Summary Archive - Online Writing Lab

Writing the Conclusion

Maria Noll — Tue, 19 Aug 2025 13:52:10 +0000

Info: Here you can find an overview of the overall structure of a Social Science paper.

The final chapter of the paper contains a summary of the main statements of the work and possible conclusions derived from them. For a conclusion, you take up the research question, answer it in a summarized way, and provide a final evaluation. You can also comment on the hypotheses you formulated at the beginning of your paper.

What belongs in a conclusion?

Recommendations for practice
Placing the problem in a larger context
Personal conclusions, if they are meaningful for the type of paper
If applicable, an outlook on research gaps arising from your own scientific work
Summarized answers to the questions posed in the introduction

The title of the final chapter corresponds to the content points you address and is therefore, for example, “Summary and Conclusion,” “Recommendations for Practice,” or “Outlook.”

A good conclusion is short and written neutrally despite evaluation.

What does not belong in a conclusion?

You do not address new content aspects in the final chapter.
In the final chapter, you do not present your personal opinion (based on gut feeling) but your justified evaluation, which is based on previous presentations and your conclusions. If applicable, you may also provide recommendations for action.

The conclusion is a mandatory part of the structure of a scientific paper.

Frequently asked questions

What length should a good conclusion have?

A good conclusion is short and written neutrally despite evaluation.

Can I write my own opinion in my conclusion?

Opinions based on gut feeling do not belong in a scientific paper. However, your justified evaluation, based on previous presentations and your conclusions, is welcome.

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Writing an Abstract

Maria Noll — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 10:23:57 +0000

Info: Here you can find an overview of the overall structure of a Social Sciences paper.

Important elements of an abstract

You should cover the following points in an abstract in the order presented:

Introduce the topic and the research question
Explain the relevance of the topic
Present the aim of the paper
Provide information about the methodological approach
Present the main results
Summarize conclusions and/or provide recommendations

Title, table of contents, abstract, and introduction serve as an invitation for your readers to continue reading.

Example of an abstract

This paper explores the specific quality of neighborhood and family informal support for older people in a rural context. It examines under which conditions this support is given and accepted. The aim is to clarify to what extent informal support relationships are sustainable in the context of social change in rural areas, whether they can and should be supported through social work interventions, and which measures could potentially be developed.

The research questions are discussed based on an analysis of current literature and biographical interviews with older people and their younger helpers. Expert interviews serve as a supplementary source of information.

The results show that the increasingly separate household and living arrangements of generations create a conflict-prone situation, with older people still expecting to be cared for exclusively by relatives. This expectation is intensified by high family demands and social expectations typical of a rural neighborhood. Support resources in both families and neighborhoods are declining, and the expectations of all parties are not aligned with this reality. A community-based advisory and coordination center for older people and their relatives – whose design is roughly developed based on the aforementioned research findings – could help to support remaining informal and family support resources in the long term. The combination of a neutral expert entity “from outside,” which also engages closely with the local social structure, appears to be of crucial importance.

Adapted and slightly modified from the guidelines for bachelor’s theses.

The abstract is part of the structure of a scientific paper.

Frequently asked questions

What is an abstract?

Your abstract serves as a guide and is basically a short summary of your scientific paper. It is one of the formal elements appearing before the main content, and therefore comes after the title page and before the table of contents.

How long should my abstract be?

An abstract is usually no longer than half a page, at most one page. It is important that your abstract introduces the topic and research question, shows the relevance and aim of your paper, and describes your methodological approach. Finally, it summarizes your main results and conclusions.

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Writing an Abstract in Engineering

admin — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 06:34:06 +0000

Info: Here you will find an overview of the overall structure of a thesis in engineering and natural sciences.

What is it?

To help your readers quickly understand what your scientific thesis is about, you should write an abstract – in other words, a summary. It can be compared to the blurb on the back cover of a book. It is usually no longer than half a page.

An abstract is usually placed after the title page but before the table of contents.

What does it consist of?

The following points should be addressed in an abstract in this order:

Present the objective of the thesis
Provide information about the methodological approach
Present the main results
Summarise conclusions and/or give recommendations

An abstract is a mandatory part of the structure of a scientific thesis.

Frequently asked questions

What is an abstract?

It is essentially a short summary of the content. It can be compared to the blurb on the back cover of a book.

What should I keep in mind for my abstract?

An abstract is usually no longer than half a page. It is typically placed after the title page but before the table of contents.

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Writing an Introduction in the Social Sciences

Maria Noll — Fri, 08 Aug 2025 11:07:45 +0000

Info: Here you can find an overview of the overall structure of a paper in the social sciences.

What belongs in the introduction?

An introduction should answer three main questions:

What topic does the paper address?
Which questions will be answered regarding this topic?
For empirical work: Which method is used to answer these questions?

First:

Outline the context of the topic. Referring to the literature, show the relevance of the topic:

You can also refer to practical experience, current politics, or recent events.
This is less about your personal reasons for choosing the topic and more about the extent to which it is related to a particular area of expertise – whether it pertains to practice, the profession, or the field of study.

Some papers, e.g. in reconstructive social research, also mention a personal connection to the topic – discuss with your supervisors whether this is appropriate for your work.

Then:

Present your own approach:

State your specific research question(s) here.
Explain how this paper answers the question(s).
Present the aim of the paper.
Mention the methodological approach, e.g. whether you conducted interviews or participant observations.

It is often helpful for readers if you then present the structure of the paper, stating the focus of each chapter.

At this point, offer initial insights into your results instead of merely repeating the table of contents (see example below).

The following questions should be answered in the introduction:

In which scientific, professional, or societal context does the topic belong?
Which aspects of the topic are you addressing, and why?
What significance does working on this topic have for science or practice?
If relevant for your work: What current event prompted the choice of this topic?
Which method was chosen to answer the question?
How is the paper structured? How and according to which criteria are the chapters organized?

The introduction can have a thematic title (see example below) and should not exceed 10–15 percent of the total text.

Common mistakes in the introduction

Avoid these common mistakes in your introduction:

The aim is not stated in the introduction.
The introduction gives the impression that the topic is too broad because it is not made clear that only a specific aspect is addressed.
The introduction consists of too many elements that do not fit together.
The introduction contains elements that belong in the main body of the paper. The introduction should only present the content that will be developed in the main section.
The professional context and the relevance of the research question are not evident.
The introduction only explains the structure of the paper – but readers have already seen this in the table of contents.
The introduction lacks motivation: Why was this work carried out with this specific aim?
If you wrote your paper in cooperation with an organization: The organization is described in too much detail, and the description reads like an advertisement.

Example of an introduction

Full-time schools as an “all-inclusive package”?

Education holds a high value in today’s society. The results of the 2001 PISA study were therefore all the more shocking: The performance of German students in reading, mathematics, and science was rated as below average in an international comparison (Baumert et al., 2001). Moreover, it became evident that in none of the other 43 participating countries were school performance and the socio-economic status of the family of origin as closely linked as in Germany (ibid.). Calls for a more efficient school system and educational reforms were raised not only on the political level.

The expansion of full-time schools in Germany can be seen as a result of this debate. In 2003, the federal government decided on the “Future Education and Care” investment programme (IZBB), allocating four billion euros for the demand-oriented development and expansion of full-time schools in Germany (Federal Ministry of Education and Research [BMBF], 2013). A look at the goals pursued by the federal government and experts gives the impression that the concept of full-time schooling represents a kind of “all-inclusive package” intended to solve all problems at once. However, given the difficult financial situations of municipalities, the shortage of teachers, the lack of space, and the shortage of educational staff in many German schools, the question arises whether full-time schools can truly deliver what they promise. This paper critically examines this question. It becomes clear that despite the sometimes considerable efforts of those involved, the expectations placed on full-time schools cannot always be met in educational practice. This is due in particular to the varying political – and thus financial – conditions in the federal states.

The introduction is a mandatory part of the structure of an academic paper.

Frequently asked questions

What should I write in an introduction?

An introduction typically contains: a lead-in to the topic, a statement of the research question and aim, a description of the approach (method), and an overview of the structure of the paper.

What comes before the introduction?

The structure of an academic paper usually consists of: cover page, table of contents, introduction, main body, conclusion, and reference list. The table of contents therefore usually comes before the introduction.

How long should an introduction be?

The introduction should not exceed 10–15 percent of the total text.

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Writing a Research Proposal

Maria Noll — Fri, 08 Aug 2025 09:09:52 +0000

When should I write a research proposal?

Once you start exploring various topics for your academic work, certain topics and questions will emerge that you are genuinely interested in. This is the time to start taking a more systematic approach towards deciding on your topic and specific research question.

Even if you have already decided what to write about, the research proposal is a useful tool for ordering your thoughts and planning your work.

The proposal serves as a roadmap for your writing project.

You will quickly notice

- what really interests you,
- what you already know,
- what is feasible,

where you need to narrow your ideas down more, and
which aspects still require research.

How do I write a proposal?

Answer the following questions for yourself – in writing and as specifically and in as much detail as possible. Also note any uncertainties, open questions, or doubts. Your answers will form your proposal.

Topic: What will the title (and possibly subtitle) of your work be?
Question: Which question do you want to answer with your work?
Goal: What goal should your work achieve?
Initial situation: What problem will your work address?
State of research: What is the current state of research on your topic?
Theory: Which theories might you refer to?
Approach/method: How will you proceed to answer your question or solve the problem?
Outline: What is your likely outline?
Literature: Which are the most important sources you will probably use for your work?
Timeline: How will you plan your work leading up to the submission date?

What do I do with a proposal?

After you have written your proposal, you should ask a supportive person for feedback – for example, lecturers, fellow students, tutors, friends, or relatives. Ask the following questions:

Does the proposal clearly communicate the focus of the work or its thesis?
Does the proposal show a clear structure?
Are the different parts clearly related to the main argument or the research question?

Writing a proposal also helps you prepare for meetings with your supervisor. You show that you have engaged with the key parameters of your writing project and can ask focused questions. This will also make it easier for your supervisor to give you feedback or provide help.

Further reading: University of California: Writing a research proposal.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to write a research proposal?

That depends on the length of your academic work. Writing a proposal can take from a few hours to several days or weeks. However, working on the proposal is always part of your academic process and never wasted time.

What belongs in a research proposal?

A proposal can include the following elements: topic, question, goal, state of research, theory, approach, outline, timeline, literature. Ultimately, the content depends on the type of work you are planning. Nothing is set in stone, and your plan may change as your ideas develop.

How many sources should be in a research proposal?

Your proposal should definitely contain the most important sources related to your academic work. How many exactly depends on the type and scope of your work. As a rule of thumb, you should aim for half a page to one page. The quality of the sources is more important than the quantity.

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