Research recommendations are vital, as they guide scholars and researchers alike towards fruitful exploration. With an ever-expanding knowledge base and rapid technological advancements, refining the generating research recommendations process is imperative. 

What is a Research Recommendation?

Research recommendations are advice or suggestions which help to guide researchers on a specific topic of study. Such recommendations are provided by experts and are typically more action-oriented while providing specific guidance to decision-makers. Implications, on the other hand, are broader and emphasize the significance and consequences of your research findings. The only similarity is that they are both crucial components of a research study.

Structure of Research Recommendations

So, what does a recommendation in a research paper look like? The should be:

• Specific and concrete,
• It should be supported by a clear explanation, and
• It should directly connect to your research

In simple terms, always strive to highlight the methods used for easy replication by other researchers is paramount to help draw other conclusions from your work. You could even suggest potential directions for research in future as that strengthens an overall in contribution. 

Similarly, always avoid the following when making recommendations: 

• Dont undermine your work. Instead offer suggestions that will better help future studies.
• Dont offer a cheat sheet just to favor your argument. Instead, ensure that your research has a backbone (something to back it up, so to speak).
• Dont use recommendations for self-criticism. Rather, as an organic extension point for your work. 

How Should Your Recommendations be Written?

As a rule of thumb, try to limit yourself to only the most relevant future recommendations: ones that stem directly from your work. While you can have multiple recommendations for each research conclusion, it is also acceptable to have one recommendation that is connected to more than one conclusion.

These recommendations should be targeted at your audience, specifically toward peers or colleagues in your field that work on similar subjects to your paper or dissertation topic. They can flow directly from any limitations you found while conducting your work, offering concrete and actionable possibilities for how future research can build on anything that your own work was unable to address at the time of your writing.

How to Write Recommendations in Research Paper: Essential Guidelines

Look at some tips to help you complete a flawless chapter for your papers.

Be concise in your statements. Ensure that your suggestions are written in clear and concise language, avoiding jargon or technical terms difficult to understand. Try to limit yourself to one-sentence statements to present your recommendation. Not only it can help with language learning overall, but will also look more professional.

Organize your ideas logically and coherently. You may use lists or paragraphs depending on your institution’s guidelines or field of study. Use headings and subheadings to structure your section for easy navigation.

Provide specific and concrete suggestions. Clearly state the issues you explore and offer specific measures and solutions. Your call to action and suggestions should be related to the issues mentioned in the previous sections. Focusing on the most relevant and actionable suggestions directly stemming from your research is crucial.

Match recommendations to your conclusion. Ensure that your suggestions logically align with your conclusions. Refrain from suggesting too many solutions. You can create one recommendation addressing several conclusions when you must provide numerous suggestions for every study conclusion.

Ensure your solutions are achievable. Your recommendations should be practical and feasible to implement. Suggest specific and actionable steps to effectively address the considered issues or gaps in the research, avoiding vague or impractical suggestions.

Use a comprehensive approach. Make sure your solutions cover all relevant areas within your research scope. Consider different contexts, stakeholders, and perspectives affected by the recommendations. Be thorough in identifying potential improvement areas and offering appropriate actions.

Don’t add new information to this part of your paper. Avoid introducing new issues or ideas to complete your argument when writing recommendations in a research paper. Your academic paper has to stand on its own merits. 

Create content tailored to your readers. Ensure that your recommendations are aimed at your audience, namely your colleagues in the field of study who work on similar topics. The ideas you provide in the paper should be based on limitations identified during research. They should offer concrete possibilities for further study to rely on areas your investigation could not cover when completed.

Explain how your recommendations can solve the issues you explore. Go beyond listing suggestions and provide a rationale for each, including why it is essential, how it handles the research problem, and what evidence or theory supports it. Use relevant literature citations to strengthen your content. Explain how the suggested solutions can effectively answer the research question. This can be done by adding the following:

Ideas for improving the methodology or approach;

Policy suggestions;

Perspectives for future research.

Don’t undermine your research contribution or criticize yourself.  Avoid criticizing yourself in this section. Instead, use it as a perfect opportunity to provide ideas on how future studies can build upon your findings, making them a natural extension point. 

Acknowledge any limitations or constraints of your research. Reflect on how these limitations may impact the feasibility or generalizability of your solutions. This demonstrates critical thinking and awareness of the limitations of your study.

End this section with a summary. Highlight the key suggestions and their potential impact in a short conclusion. Emphasize the significance of your ideas and their valuable contribution to the field.

Don’t forget to consult and adhere to the requirements and specific guidelines provided by your institution for this section.