The most important thing for me about the conclusions section of a high-quality research report is the way in which the researchers depict the limitations of their research.
According to the seven elements of the Conclusion section, I believe each author has his or her own preference to express these elements. I think that except the limitations of the study, the other six elements do not have to be judged extremely rigorous by the other researchers and readers. For example, the summary of the major results can also be concluded through gradually reading each part of the research by the readers. We could compare the summary concluded by ourselves to the one presented in the Conclusion section to see if we have realized the results in the right way. But the limitations of the study is a unique one. Limitations mean weaknesses or problems. They could reflect if the researchers understand their own research in an unbiased, critical way; they also provide a window for the readers to observe the real thoughts of the researchers. Actually, there is no flawless research, and reading any study requires critical thinking (Plano & Creswell, 2015). The readers can perceive the problems after reading the study through own critical thinking and examine the limitations presented by the researchers. If the limitations were insufficient to reveal the weaknesses of the study, it would be possible for us to infer that the researchers are not performing academically or trying to hide some problems.
Additionally, I want to mention the reference list. Not all researchers plan to provide four kinds of back matter in the report, but every research would contain at least the reference list. I usually did not spend too much time on it or examine the information contained in it. But in the assignment 2 of this course, our instructor Professor Strong carefully noted every misinformation in my reference list. At that time, I realized that the reference list was not just simply gathering the information. The accuracy and validity of the information were more important and were of high significance to the audience. Now, I would carefully check the reference list provided not only by myself but also by other researchers.
Question: What kind of strategy would you adopt to evaluate the limitations of the study?
Reference
Plano-Clark, V., & Creswell, J. (2015). Understanding research: A consumer’s guide (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
Thank you for your response Layla!
Yes, the reference list is a key feature of any research article. It tells the reader what sources were used while writing the paper and also lets the reader know exactly where to find the information that was cited. This information is so helpful for someone who is learning about, or researching, a similar topic. We can think reference lists are annoying, but they are a very helpful source of information.
Great reflection!
Dr. Strong