Difference Between Implications and

Recommendations in Research
June 17, 2018 Posted by Hasa

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The key difference between implications and recommendations in research is that

implications discuss how the findings of the study may be important while
recommendations endorse specific actions that need to be taken with regard to policy,
practice, theory, or subsequent research.

Implications and recommendations are two important subsections in research papers. These
two sections are typically at the end of the research study, written after the study has been
completed. Recommendation section typically follows the implications section.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference

2. What are Implications in Research
3. What are Recommendations in Research
4. Similarities Between Implications and Recommendations in Research
5. Side by Side Comparison – Implications vs Recommendations in Research in Tabular
Form
6. Summary

What are Implications in Research?

Implications section is an important subsection at the end of the thesis or dissertations.
Implications section is typically a part of the conclusion in research. It examines the
importance of the study and how the findings of that particular study may be important for
policy, practice, theory and ensuing research studies.

This section basically looks at the conclusions you draw from the results and explain the
importance of these findings for practice, theory or policy. However, you have to validate the
implications with solid evidence. You also have to explain the study’s parameters and take
into account the limitations of the study in order to avoid over-generalization of results.
Basically, in this section, you will discuss the importance of your research study and the
difference it makes.

What are Recommendations in Research?

Recommendations section in a research paper is basically critical suggestions regarding the
best course of action in a certain situation. In other words, this section provides a beneficial
guide that will resolve certain issues and result in a beneficial outcome. Recommendations
urge specific actions to be taken with regard to policy, practice, theory, or subsequent
research.

Recommendations heavily dependent on the situation; thus, they vary greatly. The researcher
can make specific suggestions with regard to further research on the topic. Furthermore, he or
she may also recommend studies regarding identified gaps in the literature that need to be
addressed, and to which his or her study may or may not have contributed.

What are the Similarities Between Implications and

Recommendations in Research?
 Implications and recommendations are two sections at the end of the research paper.

 These two sections are often written with the conclusion.

What is the Difference Between Implications and

Recommendations in Research?
Implications is the section where the researcher discusses how the findings of the study may
be important for policy, practice, theory and ensuing research studies. On the contrary,
recommendations is the section where the researcher endorse specific actions that need to be
taken with regard to policy, practice, theory, or subsequent research. Researchers sometimes
include implications within the conclusion itself or write implications as a separate
subsection, after the conclusion. Recommendations usually follow the implications section.

Recommendations section suggest specific actions to resolve problems identified in the

research, as well as future research studies. In contrast, implications section basically explain
the usefulness of the study and its findings.
Summary – Implications vs Recommendations in
Research
Implications and recommendations in research are two important aspects of a thesis or a
dissertation. The basic difference between implications and recommendations in research is
their function; implications discusses the importance of the findings of the study while
recommendations endorse specific actions that need to be taken