis for the very first time in the conclusion. You might be tempted to use this strategy if you don’t want to give everything away too early in your paper. You may think it would be more dramatic to keep the reader in the dark until the end and then “wow” them with your main idea, as in a Sherlock Holmes mystery. The reader, however, does not expect a mystery, but an analytical discussion of your topic in an academic style, with the main argument (thesis) stated up front. Example: (After a paper that lists numerous incidents from the book but never says what these incidents reveal about Douglass and his views on education): So, as the evidence above demonstrates, Douglass saw education as a way to undermine the slaveholders’ power and also an important step toward freedom.
  • The “America the Beautiful”/”I Am Woman”/”We Shall Overcome” Conclusion. This kind of conclusion usually draws on emotion to make its appeal, but while this emotion and even sentimentality may be very heartfelt, it is usually out of character with the rest of an analytical paper. A more sophisticated commentary, rather than emotional praise, would be a more fitting tribute to the topic. Example: Because of the efforts of fine Americans like Frederick Douglass, countless others have seen the shining beacon of light that is education. His example was a torch that lit the way for others. Frederick Douglass was truly an American hero.
  • The “Grab Bag” Conclusion. This kind of conclusion includes extra information that the writer found or thought of but couldn’t integrate into the main paper. You may find it hard to leave out details that you discovered after hours of research and thought, but adding random facts and bits of evidence at the end of an otherwise-well-organized essay can just create confusion. Example: In addition to being an educational pioneer, Frederick Douglass provides an interesting case study for masculinity in the American South. He also offers historians an interesting glimpse into slave resistance when he confronts Covey, the overseer. His relationships with female relatives reveal the importance of family in the slave community.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Douglass, Frederick. 1995. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, Written by Himself. New York: Dover.

Hamilton College. n.d. “Conclusions.” Writing Center. Accessed June 14, 2019. https://www.hamilton.edu//academics/centers/writing/writing-resources/conclusions .

Holewa, Randa. 2004. “Strategies for Writing a Conclusion.” LEO: Literacy Education Online. Last updated February 19, 2004. https://leo.stcloudstate.edu/acadwrite/conclude.html.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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In a short paper—even a research paper—you don’t need to provide an exhaustive summary as part of your conclusion. But you do need to make some kind of transition between your final body paragraph and your concluding paragraph. This may come in the form of a few sentences of summary. Or it may come in the form of a sentence that brings your readers back to your thesis or main idea and reminds your readers where you began and how far you have traveled.

So, for example, in a paper about the relationship between ADHD and rejection sensitivity, Vanessa Roser begins by introducing readers to the fact that researchers have studied the relationship between the two conditions and then provides her explanation of that relationship. Here’s her thesis: “While socialization may indeed be an important factor in RS, I argue that individuals with ADHD may also possess a neurological predisposition to RS that is exacerbated by the differing executive and emotional regulation characteristic of ADHD.”

In her final paragraph, Roser reminds us of where she started by echoing her thesis: “This literature demonstrates that, as with many other conditions, ADHD and RS share a delicately intertwined pattern of neurological similarities that is rooted in the innate biology of an individual’s mind, a connection that cannot be explained in full by the behavioral mediation hypothesis.”  

Highlight the “so what”  

At the beginning of your paper, you explain to your readers what’s at stake—why they should care about the argument you’re making. In your conclusion, you can bring readers back to those stakes by reminding them why your argument is important in the first place. You can also draft a few sentences that put those stakes into a new or broader context.

In the conclusion to her paper about ADHD and RS, Roser echoes the stakes she established in her introduction—that research into connections between ADHD and RS has led to contradictory results, raising questions about the “behavioral mediation hypothesis.”

She writes, “as with many other conditions, ADHD and RS share a delicately intertwined pattern of neurological similarities that is rooted in the innate biology of an individual’s mind, a connection that cannot be explained in full by the behavioral mediation hypothesis.”  

Leave your readers with the “now what”  

After the “what” and the “so what,” you should leave your reader with some final thoughts. If you have written a strong introduction, your readers will know why you have been arguing what you have been arguing—and why they should care. And if you’ve made a good case for your thesis, then your readers should be in a position to see things in a new way, understand new questions, or be ready for something that they weren’t ready for before they read your paper.

In her conclusion, Roser offers two “now what” statements. First, she explains that it is important to recognize that the flawed behavioral mediation hypothesis “seems to place a degree of fault on the individual. It implies that individuals with ADHD must have elicited such frequent or intense rejection by virtue of their inadequate social skills, erasing the possibility that they may simply possess a natural sensitivity to emotion.” She then highlights the broader implications for treatment of people with ADHD, noting that recognizing the actual connection between rejection sensitivity and ADHD “has profound implications for understanding how individuals with ADHD might best be treated in educational settings, by counselors, family, peers, or even society as a whole.”

To find your own “now what” for your essay’s conclusion, try asking yourself these questions:

  • What can my readers now understand, see in a new light, or grapple with that they would not have understood in the same way before reading my paper? Are we a step closer to understanding a larger phenomenon or to understanding why what was at stake is so important?  
  • What questions can I now raise that would not have made sense at the beginning of my paper? Questions for further research? Other ways that this topic could be approached?  
  • Are there other applications for my research? Could my questions be asked about different data in a different context? Could I use my methods to answer a different question?  
  • What action should be taken in light of this argument? What action do I predict will be taken or could lead to a solution?  
  • What larger context might my argument be a part of?  

What to avoid in your conclusion  

  • a complete restatement of all that you have said in your paper.  
  • a substantial counterargument that you do not have space to refute; you should introduce counterarguments before your conclusion.  
  • an apology for what you have not said. If you need to explain the scope of your paper, you should do this sooner—but don’t apologize for what you have not discussed in your paper.  
  • fake transitions like “in conclusion” that are followed by sentences that aren’t actually conclusions. (“In conclusion, I have now demonstrated that my thesis is correct.”)
  • picture_as_pdf Conclusions

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How to Write a Dissertation or Thesis Conclusion: Guide & Examples

Dissertation_Conclusion

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A dissertation conclusion serves as the final chapter and is often the last thing the reader will see. It should provide a concise summary of the research project, including the research questions or hypotheses, the methods used to conduct the research, and the key findings and conclusions. The conclusion section should also discuss the implications of the research, including its significance for the field and any practical applications of the findings.

Are you a PhD, doctorate, or bachelor student looking forward to writing your dissertation/thesis conclusion and don't know where to start? Stop worrying — help is here. Continue reading this blog post to gain an idea on how to write a conclusion for a thesis or dissertation. In this article, we will discuss what a dissertation conclusion is, its length, and what it should include. Our dissertation services  also provided examples, and explained some typical mistakes you have to avoid.

What Is a Dissertation Conclusion?

So, what is a thesis conclusion? It is a concluding chapter in a dissertation or thesis paper. It is the last section of an academic work, carefully written to summarize the information discussed in a document and offer readers insight into what the research has achieved. Your dissertation or thesis conclusion should be well-drafted as it is a reference point that people will remember most. The purpose of dissertation conclusion is to give those reading a sense of closure and reiterate any critical issues discussed. Each conclusion for dissertation should be concise, clear, and definitive. Also, its aim is to offer recommendations for further investigation as well as give readers an understanding of the dissertation discussion chapter .

Dissertation Conclusion

Thesis or Dissertation Conclusion Length

The conclusion of a thesis or a dissertation is a long chapter — not one single sentence but a whole page or more. Generally, it should be 5–7% of the overall word count. The length of a thesis or dissertation conclusion chapter depends on several factors, such as your academic field, research topic , and stated number of pages. However, it can vary depending on other circumstances. Indeed, you should always refer to each set of your university guidelines for writing conclusions. It's important to note that this section ought not to introduce any new information and be a summary of the research findings. Also, every dissertation conclusion must not be too long as it can distract from other aspects of your thesis. Make sure that you provide a balanced summary and avoid repeating yourself. Lastly, it has to be long enough to discuss its implications for future studies.

What to Include in the Conclusion of a Dissertation or Thesis?

Writing a thesis conclusion can be challenging, but every student needs to understand how to create it, as this is one of the most critical parts of your Ph.D. work. Below is the list of things every dissertation conclusion structure should include:

  • Summary of the major findings of your research Summarize the main points discussed in your work.
  • Implications of your research Discuss your study's implications for future research and academic fields. Doing this here is essential to indicate an author's transparency and willingness to accept the flaws of their report.
  • Recommendations for further study Provide suggestions for the next investigation if needed.
  • Reviewing any limitations and weaknesses of the research process and findings It is an integral part of dissertation conclusions as it allows authors to reflect on the process.
  • Evaluation or analysis of your findings Analyze your research findings and provide an assessment.
  • Conclusion statement Provide a specific conclusion that summarizes your thesis or dissertation.

Hopefully, these tips on writing a conclusion chapter for your thesis or dissertation will help you finish your work confidently. All these components should be present when writing a conclusion for thesis or dissertation. Additionally, ensure that you do not repeat yourself. Lastly, keep your length appropriate and based on your university guidelines.

How to Write a Dissertation Conclusion Chapter?

When writing this chapter, you should ensure its content is clear and concise. Equipping yourself with some knowledge of how to write a conclusion for a dissertation or thesis is imperative, as it will help you keep your piece organized, logical, and interesting. This chapter is the last part of your work that your professors or readers will read, and it should make a lasting impression on them. Below is a step-by-step instruction on how to write a dissertation conclusion section.

How to Write a Dissertation Step-by-Step

1. Restate Your Research Question and Answer It

While writing a dissertation conclusion, your first step is to restate the research question offered in your dissertation introduction and reveal the answer. It is essential to do this in your conclusion in thesis or dissertation because it helps readers be aware of every primary point you were trying to achieve in writing. In addition, restating available research questions in your conclusion in a dissertation or thesis will also make people understand the significance of your inquiry. In other words, it should remind people of the original purpose of writing. Provide further insights into a topic when answering each research question. In addition, responses must be related to your dissertation results section and offer evidence for any conclusions you made in your study. When writing a dissertation conclusion chapter, you ought to be able to give a meaningful response to the study question that adds value to your work. Keeping replies short, concise, and clear will help you to avoid writing irrelevant content. Below is an example of how to start a dissertation conclusion:

2. Summarize Key Points

The next element in your conclusion section is summarizing the main points of your dissertation. In this section, students need to reflect on their study and mention critical findings and the methodology's effectiveness. Straightforwardly compose your summary and ensure you use your own words to write a conclusion in a dissertation. Avoid copying and pasting sentences from other parts of your work to evade plagiarism and repetition. In concluding a dissertation, each written summary should include findings, results, data, and additional relevant literature. The following is an example of how to summarize a dissertation:

3. Explain Why Your Study Is Valuable

After summarizing your key points, the next step to writing a dissertation conclusion is to explain why your research was valuable. Here you should provide readers with an additional perspective of the study to better understand the importance of your study. When it's time to write a conclusion to a thesis paper or dissertation, you must explain what makes it worthwhile to any academic or scientific community. It can include topics such as answering a critical research question, using unique methods to explore an issue, or discovering something new about an existing topic. You should note that you have to provide further recommendations to help improve the research. Composing a dissertation conclusion shows how your work has impacted the field of study, either in progress or resolving an existing problem. It is essential to demonstrate how your study contributes to future studies and influences society or policymaking. Doing this is crucial in your dissertation conclusion chapter as it shows readers the importance of research in that field and validates what you have achieved throughout your investigation. Also, explaining some study implications to society will help people understand why this topic is valuable and relevant. Below you can find an example of how to write contributions in a dissertation conclusion:

If you experience difficulties with any section of your PhD work, don’t hesitate to ask our professional academic writers for thesis help. 

4. Mention the Limitations of Your Study

When writing a thesis or dissertation conclusion, mentioning your study's limitations is imperative. It includes discussing any issues you encountered in collecting data, constraints that limited your research, and specific parameters. Citing these shortcomings can help provide insight into why certain elements may not be included in your work and explain any discrepancies your readers might have noticed and, hence, missing in your conclusion chapter. Additionally, writing about any drawbacks can deliver an opportunity to offer further suggestions for future studies and make recommendations on how best to address these uncovered issues. In concluding a dissertation, constraints should not be seen as unfavorable but rather as an additional chance to deliver more understanding of your investigation. Limitations in a thesis conclusion example can look as follows:

When writing about identified limitations of the research, you demonstrate to readers that you considered critical shortcomings and that you are aware of available potential issues. That will provide insight into addressing these limitations and help display your researching and writing credibility.

5. Offer Recommendations Based on Implications

Including recommendations is an integral part of writing every conclusion of a dissertation. In this section, you can provide insight into how to address any issues you have uncovered in your study and make suggestions for future research. When including recommendations, you should first give an overview of the implications of your research and then link it to how you may deal with them. A bachelor conclusion ought to consist of advice for students to guide their future writing. Offer insights for further investigation based on data results and analysis of literature review . Below is an example of how to write dissertation conclusion recommendations:

6. Conclude Your Dissertation with a Summary

The end of conclusion final chapter will close with a summary of the study. Wrapping up your dissertation or thesis conclusions is an excellent way to leave long-lasting impressions on your readers and ensure they remember all critical points of your research. You should summarize key points from previous sections and how they contribute to your overall context. When writing the conclusion chapter of a dissertation, the summary should be brief but comprehensive. Moreover, these findings can offer an innovative perspective on how to conclude a thesis or a dissertation. It provides comprehensive insights into outcomes and their relevance in today's world. Here is how to wrap up a conclusion of a dissertation example:

Thesis & Dissertation Conclusion Examples

Before writing a thesis or dissertation conclusion, you are encouraged to check at least two examples. These instances can provide insights on effectively linking your key findings with possible implications for future studies. In addition, you may use these examples as guides to writing your dissertation conclusions. Attached below is a thesis conclusion example sample.

Thesis paper conclusion example

Dissertation conclusion example

Mistakes to Avoid When Writing Dissertation Conclusions

Mistakes are inevitable when writing conclusions in a dissertation, but you can avoid them through careful proofreading and editing. Including new information or data in your dissertation or thesis conclusion chapter is one such mistake. The chapter should only incorporate information or data already mentioned and discussed in other preceding body paragraphs. How not to write a dissertation conclusion can be seen in complex language, lengthy sentences, and confusing grammar. In addition, one should evade making unsubstantiated claims or generalizations not supported by research findings. Shun writing phrases or any argument considered jargon. Lastly, ensuring that the conclusion chapter in a dissertation answers the research question and that you have provided sufficient evidence to support your conclusions is essential. Therefore, we simply recommend that you review and proofread it before submission. Following these tips mentioned above and examples of dissertation or thesis conclusions should help you write effectively.

Dissertation/ Thesis Dissertation Conclusion Writing Checklist

Writing a conclusion to a thesis paper or dissertation can be daunting because there is a lot of pressure to ensure you wrap up all the key points and tie together any loose ends. Checklists are helpful guides. The reason is that they provide practical tips on how to write dissertation conclusions by breaking each writing process down into manageable steps. Below is a checklist of important things you should keep in mind and follow when writing any conclusion:

Final Thoughts on Dissertation Conclusion

The article discussed how to write the conclusion of a dissertation or thesis writing. It has outlined some critical steps and provided a checklist that you can use as a practical guide. Reasonable inferences require clear objectives, knowing the appropriate structure, addressing any limitations within your work, summarizing key points, providing recommendations for further research, and citing sources appropriately. Also, we offered some samples of how to write a thesis conclusion example. Following these steps will ensure that you conclude your dissertation or thesis writing successfully. Finally, proofread and edit your writing to provide high-quality outcome. All these tips will help you in writing a thesis or dissertation conclusion chapter that is effective and comprehensive.

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FAQ About How to Write a Conclusion to a Thesis or Dissertation

1. how to write a good thesis conclusion.

When writing every thesis conclusion, it's essential to focus on summarizing the key points, providing implications to that broader field, addressing any limitations, and making recommendations for further study. Additionally, it should be concise, clear, logical, and coherent. Finally, it's crucial to proofread and edit it to ensure its high quality.

2. How to start a dissertation conclusion?

Beginning each dissertation's concluding chapter is best done by restating the research question, as it provides the link between your introduction, research objectives, and conclusion. That allows an individual to transition smoothly into summarizing all main points from the discussion. For you to start a dissertation conclusion chapter effectively, it is essential to understand the purpose of writing it in the first place.

4. What is the difference between discussion and conclusion?

The difference between a discussion and a conclusion is in the depth of exploration. A discussion is a detailed assessment of the results, while a conclusion is shorter and more general. The discussion section will usually include a detailed analysis of the data collected, while the conclusion section will often provide an overview of the key points and implications. Additionally, this part will offer recommendations for further research.

3. Can I add new data in a conclusion of the dissertation?

No, including new data in the conclusion of a dissertation is not advisable. This section should summarize the research objectives, findings, and implications. Adding new data would not be appropriate as it may create confusion or inconsistency throughout your research. Conversely, it is prudent to summarize every content your work addresses.

5. How to end a thesis or a dissertation?

The end of a dissertation or a thesis should be memorable and end on a high note. One way to accomplish this is by including something unforgettable, such as a question, warning, or call to action. It will give every reader something to think about and engage in further discussion. 

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Dissertation methodology

  • checkbox There is a summary of the research objectives and findings.
  • checkbox I have covered research implications for a broader field.
  • checkbox I have offered study limitations and how to address them in future exploration.
  • checkbox I have provided recommendations for further research and applications of the findings.
  • checkbox I have made a summary of all main points from the discussion section.
  • checkbox I have explained why I chose that particular field for examination.
  • checkbox My main conclusions are stated.
  • checkbox I have proofread and edited my work after completion.
In conclusion, this research has successfully answered the primary research question: how does gender discrimination impact job satisfaction in the workplace? The study determined that gender discrimination directly impacts job satisfaction and can make employees feel demoralized, undervalued, and frustrated. Furthermore, employers must create policies and initiatives promoting workplace inclusion and equality. It can help employees feel valued, respected, and satisfied.
The study aimed to research the effects of gender discrimination on job satisfaction in the workplace. A survey was conducted on 106 participants across different industries using qualitative and quantitative research methods, allowing data collection from employees. Findings revealed that gender discrimination has a direct impact and can lead to feeling demoralized, undervalued, and frustrated. On the other hand, the research found that inclusivity and equality initiatives can help employees feel better about their job roles. Therefore, it is essential that organizations take adequate steps to create a more inclusive and equitable workstation.
The research discussed in this work demonstrates that gender discrimination directly impacts job satisfaction in the workplace. The results of this study have several implications for society, most notably for employers, to create policies and initiatives to promote workplace inclusion. In addition, it's valuable to organizations to help them make more equitable and inclusive offices, to academics to inform their research on diversity and inclusivity, and to policymakers to develop initiatives to reduce gender discrimination in places of work. The research provides valuable insight to inform future studies on this topic and serves to highlight the need to create policies to protect employees from gender discrimination better.
The study is subject to some limitations, such as small sample size and limited scope of data collection. Moreover, due to time constraints, this research did not address some potential implications of gender discrimination in other areas, such as pay, career development, and career advancement. Future studies could further explore these topics in more depth to gain a more comprehensive understanding of their effects on job satisfaction.
The research discussed in this study provides several implications for employers, academics, and policymakers. For employers, the results of this study suggest that they should create policies and initiatives to promote workplace inclusion and diversity. Academics can use these findings to inform their research on gender discrimination in the workplace, and policymakers can develop initiatives to reduce it. Furthermore, future studies should explore other potential implications of gender discrimination in the workplace, such as pay, career development, and career advancement. Doing so would provide a more comprehensive understanding of the issue and potential solutions.
Overall, the findings from this research suggest that gender discrimination in the workplace has adverse effects on job satisfaction. Such discrimination often takes the form of unequal pay, career development opportunities, and access to promotions. Employers should take action to create policies that promote workplace inclusion and diversity to address this problem. Additionally, academics and policymakers should further explore the implications of gender discrimination in the workplace and develop initiatives to reduce it. The research provides a valuable starting point for understanding this complex issue and offers insight into potential solutions.

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Grad Coach

Dissertation Structure & Layout 101: How to structure your dissertation, thesis or research project.

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) Reviewed By: David Phair (PhD) | July 2019

So, you’ve got a decent understanding of what a dissertation is , you’ve chosen your topic and hopefully you’ve received approval for your research proposal . Awesome! Now its time to start the actual dissertation or thesis writing journey.

To craft a high-quality document, the very first thing you need to understand is dissertation structure . In this post, we’ll walk you through the generic dissertation structure and layout, step by step. We’ll start with the big picture, and then zoom into each chapter to briefly discuss the core contents. If you’re just starting out on your research journey, you should start with this post, which covers the big-picture process of how to write a dissertation or thesis .

Dissertation structure and layout - the basics

*The Caveat *

In this post, we’ll be discussing a traditional dissertation/thesis structure and layout, which is generally used for social science research across universities, whether in the US, UK, Europe or Australia. However, some universities may have small variations on this structure (extra chapters, merged chapters, slightly different ordering, etc).

So, always check with your university if they have a prescribed structure or layout that they expect you to work with. If not, it’s safe to assume the structure we’ll discuss here is suitable. And even if they do have a prescribed structure, you’ll still get value from this post as we’ll explain the core contents of each section.  

Overview: S tructuring a dissertation or thesis

  • Acknowledgements page
  • Abstract (or executive summary)
  • Table of contents , list of figures and tables
  • Chapter 1: Introduction
  • Chapter 2: Literature review
  • Chapter 3: Methodology
  • Chapter 4: Results
  • Chapter 5: Discussion
  • Chapter 6: Conclusion
  • Reference list

As I mentioned, some universities will have slight variations on this structure. For example, they want an additional “personal reflection chapter”, or they might prefer the results and discussion chapter to be merged into one. Regardless, the overarching flow will always be the same, as this flow reflects the research process , which we discussed here – i.e.:

  • The introduction chapter presents the core research question and aims .
  • The literature review chapter assesses what the current research says about this question.
  • The methodology, results and discussion chapters go about undertaking new research about this question.
  • The conclusion chapter (attempts to) answer the core research question .

In other words, the dissertation structure and layout reflect the research process of asking a well-defined question(s), investigating, and then answering the question – see below.

A dissertation's structure reflect the research process

To restate that – the structure and layout of a dissertation reflect the flow of the overall research process . This is essential to understand, as each chapter will make a lot more sense if you “get” this concept. If you’re not familiar with the research process, read this post before going further.

Right. Now that we’ve covered the big picture, let’s dive a little deeper into the details of each section and chapter. Oh and by the way, you can also grab our free dissertation/thesis template here to help speed things up.

The title page of your dissertation is the very first impression the marker will get of your work, so it pays to invest some time thinking about your title. But what makes for a good title? A strong title needs to be 3 things:

  • Succinct (not overly lengthy or verbose)
  • Specific (not vague or ambiguous)
  • Representative of the research you’re undertaking (clearly linked to your research questions)

Typically, a good title includes mention of the following:

  • The broader area of the research (i.e. the overarching topic)
  • The specific focus of your research (i.e. your specific context)
  • Indication of research design (e.g. quantitative , qualitative , or  mixed methods ).

For example:

A quantitative investigation [research design] into the antecedents of organisational trust [broader area] in the UK retail forex trading market [specific context/area of focus].

Again, some universities may have specific requirements regarding the format and structure of the title, so it’s worth double-checking expectations with your institution (if there’s no mention in the brief or study material).

Dissertations stacked up

Acknowledgements

This page provides you with an opportunity to say thank you to those who helped you along your research journey. Generally, it’s optional (and won’t count towards your marks), but it is academic best practice to include this.

So, who do you say thanks to? Well, there’s no prescribed requirements, but it’s common to mention the following people:

  • Your dissertation supervisor or committee.
  • Any professors, lecturers or academics that helped you understand the topic or methodologies.
  • Any tutors, mentors or advisors.
  • Your family and friends, especially spouse (for adult learners studying part-time).

There’s no need for lengthy rambling. Just state who you’re thankful to and for what (e.g. thank you to my supervisor, John Doe, for his endless patience and attentiveness) – be sincere. In terms of length, you should keep this to a page or less.

Abstract or executive summary

The dissertation abstract (or executive summary for some degrees) serves to provide the first-time reader (and marker or moderator) with a big-picture view of your research project. It should give them an understanding of the key insights and findings from the research, without them needing to read the rest of the report – in other words, it should be able to stand alone .

For it to stand alone, your abstract should cover the following key points (at a minimum):

  • Your research questions and aims – what key question(s) did your research aim to answer?
  • Your methodology – how did you go about investigating the topic and finding answers to your research question(s)?
  • Your findings – following your own research, what did do you discover?
  • Your conclusions – based on your findings, what conclusions did you draw? What answers did you find to your research question(s)?

So, in much the same way the dissertation structure mimics the research process, your abstract or executive summary should reflect the research process, from the initial stage of asking the original question to the final stage of answering that question.

In practical terms, it’s a good idea to write this section up last , once all your core chapters are complete. Otherwise, you’ll end up writing and rewriting this section multiple times (just wasting time). For a step by step guide on how to write a strong executive summary, check out this post .

Need a helping hand?

dissertation conclusions examples

Table of contents

This section is straightforward. You’ll typically present your table of contents (TOC) first, followed by the two lists – figures and tables. I recommend that you use Microsoft Word’s automatic table of contents generator to generate your TOC. If you’re not familiar with this functionality, the video below explains it simply:

If you find that your table of contents is overly lengthy, consider removing one level of depth. Oftentimes, this can be done without detracting from the usefulness of the TOC.

Right, now that the “admin” sections are out of the way, its time to move on to your core chapters. These chapters are the heart of your dissertation and are where you’ll earn the marks. The first chapter is the introduction chapter – as you would expect, this is the time to introduce your research…

It’s important to understand that even though you’ve provided an overview of your research in your abstract, your introduction needs to be written as if the reader has not read that (remember, the abstract is essentially a standalone document). So, your introduction chapter needs to start from the very beginning, and should address the following questions:

  • What will you be investigating (in plain-language, big picture-level)?
  • Why is that worth investigating? How is it important to academia or business? How is it sufficiently original?
  • What are your research aims and research question(s)? Note that the research questions can sometimes be presented at the end of the literature review (next chapter).
  • What is the scope of your study? In other words, what will and won’t you cover ?
  • How will you approach your research? In other words, what methodology will you adopt?
  • How will you structure your dissertation? What are the core chapters and what will you do in each of them?

These are just the bare basic requirements for your intro chapter. Some universities will want additional bells and whistles in the intro chapter, so be sure to carefully read your brief or consult your research supervisor.

If done right, your introduction chapter will set a clear direction for the rest of your dissertation. Specifically, it will make it clear to the reader (and marker) exactly what you’ll be investigating, why that’s important, and how you’ll be going about the investigation. Conversely, if your introduction chapter leaves a first-time reader wondering what exactly you’ll be researching, you’ve still got some work to do.

Now that you’ve set a clear direction with your introduction chapter, the next step is the literature review . In this section, you will analyse the existing research (typically academic journal articles and high-quality industry publications), with a view to understanding the following questions:

  • What does the literature currently say about the topic you’re investigating?
  • Is the literature lacking or well established? Is it divided or in disagreement?
  • How does your research fit into the bigger picture?
  • How does your research contribute something original?
  • How does the methodology of previous studies help you develop your own?

Depending on the nature of your study, you may also present a conceptual framework towards the end of your literature review, which you will then test in your actual research.

Again, some universities will want you to focus on some of these areas more than others, some will have additional or fewer requirements, and so on. Therefore, as always, its important to review your brief and/or discuss with your supervisor, so that you know exactly what’s expected of your literature review chapter.

Dissertation writing

Now that you’ve investigated the current state of knowledge in your literature review chapter and are familiar with the existing key theories, models and frameworks, its time to design your own research. Enter the methodology chapter – the most “science-ey” of the chapters…

In this chapter, you need to address two critical questions:

  • Exactly HOW will you carry out your research (i.e. what is your intended research design)?
  • Exactly WHY have you chosen to do things this way (i.e. how do you justify your design)?

Remember, the dissertation part of your degree is first and foremost about developing and demonstrating research skills . Therefore, the markers want to see that you know which methods to use, can clearly articulate why you’ve chosen then, and know how to deploy them effectively.

Importantly, this chapter requires detail – don’t hold back on the specifics. State exactly what you’ll be doing, with who, when, for how long, etc. Moreover, for every design choice you make, make sure you justify it.

In practice, you will likely end up coming back to this chapter once you’ve undertaken all your data collection and analysis, and revise it based on changes you made during the analysis phase. This is perfectly fine. Its natural for you to add an additional analysis technique, scrap an old one, etc based on where your data lead you. Of course, I’m talking about small changes here – not a fundamental switch from qualitative to quantitative, which will likely send your supervisor in a spin!

You’ve now collected your data and undertaken your analysis, whether qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods. In this chapter, you’ll present the raw results of your analysis . For example, in the case of a quant study, you’ll present the demographic data, descriptive statistics, inferential statistics , etc.

Typically, Chapter 4 is simply a presentation and description of the data, not a discussion of the meaning of the data. In other words, it’s descriptive, rather than analytical – the meaning is discussed in Chapter 5. However, some universities will want you to combine chapters 4 and 5, so that you both present and interpret the meaning of the data at the same time. Check with your institution what their preference is.

Now that you’ve presented the data analysis results, its time to interpret and analyse them. In other words, its time to discuss what they mean, especially in relation to your research question(s).

What you discuss here will depend largely on your chosen methodology. For example, if you’ve gone the quantitative route, you might discuss the relationships between variables . If you’ve gone the qualitative route, you might discuss key themes and the meanings thereof. It all depends on what your research design choices were.

Most importantly, you need to discuss your results in relation to your research questions and aims, as well as the existing literature. What do the results tell you about your research questions? Are they aligned with the existing research or at odds? If so, why might this be? Dig deep into your findings and explain what the findings suggest, in plain English.

The final chapter – you’ve made it! Now that you’ve discussed your interpretation of the results, its time to bring it back to the beginning with the conclusion chapter . In other words, its time to (attempt to) answer your original research question s (from way back in chapter 1). Clearly state what your conclusions are in terms of your research questions. This might feel a bit repetitive, as you would have touched on this in the previous chapter, but its important to bring the discussion full circle and explicitly state your answer(s) to the research question(s).

Dissertation and thesis prep

Next, you’ll typically discuss the implications of your findings . In other words, you’ve answered your research questions – but what does this mean for the real world (or even for academia)? What should now be done differently, given the new insight you’ve generated?

Lastly, you should discuss the limitations of your research, as well as what this means for future research in the area. No study is perfect, especially not a Masters-level. Discuss the shortcomings of your research. Perhaps your methodology was limited, perhaps your sample size was small or not representative, etc, etc. Don’t be afraid to critique your work – the markers want to see that you can identify the limitations of your work. This is a strength, not a weakness. Be brutal!

This marks the end of your core chapters – woohoo! From here on out, it’s pretty smooth sailing.

The reference list is straightforward. It should contain a list of all resources cited in your dissertation, in the required format, e.g. APA , Harvard, etc.

It’s essential that you use reference management software for your dissertation. Do NOT try handle your referencing manually – its far too error prone. On a reference list of multiple pages, you’re going to make mistake. To this end, I suggest considering either Mendeley or Zotero. Both are free and provide a very straightforward interface to ensure that your referencing is 100% on point. I’ve included a simple how-to video for the Mendeley software (my personal favourite) below:

Some universities may ask you to include a bibliography, as opposed to a reference list. These two things are not the same . A bibliography is similar to a reference list, except that it also includes resources which informed your thinking but were not directly cited in your dissertation. So, double-check your brief and make sure you use the right one.

The very last piece of the puzzle is the appendix or set of appendices. This is where you’ll include any supporting data and evidence. Importantly, supporting is the keyword here.

Your appendices should provide additional “nice to know”, depth-adding information, which is not critical to the core analysis. Appendices should not be used as a way to cut down word count (see this post which covers how to reduce word count ). In other words, don’t place content that is critical to the core analysis here, just to save word count. You will not earn marks on any content in the appendices, so don’t try to play the system!

Time to recap…

And there you have it – the traditional dissertation structure and layout, from A-Z. To recap, the core structure for a dissertation or thesis is (typically) as follows:

  • Acknowledgments page

Most importantly, the core chapters should reflect the research process (asking, investigating and answering your research question). Moreover, the research question(s) should form the golden thread throughout your dissertation structure. Everything should revolve around the research questions, and as you’ve seen, they should form both the start point (i.e. introduction chapter) and the endpoint (i.e. conclusion chapter).

I hope this post has provided you with clarity about the traditional dissertation/thesis structure and layout. If you have any questions or comments, please leave a comment below, or feel free to get in touch with us. Also, be sure to check out the rest of the  Grad Coach Blog .

dissertation conclusions examples

Psst... there’s more!

This post was based on one of our popular Research Bootcamps . If you're working on a research project, you'll definitely want to check this out ...

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The acknowledgements section of a thesis/dissertation

36 Comments

ARUN kumar SHARMA

many thanks i found it very useful

Derek Jansen

Glad to hear that, Arun. Good luck writing your dissertation.

Sue

Such clear practical logical advice. I very much needed to read this to keep me focused in stead of fretting.. Perfect now ready to start my research!

hayder

what about scientific fields like computer or engineering thesis what is the difference in the structure? thank you very much

Tim

Thanks so much this helped me a lot!

Ade Adeniyi

Very helpful and accessible. What I like most is how practical the advice is along with helpful tools/ links.

Thanks Ade!

Aswathi

Thank you so much sir.. It was really helpful..

You’re welcome!

Jp Raimundo

Hi! How many words maximum should contain the abstract?

Karmelia Renatee

Thank you so much 😊 Find this at the right moment

You’re most welcome. Good luck with your dissertation.

moha

best ever benefit i got on right time thank you

Krishnan iyer

Many times Clarity and vision of destination of dissertation is what makes the difference between good ,average and great researchers the same way a great automobile driver is fast with clarity of address and Clear weather conditions .

I guess Great researcher = great ideas + knowledge + great and fast data collection and modeling + great writing + high clarity on all these

You have given immense clarity from start to end.

Alwyn Malan

Morning. Where will I write the definitions of what I’m referring to in my report?

Rose

Thank you so much Derek, I was almost lost! Thanks a tonnnn! Have a great day!

yemi Amos

Thanks ! so concise and valuable

Kgomotso Siwelane

This was very helpful. Clear and concise. I know exactly what to do now.

dauda sesay

Thank you for allowing me to go through briefly. I hope to find time to continue.

Patrick Mwathi

Really useful to me. Thanks a thousand times

Adao Bundi

Very interesting! It will definitely set me and many more for success. highly recommended.

SAIKUMAR NALUMASU

Thank you soo much sir, for the opportunity to express my skills

mwepu Ilunga

Usefull, thanks a lot. Really clear

Rami

Very nice and easy to understand. Thank you .

Chrisogonas Odhiambo

That was incredibly useful. Thanks Grad Coach Crew!

Luke

My stress level just dropped at least 15 points after watching this. Just starting my thesis for my grad program and I feel a lot more capable now! Thanks for such a clear and helpful video, Emma and the GradCoach team!

Judy

Do we need to mention the number of words the dissertation contains in the main document?

It depends on your university’s requirements, so it would be best to check with them 🙂

Christine

Such a helpful post to help me get started with structuring my masters dissertation, thank you!

Simon Le

Great video; I appreciate that helpful information

Brhane Kidane

It is so necessary or avital course

johnson

This blog is very informative for my research. Thank you

avc

Doctoral students are required to fill out the National Research Council’s Survey of Earned Doctorates

Emmanuel Manjolo

wow this is an amazing gain in my life

Paul I Thoronka

This is so good

Tesfay haftu

How can i arrange my specific objectives in my dissertation?

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dissertation conclusions examples

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How to develop a strong thesis statement for your academic paper, sponsored post.

  • May 23, 2024

Introduction

In the realm of scholastic writing, a thesis statement operates as the linchpin of your paper, offering a clear and succinct summary of the main argument or position you will have. Crafting a strong thesis declaration is necessary for directing the instructions of your paper, informing your readers about the focus and scope of your argument, and laying the structure for a coherent and convincing piece of composing. In this short post, we will explore the treatment of developing a strong thesis statement, from identifying your subject and performing background research study to examining the strength of your thesis declaration and including it into your paper effectively. For those who require expert assistance in crafting a compelling thesis statement, services like “ write my paper ” can offer invaluable support in refining and perfecting your academic work.

Comprehending the Function of a Thesis Declaration

Before diving into the specifics of crafting a strong thesis statement, it is necessary to comprehend its function and significance in scholastic writing. A thesis statement is a single sentence that encapsulates the main argument or essence of your paper. It supplies a roadmap for your readers, explaining the scope of your argument and revealing the instructions your paper will take. A well-crafted thesis declaration not only notifies your readers about the function of your paper however likewise helps you remain focused and organized as you establish your argument.

Acknowledging the Topic and Scope

The first step in establishing a strong thesis declaration is to acknowledge your topic and define the scope of your paper. Your subject should specify adequate to be workable within the restraints of your job however broad enough to allow significant expedition. Spend some time to conceptualize possible subjects and consider their significance, significance, and efficiency. When you have chosen a topic, narrow it down to a specific aspect or concern that you can successfully check out in your paper. Specifying the scope of your paper will help you remain concentrated and assurance that your thesis declaration stays clear and succinct.

Performing Background Research

Once you have determined your topic and specified the scope of your paper, the next step is to perform background research study to collect information and proof to support your argument. This may consist of seeking advice from academic journals, books, and reliable websites to familiarize yourself with the existing literature on your topic. As you conduct your research study, remember and pay attention to essential themes, patterns, and patterns that emerge. This information will help you develop a much deeper understanding of your topic and inform the improvement of your thesis declaration.

Evaluating and Synthesizing Info

After gathering your research study materials, it’s time to analyze and manufacture the details you have collected. Search for typical styles, arguments, and viewpoints in the literature related to your subject. Identify gaps or variations in the existing research that your paper can fix. As you assess your research study, think about how the proof and examples you have actually gathered support your primary argument or position. This procedure of synthesis will help you improve your thesis declaration and ensure that it is grounded in strong proof and analysis.

Creating a Tentative Thesis Declaration

Geared up with a much deeper understanding of your subject and research study items, you are ready to establish a tentative thesis declaration. A tentative thesis declaration is an initial variation that catches the primary argument or position you will be presenting in your paper. It must be clear, concise, and arguable, inviting more conversation and analysis. Invest a long time to conceive possible thesis declarations and consider how they line up with the proof and analysis you have in fact gathered. Do not worry if your thesis statement advances as you continue to develop your paper– this is a natural part of the writing process.

Taking a look at the Strength of the Thesis Statement

When you have actually prepared a tentative thesis declaration, it is needed to assess its strength and efficiency. Think about whether your thesis statement is clear, specific, and focused, clearly articulating the main argument or position of your paper. Assess whether your thesis statement is supported by evidence and analysis, supplying a strong structure for your argument. Assess whether your thesis declaration is debatable, inviting additional discussion and analysis instead of mentioning a basic truth or observation. If needed, modify and improve your thesis statement to ensure that it satisfies these requirements.

Seeking Feedback and Modification

After assessing the strength of your thesis declaration, it’s an excellent concept to seek feedback from peers, trainers, or making up tutors. Share your thesis declaration with others and ask for their input and recommendations. Take note of any feedback you get and think of how it can help improve your thesis declaration. Be open to revising and improving your thesis statement based upon the feedback you get, consisting of originalities and perspectives as required. Keep in mind that writing is a collective treatment, and seeking feedback can assist enhance your thesis declaration and boost the overall quality of your paper.

Incorporating the Thesis Declaration into the Paper

As soon as you have in fact settled your thesis declaration, it’s time to include it into your paper effectively. Your thesis declaration should be plainly featured in the introduction of your paper, supplying readers with a clear roadmap for what to expect. It ought to also be strengthened throughout the paper, directing the company and structure of your argument. Each paragraph needs to contribute to and support your thesis declaration, supplying evidence, analysis, and examples to boost your primary argument or position. By integrating your thesis statement into your paper effectively, you will ensure that your argument is significant, rational, and convincing.

In conclusion, developing a strong thesis declaration is an essential step in the scholastic composing procedure. A well-crafted thesis statement works as the structure of your paper, providing a clear and succinct summary of your main argument or position. By following the steps detailed in this short post– from acknowledging your topic and performing background research to creating a tentative thesis declaration and looking for feedback– you can establish a thesis declaration that is clear, focused, and well-supported by evidence and analysis. By incorporating your thesis declaration into your paper effectively, you will guarantee that your argument is meaningful, sensible, and convincing, ultimately enhancing the quality and impact of your scholastic writing.

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dissertation conclusions examples

Sony a9 III in-depth review

Sample photo

Product photos: Richard Butler

The Sony a9 III is the company's latest high-speed pro sports camera. It features a Stacked CMOS sensor capable of shooting at 120 fps and able to capture all its pixels' data simultaneously: the long hoped-for 'global' shutter.

Key features

  • 24MP global shutter Stacked CMOS sensor
  • High speed shooting up to 120 fps
  • Pre-burst capture of up to 1 sec before the shutter is fully pressed
  • Shutter speeds up to 1/80,000 with flash sync across the full range
  • 9.44M dot (2048 x 1536px) OLED viewfinder with 0.9x magnification
  • 2.0M dot rear LCD with tilting cradle on a fully articulated hinge

The a9 III is available now at a recommended price of $6000. This is a $1500 increase over the previous iteration from 2019. A matching VG-C5 battery grip that provides space for two batteries is available for an additional $398.

How it compares

  • Body & handling

Image quality

Autofocus and action photography, sample galleries.

  • Specifications

Global shutter sensor

The big news with the a9 III is the move to a sensor that offers a global electronic shutter: ending the exposure for all its pixels simultaneously so that there's no lag or rolling shutter effect. Such sensors have existed before (some CCD chips, for instance), but this is the first one to use a full-frame sensor in a modern mirrorless camera to deliver the full potential benefits.

The sensor delivers the camera's two main selling points: the global shutter, which extends what the camera can offer in three specific areas , and sheer speed. As well as having no motion distortion from its capture, the a9 III is able to shoot at up to 120 frames per second.

Its fast readout also allows incredibly high speed capture, with shutter speeds that extend to 1/80,000 sec. The global readout also means it can sync with flashes all the way up to its maximum shutter speed (though the power of the flash will be reduced at the very shortest exposures and may require the timing of the flash trigger signal to be fine-tuned so that the exposure syncs with the brightest point of the flash output).

There are downsides to the sensor, though: the global shutter design works by using what is effectively a second photodiode within each pixel to act as a buffer: holding the charge generated by the exposure so it can all be read out later. This reduces the effective size of the photodiode used to capture the image, reducing the amount of charge each pixel can hold before it becomes full.

This reduced capacity for charge means the pixel becomes saturated sooner, so it can tolerate less light before clipping. In turn, this means it needs to be given less exposure, which is reflected in the base ISO of 250, 1.3EV higher than typical. Giving a sensor less light instantly reduces the image quality, because light itself is noisy , and this noise is more visible, the less light you capture.

120fps shooting

The super-fast sensor readout allows the a9 III to deliver a faster shooting rate than we've ever seen from a sensor this large. Whereas the previous generation of Stacked CMOS sensors with progressive readout would shoot at up to 30 frames per second, the a9 III quadruples this to 120. Sony has published a list of its lenses that can operate at this full speed.

It's a reasonable question to consider how often even the most demanding sports photographers will need to shoot at 120 frames per second, and how much more sorting and selecting work will be created by generating so many additional files.

You can lower the burst rate to whatever makes the most sense for your specific subject, but there's also an option to temporarily jump back to a faster rate when you hold a button down, meaning you could shoot at, say, 30 fps in the buildup to what you expect to be the critical moment, then press a custom button to give a faster, more concentrated burst around the moment of interest itself.

Interestingly, the a9 III continues to use Sony's preferred CFexpress Type A cards, which have half the read/write channels of the larger Type B format. This means the a9 III has to depend that bit more heavily on its internal buffer. It has the capacity to shoot 196 uncompressed 14-bit Raw files in a burst, allowing 1.6 seconds of capture at its fastest rate. This is nearly 10GB of data, which gives some idea of the size of the camera's buffer but also of how quickly you'd fill up your cards if you shot at full tilt in Raw.

Pre-capture

The a9 III becomes the first Sony to have a pre-capture feature: starting to buffer images when you half-press the shutter button or hold the AF-On button, then retaining up to one second's worth of images when you fully press the shutter. You can reduce the time period to as little as 1/200 sec if you're really confident in your ability to anticipate the crucial moment, but the pre-buffer time isn't affected by your choice of shooting rate.

Dedicated 'AI' processor

The a9 III gains the 'AI' processor that Sony first introduced in the a7R V. This does not add any 'intelligence' or learning in and of itself, but is designed to process the complex subject algorithms created by machine learning for functions such as subject recognition. This should boost the camera's subject recognition performance compared to previous generations of cameras, such as the a1, making the tracking more responsive and more robust.

8EV image stabilization

The a9 III also gains the latest image stabilization processing algorithms, helping it deliver performance that's rated at up to 8.0EV of correction, using the CIPA standard methodology. This is an appreciable increase over the 5.5EV offered by previous generations of cameras. Unlike Canon's system, this doesn't depend on synchronized use of in-body and in-lens IS mechanisms, so users should see an increase in correction performance over a wide range of lenses, though the peak correction may not be quite so well maintained at extremely long and short focal lengths.

C2PA authentication

Although not present at launch, Sony says it plans to add C2PA authentication to the a9 III. This is a cryptographic metadata standard developed by a range of software makers, camera makers and large media organizations that will provide a secure record of the file's provenance and edit history, allowing media organizations to know that the images they are receiving can be traced back to a specific camera and haven't been inappropriately manipulated.

With its high shooting speed and pro-friendly features, the a9 III's closest competitors are the pro sports bodies from Canon and Nikon, as well as Sony's own a1. This is an exclusive group, not only in the sense of commanding a significant price but also in that they have professional support networks established to ensure working pros have the most possible 'up' time. While other cameras promise fast shooting and capable autofocus, these are the models that the most demanding professionals rely on.

*Viewfinder res and display size are reduced **AF and AE locked, in bursts of up to 50 images. ***Whole stop increments only between 1/16,000 and 1/64,000

The a9 III stands out, even from the other manufacturer's pro-grade cameras, in offering 120 fps shooting as a standard mode, with full AF and Raw capture, whereas Canon's R3 locks AF and AE at the first exposure (rarely ideal for the kinds of action shooting that require high speed bursts) and the Nikon outputs significantly reduced resolution JPEGs.

Like the EOS R3, the a9 III opts for speed over resolution, meaning it can't deliver the 8K footage that the a1 and Z9 can. Also, any users hoping for Raw video will need to buy an external recorder, rather than being able to capture this in-camera, as you can on the Canon and Nikon.

The biggest apparent shortcoming is the relatively low battery life of the a9 III, as it's a single grip camera and hence lacks the space for the larger batteries included in the Canon and Nikon. Adding the BG-C5 battery grip adds space for a second battery, as well as providing duplicate portrait orientation controls.

Body and handling

Although the company's a7, a9 and a1 models all look similar, each generation has seen the control layout reworked and details such as the handgrip tweaked. The a9 III sees a larger than typical re-working of Sony's ergonomics.

The grip is a little deeper, with a more prominent dent for the middle finger to rest in, but more significantly, the shutter button is placed on a surface that angles forward rather than sitting in the same plane as the camera's top plate. This means you don't have to rotate your hand or stretch your finger quite so far to reach the shutter. In turn, the custom buttons on the camera's top plate have been extended upwards so that they're still accessible from this less stretched position.

It's a relatively small adjustment but enough that you'll notice it after several hours of shooting. Given the a9 III's target audience, it's hard not to make assumptions that this change has been made in response to Sony's tie-up with the Associated Press, giving the company more feedback from a large pool of working pros.

Beyond this, the body is pretty familiar from the previous generation of cameras, with most of the control points and custom buttons existing in the same places. The main exception to this is that the a9 III gains a fifth custom button, on its front panel. By default, this is used for the 'speed boost' function, but this can be modified.

The a9 III has the same 9.44M dot (2048 x 1536px) OLED viewfinder that first appeared in the Sony a1. The optics in front of the panel give an impressive 0.9x magnification, meaning it's very large to look at, and the fast sensor means its full resolution is used even when refreshing at 120fps. There's a 240fps mode if you need an even more frequent update of what's going on in the scene, but this runs at a reduced resolution. The viewfinder shows no blackout at all when shooting images.

The rear screen is a 2M dot panel that's arranged on a tilting cradle that is itself hinged at the side, providing a wide range of movement and adjustment.

The a9 III uses the same NP-FZ100 battery as all the most recent full-frame cameras have. It's a well-sized 16.4Wh unit that powers the camera to a rating of 530 shots per charge, using the rear LCD according to CIPA standard tests. This drops to 400 shots per charge if you use the viewfinder. These are strong numbers compared to most cameras but some way behind those of its pro sports peers, which typically have a twin-grip body with space for a much larger battery.

Battery life can be increased significantly through the addition of the optional VG-C5 vertical grip. This adds the space for a second FZ100 and more than doubles the battery life, as Sony has developed a system for treating the two batteries as a single large power source.

It's also worth noting that the CIPA standard tests are even less reflective of the behavior of pro sports cameras than they are elsewhere. Bursts of images use much less power than the individual shoot-and-review process that standard testing assumes. As such, a rating of 400 shots per charge for a camera that shoots at 120 frames per second should not be taken to mean that the battery will only last for 3.3 seconds of holding the shutter down. This is nowhere close to being true.

Our test scene is designed to simulate a variety of textures, colors and detail types you'll encounter in the real world. It also has two illumination modes to see the effect of different lighting conditions.

We've looked at the a9 III's image quality and have found that its performance is up to a stop behind those of contemporary full-frame cameras. Essentially the halving of the photodiode size halves the amount of light the sensor can tolerate. This raises the base ISO, limiting the maximum image quality the camera can deliver (ie: comparing base ISO to base ISO).

The added complexity of the sensor's design also means that it isn't able to offer a second low-noise readout path as has become common in dual conversion gain sensors that dominate the market. This sees up to a stop noise penalty, relative to its full-frame peers.

So, while the a9 III's sensor tech may not make as much sense in other cameras, for the high-speed users it's designed for, these aren't necessarily a significant drawback.

Exposure Latitude | ISO Invariance

By Carey Rose

Being Sony's most sports-focused flagship, it should come as no surprise that the a9 Mark III comes with outstanding autofocus performance across almost any situation you might think to put it in. Of course, no camera can fully substitute for a photographer's given experience and skill, but the a9 III gives you a high chance of success for your action-photography endeavors. It certainly netted this photographer plenty of keepers, under varieties of bright, dim, natural and artificial light.

If you've used any of Sony's recent camera bodies, the a9 III's autofocus interface will be familiar. You get a standard array of autofocus areas, as well as 'Tracking' equivalents of most of them. While you can certainly choose a static AF area and manually follow your subjects yourself with a very high hit-rate, much of the technology in the a9 III is designed to support its own tracking and subject recognition algorithms, so that's principally what we put to the test.

Autofocus setup

For general reportage and lifestyle shooting, I tended to keep the a9 III in one of its 'Flexible Spot: Tracking' modes, which works impressively well. In essence, you can choose your starting AF area size (small, medium or large), and then place that area over your intended subject and initiate tracking with the shutter or AF-On button.

This tracking sticks to your subject tenaciously even if it's not necessarily identifying it as a subject such as a bird or a plane. The a9 III will follow anything around the frame, like a flower, or a portion of someone's clothing, allowing you to experiment with composition while the camera keeps your chosen subject in focus. If you happen to initiate tracking over a person's face, the camera will automatically track their eyes if you have face and eye priority enabled. Use this technique for casual shooting and you'll basically never get an image out of focus (a hallmark of Sony cameras for a couple of generations now).

I found, however, that this wasn't my preferred method of photographing sports and action.

When I tried to work this way with team sports, the camera would often latch onto a player's arm, or portion of their uniform, or really whatever bit of them I could catch in the viewfinder and initiate focus on. And often, their face would be just noticeably outside the plane of focus.

So off I went to the camera's 'Custom' tracking AF areas, and dialed-in a tall, narrow rectangle that I could then move around the frame as I saw fit. I also programmed the camera to alter my AF area when I switched to portrait shooting orientation, so the rectangle would remain vertically oriented regardless of how I was holding the camera. In essence, I made my AF area the rough size and area of a human player or torso in the frame. Finally, I also instructed the camera to prioritize the tracking of human faces and eyes, if it could find them.

What this gave me was the ability to quickly identify which player I wanted the camera to track, after which the camera would reliably and quickly identify the player's eyes or face, and I could focus on following the action.

Another setting I ended up experimenting with that netted me further keepers was slowing the camera's default response to other subjects passing between me and the player I was following. I found it would too quickly jump off to other subjects in its default setting, for the sports I was shooting. I reduced this sensitivity, referred to in the camera as "AF Lvl for Crossing", by one notch and found that to be a sweet spot.

But as stated at the outset, sophisticated tracking algorithms aren't a panacea. The camera did an impressive job in spite of my less-than-perfect technique, but there were situations where I would be acquiring focus as two players overlapped, and the camera might track the unintended player.

Or I'd smash the shutter, attempting to drive focus to the correct point as well as start firing off a burst of shots, just as I spotted a crucial moment happening. The camera would often, amazingly, find correct focus, but I would occasionally get short bursts of out-of-focus images in these rushed scenarios. The blame for this result in these types of edge cases can hardly be laid at the camera's feet, though. You simply need to be realistic with your expectations and consider your own technique and reaction time accordingly. Even with a pricey sports flagship.

Other action photography considerations

Another of the headline features on the a9 III is its 120fps burst shooting mode. While I was reticent to use this swiftest shooting speed that often due to the sheer amount of data it produces, I appreciated the option for a custom button to enable this burst speed only when held.

It works very well in practice and is eminently useful when set up this way; I've found that 10-20fps is my sweet spot for most sports, but for certain moments, I boosted the camera to 120fps and enjoyed having the extra options to choose from.

Take the above image, for example. The 120fps burst option allowed me to have a large degree of control in the final image over where the ball is in the air in relation to the player. It's a level of nit-pickiness that I can understand and respect, but I also think 20-30fps is realistically the maximum most people need most of the time.

In terms of displays, I appreciate the array of options relating to viewfinder speed and size, but I have to admit that I tended to keep the viewfinder out of its fastest setting, even for the most demanding sports. The resolution just drops too dramatically, to the point where it was difficult to tell if focus on a distant player was even accurate.

I also found that battery life was on the short side of my expectations, and while I never ran out, I found myself feeling motivated to turn the camera off and on again more often than I'd like during a given event. That said, I fully expect (and would recommend) that anyone looking at the a9 III should be budgeting for the battery grip. Not only do you get double the battery life, but I find it a necessity for shooting vertical, telephoto images handheld.

Autofocus summary

The a9 III is unquestionably a capable, high-performance autofocusing machine. Its subject tracking is seriously impressive, locking onto my intended subjects immediately and tracking them steadfastly. Put simply, if you find that you can't get the shot with the a9 III, I wouldn't necessarily look to blaming the camera first.

As capable as the camera is, it's also highly customizable, and you will absolutely benefit from some experimentation and dialing in preferred settings for the way you work and the subjects you shoot. This isn't a knock against the camera, just a fact of life for all sports camera flagships to varying degrees. And though I do expect AI-trained automatic modes will continue to improve, there must always be some method of your intentions about subject matter reaching the camera's processor, and so some customization will likely remain necessary for the foreseeable future.

As it stands, if you're after some of the best autofocus performance money can buy and also want the fastest burst shooting we've seen in a full-frame camera to date, the a9 III is a compelling option and worthy of your consideration.

The a9 III's global shutter has major implications for video shooters as well as stills photographers. Being able to end the entire frame's capture simultaneously means it doesn't exhibit any rolling shutter artefacts at all. So there's no risk of warped verticals with moving subjects and no risk of banding when shooting under uncontrolled artificial lighting.

It's worth noting that while the a9 III's sensor can end its exposure instantaneously, this doesn't mean it can read-out its sensor as immediately. It's still quick enough to allow 4K/120 footage to be created from 6K full-width capture, though, making it one of the fastest hybrid cameras on the market.

Its video feature set is consistent with recent Alpha models, meaning it can shoot 10-bit video in H.264 (long GOP or All-I) or H.265 codecs. It can also shoot small proxy versions of its video in parallel with the main clips, for quicker editing and can output raw data over its HDMI socket if you have an external recorder to capture it.

The a9 III offers the Auto Framing option that uses subject recognition to crop-in and follow a subject within the frame, allowing a single presenter/operator to capture more dynamic video. There's also breathing compensation, which works with Sony's own-brand lenses, cropping in to the tightest angle of view that the lens offers and then adjusting the crop to remove the change of framing that would otherwise happen as the lens changes focus distance.

On top of this, the a9 III delivers some of the most dependable video autofocus we've seen. As with most cameras you can adjust the speed at which the focus is driven, depending on whether you're trying to tightly maintain focus on a constantly moving subject or smoothly drift between different focus distances. Taken together these features make it relatively easy to shoot good-looking footage with the a9 III even if your background isn't in video.

What the a9 III lacks is many of the videographer-focused features present in Sony's video line. So there's no option to set exposure in terms of shutter angle, rather than shutter speed (something that would be really valuable on a camera that can shoot 4K/120 as readily as it can 4K/24). There are no waveform displays or vectorscopes and no option to use the EI exposure system, rather than ISO.

You do get the attractive, low contrast S-Cinetone color profile, though, and when shooting in Log, you can upload up to 16 LUTs which you can use to give you a corrected preview, with the option to embed the LUT alongside the footage, or directly apply it to your footage in-camera.

Overall it's a flexible, capable video camera but one that seems careful not to tread on the toes of models aimed more pointedly at videographers.

The a9 III is an undeniably ground-breaking camera. The global shutter sensor, which lets it start and end exposure for all its pixels simultaneously, means electronic shutter with no concern about strobing advertising boards, zero rolling shutter in video and the ability to sync flash at incredibly high speeds with no blackout of the viewfinder. Then there's the ability to shoot at up to 120 frames per second: not something a lot of people will need to do all the time, but a capability that will undoubtedly expand photographers' options.

All of this is allied to what's probably the most capable autofocus systems we've yet encountered, with highly reliable tracking being at least as relevant as the en vogue subject recognition modes it gains. Top-level sports shooting will require a degree of behavior tuning, as different sports and shooting styles require different responses, but we were hugely impressed by the hit rates we got from the a9 III.

It's not an unalloyed success, though. We found the fastest, most sports-friendly viewfinder mode gave up too much resolution to be confident in the camera's focus. And Sony's decision to use a single grip design for its sports and photojournalism cameras is being challenged by the greater power consumption of its newer models: we expect and would recommend the a9 III will be used with a battery grip in many circumstances.

We have fewer concerns when it comes to image quality. The a9 III's relatively high base ISO means it can't match the IQ of its direct rivals at their peak performance, but as soon as your shot requires ISO 250 or higher, the a9 III's added speed gives it the edge. Likewise, whereas it falls a little behind in side-by-side comparisons at higher ISOs, there are likely to be situations in which the a9 III captures a fractionally noisier version of a photo that another camera might simply miss.

Ultimately the a9 III sets a new standard for what we can expect from a pro sports camera, and Sony appears to be adding the workflow features that the most demanding pros are requesting. There are some trade-offs being made to deliver the a9 III's super-fast capabilities but taken as a whole they allow it to pull ahead of the field.

Scoring is relative only to the other cameras in the same category. Click here to learn about what these numbers mean.

Please do not reproduce any of these images on a website or any newsletter/magazine without prior permission ( see our copyright page ). We make the originals available for private users to download to their own machines for personal examination or printing (in conjunction with this review); we do so in good faith, so please don't abuse it.

All gallery images are uncropped out-of-camera JPEGs with accompanying lossless-compressed Raw files.

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It’s interesting…. There are lots of naysayers harping on the DR, the base iso, and poo-pooing the benefits of unlimited flash sync and global shutter, 120fPS, etc…

All while a few true believers are commenting how they’re actually using the A9III in their work.. others ignore these comments and the written review and continue to put down the new tech.

This is all very reminiscent of the BS technology deniers back in 2017 when the original A9 with stacked sensor came out. The talk back then was “who needs silent shooting” “who needs electronic shutter” “20 FPS is for spray and pray hacks who aren’t skilled photographers”, “Mirrorless won’t replace DSLR for pro bodies”…

Of course now that Canon and Nikon have stacked sensor cameras that shoot at 20FPS all that fake drama is gone…. But now we have new drama with the next newest technology. As usual, history is repeating itself, and it’s perhaps new brand warriors from the same old brands putting down the new technology…

I wonder if those guys ever went back to review their ridiculous (sometimes insulting) comments from 2017. I wonder if any of you will come back in 5 years and review your comments here…

If they can't afford it, then putting it down helps them deal.

Jealousy, sour grapes, lots of terms for the phenomenon.

Have you noticed that some of them repeat phrases they got from the earliest reviews - the reviews that came out when the camera was announced, and the reviewers were careful about it, perhaps for fear of being seen as too enthusiastic? The later reviews are more positive, but phrases from those early reviews get repeated over and over.

They latch onto those old snippets because it makes them feel better….

Does anyone reliably know how fast the frame rate is with adapted and third party lenses?

Mac McCreery

Sometimes, freezing the action does not make a great photograph.

Sometimes freezing the action makes a photograph great.

dmanthree

I really prefer frozen action. Sports moves so damned fast that being able to observe that frozen moment does a lot more for me than some "arty" blurred photo.

I'm surprised by the noise level at ISO 2500 in the following pic:

https://www.dpreview.com/files/p/articles/3931777890/AF-photos-edited/DSC01570.acr_crop.jpeg

Is that normal for FF of that caliber?

It's normal for global shutter with some stronger editing also enhancing noise. I got even worse with a non GS sensor at 800 ISO with a very very low contrast scene after editing (and I'm not a Sony user). Especially when you have to shoot through something causing stronger haze. GS has an impact for sure (even if Sony says it doesn't have) but the editing may distort it a bit in this case.

So...when can us peasants expect this technology to trickle down to a sub $2k model? (I kid, I kid)

absolutely no interest in a camera of this price, but so awesome to see some real innovation in the space. Now if only someone can figure out a way to make real strides from the IQ we've generally had for the past decade or so

Small typo in the cons list in conclusion: "Performance at highest ISOs falls a behind its peers"

Not a typo, but man when was the last time Sony had battery life mentioned at all in the cons list? Tells you how much hardware this thing is packing: "Battery life can be a concern in highly demanding shoots"

Myles Baker

Regarding the sample picture of the line-out. I get that 120 fps burst was used to be able to select a picture where the ball is where you want it, but I'm struggling to see the advantage in that scenario compared to older cameras. That type of photo is a common one taken in most games & there are plentiful examples of excellent photos taken without requiring 120 fps. The ball is also blurred & the whole image looks soft (120 fps is no help if the shutter speed isn't fast enough). I understand the shutter speed may have been dialed down so the ISO was not pushed to high, but is this a case where the noise penalty compared to its peers (as mentioned in the article) was a detriment? e.g. could one of its peer have had the same level of noise but have been better able to freeze the action because you could have shot at 1/1000 of a second, instead of 1/500th? Outside of top end pro sports at events where the lighting is not so good, is this camera the best option?

Sony A9iii at iso6400 in raw no better than my Nikon Z50.

Good for you, now take your Z50 to the summer Olympics :)

Folk used to take film cameras and pre focus. I bet that the Z50 would do just fine.

I would also bet a good photographer would do just fine with a z50 at the Olympics with the same range of lenses as other pros. I used to take sports action photos with a old EOS 620 and it worked just fine; you can't chimp with film either yet somehow people got their photos.

I have both the A9 III and the Z50 and the Z50 is a joke on of the works camera I got and I regretted buy-ing it. I should have moves to Sony back when got my two Z6s I still have but we do still use one of them on double shoot weddings.

I am totally disinterested in the Olympics.

Dennis from Florida

The options for autofocus are sure complex. I imagine a future day when AI chips end up in a camera (or a phone APP) allowing the settings controlled by the photographer's voice: "Keep the forward number 5 in focus when she has the ball"

Nope, at that point AI would be the photographer. Human assistant would be required to lug equipment around and put it where AI commands.

AI will replace many photography jobs sooner than later. The people that learn to make AI images with replace many photographers that dont. We will see it be normal for not having a photo shoot and the AI artist makes the new images for the customer from a set of cell phone images the customer sends in. You can do that now for some things like head shots and commercial and product photos.

does it come in a version with canon colors?

No, only in Sony black.

An acquaintance who shoots lots of outdoor portraits with flash rented one to try and bought his own that very day. He says it's completely transformative to his work, and the man doesn't impress easily.

if it transforms your work completely then you must have used your old camera wrong

Your old digital camera or any other brand of digital camera right now can not do what the A9 II I can do for portrait photography. If you don understand what then you need to learn more about portrait photography.

I use the A9III myself for portraits and it has changed everything no older digital camera can do what this can do. When outdoors in a place with many other photographers all shooting portraits I can now do things non of them can do. No more ND filters needed no more sun blockers needed and I can shoot at more wide open F stops super easy with flash and super fast recycle times. Yes it has changed portrait photography..

If you think unrestricted flash sync can’t be transformative for certain types of photography then you must not grasp what it means…

You need to use the flash in HSS mode and this sucks out on a job. we could never use that as in no time your recycle time get up past 30 seconds before you can take the next shot. Great for making YouTube videos showing it off by on a real job I am shooting 5 to 10 or more shots in a row very fast HSS can not keep up or even come close to keeping up. We do one hour portrait sessions and shoot from 400 to 600 images in that hour HSS flash can not even make it the first 5 mins. We shoot around 120 jobs a year the A9 III is the first camera that gives us what you could do with some old film cameras that was normal back then that was removed when digital had come out.

I'd rather have one good shot then 120 bad ones 😂

JasonTheBirder

You did a nice job. Reading the AF performance section really gives on a clear idea about the autofocus.

dash2k8

I bought one to shoot large music concerts. What I found was that the camera failed to focus on the artist onstage in the semi-dark venue, whereas my Canon R3 and R6ii didn't have any problems. Very disappointing AF performance.

The 120fps and pre-capture were very handy, and just about everything about the camera lived up to the hype. But without consistent AF in low light conditions, this camera was useless to me as a concert photographer. And as for its price, I have to say it costs too much. Maybe $5000, definitely not $6000. I put it up for sale the next day.

ray_burnimage

@dash2k8 what lens did you use? Did you read the manual? In dark conditions setting "Aperture Drive" to "focus priority" would give you the best low light AF on the market. Don't even need an A9III for that, my ancient A9II does the same. Sounds like operator error to me.

I was using the 70-200mm f2.8 II, which is clearly not a slouch of a lens. As for reading the manual... I've shot numerous concerts with up to 80,000 fans in attendance, I know my way around a concert, thank you very much. When a camera cannot focus on a single performer on the stage without any obstructions, that is not an "operator error." But hey, if you want to think me an idiot, knock yourself out.

Been using it on jobs from the week I got it when it had came out. Battery life is very good shooting small weddings and portraits and have not once ran out of battery power not even close. Using the flash sync speeds at anything I want now has changed how we shoot portraits forever now. I just set it to what ever shutter speed I want to knock down the background even in bright sunlight and start shooting with off camera flash at any F stop. No HSS flash needed or ND filters needed for flash or natural light even shooting at F 1.2. Super fast flash recycle times as I can now shoot at more wide open F stops so very little flash output is needed now. This changes everything for any portrait or wedding shooter. Then the high speed shooting changes it for sports shooters. This is the best all around digital camera to come out from the start of digital, Focus tracking is amazing it is all we use now it just never misses.

Thanks for your excellent comment. It seems this camera makes it so much easier for professional, and all portrait and wedding photographers to control subject lighting and backgrounds. And with the avoidance of banding due to lighting, and rolling shutter effects of high speed subjects, this camera and its technology are likely very desirable to most photographers. Cheers

Meh, I'll wait until Fujifilm releases it's first GFX Series MF camera with global shutter. 😉

Start saving now and you should be able to afford it when it arrives. And some lenses, too - their new telephoto looks good!

A global shutter that big is gonna cost a lot.

Cheezr

What is that port below the usb-c port? it looks like either micro-hdmi or micro-usb but the camera has a full size hdmi port and a usb-c port?

It’s a “MULTI” port which is used primarily for controlling remotes. (Or remote control)

It takes the wired remote shutter release (and it still works, even though I bought the wired remote to use with an A7RIV in 2019). It’s a modified USB port with extra pins.

Roger

To much $$$$$ for nothing.

Nothing? what you can do with this camera you can not do with any other camera unless it has a leaf shutter and then still not as much. We are doing this on every job now we could never do before.

TheBestCameraIsTheOneYouActuallyShoot

This is such a cool technology! I don’t shoot sports or action, but this camera looks top tier for it.

Dream idea I can’t afford… It will be interesting as a future camera combines HEIF for more dynamic range, Nikon’s blackout-less viewfinder, Sony’s global shutter, Nikon’s lowlight anstro mode for low -EV sensitivity and turning all UI into red/black, Sony/Nikon’s pre-capture and all the other fancy things coming out. Also, Canon R3 iris focus, which sounded very gimmicky for hose it did not work with, but still sounds cool.

Observation, the Nikon Z9 is killing it on high ISO low noise compared to the other 3 cameras by default. Look at the RAW 6400, 12,800 ISO. Lettering and fine thread details are way clearer Z9.

Sure. The Nikon is the only high res camera in that group of four. No idea why they decided to put the APS-C A6600 in the group. The A9II is a reasonable comparison because it shows the previous gen non global shutter version of this camera… but change the A6600 to the A1, and the Z9 and A1 look very similar…

This is fundamentally why so many sports and PJ guys have been moving to high resolution bodies ever since cameras like the A1 and Z9 came to market offering no compromise high res capability…

You need to look at real world use I dont know of anyone that shoots at super high ISO for any real paid work its not needed. I almost never go past iso 2000 for any jobs we ever do as that is what flash is for in darker places like a dark wedding reception.

Super high iso is useful mostly for the pro sports shooters covering high school sports in lousy lighting. Most of the pro stadiums and arenas now have good enough lighting that you can be above 1/1000s shutter and below ISO6400 at f2.8 where this camera produces a plenty clean enough image.

The flash sync thing is really an interesting capability…. I think most people that don’t have actual practical experience with unrestricted sync speed don’t fully understand the benefit…

Georgescanvas

$6000 for crop sensor picture quality... Only Sony could get away with this.

Gary Martin

Did you even bother reading the pros and cons?

I image quality is fantastic we are using it almost every day now as our main camera on all our jobs. What you can do with it you can not do with other cameras. Nikon and Canon and Fuji has nothing like this. If you dont understand the features you are missing in other cameras then you dont need them as you dont understand why you would want this to use them every day. I waited over 20 years for the features it has.

Remarkable Sony pulled this off and equally remarkable the competition can't duplicate it now or perhaps in near future.

aarif

unless you really need those features . A1 is a butter choice.

Heritage Cameras

Not for vegans... ;-)

I think he's trying to say that this camera isn't as good for Sony's profit margarines.

Actually I think it's suitable for a spread of users.

With its buttery smooth focus, the A1 is a great option. :)

It definitely seems to be smooth.

A9 III It's the perfect camera for portrait shooters, wedding shooters and sports shooters. No other camera can do this like this.

Except for maybe the Z8 or R3.

Fuji X-H2S or even the OM-1 II. All really fast cameras.

Bolton read his other comments to see why he says what he says before you say, but Nikon, but canon…

@MikeRan I feel like 20fps RAW and 30fps JPEG is more than adequate for portraits, wedding, and sports.

This new Sony is the usual spec monster from them. Nothing wrong with that, esp. if you need the Ethernet port. But 'perfect' is subjective, and not every wedding and portrait shooter can afford $6K for APS-C quality. When a guy can get a brand new GFX camera for $5k and get a respectable 8fps of 102mp portraiture.. I feel like that might be a better deal if you can learn all about constant lighting and maybe high speed sync flash.

But I'm old enough to remember when 8fps was blistering fast for a sports gun.

“ I feel like 20fps RAW and 30fps JPEG is more than adequate for portraits, wedding, and sports.”

This sounds cherry picked because these are exactly the capabilities of the Z8/Z9…. lol. Anyway. You are only reading the bits you want to read and ignoring other key capabilities of the global shutter that you don’t have a counterpoint for your Nikon.

That’s okay. You don’t have to buy it.

I didn't ignore the full size Ethernet port, which is pretty rare. I also mentioned working within the limits of regular shutter and flash which does acknowledge the higher speed sync abilities of the A9 III.

Within its niche it does offer, well other than super high speed flash sync, exactly what that I couldn't real world accomplish in a portrait or wedding shoot with a variety of other cameras including the X-H1s I currently own?

I've shot portraits and weddings. 120fps and 1/80,000 sec flash sync aren't needed for those things. Cool that you can do it, but outside of some edge use cases, it's spec monster overkill.

The X-H2s can do 40fps e-shutter, so there, not just cherry picking the Nikon specs ;-)

@Heritage Cameras My sunflower butter raises an objection ;-) (oh and I'm not a vegan)

Johnnew Archibald - SMGJohn

Camera like this is arguably too cheap, only the select few elites of society should be able to carry one, I am not happy about people who own bad equipment like a Nikon Z9 should be able to buy a superior product like A9 III, a camera for real camera people, global shutter allows stunning images with superior everything.

I own 20 of these A9 III, I had to make sure to buy up as much stock as possible so fewer people can abuse this God given tool for the chosen man.

It's hard to nit-pick this camera. It's a tool designed for a purpose & it appears to do that very, very well. As sports / fast action cameras go its arguably the best on the market today. The global shutters disadvantage, in my opinion, is not the small hit to overall image quality, which is not an issue for its intended purpose. It's the price premium over the A9ii, which itself is still a very capable camera. $5999 v $4499 is a big jump, but there's always a price of new technology.

GinoSVK

While the Sony A9 III excels in speed, particularly for high-stakes wildlife and sports photography, other cameras offer better image quality while still delivering commendable performance.

How is this comment shedding anything that wasnt expressed in the article

Other cameras can also keep a couple grand more money in the photographer's pocket, or else they can grab a lens or maybe two. Even with other Sony cameras.

So there's that.

Ralf B

Depending on which camp the contributions come from, DPR comment section "discussions" about a specific product sample tend to resemble discussions about religions: Very often, facts do not matter, beliefs do and taint the corresponding comments. Attempting to engage the respective believers in a discussion by offering facts (too) often appears as a waste of time. With that said: I believe (!) the A9III excels at the tasks it has been designed forand that the DPR review says that, too. Quote: "The a9 III pairs the fastest full-frame sensor available with the most dependable AF system and an increasingly sophisticated set of professional workflow tools. There's a slight image quality price to be paid for this speed but it's minor in comparison to the performance the camera brings, overall." Also, I believe that DPR was clever by avoiding terms like "game changer" - which might have spilled fuel on DPR comment section & fora fires eventually ignited with the release of their review.

When Sony first announced this global shutter model, it was Sony Über Alles around here, with DPR slobbering all over it with phrases like "game changer" and "revolutionary". Some of the articles read like straight Sony marketing, and often conflated a theoretically perfect implementation of a global shutter with the actual product. So what's changed? Has Sony underdelivered? It seems more like they squeaked out a Gold Participation Medal to satisfy fanboys, rather than murderizing the competition, as they promised.

One would have expected galleries of images that demonstrated the real-world advantage of the global shutter over the likes of the now-obsolete Nikon Z9. Perhaps those will be forthcoming? Or maybe real-world benefit is so exceedingly rare that it wasn't worth the time or effort to find any?

The global shutter now seems reduced to a footnote.

Unfortunately the review has ignored another area where the camera excells, the concert photography. You no longer have to worry about the LED lights banding (full mechanical shutter nor stacked sensor doesn't fully prevent the issue) and the AF/Eye tracking in low-light is absolutely stunning. I have never seen anything like that before. It sticks all the time no matter how dark or foggy the stage is. As for the noise, I compared it with my A7C and I haven't found any significant difference in very bad light conditions. Not better, not worse. I use AI denoising anyway. This is amazing camera.

I don’t think, technically, this is a very good review. It seems to be self-contradictory in parts (because it appears to have been shared between two authors?) and not as comprehensive as might be expected. And. . .why did it take five months to appear? During which time we’ve all seen a number of reviews and analyses, and not all of them by regular Sony users either.

I'm a bit confused as to reviews of specialty cameras. Is the 91% compared to other sports cameras? Or all cameras?

The global shutter puts it in a class by itself. For now.

I thought that the current face/eye tracking AF was shared among a variety of Sony cameras. Or is this one different?

The A9 III one is much better.

QuarryCat

Wrong weight???

in the comparison: The weight of the Canon R3 is maybe wrong! Nikon is 1340g with batteries and R3 is 1015g with batteries. The Z9 is a little bit on the heavy side, but this difference is too big!

The Nikon is indeed 1340g. The R3's weight is correct too.

Amazing piece of kit. Look forward to seeing where this technology goes.

I think it will go where all new tech goes: first for the high end, then the tech is refined, then improved, then it goes more mainstream. In a few years lots more cams will have it.

Yes, probably. I think we will see a 3-way segmentation with BSI at one end prioritizing low price and highest IQ with GS at the other end prioritizing speed and with Stacked Sensor in the middle.

Seems like that's already what's happening.

I would have expected that a significant part of the sample gallery would be devoted to showing what the global shutter and incredibly high sync speed can do better/easier than other cameras.

Yeah that's one area that is lacking. Also, I think it would be nice to have banding tests, flickering tests and rolling shutter tests. For ex on the A9iii with flickering lights, you will catch different phases of equal illumination, but it means that sometimes the image will be completely dark, but at least if you take enough shots, you will also have a decent amount of perfect shots.

Like I mentioned elsewhere, the Global Shutter was almost reduced to a footnote. Seems the honeymoon is over for DPR.

It's a respectable image gallery, but there's nothing here that can't be done with a variety of cameras dating back into the mirrored DSLR era.

MrBrightSide

It's alarming that the camera is a series of tradeoffs, excelling in some areas but lagging in others.

Why does this alarm you? Engineering/product development is always a series of trade offs. This is no different.

The good news is if you don’t need the global shutter Sony still has you covered with a wide range of options.

@MrBrightSide

The camera is not a 'series of tradeoffs', that's a misrepresentation.

In fact at its base ISO of 250 the A9III is a quarter of a stop better than the R3 and three quarters of a stop better than the R6. https://www.photonstophotos.net/Charts/PDR.htm#Canon%20EOS%20R3(ES),Canon%20EOS%20R6(ES),Sony%20ILCE-9M3

Canon and Nikon would love to have this sensor.

Hubertus Bigend

At low ISO, no current camera is lacking image quality, and the differences there only become relevant in very special applications, and however well photons to photos might be representing real world performance there at all, in general low light applications the image quality of this camera is down to APS-C level. Not even MFT is far away. That, and the fact that there are cameras other than Canon which have better low ISO performance, too, is perfectly well described by "series of tradeoffs", and that's what the review says, too. This is not an all-rounder, it is a specialist, and anyone who is not a specialist photographer themselves is better served with another camera. I don't think DPReview makes this clear enough, by the way.

@RubberDials

Why do you compare the Canons in electronic shutter mode? Are mechanical shutters unusable now? Is a 1.9EV difference at respective base ISO not a tradeoff?

@MikeRan: This *is* different in that a – however groundbreaking – improvement in one or two specialty areas is achieved by sacrificing a whole EV worth of general image quality.

@ eleivr - why did RubberDials compare the Canons in electronic shutter mode? One fact: Canon EOS R3 and R6 max out at 12 FPS with mech shutter, hence they need to be run with electronic shutter to get somewhat closer to 120 FPS. In this shutter mode, both Canons appear to shoot with DR a wee bit less than the A9III (assuming the interpretation of PhotonstoPhotos data is correct as that has been discussed elsewhere to hair-splitting degrees). Additional fact: Of course, the A9III cannot be run with a mech shutter to improve its base ISO DR.

Ralf B very thoughtfully replied for me. Thanks Ralph!

The image quality of the A9 III camera is not down to APS-C level. I am using it on all our jobs nothing about it has bad image quality it has fantastic image quality just as good as my Nikon FF cameras in fact we shoot both side by Side at weddings. It is a great portrait and wedding and sports camera exceeding other brands of cameras by far. Using the global shutter to shoot at any flash sync speed is just amazing we are doing this all the time now. We could never do this is the past with a digital camera. So we are able to get photos now we could never do before. No HSS ever needed now and no ND filters needed now. Also the best focus and tracking system of any camera on the market. And no rolling shutter for video as well. We are have shot plenty now to more then cover the cost of the camera.

@goactive: Mind you, "APS-C level" is not "bad image quality". It's just roughly one stop more noise. When shooting at lower ISOs, you obviously won't even notice the difference, except when you have to brighten shadows to the extreme or something like that. But in low light, the difference should be there. Anyway you seem to be one of the specialists who profit from the camera's special features, so I wouldn't even begin to question your choice. But someone who doesn't, who rarely has issues because of rolling shutter and doesn't need the flash sync improvements, either, it's not the best camera.

The Canons have less DR in ES because of the 12 Bit readout. Of course you can compare it that way, but the R6 was never meant to be a fast camera anyway. So I think this is still cherry picking to make the Sony look like its on rolling shutter FF level. And a mechanical shutter will not improve the A9 III as it already reads out at 14 Bit, unless of course the sensor can do more.

@RubberDials Sure it is (a series of tradeoffs). Just off the top of my head, with the Nikon Z9 you get much lower base ISO, bigger images, and 8K video, a big grip and a bigger battery. These aren't trivial things.

But the the Nikon Z9 can not do what the A9 III can do for portraits at all. making the A9 III the best choice for wedding portrait and sports shooters. The lower base iso is nothing as it can still not flash seen to any speed you need. and the higher MPs is not need as we could and did print any size print anyone every needed back with 12MP cameras. The battery in the A9III is great we have never run it down shooting full jobs will be going to wedding later today with it and shot a portrait session with it yesterday. I was a Nikon shooter and still have three Nikon Z cameras and a lot of z lens the A9II is not less quality at all its better in fact for what we can do now.

The best camera to shoot a 155mm shell out of a gun and other extremely fast action, but only for that. Overkill for sports imo, and bad high iso.

what are you basing this on I have it and that is not true. Its by far the best camera to come out in over 20 years.

None, based on the specs, but my R6 fill my needs better than this cam.

Perfectly reasonable to decide that the R6 suits you better. No one can realistically disagree with that.

However, to claim that the camera is incapable of shooting other kinds of work is a huge presumption, and not based on fact. I own an A9 III, and I have been using it for shooting a variety of shots. It is more versatile than you think.

Don’t worry, we won’t force you to get one :-D

Now if only RawTherapee would extract the raws.

I was delighted that Adobe added the A9 III to Adobe Camera RAW in December, well before I got mine. I've been through the wait for RAW support many times, and it's not fun. This time, no wait! Well, for me.

It will come, but the wait is never fun.

Does Adobe DNG converter make DNG files you can edit in RawTherapee?

It'll be interesting so see if I can spot Global Shutter photos once the summer Olympics gets rolling. I'll be on the lookout.

According to reports from users that I've read the A9iii seems to be Sony's most comprehensively well designed release to date. Bodes well for an A1II. Not sure about global shutter. Maybe it's the future but I suspect not. Too much on-chip structure and complexity to solve a problem that will mostly go away after another generation of fast rolling shutter sensors.

If Canon ever gets around to releasing their R1 it will be interesting to see how they compare head to head. Two completely different tools but designed to more or less compete for the chance to perform the same elite task. Good stuff.

I think the question will be do you see images with banding from artificial light? You can know that banding wouldn’t be present in a global shutter exposure.

Anyway Paris is going all out and I expect good lighting and not much of that..

Full 120FPS RAW (for those specific situations), and the best AF in any camera on the market are what’s going to make the A9III shine at the Olympics…

Also high speed flash sync one or the main features so many photographers dont seem to understand how that this changes portrait photography.

Don't conflate banding caused by general lighting with the refresh rate on typical LED displays in sports arenas, the way Sony wants you to. If you use a high shutter speed, you'll get lines in those displays.

Interestingly it’s already on sale. It seems it’s not selling well. Still a good camera.

Abe’s of Maine doesn’t count…

Actually most retailers are selling it for list.. $5999. Who has it on sale?

(Speaking like a true cũlť member. ŠMH) 😜

$5998 at Amazon. MAP is fraying at the edges ... lol

Oh sorry it’s on sale for $1.00 off. lol… 😂

MyReality

@MikeRan - Don't knock Abe's Of Maine. I have bought gear for him that was just as good as B&H,

Some people have had good luck with them. There are many horror stories…. My point was just because AoM is offering below MSRP doesn’t mean it’s “on sale, must not be selling well.”

Are they selling grey market? (Sincere question, I've never dealt with them so I wouldn't know).

Usually…. They also do bait and switch and other shady tricks. Some people get lucky…. But…

https://www.bbb.org/us/nj/linden/profile/electronic-equipment-dealers/westpark-electronics-llc-0221-27002918

And yes this is Abe’s of Maine’s business. And no they aren’t in Maine. lol..

Pretty sure the back screen should also be in green, possibly together with the R3, because the 4d screen system is way better than a flip screen.

Also: "Not so good for: Photography not requiring the a9 III's speed." => speed means the fps here? or GS means speed too? Because it's amazing for eliminating banding, distortion and for flash, even when shooting at low fps.

If you don't need the speed, then you can get the same image quality out of an APS-C camera, or significantly better from a variety of other full framers at a third of the price. And the other full frame makers haven't been sitting on their hands when it comes to autofocus, either.

If you do need this level of speed and pro body connectivity however, then yes it becomes a good deal.

I was always curious what the criteria are for marking a spec red/green in the comparison sheet. It is obvious IMO that the pixel count should be red for A8 III and R3, and that ISO should be red for A9 III.

The green/red markings seem to mostly be used for the more performance-related specs. The advantage of having more pixels or a higher ISO is perhaps more dependent on individual needs and specific use cases, so they choose not to single out any camera as universally better or worse in those respects. I'm just guessing here, but I could imagine that being the reason.

Pixels and ISO are definitely more important than say battery life. Both are among critical performance metrics evaluated by any buyer IMO.

Yes, but usually they are (or should be) evaluated in relation to one's individual needs and preferences. It's not just a simple case of "more is better". Things like longer battery life and higher res screens, on the other hand, can probably be appreciated by everyone, regardless of what type of photographer one is. But yeah, I agree that some clarification of the thinking behind the red/green markings wouldn't be out of place.

I do not care about the battery life, and, say, sensor resolution is much more important for me than screen resolution. And I am positive I am in majority here.

I'm not saying anything about which aspects of a camera are the most important. That's a personal opinion, and I happen to agree with your preferences. I'm just saying that DPR probably choose not to mark the features green/red, if their advantage/disadvantage is highly dependent on the use case.

Interesting to see DPR finally acknowledge that a pro sports/PJ body doesn’t have to be huge. It’s small size even listed as a pro..

m_black

But carrying 4x the batteries as a larger camera has negates the weight savings and adds to anxiety of running out of juice when it matters.

3 small Sony batteries equals 2 larger/heavier Nikon batteries in terms of useful battery life.

And a Sony camera with grip and 2 batteries will last way longer than a z9 with its battery before you need to change.

Nice try though.

Oh the A9III, Battery Grip, and two batteries is lighter than the Z9 with no battery, so no, your Z9 kit is still heavier…. Less weight, longer battery life, and less anxiety…. LOL…

"3 small Sony batteries equals 2 larger/heavier Nikon batteries in terms of useful battery life. And a Sony camera with grip and 2 batteries will last way longer than a z9 with its battery before you need to change."

How do you know? And please don't cite CIPA numbers. Cite from actual use. Good try though. Have you ever used a gripped body vs a body with add on grip? Not the same experience. Up here, a Z9 with a second battery is about $2000 cheaper than an a9III, grip and 2 extra batteries. That is significant. It also has less failure points and remains environmentally sealed. The weight difference is marginal and immaterial, especially to someone who uses it day in and day out, and often preferential when dealing with long lenses. Z9 users don't care about the weight of the Z9. Only users of other brands trying to knock it do.

From the review: "I fully expect (and would recommend) that anyone looking at the a9 III should be budgeting for the battery grip. Not only do you get double the battery life, but I find it a necessity for shooting vertical, telephoto images handheld." Maybe some advantages to that extra size?

"Z9 users don't care about the weight of the Z9." Pretty obvious. If they cared for weight (or speed) they would not be Nikon users. They would be Sony users

@whitelens or maybe Z9 users don’t find a few hundred grams heavy. And speed? You mean 120 fps? Not that fast when you have to wait many seconds for the buffer to clear. But as always, Sony users are the ultimate spec sheet warriors regardless of what it’s like to actually use it.

You don’t have to wait for the buffer to clear. As the buffer clears you can keep shooting. And the whole 230 shot buffer clears in 11 seconds if you want it completely empty. Anyone shooting 120FPS bursts filling the buffer more often than every 11 seconds is going to have much bigger problems than the buffer clearing time.

I know you love to hate on Sony and love to promote Nikon but perhaps you should read what’s written from actual users of the camera and also talk to your friends that have actually used it…. and get your own head out of the spec sheets.

The A9iii's buffer fills in 1.6s @ 120 fps (commentators on the R8 review complained that a similar buffer filling time is unusable, they were wrong there as well). And while the A9iii can still be used while its buffer clears, only at a much reduced speed. This from FredMiranda https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1856860/

"It is interesting to compare the A9III data with the A1 data in the prior post. IMO, the most surprising difference is that the A9III rate is 5 FPS when the buffer is full and the A1 rate is ~10 FPS.......I had anticipated the A9III buffer might be larger and clear faster."

That is a negative, but not a major issue, given how rarely 120fps will be used in practice & I doubt many people will mash the button for longer than 1.6s at that fps (or they will be shooting jpeg only which increases buffer times anyway).

It slows to 22FPS before it slows to 5FPS…. And again release the button for 1-2 seconds and you get another 30-50 frames at 120FPS.

Actually if a Z9 user is concerned about the weight they can become a Z8 user, can’t they?

@MikeRan, "I know you love to hate on Sony and love to promote Nikon but perhaps you should read what’s written from actual users of the camera and also talk to your friends that have actually used it…. and get your own head out of the spec sheets". Is that calling the kettle black?

I don't hate on Sony. I hate on the toxicity and misinformation spread about other brands by Sony users, often with zero expereince about the particular camera they're ripping on. Then when the reverse happens they are called out and told to get their head out of the spec sheets. That's rich.

I'm so tired about hearing about weight like that's the only metric that's important. Weight is a stated spec, yes. But weight is also a perception by the user. Let the user figure out if they can deal with the weight rather than bash the system becasue of what your physical abilities are.

120 fps? I don't actually care. But it's annoying to hear ridiculous, misinformed comments isn't It?

“ But weight is also a perception by the user.” Weight is weight. You brought it up actually. As if an extra (snalll battery) was going to have some big weight impact. And yeah if I don’t need the grip and I don’t have to handhold an extra pound all day well that’s a pound.

The reality is your weight argument was exactly the “toxicity and misinformation spread about other brands” that I’m responding to. You are so blind for your love of Nikon that you don’t even realize you are the one bringing the misinformation into the discussion.

Sorry man. Something wrong with you. I can’t help you.

Oh and “4x the batteries”? GTFO. One Nikon battery does not equal 4 Sony batteries. More toxic misinformation from the Nikon fanbois..

I made one simple comment about the *size* being listed as a pro and you couldn’t leave it alone.. the Nikon FB had to come in with your toxic misinformation and make it about your Z9…. lol.

You are so blind.

If you say so Mike. Word.

“Interesting to see DPR finally acknowledge that a pro sports/PJ body doesn’t have to be huge. It’s small size even listed as a pro..”

“But carrying **4x the batteries** as a larger camera has negates the **weight** savings and adds to **anxiety of running out of juice** when it matters.”

Yep. Pretty obvious who is writing the toxic misinformation. lol…

m_black: Nikon Z9 is a nice camera. But it is also big, heavy and slow. Nothing toxic, just facts. Live with it.

I wouldn’t call it slow except in the context of the A9III.. but yeah, big and heavy.. it’s probably the largest by volume and heaviest full frame mirrorless body on the market. (With or without a battery)

Sorry no toxic misinformation here..

It's 3 lbs guys, geez. Hit the gym maybe. Word

f1point4andbethere

“whereas it falls a little behind in side-by-side comparisons at higher ISOs, there are likely to be situations in which the a9 III captures a fractionally noisier version of a photo that another camera might simply miss”

I like this wording ^ Where some others have put an emphases on painting the iso performance as the biggest failure ever seen in a camera while negating any benefits to the A9III, dpreview has put it perfectly. A very fair and well worded review of the A9III.

Richard Butler

I really appreciate you saying that. Thank you.

Operon

Mr. Butler's reviews are always exacting in their phraseology. They simply are a joy to read. No one on the Internet of photog writes better. Not a one.

I remember also reading that sentence twice, because it's like a perfect summary.

This camera is not for me, but it is a great camera no matter how people feel about it. Most complaints come from two groups, one for whom the price is high, and the other who feel they need every bit of DR they can get (as with A7R IV/V).

The thought that keeps coming back in my mind, also true for other brands, is that they messed up the naming/numbering of the models.

In this case, the only common feature with the previous model is the 24MP resolution. The price, sensor technology and all the benefits that come from this sensor are at a different level. Sony could have called it A5 or A3 but that would lose its significance once an A1 successor comes out with 50MP GS sensor. They couldn't have called this one A1 II because it's only 24MP. May be "A1 S" (for speed) would have been a better fit.

A lot of money for a niche camera. I can buy two perfectly capable cameras at a lower price for events and still include a lens for that price

I purchased a Nikon D40 with a global shutter for $59 a few months ago. I'm going to take it to the Olympics and see if I can compete with the big boys.

@Horshack you've just stated how niche the camera is. Thank you

@madeinlisboa, Yep, I certanly wasn't disagreeing with you.

I am looking for the very niche Nikon N80. The late mountain photographer, Galen Rowell, used it to make one of the most recognizable photos in the world, when he was shouting for GQ. I think it will make me a better photographer.

@MyReality that's the problem of bad photographers. Thinking that a better camera will make them better. Poor guys.. How did they manage to get great pictures? It was called skill. Now, everyone is a "great" photographer because they have the best cameras. LOL

A really cheap niche camera. It is 30% cheaper than the M11 what does not even have AF.

One question - does the Global shutter have any advantage for video over the stacked sensors for 180 degree shutters? With a 17-21ms exposure time if you can read the sensor in a ms or few will rolling shutter show up?

BTW which do you prefer, the 9MP EVF or the R3 in DSLR mode?

Thanks for putting in all the effort to get this out.

On any progressive scan (rolling shutter) electronic shutter sensor, shutter speed (exposure time) and shutter rate (readout speed) are unrelated.

The sensor takes as long to read out, regardless of your shutter speed. So it's not uncommon to see cameras with relatively slow shutter rates (in the 1/60th second range) offering shutter speeds as short as 1/16,000 sec. In this instance, each line of the sensor is only exposed for 1/16,000 of a second, but the last line is read out 1/60 sec after the first one, so the bottom of the frame is still taken 1/60 sec later than the top was. So rolling shutter is unrelated to shutter speed.

Stacked sensors do have very low rolling shutter (though typically worse in video than stills), so you're unlikely to see many skewed verticals. But banding from lighting and sign boards that are flickering risks being an issue, which it wouldn't be for a global shutter sensor.

I think it’s still a reasonable question. As the shutter speed gets slower, for a fast readout sensor the entire frame is exposed for a larger percentage of the total exposure time and the “flickering” or banding effect is reduced. That said i have done video with an A1 with variable shutter and you can still get banding at 1/48s.

Also I think most of the stacked sensors only have blazing fast readout in stills mode. In Video mode it seems for whatever reason they are not using the stacked sensor capability for readout and the readout is slower than stills mode.

Edit per Horshack’s data: R3 4k24p readout is 9.5ms Z9/Z8 4k24p and 8k24p readout is 14.4ms A1 4k24p readout is 8.0ms and 8k24p readout is 15.4ms

All of these numbers are substantially slower (more than double) than full readout stills mode readout.

According to the A9 datasheet, the stacked memory is disabled in video mode. The reason isn't given but power and/or thermal issues are likely. Not using the stacked memory means the camera has to move frames from the sensor to memory over the traditional (and slower) LVS interface, hence much slower readouts and poor rolling shutter performance for video.

Slower readout for video vs stills is nearly universal for stacked sensors on all the cameras I've measured and the disparity is very large. The only exception is the OM-1, although its video performance indicates it may not be fully oversampling the sensor so its faster readout could be a result of subsampling.

Here's my GitHub project that measures both the stills and video readout rates for many cameras:

https://horshack-dpreview.github.io/RollingShutter/

@MikeRan and @Horshack - Thank you, most excellent responses...

BTW I used to get Rolling Shutter numbers from here (and contributed some videos): https://www.dvxuser.com/threads/measuring-rolling-shutter-put-a-number-on-this-issue.307186/ Alas seems to have stopped being updated as of late 2020... but might have some interesting numbers still...

@Richard Butler: Artifacts, such as missing lines/section on LED displays depends largely on the scan rate of the display itself. It's still a bit like pointing a camera at a CRT, if you're at a high shutter speed, you're going to get lines, global shutter or no.

That's true. I believe a lot of the LED sign boards refresh globally, rather than progressively, so the artifacts we've seen as particularly prominent on stacked sensor progressive sensors are a capture rate issue, rather than a display rate issue. But I guess we'll find out now the a9 III is in wider use.

So, they copied the OM System OM-1 and offer it at 3x the price. Nice.

Yeah… that’s what they did…. LOL… Tell me you have no clue what this is about without telling me…

Talking about not having a clue, your expertise in that matter is impressive.

vogeli

Dpreview has a side-by-side camera comparison tool. Give it a go? Look at: drive , sync speed, sensor size, its fun!

https://www.dpreview.com/products/compare/side-by-side?products=sony_a9iii&products=omsystem_om1ii

Yes, three times the price, but you are also getting 4 times the sensor size!

Are DR, low ISO and high ISO performances 1 stop behind the competition? So Z9 can use 1 stop faster shutter speed than A9 III with a similar lens? That EVF looks great on paper. Does it look as sharp and bright as rivals? Are optics improved as well? I remember that my A7R III had very good EVF on paper but Eos R and Z6 had much clearer and brighter EVFs. Maybe Sony has improved EVF?

Carey Rose

Brightness-and-optics wise, I had no EVF complaints, myself. But I sometimes found myself disappointed in detail / resolution while shooting (though playback, which is always at full-resolution, looks amazing). I didn't unfortunately have sufficient time with the camera to exhaustively test each viewfinder setting and compare / contrast them quantitatively, but I just wasn't 'wowed' by the viewfinder in a way that I thought 9+ million dots of resolution could provide, even set to lower refresh speeds.

YMMV, but my favorite EVF continues to be the Z9 (in spite of its resolution and refresh rate 'disadvantage'), followed by the R3 (also excellent clarity and smoothness, but with more visual clutter as a result of the information presented by the autofocus system...this may have been updated with firmware and / or there may be more optimal settings to use that I wasn't able to experiment with at the time).

In short, and as is often the case, the spec sheets don't tell the whole story.

The a9 III's base ISO is 2.0EV higher than the Z9s, so you can potentially get up to two stops of IQ improvement (noise and DR) in circumstances where you can use a slower shutter speed.

In situations where you need ISO 250, there's not a lot of difference.

At very high ISOs there's up to a stop difference so you could potentially use a shutter speed that's up to a stop faster if you want the same noise. But I'd expect freezing action to be more relevant than noise performance in terms of picking shutter speed, in most instances.

"But I'd expect freezing action to be more relevant than noise performance in terms of picking shutter speed, in most instances." So at the same shutter speed at high ISOs, A9 III will have at least 1 stop more noise, which also means Z9 can stop the same action with a better image quality.

I think the effective buffer capacity should be measured in reviews for high-speed cameras like this, ie the buffer capacity + buffer clearing rate = effective FPS when the buffer is full. For example, David Clark on FM found the A9 III's 120fps mode dropped to 5fps when the buffer is full:

https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1856860/

That’s a puzzling result (kind of related to the discussion we had a few days ago). The 120FPS slows to 22FPS and then later slows to 5FPS…. If the buffer can clear 236 frames in 11 seconds (22FPS), then why does the camera need to slow down further to 5FPS?

It’s bizarre.

@Mike, The OP of that thread wondered the same. I'm thinking it's caused by the additional bandwidth or processing demands of the new incoming frames at the same time the camera is processing previously deposited frames. Those new incoming frames consume bus/DRAM bandwidth.

@Mike, Btw, there are several additional experiments that could be performed to tease out the cause but the OP wasn't very receptive to some of my suggestions.

Personally, I would miss not having a top plate display....the basics: ISO, Shutter speed and Aperture. Surprised Sony left this off.

JacquesBalthazar

I am glad that someone else feels that way. The absence of that particular feature is the single most important reason I did not opt for Sony when they started the industry-wide FF hybrid migration. I cannot imagine living without having permanent visibility of key exposure data. I like the screen on the Nikon Z8/9 or Leica SL2/3 for example, but the best of the best is the "always on" screen offered by Fujifilm on its latest GFX bodies: very high legibility, all key data visible even when camera is powered off (with no discernible impact on battery life), etc, etc. In my personal case, I opted for retro knobs and dials to get permanent sight of exposure triad settings (Nikon Zf), but that is because I am an old hipster. Why Sony skipped that top screen feature is a real mystery.

You shouldn’t be surprised. No other Sony mirrorless camera has that. You absolutely get used to not having it. It’s on the EVF and in the viewfinder always. If you think having that information available in a third location is a requirement, then yeah this camera probably isn’t for you.

I use the rear display for that, never missed it. Of course, you are entitled to have your own opinion. But I have to admit that I feel people tend to make a bit too much fuss about details that definitely never kept me from getting a good image - if it wasn't good there were other reasons. But maybe when you used a camera where you had to cock the shutter and pull out a dark slide yourself gets things in perspective, similar to how camping in a tent suddenly makes tap water turn out to be pure luxury.

I’m surprised you’re just noticing this about Sony mirrorless cameras now ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Not a Sony user, I never realized none of their cams have that. I'm just thinking about when you are out on the street, being able to take a quick glance down at the dedicated display while not losing awareness of your surroundings is handy.

Yep. I angle the camera down slightly as I rotate my head down to look and I have a very clear view of the LCD screen. My wrist can handle that task easily, and my brain is advanced enough to move my head and my wrist at the same time.

@MikeRan I know full well all that info and more is available on the back screen and through the EVF, and I have often used those for that purpose on cameras with poor or no top plate LCD (my current Ricoh GRIII is a prime example). That is precisely the reason why I appreciate well designed top plate LCDs all the more. The back screen (and the EVF) show the scene about to be photographed, with the shooting data as an overlay, spread across the screen's surface. That makes it often hard to read and to focus on with a single glance. I know you can select to see only such data on those screens, but then you have to switch between display modes to actually frame a picture. I find all that fiddly. A well designed, contrasty, top plate screen allows to see all the key shooting data (and only that data) with a one tenth of a second glance, before you even consider taking a picture. I understand Sony users are accustomed to Sony's UI, and happy with that. I am not.

@JacquesBalthazar: I use the screen with just the data on the back screen, not showing the scene. I use the screen with the scene plus data overlay only when I don't or can't use the EVF for composing. The data-only screen is quite readable for my taste. I would be happy with a third, top-plate, display but not if it would make the camera larger or more crammed. I'm happy that Sony offers my preferred compromise. If other people prefer differently there are manufacturers offering that, so everybody should be happy.

On the Sony cameras the basic information like aperture, iso, and shutter speed is NOT an overlay. It is below the frame on a black background. So there is no trouble to read it against a busy image.

The aspect ratio of the LCD screen is such that the 3:2 aspect ratio of the photo leaves a strip of unused LCD where the key information is located.

@MikeRan: "Yep. I angle the camera down slightly as I rotate my head down to look and I have a very clear view of the LCD screen. My wrist can handle that task easily, and my brain is advanced enough to move my head and my wrist at the same time."

By golly, I can do that as well, but I still prefer looking at the top plate. To each their own :)

I’d miss having the controls that a top-plate display would displace.

I check the settings in the EVF or on the rear screen - haven’t missed a top plate display, ever (I have used cameras with them).

IMHO, the top lcd is just a relic from the film era that was carried over and still useful on DSLR, but redundant on mirrorless. I personally believe it’s something that some companies continue to carry over only to appease old schoolers, as they have that lineage and legacy of users that they have to keep happy. Anytime canon or Nikon makes a dramatic change or tries something new, they get pushback from many of their longtime users. Sony didn’t have that baggage so they were free to design their system from scratch with the Alpha.

New Comments

The table comparing model lists the A1 as having a fully articulated screen - that’s wrong - it’s one-way tilt only.

Focusbracketing & macro on A9mlll question. I'm Sony user but bought an OM1 for having the ability to do focusbracketing on a higher speed than my A7r5. The fps was between 3 to 4 fps with my A7r5. With the OM1 I'm able to get 10fps with flash and 20 fps without while doing focusbracketing. Must say it works very well. But any idea how the A9mlll performs ? Does it work with flash ? Friendly greetings

Have you read the manual?

Only info about the settings...no info about speed

Why do they always write the global shutter has simultaneous readout of all pixels? That would require an ADC for each pixel, I doubt they do that here. To be a global shutter it only needs to expose all the pixels simultaneously.

https://andor.oxinst.com/learning/view/article/rolling-and-global-shutter

You're right, the captured charge is all transferred away from the pixels simultaneously but read out progressively. The key is the separation of capture and readout (vs progressive scan CMOS sensors that use the readout process to end the capture).

Thanks for clarifying. it seems all the sites are calling it simultaneous readout not just DPR, not sure why.

Because it has the effect of reading all the pixels simultaneously - that’s the key difference from the bulk of other CMOS sensors.

Would you be happier if it were expressed as “captures the value of all pixels simultaneously”? That’s what brings the key advantage of the global shutter: immunity to rolling shutter and banding.

If were really reading all the pixels simultaneously, it could do some crazy burst rates... but its not. It would also need an ADC per pixel and be very expensive. It's "exposing" all the pixels simultaneously, as implied by the name "global shutter". Pixel readout speed is basically the same as it ever was, line by line.

I received mine in Australia in late January.

A slight error in the text:

"The a9 III has the same 9.44M dot (2048 x 1536px) OLED viewfinder that first appeared in the Sony a7R V."

Yes, it is the same OLED panel, but it first appeared on the A1 in 2021, rather than the A7RV in 2022 :-) It makes an excellent viewfinder, and I'm glad Sony chose it.

Congrats!!!!

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