Constructing Conclusions

In this chapter, we examine the kinds of issues and challenges that researchers face in the process of developing their conclusions. We begin by examining what has been written about conclusions. Primarily, we find discussions of the potential components of conclusion sections of research reports, which differentiate conclusions from other aspects of the research “product.” However, the specific components of conclusion sections are likely to be tailored to the intended audience and purpose of each research report—research limitations, future studies, researchers' subjective experiences, expansion of findings to conclusions. In this chapter, we do not focus on the range of potential components; rather, we examine specifically how researchers move from their findings to conclusions. This act of construction is most important, we believe, ...