Conclusions
(in general…
and for this essay)
Purpose:
The conclusion of an essay has a few
purposes. In addition, there are several
different kinds of conclusions to choose
from.
Ultimately, it’s your choice: think about the
assignment and what your instructor is
asking for, and then think about which type
of conclusion best suits your essay.
Purpose #1

Your conclusion acts as a signal.

It tells readers they’ve reached the end of
the essay. They feel completion.

Helpful tip: don’t add any new ideas here!
Purpose #2

It reminds your
readers of the main
points in the essay.

They might have
become so interested
in your later body
paragraphs that they
don’t have the
information from the
earlier body
paragraphs fresh in
their minds anymore.
Purpose #3

It leaves your
readers with some
final thoughts on
the topic.
You can try
different
techniques…
Make a prediction

In some cases, making a prediction is a
natural progression in your essay.

For example, if your essay discussed a
problem such as global warming, you
might want to make some sort of
prediction of what might happen if people
and countries don’t begin to take
responsibility for our environment.
Make a suggestion

Instead of predicting what would
happen to the environment if people
don’t take responsibility, you could
make a concrete suggestion that
governments, or your individual
readers, could do to make one small
change starting today.
Ask a question

Some writers like to end their essays by
asking a question of their readers. For
example:
– Twain wondered if his education negatively
affected his ability to see beauty in the river.
Reading Two Ways of Seeing a River made
me ask myself: has my education caused me
to become a different person? And, if so, am I
still the person that I want to be?
Summarize!

Because you want to help your readers
remember the key points of your essay,
you might consider summarizing them
here.

Paraphrase your main ideas.

Build sentences that repeat key words you
want them to remember.
One last thought

Remember the “So what?”

Imagine readers saying “So what?”

Then explain to them why this stuff is
interesting, important, significant, and/or
meaningful!

Show your readers how insightful you are.
Or you can mix and match!

Prediction + suggestion

Summary + last thought

Summary + prediction + suggestion

Be creative!
Language to avoid:

Don’t refer to your own text:
– “In my thesis statement, I wrote…”
– “In the paragraphs above, I explained how…”

Don’t use “you” in the conclusion or
anywhere else in the essay.
– As you can see, …
In conclusion…

Conclusions serve a few different
purposes.
– They tell your readers the essay is
coming to an end.
– They often remind your readers of your
main points.
– They leave your readers with final
thoughts.
There are a number of
techniques

Your job is to decide which is best for your
essay.

When you choose which technique(s) to
use, consider both the type of essay
you’re writing and what you’ve said within
your essay.

Don’t stay married to one technique for
every essay you write.
Good luck!