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Future Research – Thesis Guide

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Future Research

Definition:

Future research refers to investigations and studies that are yet to be conducted, and are aimed at expanding our understanding of a particular subject or area of interest. Future research is typically based on the current state of knowledge and seeks to address unanswered questions, gaps in knowledge, and new areas of inquiry.

How to Write Future Research in Thesis

Here are some steps to help you write effectively about future research in your thesis :

• Identify a research gap: Before you start writing about future research, identify the areas that need further investigation. Look for research gaps and inconsistencies in the literature , and note them down.
• Specify research questions : Once you have identified a research gap, create a list of research questions that you would like to explore in future research. These research questions should be specific, measurable, and relevant to your thesis.
• Discuss limitations: Be sure to discuss any limitations of your research that may require further exploration. This will help to highlight the need for future research and provide a basis for further investigation.
• Suggest methodologies: Provide suggestions for methodologies that could be used to explore the research questions you have identified. Discuss the pros and cons of each methodology and how they would be suitable for your research.
• Explain significance: Explain the significance of the research you have proposed, and how it will contribute to the field. This will help to justify the need for future research and provide a basis for further investigation.
• Provide a timeline : Provide a timeline for the proposed research , indicating when each stage of the research would be conducted. This will help to give a sense of the practicalities involved in conducting the research.
• Conclusion : Summarize the key points you have made about future research and emphasize the importance of exploring the research questions you have identified.

Examples of Future Research in Thesis

SomeExamples of Future Research in Thesis are as follows:

Future Research:

Although this study provides valuable insights into the effects of social media on self-esteem, there are several avenues for future research that could build upon our findings. Firstly, our sample consisted solely of college students, so it would be beneficial to extend this research to other age groups and demographics. Additionally, our study focused only on the impact of social media use on self-esteem, but there are likely other factors that influence how social media affects individuals, such as personality traits and social support. Future research could examine these factors in greater depth. Lastly, while our study looked at the short-term effects of social media use on self-esteem, it would be interesting to explore the long-term effects over time. This could involve conducting longitudinal studies that follow individuals over a period of several years to assess changes in self-esteem and social media use.

While this study provides important insights into the relationship between sleep patterns and academic performance among college students, there are several avenues for future research that could further advance our understanding of this topic.

• This study relied on self-reported sleep patterns, which may be subject to reporting biases. Future research could benefit from using objective measures of sleep, such as actigraphy or polysomnography, to more accurately assess sleep duration and quality.
• This study focused on academic performance as the outcome variable, but there may be other important outcomes to consider, such as mental health or well-being. Future research could explore the relationship between sleep patterns and these other outcomes.
• This study only included college students, and it is unclear if these findings generalize to other populations, such as high school students or working adults. Future research could investigate whether the relationship between sleep patterns and academic performance varies across different populations.
• Fourth, this study did not explore the potential mechanisms underlying the relationship between sleep patterns and academic performance. Future research could investigate the role of factors such as cognitive functioning, motivation, and stress in this relationship.

Overall, there is a need for continued research on the relationship between sleep patterns and academic performance, as this has important implications for the health and well-being of students.

Further research could investigate the long-term effects of mindfulness-based interventions on mental health outcomes among individuals with chronic pain. A longitudinal study could be conducted to examine the sustainability of mindfulness practices in reducing pain-related distress and improving psychological well-being over time. The study could also explore the potential mediating and moderating factors that influence the relationship between mindfulness and mental health outcomes, such as emotional regulation, pain catastrophizing, and social support.

Purpose of Future Research in Thesis

Here are some general purposes of future research that you might consider including in your thesis:

• To address limitations: Your research may have limitations or unanswered questions that could be addressed by future studies. Identify these limitations and suggest potential areas for further research.
• To extend the research : You may have found interesting results in your research, but future studies could help to extend or replicate your findings. Identify these areas where future research could help to build on your work.
• To explore related topics : Your research may have uncovered related topics that were outside the scope of your study. Suggest areas where future research could explore these related topics in more depth.
• To compare different approaches : Your research may have used a particular methodology or approach, but there may be other approaches that could be compared to your approach. Identify these other approaches and suggest areas where future research could compare and contrast them.
• To test hypotheses : Your research may have generated hypotheses that could be tested in future studies. Identify these hypotheses and suggest areas where future research could test them.
• To address practical implications : Your research may have practical implications that could be explored in future studies. Identify these practical implications and suggest areas where future research could investigate how to apply them in practice.

Applications of Future Research

Some examples of applications of future research that you could include in your thesis are:

• Development of new technologies or methods: If your research involves the development of new technologies or methods, you could discuss potential applications of these innovations in future research or practical settings. For example, if you have developed a new drug delivery system, you could speculate about how it might be used in the treatment of other diseases or conditions.
• Extension of your research: If your research only scratches the surface of a particular topic, you could suggest potential avenues for future research that could build upon your findings. For example, if you have studied the effects of a particular drug on a specific population, you could suggest future research that explores the drug’s effects on different populations or in combination with other treatments.
• Investigation of related topics: If your research is part of a larger field or area of inquiry, you could suggest potential research topics that are related to your work. For example, if you have studied the effects of climate change on a particular species, you could suggest future research that explores the impacts of climate change on other species or ecosystems.
• Testing of hypotheses: If your research has generated hypotheses or theories, you could suggest potential experiments or studies that could test these hypotheses in future research. For example, if you have proposed a new theory about the mechanisms of a particular disease, you could suggest experiments that could test this theory in other populations or in different disease contexts.

Advantage of Future Research

Including future research in a thesis has several advantages:

• Demonstrates critical thinking: Including future research shows that the author has thought deeply about the topic and recognizes its limitations. It also demonstrates that the author is interested in advancing the field and is not satisfied with only providing a narrow analysis of the issue at hand.
• Provides a roadmap for future research : Including future research can help guide researchers in the field by suggesting areas that require further investigation. This can help to prevent researchers from repeating the same work and can lead to more efficient use of resources.
• Shows engagement with the field : By including future research, the author demonstrates their engagement with the field and their understanding of ongoing debates and discussions. This can be especially important for students who are just entering the field and want to show their commitment to ongoing research.
• I ncreases the impact of the thesis : Including future research can help to increase the impact of the thesis by highlighting its potential implications for future research and practical applications. This can help to generate interest in the work and attract attention from researchers and practitioners in the field.

About the author

Muhammad Hassan

Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer

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Suggestions for Future Research

Your dissertation needs to include suggestions for future research. Depending on requirements of your university, suggestions for future research can be either integrated into Research Limitations section or it can be a separate section.

You will need to propose 4-5 suggestions for future studies and these can include the following:

1. Building upon findings of your research . These may relate to findings of your study that you did not anticipate. Moreover, you may suggest future research to address unanswered aspects of your research problem.

2. Addressing limitations of your research . Your research will not be free from limitations and these may relate to formulation of research aim and objectives, application of data collection method, sample size, scope of discussions and analysis etc. You can propose future research suggestions that address the limitations of your study.

3. Constructing the same research in a new context, location and/or culture . It is most likely that you have addressed your research problem within the settings of specific context, location and/or culture. Accordingly, you can propose future studies that can address the same research problem in a different settings, context, location and/or culture.

4. Re-assessing and expanding theory, framework or model you have addressed in your research . Future studies can address the effects of specific event, emergence of a new theory or evidence and/or other recent phenomenon on your research problem.

My e-book,  The Ultimate Guide to Writing a Dissertation in Business Studies: a step by step assistance  offers practical assistance to complete a dissertation with minimum or no stress. The e-book covers all stages of writing a dissertation starting from the selection to the research area to submitting the completed version of the work within the deadline. John Dudovskiy

How To Write The Conclusion Chapter

The what, why & how explained simply (with examples).

By: Jenna Crossley (PhD Cand). Reviewed By: Dr. Eunice Rautenbach | September 2021

So, you’ve wrapped up your results and discussion chapters, and you’re finally on the home stretch – the conclusion chapter . In this post, we’ll discuss everything you need to know to craft a high-quality conclusion chapter for your dissertation or thesis project.

Overview: Dissertation Conclusion Chapter

• What the thesis/dissertation conclusion chapter is
• What to include in your conclusion chapter
• How to structure and write up your conclusion chapter
• A few tips  to help you ace the chapter

What exactly is the conclusion chapter?

The conclusion chapter is typically the final major chapter of a dissertation or thesis. As such, it serves as a concluding summary of your research findings and wraps up the document. While some publications such as journal articles and research reports combine the discussion and conclusion sections, these are typically separate chapters in a dissertation or thesis. As always, be sure to check what your university’s structural preference is before you start writing up these chapters.

So, what’s the difference between the discussion and the conclusion chapter?

Well, the two chapters are quite similar , as they both discuss the key findings of the study. However, the conclusion chapter is typically more general and high-level in nature. In your discussion chapter, you’ll typically discuss the intricate details of your study, but in your conclusion chapter, you’ll take a   broader perspective, reporting on the main research outcomes and how these addressed your research aim (or aims) .

A core function of the conclusion chapter is to synthesise all major points covered in your study and to tell the reader what they should take away from your work. Basically, you need to tell them what you found , why it’s valuable , how it can be applied , and what further research can be done.

Whatever you do, don’t just copy and paste what you’ve written in your discussion chapter! The conclusion chapter should not be a simple rehash of the discussion chapter. While the two chapters are similar, they have distinctly different functions.  

What should I include in the conclusion chapter?

To understand what needs to go into your conclusion chapter, it’s useful to understand what the chapter needs to achieve. In general, a good dissertation conclusion chapter should achieve the following:

• Summarise the key findings of the study
• Explicitly answer the research question(s) and address the research aims
• Inform the reader of the study’s main contributions
• Discuss any limitations or weaknesses of the study
• Present recommendations for future research

Therefore, your conclusion chapter needs to cover these core components. Importantly, you need to be careful not to include any new findings or data points. Your conclusion chapter should be based purely on data and analysis findings that you’ve already presented in the earlier chapters. If there’s a new point you want to introduce, you’ll need to go back to your results and discussion chapters to weave the foundation in there.

In many cases, readers will jump from the introduction chapter directly to the conclusions chapter to get a quick overview of the study’s purpose and key findings. Therefore, when you write up your conclusion chapter, it’s useful to assume that the reader hasn’t consumed the inner chapters of your dissertation or thesis. In other words, craft your conclusion chapter such that there’s a strong connection and smooth flow between the introduction and conclusion chapters, even though they’re on opposite ends of your document.

Need a helping hand?

How to write the conclusion chapter

Now that you have a clearer view of what the conclusion chapter is about, let’s break down the structure of this chapter so that you can get writing. Keep in mind that this is merely a typical structure – it’s not set in stone or universal. Some universities will prefer that you cover some of these points in the discussion chapter , or that you cover the points at different levels in different chapters.

Step 1: Craft a brief introduction section

As with all chapters in your dissertation or thesis, the conclusions chapter needs to start with a brief introduction. In this introductory section, you’ll want to tell the reader what they can expect to find in the chapter, and in what order . Here’s an example of what this might look like:

This chapter will conclude the study by summarising the key research findings in relation to the research aims and questions and discussing the value and contribution thereof. It will also review the limitations of the study and propose opportunities for future research.

Importantly, the objective here is just to give the reader a taste of what’s to come (a roadmap of sorts), not a summary of the chapter. So, keep it short and sweet – a paragraph or two should be ample.

Step 2: Discuss the overall findings in relation to the research aims

The next step in writing your conclusions chapter is to discuss the overall findings of your study , as they relate to the research aims and research questions . You would have likely covered similar ground in the discussion chapter, so it’s important to zoom out a little bit here and focus on the broader findings – specifically, how these help address the research aims .

In practical terms, it’s useful to start this section by reminding your reader of your research aims and research questions, so that the findings are well contextualised. In this section, phrases such as, “This study aimed to…” and “the results indicate that…” will likely come in handy. For example, you could say something like the following:

This study aimed to investigate the feeding habits of the naked mole-rat. The results indicate that naked mole rats feed on underground roots and tubers. Further findings show that these creatures eat only a part of the plant, leaving essential parts to ensure long-term food stability.

Be careful not to make overly bold claims here. Avoid claims such as “this study proves that” or “the findings disprove existing the existing theory”. It’s seldom the case that a single study can prove or disprove something. Typically, this is achieved by a broader body of research, not a single study – especially not a dissertation or thesis which will inherently have significant and limitations. We’ll discuss those limitations a little later.

Step 3: Discuss how your study contributes to the field

Next, you’ll need to discuss how your research has contributed to the field – both in terms of theory and practice . This involves talking about what you achieved in your study, highlighting why this is important and valuable, and how it can be used or applied.

In this section you’ll want to:

• Mention any research outputs created as a result of your study (e.g., articles, publications, etc.)
• Inform the reader on just how your research solves your research problem , and why that matters
• Reflect on gaps in the existing research and discuss how your study contributes towards addressing these gaps
• Discuss your study in relation to relevant theories . For example, does it confirm these theories or constructively challenge them?
• Discuss how your research findings can be applied in the real world . For example, what specific actions can practitioners take, based on your findings?

Be careful to strike a careful balance between being firm but humble in your arguments here. It’s unlikely that your one study will fundamentally change paradigms or shake up the discipline, so making claims to this effect will be frowned upon . At the same time though, you need to present your arguments with confidence, firmly asserting the contribution your research has made, however small that contribution may be. Simply put, you need to keep it balanced .

Step 4: Reflect on the limitations of your study

Now that you’ve pumped your research up, the next step is to critically reflect on the limitations and potential shortcomings of your study. You may have already covered this in the discussion chapter, depending on your university’s structural preferences, so be careful not to repeat yourself unnecessarily.

There are many potential limitations that can apply to any given study. Some common ones include:

• Sampling issues that reduce the generalisability of the findings (e.g., non-probability sampling )
• Insufficient sample size (e.g., not getting enough survey responses ) or limited data access
• Low-resolution data collection or analysis techniques
• Researcher bias or lack of experience
• Lack of access to research equipment
• Time constraints that limit the methodology (e.g. cross-sectional vs longitudinal time horizon)
• Budget constraints that limit various aspects of the study

Discussing the limitations of your research may feel self-defeating (no one wants to highlight their weaknesses, right), but it’s a critical component of high-quality research. It’s important to appreciate that all studies have limitations (even well-funded studies by expert researchers) – therefore acknowledging these limitations adds credibility to your research by showing that you understand the limitations of your research design .

That being said, keep an eye on your wording and make sure that you don’t undermine your research . It’s important to strike a balance between recognising the limitations, but also highlighting the value of your research despite those limitations. Show the reader that you understand the limitations, that these were justified given your constraints, and that you know how they can be improved upon – this will get you marks.

Next, you’ll need to make recommendations for future studies. This will largely be built on the limitations you just discussed. For example, if one of your study’s weaknesses was related to a specific data collection or analysis method, you can make a recommendation that future researchers undertake similar research using a more sophisticated method.

Another potential source of future research recommendations is any data points or analysis findings that were interesting or surprising , but not directly related to your study’s research aims and research questions. So, if you observed anything that “stood out” in your analysis, but you didn’t explore it in your discussion (due to a lack of relevance to your research aims), you can earmark that for further exploration in this section.

Essentially, this section is an opportunity to outline how other researchers can build on your study to take the research further and help develop the body of knowledge. So, think carefully about the new questions that your study has raised, and clearly outline these for future researchers to pick up on.

Step 6: Wrap up with a closing summary

Quick tips for a top-notch conclusion chapter

Now that we’ve covered the what , why and how of the conclusion chapter, here are some quick tips and suggestions to help you craft a rock-solid conclusion.

• Don’t ramble . The conclusion chapter usually consumes 5-7% of the total word count (although this will vary between universities), so you need to be concise. Edit this chapter thoroughly with a focus on brevity and clarity.
• Be very careful about the claims you make in terms of your study’s contribution. Nothing will make the marker’s eyes roll back faster than exaggerated or unfounded claims. Be humble but firm in your claim-making.
• Use clear and simple language that can be easily understood by an intelligent layman. Remember that not every reader will be an expert in your field, so it’s important to make your writing accessible. Bear in mind that no one knows your research better than you do, so it’s important to spell things out clearly for readers.

Hopefully, this post has given you some direction and confidence to take on the conclusion chapter of your dissertation or thesis with confidence. If you’re still feeling a little shaky and need a helping hand, consider booking a free initial consultation with a friendly Grad Coach to discuss how we can help you with hands-on, private coaching.

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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17 Comments

Really you team are doing great!

Your guide on writing the concluding chapter of a research is really informative especially to the beginners who really do not know where to start. Im now ready to start. Keep it up guys

Really your team are doing great!

Very helpful guidelines, timely saved. Thanks so much for the tips.

This post was very helpful and informative. Thank you team.

A very enjoyable, understandable and crisp presentation on how to write a conclusion chapter. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thanks Jenna.

This was a very helpful article which really gave me practical pointers for my concluding chapter. Keep doing what you are doing! It meant a lot to me to be able to have this guide. Thank you so much.

Nice content dealing with the conclusion chapter, it’s a relief after the streneous task of completing discussion part.Thanks for valuable guidance

Thanks for your guidance

I get all my doubts clarified regarding the conclusion chapter. It’s really amazing. Many thanks.

Very helpful tips. Thanks so much for the guidance

Thank you very much for this piece. It offers a very helpful starting point in writing the conclusion chapter of my thesis.

It’s awesome! Most useful and timely too. Thanks a million times

Bundle of thanks for your guidance. It was greatly helpful.

Wonderful, clear, practical guidance. So grateful to read this as I conclude my research. Thank you.

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Alternative Quality Management Systems for Highway Construction (2015)

Chapter: chapter 6: conclusions, limitations and future research.

Below is the uncorrected machine-read text of this chapter, intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text of each book. Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.

CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSIONS, LIMITATIONS and FUTURE RESEARCH 6.1 Conclusions Quality management systems in the United States transportation industry are evolving. Innovations in QAOs and other features of quality programs are being used by STAs across the country on projects with both traditional DBB delivery and alternative delivery methods. However, these alternative quality management systems are being applied on a project-by- project basis due to the lack of national guidance to promote standard approaches. For highway agencies, this lack of guidance is resulting in significant investment to develop individual programs and minimizing the ability to capture and utilize knowledge across agencies. For consulting engineers and contractors, this lack of guidance is resulting in significant investment in response to project solicitations which require unique QMSs for different agencies. The objective of this research was to address the needs for QMS guidance for evolving alternative project delivery methods. This research has provided guidance through the following accomplishments: • Documentation of practices as found in quality management literature, surveys and case studies; • Analysis of the benefits and challenges of the alternative QMS through rigorous and scientific case study means; • Identification and definition of five fundamental QAOs for highway design and construction projects; • Identification and definition of ten factors influencing the selection of a QAO for highway design and construction projects; • Development of a selection model for matching these systems to alternative project delivery methods; • Increasing industry understanding of the impacts that alternative QAOs have on highway design and construction projects; and • Providing agencies with a roadmap of changes to the baseline QMS to accommodate alternative delivery methods. The research defines the roles and responsibilities of all project stakeholders (agency, contractor, designer and consultants) in a clear and understandable manner. The research also describes each of the fundamental QAOs through a description of the stakeholder’s roles and responsibilities, and the applicable project delivery methods. The results provide a better understanding of the impact that a particular QAO has on a project. With this information, an 137

agency can better anticipate the consequences of using a particular QAO on the management of a highway project. 6.2 Challenges to Implementation The research team believes that the guidance in this research will increase the efficiency and effectiveness of overall project delivery and the end product. Continued advancement will take a willingness of STAs to implement alternative QMSs and measure their effectiveness. It has taken decades to establish the baseline QMS. It will take highly motivated individuals and champions of change before the industry can truly realize the impacts of these advances. The challenges of implementing alternative QMS processes are similar any process changes in large public or private organizations. State highway agencies must consider several challenges when deploying this research. Challenging the status quo and creating a cultural change requires leadership and mentoring to ensure that alternative QMSs are thoughtfully applied. The dedication of sufficient time to changing agency attitudes toward incorporating alternative QAOs and incremental changes to the baseline systems will be required. It will be necessary to assign champions within the organization to implement the models, methods and tools in this guidebook. These champions will need to educate their peers and serve as resources for implementation. 6.3 Limitations of the Research Due to the nature of the research questions and the limited use of alternative QMSs in the United States, this research was based on largely qualitative research methods. The survey conducted in this research did not, for the most part, yield statistically significant results. Rather, the survey led the team to a sample of diverse case studies from which to draw conclusions. While the case studies were rigorously conducted and validated, the results are limited by the case study sample size. As a result, the fundamental QAOs identified by the research are based on QAOs that currently exist in the industry. It is possible that additional QAOs not identified in this research may develop in the future as the industry becomes more comfortable with alternative project delivery methods and more comfortable with the contractor taking on more responsibility for quality. The development of additional fundamental QAOs implies that the industry is embracing not only alternative project delivery, project management and quality methods, but also developing relationships with contractors that are built up trust, the contractor’s expertise, and a willingness to shift more quality responsibility to the contractor. While there is historical data pertaining to material specifications and material quality in every SHA, there is a lack of data and consistent measures of quality assurance organizations within the industry. It can be speculated that the reason for this is the industry focus on “how to implement alternative quality systems” at this point, rather than evaluating the effectiveness of quality assurance organizations. The development of measures to assess the performance of QAOs is a topic for future research. The complexity of the topic was evident by a variety of conditions within the industry. This complexity created barriers for the research. For example, there is widespread inconsistent use 138

of quality terminology throughout the industry. The complexity of the topic has resulted in SHAs have differing opinions about the transfer of quality responsibility to the contracting community. Furthermore, during the structured interviews SHAs expressed a need for further guidance regarding quality on a highway project with shifting project roles and responsibilities. 6.4 Future Research The limitations of this research point towards topics to be addressed in the future. Quality management systems in the United States will continue to evolve. Quality management research should strive to lead this change. The following are a few areas for future research. • What levels of quality performance result from each QAO variation? • What additional tools are available to assist with incremental changes to the baseline systems? • Do the need and/or amount of agency staff reduce as the amount of quality responsibility shifts to the industry? • How can QAOs be assigned on a programmatic basis rather than a project-by-project basis? 139

TRB’s National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Web-Only Document 212: Alternative Quality Management Systems for Highway Construction documents the research process, data collection and analysis used to develop NCHRP Report 808: Guidebook on Alternative Quality Management Systems for Highway Construction .

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• Cookies & Privacy
• GETTING STARTED
• Introduction
• FUNDAMENTALS
• Acknowledgements
• Research questions & hypotheses
• Concepts, constructs & variables
• Research limitations
• Getting started
• Sampling Strategy
• Research Quality
• Research Ethics
• Data Analysis

Using future research suggestions as a basis to come up with a dissertation topic idea

To use future research suggestions as a basis to come up with a dissertation topic idea, you need to have read a journal article on a topic that interests you. Having read this journal article, focus on the section at the end of the article, often called Future Research (or Discussion/Research Limitations ), where the authors not only tend to criticise their work, but also propose future research that could address such problems. Now, follow the five steps below:

• STEP ONE: Identify the types of future research suggestion discussed by the authors
• STEP TWO: Understand the potential relationship between these future research suggestions and what makes a dissertation topic significant
• STEP THREE: Critique the future research suggestions
• STEP FOUR: Choose a future research suggestion that you feel you can build on ; and that interests you
• STEP FIVE: Turn your dissertation idea into a purpose statement

STEP ONE Identify the types of future research suggestion discussed by the authors

Authors of good journal articles will make a number of future research suggestions in their work. These may include one or more of the following types of future research suggestion:

Addressing research limitations in their research

All research has limitations . These may include: (a) an inability to answer research questions; (b) theoretical and conceptual problems; (c) limitations in the research strategy adopted; and (d) problems of research quality. The desire of authors to address research limitations in their research is one of the most common types of future research suggestion you will come across.

Building on a particular finding in their research

There are often findings that come out of the research process that the authors did not anticipate at the start of the research process. These findings can help authors to propose entirely new avenues to explore in future studies. As a result, future research suggestions are sometimes based on building on a particular finding from the authors? research.

Re-evaluating or expanding a conceptual framework (or theoretical model)

Research rarely tries to build grand theories or examine very broad conceptual frameworks. There are a number of reasons for this. Perhaps the most obvious is the difficultly in demonstrating the quality of the findings . When we talk about problems of research quality , we are referring to the difficult (or inability) of researchers to prove that their findings are reliable and externally valid (in quantitative research designs) or confirmable, credible, dependable, and transferable (in qualitative research designs) [see the section on Research Quality for more information]. This means that most high quality research focuses on tackling research questions within a particular context , location and/or culture . Tackling research in this way means that there are many ways to re-evaluate or expand on the conceptual framework (or theoretical model) that authors used to strength and/or underpin their research. For example, authors may suggest that future research could involve no more than taking their existing research and applying it to a new context, location and/or culture to examine if it was still applicable. As a result, you will often see authors making future research suggestions that are based on re-evaluating or expanding a conceptual framework (or theoretical model ).

For a more detailed overview of these future research suggestions, see the article: Types of future research suggestion . Within the Research Limitations section of this website, we also go into more detail on each of these types of future research suggestions. Reading these articles will help you to identify what types of future research suggestions are being discussed by the authors in the journal article you are interested in.

STEP TWO Understand the potential relationship between these future research suggestions and what makes a dissertation topic significant

Whilst dissertations are rarely "ground-breaking" at the undergraduate or master's level (and are not expected to be), they should still be significant in some way. When coming up with a dissertation topic idea, you need to be able to explain how your idea is significant. Your research may be significant in one or a number of ways. It may:

Capitalise on a recent event

Reflect a break from the past

Target a new audience

Address a flaw in a previous study

Expand a particular field of study

Help an individual, group, organisation, or community

Since this section of the article deals with using future research suggestions as a basis for coming up with a dissertation topic idea, just two of these aspects of research significance are relevant:

The desire to address a flaw in a previous study.

The desire to expand a particular field of study.

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Chapter 9 conclusions and recommendations for future research.

• How well have we achieved our original aim and objectives?

The initially stated overarching aim of this research was to identify the contextual factors and mechanisms that are regularly associated with effective and cost-effective public involvement in research. While recognising the limitations of our analysis, we believe we have largely achieved this in our revised theory of public involvement in research set out in Chapter 8 . We have developed and tested this theory of public involvement in research in eight diverse case studies; this has highlighted important contextual factors, in particular PI leadership, which had not previously been prominent in the literature. We have identified how this critical contextual factor shapes key mechanisms of public involvement, including the identification of a senior lead for involvement, resource allocation for involvement and facilitation of research partners. These mechanisms then lead to specific outcomes in improving the quality of research, notably recruitment strategies and materials and data collection tools and methods. We have identified a ‘virtuous circle’ of feedback to research partners on their contribution leading to their improved confidence and motivation, which facilitates their continued contribution. Following feedback from the HS&DR Board on our original application we did not seek to assess the cost-effectiveness of different mechanisms of public involvement but we did cost the different types of public involvement as discussed in Chapter 7 . A key finding is that many research projects undercost public involvement.

In our original proposal we emphasised our desire to include case studies involving young people and families with children in the research process. We recruited two studies involving parents of young children aged under 5 years, and two projects involving ‘older’ young people in the 18- to 25-years age group. We recognise that in doing this we missed studies involving children and young people aged under 18 years; in principle we would have liked to have included studies involving such children and young people, but, given the resources at our disposal and the additional resource, ethical and governance issues this would have entailed, we regretfully concluded that this would not be feasible for our study. In terms of the four studies with parental and young persons’ involvement that we did include, we have not done a separate analysis of their data, but the themes emerging from those case studies were consistent with our other case studies and contributed to our overall analysis.

In terms of the initial objectives, we successfully recruited the sample of eight diverse case studies and collected and analysed data from them (objective 1). As intended, we identified the outcomes of involvement from multiple stakeholders‘ perspectives, although we did not get as many research partners‘ perspectives as we would have liked – see limitations below (objective 2). It was more difficult than expected to track the impact of public involvement from project inception through to completion (objective 3), as all of our projects turned out to have longer time scales than our own. Even to track involvement over a stage of a case study research project proved difficult, as the research usually did not fall into neatly staged time periods and one study had no involvement activity over the study period.

Nevertheless, we were able to track seven of the eight case studies prospectively and in real time over time periods of up to 9 months, giving us an unusual window on involvement processes that have previously mainly been observed retrospectively. We were successful in comparing the contextual factors, mechanisms and outcomes associated with public involvement from different stakeholders‘ perspectives and costing the different mechanisms for public involvement (objective 4). We only partly achieved our final objective of undertaking a consensus exercise among stakeholders to assess the merits of the realist evaluation approach and our approach to the measurement and valuation of economic costs of public involvement in research (objective 5). A final consensus event was held, where very useful discussion and amendment of our theory of public involvement took place, and the economic approach was discussed and helpfully critiqued by participants. However, as our earlier discussions developed more fully than expected, we decided to let them continue rather than interrupt them in order to run the final exercise to assess the merits of the realist evaluation approach. We did, however, test our analysis with all our case study participants by sending a draft of this final report for comment. We received a number of helpful comments and corrections but no disagreement with our overall analysis.

• What were the limitations of our study?

Realist evaluation is a relatively new approach and we recognise that there were a number of limitations to our study. We sought to follow the approach recommended by Pawson, but we acknowledge that we were not always able to do so. In particular, our theory of public involvement in research evolved over time and initially was not as tightly framed in terms of a testable hypothesis as Pawson recommends. In his latest book Pawson strongly recommends that outcomes should be measured with quantitative data, 17 but we did not do so; we were not aware of the existence of quantitative data or tools that would enable us to collect such data to answer our research questions. Even in terms of qualitative data, we did not capture as much information on outcomes as we initially envisaged. There were several reasons for this. The most important was that capturing outcomes in public involvement is easier the more operational the focus of involvement, and more difficult the more strategic the involvement. Thus, it was relatively easy to see the impact of a patient panel on the redesign of a recruitment leaflet but harder to capture the impact of research partners in a multidisciplinary team discussion of research design.

We also found it was sometimes more difficult to engage research partners as participants in our research than researchers or research managers. On reflection this is not surprising. Research partners are generally motivated to take part in research relevant to their lived experience of a health condition or situation, whereas our research was quite detached from their lived experience; in addition people had many constraints on their time, so getting involved in our research as well as their own was likely to be a burden too far for some. Researchers clearly also face significant time pressures but they had a more direct interest in our research, as they are obliged to engage with public involvement to satisfy research funders such as the NIHR. Moreover, researchers were being paid by their employers for their time during interviews with us, while research partners were not paid by us and usually not paid by their research teams. Whatever the reasons, we had less response from research partners than researchers or research managers, particularly for the third round of data collection; thus we have fewer data on outcomes from research partners‘ perspectives and we need to be aware of a possible selection bias towards more engaged research partners. Such a bias could have implications for our findings; for example payment might have been a more important motivating factor for less engaged advisory group members.

There were a number of practical difficulties we encountered. One challenge was when to recruit the case studies. We recruited four of our eight case studies prior to the full application, but this was more than 1 year before our project started and 15 months or more before data collection began. In this intervening period, we found that the time scales of some of the case studies were no longer ideal for our project and we faced the choice of whether to continue with them, although this timing was not ideal, or seek at a late moment to recruit alternative ones. One of our case studies ultimately undertook no involvement activity over the study period, so we obtained fewer data from it, and it contributed relatively little to our analysis. Similarly, one of the four case studies we recruited later experienced some delays itself in beginning and so we had a more limited period for data collection than initially envisaged. Research governance approvals took much longer than expected, particularly as we had to take three of our research partners, who were going to collect data within NHS projects, through the research passport process, which essentially truncated our data collection period from 1 year to 9 months. Even if we had had the full year initially envisaged for data collection, our conclusion with hindsight was that this was insufficiently long. To compare initial plans and intentions for involvement with the reality of what actually happened required a longer time period than a year for most of our case studies.

In the light of the importance we have placed on the commitment of PIs, there is an issue of potential selection bias in the recruitment of our sample. As our sampling strategy explicitly involved a networking approach to PIs of projects where we thought some significant public involvement was taking place, we were likely (as we did) to recruit enthusiasts and, at worst, those non-committed who were at least open to the potential value of public involvement. There were, unsurprisingly, no highly sceptical PIs in our sample. We have no data therefore on how public involvement may work in research where the PI is sceptical but may feel compelled to undertake involvement because of funder requirements or other factors.

• What would we do differently next time?

If we were to design this study again, there are a number of changes we would make. Most importantly we would go for a longer time period to be able to capture involvement through the whole research process from initial design through to dissemination. We would seek to recruit far more potential case studies in principle, so that we had greater choice of which to proceed with once our study began in earnest. We would include case studies from the application stage to capture the important early involvement of research partners in the initial design period. It might be preferable to research a smaller number of case studies, allowing a more in-depth ethnographic approach. Although challenging, it would be very informative to seek to sample sceptical PIs. This might require a brief screening exercise of a larger group of PIs on their attitudes to and experience of public involvement.

The economic evaluation was challenging in a number of ways, particularly in seeking to obtain completed resource logs from case study research partners. Having a 2-week data collection period was also problematic in a field such as public involvement, where activity may be very episodic and infrequent. Thus, collecting economic data alongside other case study data in a more integrated way, and particularly with interviews and more ethnographic observation of case study activities, might be advantageous. The new budgeting tool developed by INVOLVE and the MHRN may provide a useful resource for future economic evaluations. 23

We have learned much from the involvement of research partners in our research team and, although many aspects of our approach worked well, there are some things we would do differently in future. Even though we included substantial resources for research partner involvement in all aspects of our study, we underestimated how time-consuming such full involvement would be. We were perhaps overambitious in trying to ensure such full involvement with the number of research partners and the number and complexity of the case studies. We were also perhaps naive in expecting all the research partners to play the same role in the team; different research partners came with different experiences and skills, and, like most of our case studies, we might have been better to be less prescriptive and allow the roles to develop more organically within the project.

• Implications for research practice and funding

If one of the objectives of R&D policy is to increase the extent and effectiveness of public involvement in research, then a key implication of this research is the importance of influencing PIs to value public involvement in research or to delegate to other senior colleagues in leading on involvement in their research. Training is unlikely to be the key mechanism here; senior researchers are much more likely to be influenced by peers or by their personal experience of the benefits of public involvement. Early career researchers may be shaped by training but again peer learning and culture may be more influential. For those researchers sceptical or agnostic about public involvement, the requirement of funders is a key factor that is likely to make them engage with the involvement agenda. Therefore, funders need to scrutinise the track record of research teams on public involvement to ascertain whether there is any evidence of commitment or leadership on involvement.

One of the findings of the economic analysis was that PIs have consistently underestimated the costs of public involvement in their grant applications. Clearly the field will benefit from the guidance and budgeting tool recently disseminated by MHRN and INVOLVE. It was also notable that there was a degree of variation in the real costs of public involvement and that effective involvement is not necessarily costly. Different models of involvement incur different costs and researchers need to be made aware of the costs and benefits of these different options.

One methodological lesson we learned was the impact that conducting this research had on some participants’ reflection on the impact of public involvement. Particularly for research staff, the questions we asked sometimes made them reflect upon what they were doing and change aspects of their approach to involvement. Thus, the more the NIHR and other funders can build reporting, audit and other forms of evaluation on the impact of public involvement directly into their processes with PIs, the more likely such questioning might stimulate similar reflection.

• Recommendations for further research

There are a number of gaps in our knowledge around public involvement in research that follow from our findings, and would benefit from further research, including realist evaluation to extend and further test the theory we have developed here:

• In-depth exploration of how PIs become committed to public involvement and how to influence agnostic or sceptical PIs would be very helpful. Further research might compare, for example, training with peer-influencing strategies in engendering PI commitment. Research could explore the leadership role of other research team members, including research partners, and how collective leadership might support effective public involvement.
• More methodological work is needed on how to robustly capture the impact and outcomes of public involvement in research (building as well on the PiiAF work of Popay et al. 51 ), including further economic analysis and exploration of impact when research partners are integral to research teams.
• Research to develop approaches and carry out a full cost–benefit analysis of public involvement in research would be beneficial. Although methodologically challenging, it would be very useful to conduct some longer-term studies which sought to quantify the impact of public involvement on such key indicators as participant recruitment and retention in clinical trials.
• It would also be helpful to capture qualitatively the experiences and perspectives of research partners who have had mixed or negative experiences, since they may be less likely than enthusiasts to volunteer to participate in studies of involvement in research such as ours. Similarly, further research might explore the (relatively rare) experiences of marginalised and seldom-heard groups involved in research.
• Payment for public involvement in research remains a contested issue with strongly held positions for and against; it would be helpful to further explore the value research partners and researchers place on payment and its effectiveness for enhancing involvement in and impact on research.
• A final relatively narrow but important question that we identified after data collection had finished is: what is the impact of the long periods of relative non-involvement following initial periods of more intense involvement for research partners in some types of research, particularly clinical trials?

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• Cite this Page Evans D, Coad J, Cottrell K, et al. Public involvement in research: assessing impact through a realist evaluation. Southampton (UK): NIHR Journals Library; 2014 Oct. (Health Services and Delivery Research, No. 2.36.) Chapter 9, Conclusions and recommendations for future research.
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This chapter forms the first of three theoretical passages in this thesis. It introduces the reader to the fundamentals of futures research. The chapters 3 and 4 will expand on this content and discuss the two most prominent tools of futures research in more detail, since these will be also applied within the research of this thesis later on.

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While Sandel argues that pursuing perfection through genetic engineering would decrease our sense of humility, he claims that the sense of solidarity we would lose is also important.

This thesis summarizes several points in Sandel’s argument, but it does not make a claim about how we should understand his argument. A reader who read Sandel’s argument would not also need to read an essay based on this descriptive thesis.  

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Michael Sandel’s arguments about genetic engineering do not take into consideration all the relevant issues.

This is an arguable claim because it would be possible to argue against it by saying that Michael Sandel’s arguments do take all of the relevant issues into consideration. But the claim is too broad. Because the thesis does not specify which “issues” it is focused on—or why it matters if they are considered—readers won’t know what the rest of the essay will argue, and the writer won’t know what to focus on. If there is a particular issue that Sandel does not address, then a more specific version of the thesis would include that issue—hand an explanation of why it is important.  

Arguable thesis with analytical claim 

While Sandel argues persuasively that our instinct to “remake” (54) ourselves into something ever more perfect is a problem, his belief that we can always draw a line between what is medically necessary and what makes us simply “better than well” (51) is less convincing.

This is an arguable analytical claim. To argue for this claim, the essay writer will need to show how evidence from the article itself points to this interpretation. It’s also a reasonable scope for a thesis because it can be supported with evidence available in the text and is neither too broad nor too narrow.  

Arguable thesis with normative claim 

Given Sandel’s argument against genetic enhancement, we should not allow parents to decide on using Human Growth Hormone for their children.

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How to Write an “Implications of Research” Section

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• 24th October 2022

When writing research papers , theses, journal articles, or dissertations, one cannot ignore the importance of research. You’re not only the writer of your paper but also the researcher ! Moreover, it’s not just about researching your topic, filling your paper with abundant citations, and topping it off with a reference list. You need to dig deep into your research and provide related literature on your topic. You must also discuss the implications of your research.

Interested in learning more about implications of research? Read on! This post will define these implications, why they’re essential, and most importantly, how to write them. If you’re a visual learner, you might enjoy this video .

What Are Implications of Research?

Implications are potential questions from your research that justify further exploration. They state how your research findings could affect policies, theories, and/or practices.

Implications can either be practical or theoretical. The former is the direct impact of your findings on related practices, whereas the latter is the impact on the theories you have chosen in your study.

Example of a practical implication: If you’re researching a teaching method, the implication would be how teachers can use that method based on your findings.

Example of a theoretical implication: You added a new variable to Theory A so that it could cover a broader perspective.

Finally, implications aren’t the same as recommendations, and it’s important to know the difference between them .

Questions you should consider when developing the implications section:

●  What is the significance of your findings?

●  How do the findings of your study fit with or contradict existing research on this topic?

●  Do your results support or challenge existing theories? If they support them, what new information do they contribute? If they challenge them, why do you think that is?

Why Are Implications Important?

You need implications for the following reasons:

● To reflect on what you set out to accomplish in the first place

● To see if there’s a change to the initial perspective, now that you’ve collected the data

● To inform your audience, who might be curious about the impact of your research

How to Write an Implications Section

Usually, you write your research implications in the discussion section of your paper. This is the section before the conclusion when you discuss all the hard work you did. Additionally, you’ll write the implications section before making recommendations for future research.

Implications should begin with what you discovered in your study, which differs from what previous studies found, and then you can discuss the implications of your findings.

Your implications need to be specific, meaning you should show the exact contributions of your research and why they’re essential. They should also begin with a specific sentence structure.

Examples of starting implication sentences:

●  These results build on existing evidence of…

●  These findings suggest that…

●  These results should be considered when…

●  While previous research has focused on x , these results show that y …

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You should write your implications after you’ve stated the results of your research. In other words, summarize your findings and put them into context.

The result : One study found that young learners enjoy short activities when learning a foreign language.

The implications : This result suggests that foreign language teachers use short activities when teaching young learners, as they positively affect learning.

 Example 2

The result : One study found that people who listen to calming music just before going to bed sleep better than those who watch TV.

The implications : These findings suggest that listening to calming music aids sleep quality, whereas watching TV does not.

To summarize, remember these key pointers:

●  Implications are the impact of your findings on the field of study.

●  They serve as a reflection of the research you’ve conducted.              

●  They show the specific contributions of your findings and why the audience should care.

●  They can be practical or theoretical.

●  They aren’t the same as recommendations.

●  You write them in the discussion section of the paper.

●  State the results first, and then state their implications.

Are you currently working on a thesis or dissertation? Once you’ve finished your paper (implications included), our proofreading team can help ensure that your spelling, punctuation, and grammar are perfect. Consider submitting a 500-word document for free.

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PhD and Master's Theses in Futures Studies

Futures Studies is a Major Subject at the Turku School of Economics and consists of the international Master's Degree Programme in Futures Studies and a line of postgraduate studies.

These theses have been written within the current programmes since 2013. Links to the full text or abstract of the theses have been added when possible. All theses can also be found from the library of Turku School of Economics.

PhD Theses:

Djuricic, Ksenija (2022) Entrepreneurial foresight as entrepreneurs’ transformative power: Inducing contextual change through opportunity formation . Annales Universitatis Turkuensis, Ser. E, Tom. 94: Oeconomica, Turku 2022.

Ahvenharju, Sanna (2022)  Futures Consciousness as a Human Anticipatory Capacity – Definition and Measurement . Annales Universitatis Turkuensis, Ser. E, Tom. 90: Oeconomica, Turku 2022.

Jokinen, Leena (2022) Ideation for future cruise ships. Collaborative interorganisational foresight in cruise ship concept ideation . Annales Universitatis Turkuensis, Ser. E, Tom. 86: Oeconomica, Turku 2022. URN:ISBN:978-951-29-8776-4.

Kurki, Sofi (2020) Foresight and Transformation: Observing Pioneers in Our Changing Societies. Annales Universitatis Turkuensis, Ser. E, Tom. 62: Oeconomica, Turku 2020. URN:ISBN:978-951-29-8127-4.

Mäkelä, Marileena (2020) The past, present and future of environmental reporting in the Finnish forest industry. Annales Universitatis Turkuensis, Ser. E, Tom. 58: Oeconomica, Turku 2020. urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-951-29-8087-1.

Minkkinen, Matti (2020) A Breathless Race for Breathing Space. Critical-analytical futures studies and the contested co-evolution of privacy imaginaries and institutions. Annales Universitatis Turkuensis, Ser. E, Tom. 55: Oeconomica, Turku 2020. URN:ISBN:978-951-29-8042-0.

Lauttamäki, Ville (2017) Geoenergia kiinteistöjen lämmitysratkaisujen markkinoilla Suomessa energiakriisien ajoista 2030-luvulle. Turun yliopiston julkaisuja. Sarja E, osa 29: Oeconomica. URN:ISBN:978-951-29-7234-0.

Laakso, Kimmo (2014) Management of major accidents – Communication challenges and solutions in the preparedness and response phases for both authorities and companies. Turku School of Economics, Series A-7:2014. 271 p. ISBN 978-952-249-356-9 (print), 978-952-249-357-6 (pdf), ISSN 0357-4652 (print), 1459-4870 (pdf).  

Master's Theses:

Nwoko, Ogadinma Benedict Explicating the Strategic Options of Fiskars’ English & Crystal Living Business in the Future of Ethical Luxury

Oranen, Joel Pioneering spirit and village community of the future. Images of the future of church members of Jätkäsaari in the year 2040

Seikkula, Tiina Urban Seniors in Finland in the year 2035. Horizon scanning of inclusion and volunteering in the future

Grabtchak, Anna Corporate Foresight Preparedness: Bridging organisational and individual perspectives on foresight

Ogollah, Vincent Disaster Management in the Era of Blockchain Technologies. An Exploration with Future Scenarios

Ivanov, Krasimir Futures of Civil Aviation Operations explored from the perspective of Finnair

Seppälä, Ludmila Futures of Shipbuilding in the 22nd Century

Huhtala, Pekka Futures and sustainability transitions of Finnish district heating

Sciurca, Enrico Scanning the impacts of cryptocurrencies on the future of the Finnish banking sector. Three scenarios

Fey, Freya Creating Imaginary Role Models for Entrepreneurial Women. A CLA Workshop Exploring Images of the Preferred Future

Zimmer, Anna Nothing is certain but death – Scenarios of the mortality in Germany up to 2060

Keski-Pukkila, Pasi Desires, dead ends and new horizons: At the source of young people’s vocational images of the future

Rashed, Soha Ahmed-Fahim How are youth climate activists driving change to create their desired future?

Richards, Martyn Learning through the Looking Glass : Anticipation through the Lens of Social and Transformative Learning at a Futures literacy Lab

Vuorela, Emilia Improving firm’s strategic corporate foresight capabilities: Case Pemamek

Ryzhova, Anna Images of the future as “laboratory of the possible”. Current international degree students of Turku’s higher education institutions in the year 2030

Vähä-Piikkiö, Juuso Views into urban housing and infrastructure in 2040

Heikkinen, Tomi  Interpretation of Futures Knowledge for Corporate Strategy Development .

Jenkins, Tarian  Integrating strategic foresight processes to improve regional planning. Four intuitive scenarios for Wales’ regional futures.

Kuusipalo, Maria  Business ecosystems. Utilizing strategic foresight for gaining insights on how business ecosystems are managed in the future and what challenges they face.

Villman, Tero The preferred futures of a human-centric society. A case of developing a life-event-based visioning approach.

Schuen, Aurora Four Scenarios of Arctic Futures in 2050. Arctic Shipping Development and Arctic Maritime Governance in the Light of China's Arctic Policy.

Halkilahti, Maria  Human participation approach to organisations' foresight systems. Identifying elements that support or impede organisation members' participation in organisational foresight.

Reissmann, Mandla Images of Futures: Education Systems and Multiculturalism for Third World Development. Case: eSwatini, UWC and National Education curricula .

Paju, Kristiina Images of the future of Estonian education .

Sinkkilä, Linnea Becoming a forerunner in foresight. Key elements of success in organizational foresight.

Tomas Martinez, Carmen Using foresight in business ecosystems and innovation ecosystems.

Lamberg, Johanna Business Creation for Active Lifestyles in the Finnish Sport-Based Companies. Enabling a Sustainability Transformation Through Ecosystem Thinking.

Partti, Reeta Voices from the future: pioneers as a signal of change.

Hario, Pasi Humanities in the age of algorithms. A mixed-methods study on the futures of Akava Special Branches in 2036.

Ikezumi, Yukie Mobile Wireless Business World in the 6G Era. Future scenarios in the mobile wireless business in the time of 6G.

Shiori, Ota Exploring Japan’s Society 5.0. Identifying key factors shaping the development of Society 5.0 .

Silvonen, Essi Urban circular transition. Case Study: City of Turku – the current systemic state and future development potential for 2030.

Nareiko, Aleksej New Human Needs. A lesson from safe sci-fi futures.

Fors, Piritta Co-creative envisioning process. Case study: how a new futures research method can facilitate organisations to thrive in change.

Nguyen, Thi Ngoc Hoa Linkage between mindfulness and the ability to detect weak signals.

Voutilainen, Jani  Future of Finland’s partnership with NATO. Creating normative scenarios with big data.

Eronen, Kirsi-Maria Future places of business in Turku city center: adaptive cycle analysis and futures workshop.

Hurtado Hurtado, Joshua The futures of social practices of interaction between humans and Virtual Deceased Individuals. A Causal Layered Analysis of four ideal types.

Isotalo, Ossi In front of evidence. Future workshop as an interface of scientific evidence and platform for evidence-based policy and management approaches.

Karhapää, Jyri Trend impact analysis in stock valuation: An application with a dividend discount model.

Vu, Le Phuc The Futures of Social Media in B2C Marketing. From Business to Customers/Clients to Business to Community.

Nikula, Elina Visions of the inclusive school. Preferred futures by special education teacher students.  

Stucki, Max Anticipating geopolitical change. Analyzing the geopolitical scenarios of George Friedman.

Shaw, Morgan Governing future urban conduct through the sociotechnical imaginary of the low-carbon city.  A comparative case study of carbon reduction plans from Auckland, Copenhagen, New Orleans, and Vancouver.

Pena, Carlos The Future of Urban Areas: Urban Congestion and Related Innovation in the City of Los Angeles.

Rahunen, Maria-Emilia Future images of employment in Japan. How Japanese youth perceives the future.

Taylor, Amos Scenario Adaptation for Creative and Transformative Innovation.

Huttunen, Anna Pitäisköhän sitä alakoo maijontuottajaks? Suomalaisen maidontuotannon tulevaisuuskuvia vuodelle 2020.  

Hakala, Suvi  Transforming a company through vision and innovation: A forest company case study.

Heinäjärvi, Henna  Accentuate the positive: Hope as psychological capital in Futures Studies.

Nisula, Sakari Foresightfulness and World Class Manufacturing in the 6th Kondratieff Wave – A case study of a forest industry company.

Kauppila, Liisa Participatory Backcasting from Value Principles: Three Approaches to the Futures of Mobility in Finland up to 2025.

Lang, Merja Pioneers as Meaning-Makers on the Pathway to Neo-Carbon Energy.

Parkkinen, Marjukka Encountering Multiple Futures.

Siren, Saara-Sofia Potential of circular economy to save the Baltic Sea. A Morphological Analysis.

Balcom Raleigh, Nicolas Elevating Creativity and Criticality Through Game-Based Futuring: An action research case study in futures studies.

Kiviluoto, Katariina The layered reality of sustainable transport campaigning.

Leino-Richert, Ellinoora Backcasting energy efficiency futures of the European Union – Case studies of Finland and Germany.

Patrakka, Mikko Views on strategic development for an NPO in Finland – Case: Digitalization of Eläkeliitto (Finnish pensioner’s foundation).

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• Manuscript Preparation

What are Implications in Research?

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Manuscripts that do not mention the implications of the study are often desk-rejected by journals. What constitutes the ‘implications’ of research, and why is it important to include research implications in your manuscript?

Research implications: An overview

Once you have laid out the key findings in your paper, you have to discuss how they will likely impact the world. What is the significance of your study to policymakers, the lay person, or other researchers? This speculation, made in good faith, constitutes your study’ implications.

A research paper that does not explain the study’s importance in light of its findings exists in a vacuum. The paper may be relevant to you, the author, and some of your co-workers. But it is unclear how others will benefit from reading it.

How can the findings of your study help create a better world? What can we infer from your conclusion about the current state of research in your field or the quality of methods you employed? These are all important implications of your study.

You cannot predict how your study will influence the world or research in the future. You can only make reasonable speculations. In order to ensure that the implications are reasonable, you have to be mindful of the limitations of your study.

In the research context, only speculations supported by data count as valid implications. If the implications you draw do not logically follow the key findings of your study, they may sound overblown or outright preposterous.

Suppose your study evaluated the effects of a new drug in the adult population. In that case, you could not honestly speculate on how the drug will impact paediatric care. Thus, the implications you draw from your study cannot exceed its scope.

Practical implications

Imagine that your study found a popular type of cognitive therapy to be ineffective in treating insomnia. Your findings imply that psychologists using this type of therapy were not seeing actual results but an expectancy effect. Studies that can potentially impact real-world problems by prompting policy change or change in treatments have practical implications.

It can be helpful to understand the difference between an implication of your study and a recommendation. Suppose your study compares two or more types of therapy, ranks them in the order of effectiveness, and explicitly asks clinicians to follow the most effective type. The suggestion made in the end constitutes a ‘recommendation’ and not an ‘implication’.

Theoretical implications

Are your findings in line with previous research? Did your results validate the methods used in previous research or invalidate them? Has your study discovered a new and helpful way to do experiments? Speculations on how your findings can potentially impact research in your field of study are theoretical implications.

The main difference between practical and theoretical implications is that theoretical implications may not be readily helpful to policymakers or the public.

How to Write Implications in Research

Implications usually form an essential part of the conclusion section of a research paper. As we have mentioned in a previous article, this section starts by summarising your work, but this time emphasises your work’s significance .

While writing the implications, it is helpful to ask, “who will benefit the most from reading my paper?”—policymakers, physicians, the public, or other researchers. Once you know your target population, explain how your findings can help them.

Think about how the findings in your study are similar or dissimilar to the findings of previous studies. Your study may reaffirm or disprove the results of other studies. This is an important implication.

Suggest future directions for research in the subject area in light of your findings or further research to confirm your findings. These are also crucial implications.

Do not try to exaggerate your results, and make sure your tone reflects the strength of your findings. If the implications mentioned in your paper are convincing, it can improve visibility for your work and spur similar studies in your field.

For more information on the importance of implications in research, and guidance on how to include them in your manuscript, visit Elsevier Author Services now!

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Evidence Review of the Adverse Effects of COVID-19 Vaccination and Intramuscular Vaccine Administration

Vaccines are a public health success story, as they have prevented or lessened the effects of many infectious diseases. To address concerns around potential vaccine injuries, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) administers the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) and the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP), which provide compensation to those who assert that they were injured by routine vaccines or medical countermeasures, respectively. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine have contributed to the scientific basis for VICP compensation decisions for decades.

HRSA asked the National Academies to convene an expert committee to review the epidemiological, clinical, and biological evidence about the relationship between COVID-19 vaccines and specific adverse events, as well as intramuscular administration of vaccines and shoulder injuries. This report outlines the committee findings and conclusions.

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• How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples

How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples

Published on January 11, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on August 15, 2023 by Eoghan Ryan.

A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . It usually comes near the end of your introduction .

Your thesis will look a bit different depending on the type of essay you’re writing. But the thesis statement should always clearly state the main idea you want to get across. Everything else in your essay should relate back to this idea.

You can write your thesis statement by following four simple steps:

• Start with a question
• Write your initial answer
• Develop your answer
• Refine your thesis statement

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What is a thesis statement, placement of the thesis statement, step 1: start with a question, step 2: write your initial answer, step 3: develop your answer, step 4: refine your thesis statement, types of thesis statements, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about thesis statements.

A thesis statement summarizes the central points of your essay. It is a signpost telling the reader what the essay will argue and why.

The best thesis statements are:

• Concise: A good thesis statement is short and sweet—don’t use more words than necessary. State your point clearly and directly in one or two sentences.
• Contentious: Your thesis shouldn’t be a simple statement of fact that everyone already knows. A good thesis statement is a claim that requires further evidence or analysis to back it up.
• Coherent: Everything mentioned in your thesis statement must be supported and explained in the rest of your paper.

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The thesis statement generally appears at the end of your essay introduction or research paper introduction .

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts and among young people more generally is hotly debated. For many who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its many benefits for education: the internet facilitates easier access to information, exposure to different perspectives, and a flexible learning environment for both students and teachers.

You should come up with an initial thesis, sometimes called a working thesis , early in the writing process . As soon as you’ve decided on your essay topic , you need to work out what you want to say about it—a clear thesis will give your essay direction and structure.

You might already have a question in your assignment, but if not, try to come up with your own. What would you like to find out or decide about your topic?

For example, you might ask:

After some initial research, you can formulate a tentative answer to this question. At this stage it can be simple, and it should guide the research process and writing process .

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Now you need to consider why this is your answer and how you will convince your reader to agree with you. As you read more about your topic and begin writing, your answer should get more detailed.

In your essay about the internet and education, the thesis states your position and sketches out the key arguments you’ll use to support it.

The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its many benefits for education because it facilitates easier access to information.

In your essay about braille, the thesis statement summarizes the key historical development that you’ll explain.

The invention of braille in the 19th century transformed the lives of blind people, allowing them to participate more actively in public life.

A strong thesis statement should tell the reader:

• Why you hold this position
• What they’ll learn from your essay
• The key points of your argument or narrative

The final thesis statement doesn’t just state your position, but summarizes your overall argument or the entire topic you’re going to explain. To strengthen a weak thesis statement, it can help to consider the broader context of your topic.

These examples are more specific and show that you’ll explore your topic in depth.

Your thesis statement should match the goals of your essay, which vary depending on the type of essay you’re writing:

• In an argumentative essay , your thesis statement should take a strong position. Your aim in the essay is to convince your reader of this thesis based on evidence and logical reasoning.
• In an expository essay , you’ll aim to explain the facts of a topic or process. Your thesis statement doesn’t have to include a strong opinion in this case, but it should clearly state the central point you want to make, and mention the key elements you’ll explain.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.

The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:

• It gives your writing direction and focus.
• It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.

Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.

Follow these four steps to come up with a thesis statement :

• Ask a question about your topic .
• Write your initial answer.
• Develop your answer by including reasons.
• Refine your answer, adding more detail and nuance.

The thesis statement should be placed at the end of your essay introduction .

Cite this Scribbr article

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McCombes, S. (2023, August 15). How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved April 16, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/academic-essay/thesis-statement/

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Stanford Humanities Today

Arcade: a digital salon.

Hope: The Future of an Idea | 2024 Spring Salon

Where is hope in humanities research? Perhaps it's a concept with a particular history, perhaps a force whose effects are latent or invisible; or it may be absent altogether for reasons to explain. Does hope motivate one's work? What does hope mean intellectually and personally?

Please join us for brief responses to these questions by current fellows, followed by a general discussion with Q&A moderated by SHC Director Roland Greene . The event will conclude with a reception.

About the Speakers

Samia Errazzouki (Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow) is a historian of early Northwest Africa. She holds a PhD in history from the University of California, Davis and an MA in Arab Studies from Georgetown University. Her research and teaching focuses on trans-regional histories of racial capitalism, slavery, and empire. Errazzouki formerly worked as a Morocco-based journalist with the Associated Press, and later, with Reuters. She is currently a co-editor of Jadaliyya and assistant editor of The Journal of North African Studies .

Jisha Menon (Violet Andrews Whittier Internal Fellow) is Professor of Theater and Performance Studies, and, by courtesy, of Comparative Literature at Stanford University. She is the author of Brutal Beauty: Aesthetics and Aspiration in Urban India (Northwestern UP, 2021) and The Performance of Nationalism: India, Pakistan and the Memory of Partition (Cambridge UP, 2013). She is also co-editor of two volumes: Violence Performed: Local Roots and Global Routes of Conflict (Palgrave-Macmillan Press, 2009) and Performing the Secular: Religion, Representation, and Politics (Palgrave Macmillan, 2017).

Joseph Wager (SHC Dissertation Prize Fellow) is a PhD Candidate in Iberian and Latin American Cultures at Stanford University. He is writing a dissertation focused on the form of the stories about desaparecidos, what is said about desaparecidos, in contemporary Colombia and Mexico. The dissertation places social-scientific inquiry, the work of activists and collectives, and legal instruments in dialogue with art installations, film, novels, performances, and poems. Underpinning this combination is 1. the idea that human-rights changes stem from how individual and collective actions resist institutionalization or translate into institutions and 2. that cultural products (e.g., art) and their form are crucial to the understanding of such processes.

Ya Zuo (External Faculty Fellow) is an associate professor of History at University of California, Santa Barbara. She is a cultural historian of middle and late imperial China. She is the author of Shen Gua’s Empiricism (Harvard University Press, 2018) and a range of articles on subjects such as theory of knowledge, sensory history, medical history, book history, and the history of emotions.

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Issam Rian (SLAT) Receives SBSRI Dissertation Research Grant

Congratulations to Issam Rian from the SLAT GIDP, who received a SBSRI Dissertation Research Grant.

Issam's project explores the impact of AI-generated feedback on the metacognitive judgments of L2 writers. Focusing on how these writers perceive and evaluate their own writing within different genres, his research aims to offer insights into the effectiveness of Large Language Models like ChatGPT in second-language writing classrooms. By examining the interplay between AI feedback and student metacognition, Issam seeks to shed light on the potential of AI tools to enhance language learning and teaching, while also probing the unique human ability of self-reflection in the context of rapidly advancing technologies.

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Why Engineers Should Study Philosophy

• Marco Argenti

Understanding the “why” before you start working on the “how” is a critical skill — especially in the age of AI.

The ability to develop crisp mental models around the problems you want to solve and understanding the why before you start working on the how is an increasingly critical skill, especially in the age of AI. Coding is one of the things AI does best and its capabilities are quickly improving. However, there’s a catch: Code created by an AI can be syntactically and semantically correct but not functionally correct. In other words, it can work well, but not do what you want it to do. Having a crisp mental model around a problem, being able to break it down into steps that are tractable, perfect first-principle thinking, sometimes being prepared (and able to) debate a stubborn AI — these are the skills that will make a great engineer in the future, and likely the same consideration applies to many job categories.

I recently told my daughter, a college student: If you want to pursue a career in engineering, you should focus on learning philosophy in addition to traditional engineering coursework. Why? Because it will improve your code.

• MA Marco Argenti is the Chief Information Officer at Goldman Sachs.

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Unlock Your Future in Paralegal Studies 

Introduction:.

Are you passionate about making a difference in the legal system but unsure which path to take? Look no further than National American University, where our comprehensive AAS and BS programs in Paralegal Studies are approved by the American Bar Association . These programs equip you with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in diverse career paths.   

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Ginny L. Clements Breast Cancer Research Institute

Researchers identify key bacteria in Latina study participants’ cervicovaginal microbiome linked to HPV and cervical cancer

Latina women experience disproportionately higher rates of human papillomavirus called HPV, precancerous cervical cell growth called dysplasia and cervical cancer compared to other racial and ethnic groups.

After completing a systematic review, University of Arizona researchers found 42 unique bacteria in the cervical and vaginal microbiome of 131 premenopausal Latina women in 10 countries. From those results, they found 16 bacteria with HPV, 24 unique bacteria with abnormal cytology or dysplasia, and five bacteria that are connected to cervical cancer.

“Our studies and this systematic review suggest that persistence and cancer is influenced by specific vaginal bacteria,” said lead researcher Melissa Herbst-Kralovetz , PhD. “There were seven bacteria that were consistently reported across studies, and that gives us insights on what to focus on moving forward.”

They published their findings in the Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health that research into cervical and vaginal microbiome is crucial to better understanding the role of the microbiome in HPV infection, cervical dysplasia and cervical cancer worldwide, especially in Latina women.

According to Dr. Herbst-Kralovetz, professor of basic medical sciences in the  University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix and director of the Translational Women’s Health Research Program on the medical campus, their research addresses important health disparities in this historically understudied, underrepresented and underreported population of women.

Postdoctoral researcher Nicole Jimenez , PhD, BIO5 Institute postdoctoral research associate in the Herbs-Kralovetz lab and department of obstetrics and gynecology, said that since Hispanic individuals are 40% more likely to be diagnosed with cervical cancer than non-Hispanic white individuals, the researchers sought to find out if these same trends from previous systematic reviews were comparable in Hispanic populations or if other patterns would emerge.  

“We found that there are similar trends of dysbiotic bacteria that are more prevalent or abundant in HPV infection and malignant disease,” Dr. Jimenez said. “However, what was most notable to me was that there are not many studies being conducted on HPV or cervical cancer and the microbiome in Hispanic populations.” 

Their goal is to better inform cervical cancer prevention strategies in Latina women.

“I think one of our important findings was a call to action for future robust and standardized investigation in this area and to include not just race and ethnicity characteristics but also sociocultural factors as well,” she said.

Connecting a systematic study to earlier work

Every year about 14,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer in the United States and more than 4,000 women die from it. Human papillomavirus is almost always the cause of cervical cancer.

Dr. Herbst-Kralovetz said her team has been working on the vaginal microbiome and its influence in HPV progression to cancer for about 14 years. 

“Most HPV infections are cleared [from the vagina with] no problem. About 90% of people who get exposed to HPV clear it,” she said. “That other 10% has persistent HPV infection that may develop into dysplasia and ultimately cancer.”

She said about 12 years ago, she embarked on clinical study with clinical collaborator, Dana Chase , MD, now at the University of California, Los Angeles.

After starting with the microbiome, they wanted to learn more about the cervicovaginal microenvironment and its influence in promoting HPV. From a cohort of equal Caucasian and Hispanic women, Dr. Herbst-Kralovetz said they were able to produce seven publications.

Together with other researchers, they analyzed multiple "omics" datasets to develop predictive models of the cervicovaginal microenvironment and identify characteristic features of vaginal microbiome, genital inflammation and disease status.

“We knew that there were specific bacteria in our initial cohort that were associated with Hispanic ethnicity as well as HPV infection and progression to cancer,” she said of the results that prompted the latest systematic study.

Creating a publication to examine Latina women, HPV, and cervical cancer worldwide 

First author Vianney Mancilla , a post-baccalaureate student, joined the Herbst-Kralovetz Lab at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic through the Frontera BLAISER (Border Latino and American Indian Summer Exposure to Research) program to pursue her interest in minority and women’s health. The Frontera BLAISER program is designed for underrepresented undergraduates to prepare them for medical school.

“As an undergrad, it's really an incredible opportunity to be working with the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix, especially with it being my one of my number one school [in applying to medical school],” Mancilla said. “I'm very thankful for Dr. Herbst-Kralovetz and the lab for allowing me to pursue what I was interested in while also delving deeper into their Latina study population.”

What started as a summer research project for Mancilla’s Frontera BLAISER project quickly evolved into a worldwide systematic review with the collaboration of Melissa Flores , PhD, assistant clinical professor, UArizona Department of Psychology and director of the Health Equity Analytics Lab (HEAL) and Naomi Bishop , associate librarian at the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix.

“We brought them in for their expertise,” Dr. Herbst-Kralovetz said of Dr. Flores and Bishop. “It's been a great team to work with over the time we conducted this systematic review. And Naomi as our medical librarian was an integral team member to facilitate that process.”

Dr. Herbst-Kralovetz said there were a couple systematic studies already published on the connection between lactobacilli dominance and HPV infection connection, though they were primarily conducted with people who were from European ancestry.

Working with Bishop, the researchers narrowed their results to 25 articles from two databases from January 2000 through November 11, 2022. After searching hundreds of articles, they found only 10 countries that had published on Latinas and the cervical vaginal microbiome and cervical carcinogenesis. 

Future plans

The group’s next step is to take the results from the systematic review and apply them to their earlier work to see if there's specific microbial signatures in the microenvironment that may indicate why they are promoting cervical cancer. 

“The vaginal bacteria that we consistently identified [in the publication] across studies give us insights on where to go next,” Dr. Herbst-Kralovetz said.