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Writing Conclusions
Conclusions are often the most difficult part of an essay to write. Many
writers feel that they have nothing left to say after having written the
paper. However, the conclusion of an essay is a writer’s last chance to
make an impression on readers. A good conclusion should leave
readers thinking about the topic of the essay. A conclusion can offer a
summary of the ideas presented in the essay and make a final comment
about the topic. The conclusion should communicate a sense of
completeness. A writer needs to keep in mind that the conclusion is
often what a reader remembers best. Your conclusion should be the
best part of your paper.
The conclusion of an essay has three major parts:
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Thesis: the thesis statement, revisited
Summary: main points and highlights from the body paragraphs
Stylistic Device: the relevance and implications of the essay's findings
(No new information that is relevant to the focus of the essay should be
presented in the conclusion. If you wish to make a new point, it should be in a
body paragraph.)
Thesis:
It is essential to revisit your thesis statement in the conclusion. Do not simply
repeat it word for word. Keep the essential keywords, and rearrange it. Often
the thesis statement is revisited near the beginning of the conclusion. The rest
of the conclusion expands out, giving the reader an idea of the relevance and
implications of your thesis statement:
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Summary:
The conclusion is the final place to show the connections between all the
points made in your essay. Take the most important, relevant, and useful main
points from your body paragraphs and summarize them here. Use the same
keywords and ideas as the body paragraphs, but don't just repeat the same
sentences.
Stylistic Device:
Essays are often described as an attempt to “sell” your perspective on an issue.
A good essay convinces the reader of the correctness of your argument. An
excellent essay goes a step further: it demonstrates to the reader why the
argument is especially important or relevant for the topic and leaves the
reader contemplating what you have written. There are a number of stylistic
devices that writers can use to make their conclusions more powerful.
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Go Full Circle: Return to the theme or themes in the introduction.
This strategy brings the reader full circle. For example, if you begin by
describing a scenario, you can end with the same scenario as proof that
your essay is helpful in creating a new understanding. You may also
refer to the introductory paragraph by using key words or parallel
concepts and images that you also used in the introduction.
Example
Introduction
From the parking lot, I could see the towers of the castle of the Magic Kingdom standing
stately against the blue sky. To the right, the tall peak of The Matterhorn rose even higher.
From the left, I could hear the jungle sounds of Adventureland. As I entered the gate, Main
Street stretched before me with its quaint shops evoking an old-fashioned small town so
charming it could never have existed. I was entranced. Disneyland may have been built for
children, but it brings out the child in adults.
Full-Circle Conclusion
I thought I would spend a few hours at Disneyland, but here I was at 1:00 A.M., closing time,
leaving the front gates with the now dark towers of the Magic Kingdom behind me. I could
see tired children, toddling along and struggling to keep their eyes open as best they could.
Others slept in their parents' arms as we waited for the parking lot tram that would take us to
our cars. My forty-year-old feet ached, and I felt a bit sad to think that in a couple of days I
would be leaving California, my vacation over, to go back to my desk. But then I smiled to
think that for at least a day I felt ten years old again.
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Quotation Introduction
“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better – It’s
not.”
-The Lorax, by Dr. Seuss
The above quote from Dr. Seuss’s picture book The Lorax expresses the idea that people
need to get involved if positive changes are to occur. The Lorax chronicles the plight of
the environment and the danger corporate greed poses to nature. However, corporate greed is
not the only source of nature’s problems. Today’s materialistic, throw-away society also has
a share of the blame. The craving for the newest or latest goods has led to a dangerous
mindset that has society wasting resources and piling up garbage at an alarming rate.
However, this can be changed. Recycling is an important practice that can help our
environment by reducing the depletion of natural resources and reducing the amount of
garbage taken to landfills each day. It is also good for our personal economies as products
made from recycled materials are less expensive than those produced from virgin materials.
Unfortunately, many small towns and rural areas do not enforce recycling laws, and many
municipalities have scaled back recycling efforts in recent years. This must change.
Recycling must become a top priority throughout the United States for a number of reasons.
Full-Circle Conclusion
In conclusion, it is imperative that recycling become a top priority across the United States.
Not only can recycling save energy and resources while creating jobs, but recycling also
reduces the amount of trash being hauled to landfills. Although garbage and refuse is a huge
problem, hope is not lost. To paraphrase the Lorax, if we all care a lot, things can get better.
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Challenge the reader: By issuing a challenge to your readers, you
are helping them to redirect the information in the paper, and they may
apply it to their own lives.
Example
Though serving on a jury is not only a civic responsibility but also an interesting
experience, many people still view jury duty as a chore that interrupts their jobs and the
routine of their daily lives. However, juries are part of America's attempt to be a free and
just society. Thus, jury duty challenges us to be interested and responsible citizens.
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Pose questions: Posing questions, either to your readers or in
general, may help your readers gain a new perspective on the topic,
which they may not have held before reading your conclusion. It may also
bring your main ideas together to create a new meaning. Close with a
question that involves the reader. You can answer the question, or leave
it for the reader to decide based on what you wrote. The question must
relate to the main idea.
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Example
Campaign advertisements should help us understand the candidate's qualifications and
positions on the issues. Instead, most tell us what a fool or knave the opposing candidate
is, or they present general images of the candidate as a family person or God-fearing
American. Do such advertisements contribute to creating an informed electorate or a
people who choose political leaders the same way they choose soft drinks and soap?
Example
It was the worst experience of his life. Andrew decided that it was the last time he would
ever go on a roller coaster. Who can blame him?
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Quotation: Include a provocative insight or quotation from the
research or reading you did for your paper. Be sure to put quotations
around the quotation and give credit to the person who said it if you write
it word for word. Of course, the quotation must be directly related to your
topic. The purpose is to present a provocative thought that will focus your
reader’s attention on the idea you presented in your thesis statement. You
can close with a quotation that is well known or from a famous person or
someone who is not so famous (perhaps a person from a story or
someone you know personally).
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Example
In conclusion, the idea of a national language is one that needs to be carefully examined
before being implemented. Although it would be easier and less costly for our nation if all
citizens spoke the same language, there may be hidden costs to such a movement. According
to Senator Bob Dole, “in order to be a citizen, all Americans must be able to speak English.”
In theory this seems like a good policy. However, what will become of the citizens who never
learn to speak English?
Example
"You're going to regret this." Those were Sheila's last words as I pulled her into the roller
coaster seat. I now know she was not kidding.
Example
In conclusion, it is imperative that recycling become a top priority across the United States.
Not only can recycling save energy and resources while creating jobs, but recycling also
reduces the amount of trash being hauled to landfills. “If we put all of the solid waste
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collected in the U.S. in a line of average garbage trucks, that line of trucks could cross the
country, extending from New York City to Los Angeles, more than 100 times.” (Beck) Now
is the time to take action before we become buried under a mountain of trash.
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Solution: Propose a course of action, a solution to an issue, or
questions for further study. This can redirect your reader’s thought
process and help her to apply your info and ideas to her own life or to see
the broader implications.
Example
Above all, educators need to inform themselves and the rest of the school community so that
together they can develop a policy to discourage bullying. By educating themselves about
bullying, teachers and parents have the knowledge to set up effective programs and structures
both within the classroom and for the whole school. Furthermore, by removing the
opportunity for children to bully, providing children with a stimulating environment, and
giving them the tools to deal with conflict appropriately, children's inclination to bully can be
reduced. Although bullying will never be fully eradicated and must be dealt with as soon as it
occurs, increasing awareness of the problem is making schools a safer and more enjoyable
environment in which children can learn.