How to Write Citation? | A Practical Guide for Citation and References
October 26, 2022
How to Write References Quickly and Accurately? | A Practical Guide
October 26, 2022
Updated: November 2025 · For Academic Year 2026
Writing recommendations is one of the last, and most important, steps in a dissertation. This is where you move beyond reporting results and explain what should happen next, i.e.
What future researchers, organisations, practitioners or policymakers could do based on the findings of your research/paper/thesis/dissertation.
Many students are unsure how to write this section, or worry that their recommendations seem “too simple”. In reality, examiners look for recommendations that are clear, realistic and firmly rooted in your evidence, not something dramatic or complicated.
This guide walks you through everything step-by-step, with real examples, sentence starters and templates you can adapt for your own project.
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Jump straight to what you need:
- Quick Answer: How to Write Recommendations
- What Are Recommendations in Research?
- Types of Recommendations (With Examples)
- Where Recommendations Go in a Dissertation
- How to Write Recommendations (Step-by-Step)
- Sentence Starters for Recommendations
- Sample Recommendation Sections
- Recommendation Templates (Format + Structure)
- Common Mistakes: Do’s & Don’ts
- FAQs Students Ask
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Quick Answer: How to Write Recommendations in a Dissertation
Recommendations are short, evidence-based suggestions that explain what should happen next based on your research findings. To write them, briefly restate the key result, highlight the issue or gap it reveals, and propose a realistic action for a specific stakeholder (for example, a school, organisation or future researcher). Each recommendation should be clear, actionable, linked to your research questions and supported by your data.
Editor’s Choice: Sample Recommendation Paragraphs
Use these short examples as a model for your own recommendation section. Each one follows the same pattern: refer to the finding, identify the issue, suggest a clear action and briefly justify it.
1. Quantitative research recommendation example
The statistical results showed a significant relationship between employee age and digital adoption levels. Therefore, it is recommended that organisations develop targeted digital training programmes for employees aged 40 and above. Offering short, skill-based workshops over a 6–12 month period would help improve adoption rates, strengthen confidence and ensure more consistent use of digital tools across the workforce.
2. Qualitative research recommendation example
Interview participants consistently highlighted a lack of emotional support during their first year of nursing studies. Universities should therefore introduce structured peer-mentoring and reflective practice sessions, facilitated by trained staff. These sessions may help reduce stress, support early clinical placements and improve overall student wellbeing and confidence.
3. Mixed-methods research recommendation example
Both the survey results and interview insights pointed to communication gaps between teachers and parents. Schools are encouraged to adopt a centralised digital communication platform to provide timely updates, reduce inconsistencies and improve parent engagement. Implementing a standard weekly communication schedule may further support transparency and reduce the administrative burden on teachers.
4. Business / management dissertation recommendation example
Customer feedback data revealed a decline in repeat purchases due to slow response times. Small and medium-sized businesses should therefore adopt automated customer response tools or ticketing systems to ensure prompt communication. Establishing a 24-hour maximum response policy could significantly enhance customer satisfaction and retention.
5. Nursing / public health dissertation recommendation example
Findings indicated that long waiting times were the main factor affecting patient satisfaction. Healthcare facilities should introduce digital triage check-in systems to streamline patient flow and allocate cases more efficiently. Training staff on these systems and reviewing waiting-time reports monthly may help reduce delays and improve overall patient experience.
6. Education dissertation recommendation example
The study found a strong link between ongoing feedback and student performance. It is recommended that teachers integrate formative assessment tools such as weekly low-stakes quizzes or progress checks. This approach can help identify learning gaps earlier and support more targeted instructional planning throughout the term.
What Are Recommendations in Research and Dissertations?
Recommendations are the practical, evidence-based suggestions you make at the end of your research. They explain what should happen next as a result of your study. Unlike conclusions, which summarise what you found, recommendations focus on what future researchers, organisations, practitioners or policymakers could do in response to your findings.
Strong recommendations are always grounded in your data. They are specific, realistic and directly linked to your research questions, aims and objectives. Examiners want to see that you can move from analysis to implication – showing that you understand how your results fit into the wider field.
In UK dissertations, recommendations usually appear at the end of the discussion or conclusion, or in a separate recommendations chapter for longer Masters and PhD projects. In every case, the purpose is the same: to demonstrate that your research can inform real decisions, future investigations or improvements in practice.
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Types of Recommendations (With Clear Examples)
Different dissertations call for different types of recommendations. The kind you choose depends on your research design, findings, limitations and the audience you are writing for. Below are the main types used in UK dissertations, with simple explanations and examples you can adapt.
1. Practical recommendations (for real-world practice)
These are suggestions for people working in the field – for example, teachers, nurses, managers or social workers.
Example: “Schools should provide weekly formative assessments, as the findings showed a strong link between timely feedback and student progress.”
2. Policy recommendations (for guidelines and frameworks)
These are aimed at decision-makers in institutions, government departments or professional bodies.
Example: “Local health authorities should update digital literacy policies to include mandatory patient onboarding support for telehealth systems.”
3. Research recommendations (future research)
These show other researchers where more work is needed, based on your gaps, limitations or new questions.
Example: “Future studies should examine long-term effects through a longitudinal design, as this research only captured short-term patterns.”
4. Methodological recommendations
These focus on how future studies could improve research design, sampling or analysis.
Example: “Future researchers should adopt a mixed-methods approach to capture both numerical trends and deeper personal experiences.”
5. Theoretical recommendations
These relate to how existing theories might be refined, expanded or reinterpreted.
Example: “Researchers could integrate self-determination theory to better explain motivational patterns identified in this study.”
6. Replication or extension recommendations
These ask future researchers to repeat or extend your work with new samples, variables or contexts.
Example: “It is recommended that this study be replicated in different regions to examine whether the findings remain consistent across diverse populations.”
7. Strategic / organisational recommendations (business and management)
Used often in MBA, management, HR and marketing dissertations where you advise organisations on longer-term changes.
Example: “Small businesses should develop a 12-month digital transformation plan with quarterly review points to maintain employee engagement.”
8. Practice-based recommendations (nursing, education, social work)
These focus on improving day-to-day professional practice in a specific setting.
Example: “Nurses should incorporate short pre-shift briefings to improve communication and reduce patient safety risks.”
9. Collaboration recommendations
These encourage joint work between disciplines, departments or organisations.
Example: “Future studies should involve both psychologists and data scientists to capture behavioural insights alongside advanced analytics.”
10. SMART recommendations (Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic, Time-bound)
These are written so that progress and impact can be clearly monitored over time.
Example: “Within the next six months, the organisation should implement a three-part training programme on the new software, measure adoption rates monthly and review the curriculum after the first quarter.”
You do not need to use every type in one project. Choose the 2–4 kinds that best fit your aims, findings and audience, and make sure each recommendation is supported by your data.
Where Do Recommendations Go in a Dissertation?
Students often ask, “Where exactly should I put my recommendations?” UK universities allow some flexibility. What matters most is that your recommendations follow logically from your discussion of the findings and are easy for examiners to locate.
1. At the end of the discussion chapter
This is the most common approach, especially in undergraduate and taught Masters dissertations. After interpreting your results, you move into implications and recommendations.
2. Within the conclusion chapter
Some universities prefer a combined conclusion and recommendations section. Here you summarise what the study found and then explain what should happen next.
3. As a separate recommendations chapter
Longer projects, such as research Masters and PhD dissertations, may include a dedicated chapter titled “Recommendations” or “Recommendations and Future Research”, especially when there are several types of recommendations to present.
In general, shorter projects work well with recommendations inside the discussion or conclusion, while longer and more complex studies benefit from a standalone chapter. If you are unsure, check your course handbook or ask your supervisor which structure they prefer.
How to Write Recommendations: Step-by-Step
Once you understand the purpose and types of recommendations, the writing process becomes much easier. Use the steps below as a simple checklist whenever you draft a recommendation paragraph for your dissertation, thesis or research report.
- Summarise the key finding in one line. Briefly state the result that your recommendation is based on. Focus only on the finding that leads directly to the suggestion you are about to make.
- Identify the gap or issue. Explain what problem, limitation or need the finding reveals. This shows why a recommendation is necessary.
- Propose a clear, actionable recommendation. Say exactly what should happen, who should do it and, if useful, when. Avoid vague phrases such as “improve communication” without specifying how.
- Prioritise the most important actions. If you have several recommendations, group them (for example short-term vs long-term, practical vs research) and present the most impactful ones first.
- Justify your recommendation. Use your findings and, where relevant, previous literature to explain why this action is needed and what benefit it will bring.
- Consider feasibility and limitations. Acknowledge any practical constraints such as cost, training or time. This shows examiners that you understand real-world conditions.
- Connect to future research, if appropriate. Where your findings open up new questions, add a short recommendation for future research to explore those areas in more depth.
- End with a short summary sentence. Close the paragraph by reinforcing how the recommendation could improve practice, policy or future studies in your field.
If you follow these steps for each main recommendation, your section will read as clear, confident and well-structured – exactly what examiners are looking for.
Sentence Starters for Recommendations (Copy & Adapt)
If you are stuck on how to start a recommendation paragraph, use the sentence starters below. They are written in formal academic style and can be adapted for dissertations, theses, reports and research papers.
General recommendation starters
- “Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that …”
- “The results demonstrate a need for …”
- “This research suggests that …”
- “The evidence indicates that organisations should consider …”
- “The study highlights the importance of …”
- “To address the issue identified, it is proposed that …”
- “Given these findings, the following actions are recommended …”
- “It would be beneficial for future efforts to …”
- “A key recommendation emerging from this study is to …”
Recommendations for practice
- “Practitioners should consider implementing …”
- “Schools and universities may benefit from adopting …”
- “Healthcare providers are encouraged to introduce …”
- “Managers should prioritise …”
- “Educational institutions could strengthen outcomes by …”
- “Introducing [X action] could help improve …”
Policy recommendation starters
- “Policy makers should review current guidelines related to …”
- “It is advised that national or local policy frameworks integrate …”
- “Regulatory bodies may consider updating …”
- “Government agencies could support this process by …”
- “To strengthen policy outcomes, authorities should …”
Starters for future research recommendations
- “Future research should examine …”
- “Further studies are needed to explore …”
- “Researchers could extend this study by …”
- “Additional research is recommended to determine whether …”
- “Subsequent work may investigate …”
- “Future scholars should consider employing …”
- “A larger sample size would allow future studies to …”
Methodological recommendation starters
- “Future studies should adopt a mixed-methods approach to …”
- “Researchers may benefit from using a longitudinal design to …”
- “A more diverse sample is recommended to …”
- “Applying qualitative interviews would help future researchers …”
- “Subsequent studies could improve validity by …”
Linking recommendations to limitations
- “Because this study was limited by [X], future researchers should …”
- “Due to the restricted sample size, it is recommended that …”
- “Given the scope of this study, additional research is needed to …”
- “As this research only examined [X], further exploration of [Y] is recommended.”
Starters for organisational or institutional recommendations
- “Organisations should consider developing a structured plan to …”
- “Institutions may improve outcomes by integrating …”
- “Implementing [X strategy] could significantly enhance …”
- “Departments should work collaboratively to …”
- “Leadership teams are encouraged to …”
SMART-focused sentence starters
- “A structured, time-bound programme should be implemented to …”
- “A measurable improvement could be achieved if …”
- “A realistic next step would be to …”
- “Within the next six months, organisations should aim to …”
- “Specific training sessions should be introduced to …”
Use these as prompts rather than fixed phrases. Adjust the wording to match your subject, your findings and the tone of your dissertation.
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Sample Recommendation Sections (Short + Long Examples)
Use these examples to understand how strong recommendations are written in UK dissertations. Each one follows the same structure: finding → issue → recommendation → justification.
Short Example (Undergraduate)
This study found that students who received weekly formative feedback showed improved academic progress compared to those who did not. It is recommended that universities adopt a consistent formative assessment schedule using short weekly quizzes or progress checks. This would help identify learning gaps early and support personalised teaching. Future research should explore whether these improvements continue across multiple academic years.
Long Example (Masters / PhD)
The findings show that communication barriers in hybrid workplaces significantly reduce employee engagement. It is recommended that organisations adopt a structured digital communication framework that includes weekly team updates, shared dashboards and clear escalation pathways. Managers should be trained to deliver consistent information and maintain transparency across remote and in-office teams.
The research also found inconsistent use of communication tools across departments. Organisations should therefore implement one unified communication platform and provide onboarding support. Future studies should investigate communication practices across different industries to enhance generalisability.
Recommendation Templates (Format You Can Copy)
Below are simple templates for paragraph, bullet-point, SMART and checklist formats. Choose the one that matches your dissertation style.
1. Paragraph-style template
“Based on the finding that [insert key result], it is recommended that [stakeholder] should [specific action] in order to [intended outcome]. This recommendation is supported by [evidence] and addresses [gap/issue]. Although [challenge], the action remains feasible because [justification].”
2. Bullet-point template
- Finding: [key result]
- Issue Identified: [gap/limitation]
- Recommendation: [what should happen]
- Responsible Stakeholder: [who should act]
- Timeline: [short/medium/long-term]
- Expected Impact: [benefit/outcome]
3. SMART recommendation template
“To improve [area], it is recommended that [stakeholder] implement [specific action] by [timeframe]. Progress should be measured using [indicator], and success will be achieved when [measurable outcome] is reached. This action is realistic because [justification].”
4. Quick checklist (for final review)
- Finding clearly stated?
- Gap or issue identified?
- Recommendation specific and actionable?
- Stakeholder identified?
- Justification included?
- Feasibility considered?
- Links back to aims and objectives?
- Free from vague language?
- Supported by evidence?
- No unrelated ideas added?
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Common Mistakes When Writing Recommendations (Do’s & Don’ts)
Do’s — What You Should Do
- Be specific about what should happen, who should do it and how.
- Support each recommendation with findings or relevant literature.
- Prioritise the most impactful or feasible actions.
- Consider practical constraints such as time, cost and resources.
- Explain why your recommendation matters (your rationale).
- Keep your writing concise and focused.
Don’ts — What to Avoid
- Don’t make claims that your data does not support.
- Don’t overgeneralise or make broad statements unrelated to your study.
- Don’t ignore potential challenges or limitations.
- Don’t propose unrealistic or unachievable actions.
- Don’t introduce new topics that are not part of your research.
FAQs Students Ask About Writing Recommendations
1. How many recommendations should a dissertation have?
Most undergraduate and Masters dissertations include 3–5 recommendations. PhD studies often include 5–8. Focus on quality, not quantity.
2. How do I start writing a recommendation paragraph?
Start with the finding → identify the issue → give a clear action. A simple starter is: “Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that…”
3. What is the difference between conclusions and recommendations?
The conclusion summarises what you found. Recommendations explain what should happen next because of those findings.
4. Where do recommendations go in a dissertation?
They usually go at the end of the discussion or conclusion, or as a separate chapter in a Masters or PhD dissertation.
5. Should recommendations relate to limitations?
Often yes. Limitations show what you could not explore, and recommendations show how future research can address those gaps.
6. Is it okay if my recommendations seem obvious?
Yes. Examiners value clarity and logic over forced originality. If it follows from your findings, it is valid.
7. Should I write recommendations in first or third person?
Use third person: “It is recommended that…” Avoid “I recommend…” unless your university allows it.
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About this guide
Prepared by the Premier Dissertations academic writing team, with experience supporting UK undergraduate, Masters and PhD students in education, business, health, engineering and the social sciences.
Reviewed by: UK-qualified academic editor · Premier Dissertations
Last updated: November 2025 · For Academic Year 2026
