As the author of a research paper, you report the findings of your research study objectively in the results section. Next, you elaborate on the underlying meaning of those results and interpret them in the discussion section. Inside the discussion section, there is another section called the implications section of a research paper. Do you have any idea about this section and how to work on it? Most probably not, because most of you (students) skip this part. 

The implications are the conclusions drawn from the research study. They may be theoretical and practical in nature. Discussing the implications is necessary because they highlight the practical side of your research paper. However, the implications section of a research paper is nowadays missing in many research papers. One possible reason is the lack of knowledge to work on this section. Therefore, today’s post will act as a guide to craft this section of a research paper better. 

What is the implications section of the research paper? 

The implication section is the section in which you highlight the practical side of your research study by discussing the conclusions drawn from it. The implications of any research can fall into two categories. First, the implications can be theoretical. It means that the research study either expands the existing theories or fosters the development of new theories. Secondly, the research implications of a research paper can be practical. Such implications discuss the potential ramifications of the research paper for practice. 

How to work on the implications of the research paper? 

After reading the information above, you have got a good idea of research implications and their types. However, this information is not enough to work on this section. To write the implications section of a research paper, you must have a grip on its strategies. A brief description of the strategies is as follows: 

1. Make a list of key elements 

To start with this section, first of all, you need to make a list of the strong assertions you have made in the research paper. It means you must identify the key elements that address the problem of your research study and highlight them in your implications section. In order to make this list, do not just repeat all the results you have collected. Only include and discuss the results that are relevant to your subject matter and have a close connection to its solution. As you are going to give the practical implications of your research paper, it is important to reiterate the main elements or assertations. If due to some reasons, you are unable to locate the main assertions, you can always turn to a research proposal help service. 

1. Consider the literature of your field 

The second important thing you must do while writing the implications section is read the scholarly articles published in your field. It is important because it allows you to have an idea of how other authors in your field have addressed the problem and how differently you have done it. This also allows you to reflect on the importance of your research paper in the implications section. However, if there is not much information available in the literature, in the implication section of a research paper, discuss why this topic deserves attention. How giving attention to this topic can solve real-world problems. 

1. Acknowledge the limitations 

Not a single research study is perfect enough to have no limitations. Every research lacks something and mentions that something is important in the implications section of a research paper. When you acknowledge the limitations of your study, you actually make your research paper more credible. Many students think that the limitations section is about listing the errors in the research study. However, it is not like that. The limitations are about discussing what can and cannot be concluded from your research study. The limitations can be due to the overall research design and methodologies used. Hence, discuss the limitations in the implications. 

1. Share you recommendations 

After you have done all the things mentioned above, the only thing remaining in your implications section is the recommendations. Based on the implications of the research paper, make recommendations for the decision-makers and policymakers. Sometimes, the writers save the suggestions for the conclusion section. It is not good because, in conclusion, you cannot highlight the practicality of your research paper. Therefore, you must share your theoretical or practical recommendations about the research study in the implications section of a research paper. 

Conclusion 

Conclusively, the implications, in simple words, are the applications of the findings of a research study. This is the crux of your research paper, and it discusses how your research paper is useful for solving real-world problems. Hence, you must craft this section after keeping all the things mentioned above. Do extensive research on your research topic and see how other authors have researched the problem and given its solutions. Overall, this is how you craft a good implications section of a research paper.