How to Write a Conclusion for an Essay
You’ve done it. You’ve refined your introduction and your thesis. You’ve spent time researching and proving all of your supporting arguments. You’re slowly approaching the finish line of your essay and suddenly freeze up because—that’s right—it’s time to write the conclusion.
For many, the conclusion is the most dreaded part of essay writing . Condensing all the points you’ve analyzed in a tidy little package is certainly easier said than done. How can you make a good final impression while emphasizing the significance of your findings?
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Learning how to write a conclusion for an essay doesn’t need to feel like climbing Everest. It is wholly possible to tie everything together while considering the broader issues and implications of your argument. You just need the right strategy.
What do you want to leave your readers with? Perhaps you want to end with a quotation that adds texture to your discussion. Or, perhaps you want to set your argument into a different, perhaps larger context.
An effective conclusion paragraph should ultimately suggest to your reader that you’ve accomplished what you set out to prove.
How to write a good conclusion
As you set out to write your conclusion and end your essay on an insightful note, you’ll want to start by restating your thesis. Since the thesis is the central idea of your entire essay, it’s wise to remind the reader of the purpose of your paper.
Once you’ve restated your thesis (in a way that’s paraphrased, of course, and offers a fresh understanding), the next step is to reiterate your supporting points. Extract all of the “main points” from each of your supporting paragraphs or individual arguments in the essay . Then, find a way to wrap up these points in a way that demonstrates the importance of the ideas.
Depending on the length of your essay, knowing how to write a good conclusion is somewhat intuitive—you don’t want to simply summarize what you wrote. Rather, the conclusion should convey a sense of closure alongside the larger meaning and lingering possibilities of the topic.
What your conclusion should include
Now that you know what a good conclusion encompasses, you can get into the finer details. Beyond restating your thesis and summarizing your points, what else should the conclusion include?
Here are some strategies for ending your essay in a savvy and thought-provoking way:
Ask yourself: “So what?”
At some point in your life, a teacher has probably told you that the end of an essay should answer the question “So what?” or “Why does it matter?” This advice holds true. It’s helpful to ask yourself this question at the start of drafting your thesis and come back to it throughout, as it can keep you in tune with the essay’s purpose. Then, at your conclusion, you won’t be left searching for something to say.
Add perspective
If you’ve come across a fantastic quote in your research that didn’t quite make it into the essay, the conclusion is a great spot for it. Including a quote from one of your primary or secondary sources can frame your thesis or final thoughts in a different light. This can add specificity and texture to your overall argument.
For example, if you’ve written an essay about J.D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye, you can think about using a quote from the book itself or from a critic or scholar who complicates your main point. If your thesis is about Salinger’s desire to preserve childhood innocence, ending with a biographer’s statement about Salinger’s attitude toward his own youth might be illuminating for readers. If you decide to amplify your conclusion paragraph in this way, make sure the secondary material adds (and not detracts) from the points you already made. After all, you want to have the last word!
Consider the clincher
At the very end of the essay comes your closing sentence or clincher. As you think about how to write a good conclusion, the clincher must be top of mind. What can you say to propel the reader to a new view on the subject? This final sentence needs to help readers feel a sense of closure. It should also end on a positive note, so your audience feels glad they read your paper and that they learned something worthwhile.
What your conclusion should not include
There are a few things that you should definitely strive to avoid when writing your conclusion paragraph. These elements will only cheapen your overall argument and belabor the obvious.
Here are several conclusion mishaps to consider:
- Avoid phrases like “in summary,” “in conclusion,” or “to sum up.” Readers know they’re at the end of the essay and don’t need a signpost.
- Don’t simply summarize what’s come before. For a short essay, you certainly don’t need to reiterate all of your supporting arguments. Readers will know if you just copied and pasted from elsewhere.
- Avoid introducing brand new ideas or evidence. This will only confuse readers and sap force from your arguments. If there’s a really profound point that you’ve reached in your conclusion and want to include, try moving it to one of your supporting paragraphs.
Whereas your introduction acts as a bridge that transfers your readers from their own lives into the “space” of your argument or analysis, your conclusion should help readers transition back to their daily lives.
By following this useful roadmap, you can feel confident that you know how to write a good conclusion that leaves readers with a solution, a call to action, or a powerful insight for further study.
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Writing a Research Paper Conclusion | Step-by-Step Guide
Published on October 30, 2022 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on December 7, 2022.
The conclusion of a research paper is where you wrap up your ideas and leave the reader with a strong final impression. It has several key goals:
- Restate the problem statement addressed in the paper
- Summarize your overall arguments or findings
- Suggest the key takeaways from your paper
The content of the conclusion varies depending on whether your paper presents the results of original empirical research or constructs an argument through engagement with sources .
Table of contents
Step 1: restate the problem, step 2: sum up the paper, step 3: discuss the implications, research paper conclusion examples, frequently asked questions about research paper conclusions.
The first task of your conclusion is to remind the reader of your research problem . You will have discussed this problem in depth throughout the body, but now the point is to zoom back out from the details to the bigger picture.
While you are restating a problem you’ve already introduced, you should avoid phrasing it identically to how it appeared in the introduction . Ideally, you’ll find a novel way to circle back to the problem from the more detailed ideas discussed in the body.
For example, an argumentative paper advocating new measures to reduce the environmental impact of agriculture might restate its problem as follows:
Meanwhile, an empirical paper studying the relationship of Instagram use with body image issues might present its problem like this:
“In conclusion …”
Avoid starting your conclusion with phrases like “In conclusion” or “To conclude,” as this can come across as too obvious and make your writing seem unsophisticated. The content and placement of your conclusion should make its function clear without the need for additional signposting.
Having zoomed back in on the problem, it’s time to summarize how the body of the paper went about addressing it, and what conclusions this approach led to.
Depending on the nature of your research paper, this might mean restating your thesis and arguments, or summarizing your overall findings.
Argumentative paper: Restate your thesis and arguments
In an argumentative paper, you will have presented a thesis statement in your introduction, expressing the overall claim your paper argues for. In the conclusion, you should restate the thesis and show how it has been developed through the body of the paper.
Briefly summarize the key arguments made in the body, showing how each of them contributes to proving your thesis. You may also mention any counterarguments you addressed, emphasizing why your thesis holds up against them, particularly if your argument is a controversial one.
Don’t go into the details of your evidence or present new ideas; focus on outlining in broad strokes the argument you have made.
Empirical paper: Summarize your findings
In an empirical paper, this is the time to summarize your key findings. Don’t go into great detail here (you will have presented your in-depth results and discussion already), but do clearly express the answers to the research questions you investigated.
Describe your main findings, even if they weren’t necessarily the ones you expected or hoped for, and explain the overall conclusion they led you to.
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Having summed up your key arguments or findings, the conclusion ends by considering the broader implications of your research. This means expressing the key takeaways, practical or theoretical, from your paper—often in the form of a call for action or suggestions for future research.
Argumentative paper: Strong closing statement
An argumentative paper generally ends with a strong closing statement. In the case of a practical argument, make a call for action: What actions do you think should be taken by the people or organizations concerned in response to your argument?
If your topic is more theoretical and unsuitable for a call for action, your closing statement should express the significance of your argument—for example, in proposing a new understanding of a topic or laying the groundwork for future research.
Empirical paper: Future research directions
In a more empirical paper, you can close by either making recommendations for practice (for example, in clinical or policy papers), or suggesting directions for future research.
Whatever the scope of your own research, there will always be room for further investigation of related topics, and you’ll often discover new questions and problems during the research process .
Finish your paper on a forward-looking note by suggesting how you or other researchers might build on this topic in the future and address any limitations of the current paper.
Full examples of research paper conclusions are shown in the tabs below: one for an argumentative paper, the other for an empirical paper.
- Argumentative paper
- Empirical paper
While the role of cattle in climate change is by now common knowledge, countries like the Netherlands continually fail to confront this issue with the urgency it deserves. The evidence is clear: To create a truly futureproof agricultural sector, Dutch farmers must be incentivized to transition from livestock farming to sustainable vegetable farming. As well as dramatically lowering emissions, plant-based agriculture, if approached in the right way, can produce more food with less land, providing opportunities for nature regeneration areas that will themselves contribute to climate targets. Although this approach would have economic ramifications, from a long-term perspective, it would represent a significant step towards a more sustainable and resilient national economy. Transitioning to sustainable vegetable farming will make the Netherlands greener and healthier, setting an example for other European governments. Farmers, policymakers, and consumers must focus on the future, not just on their own short-term interests, and work to implement this transition now.
As social media becomes increasingly central to young people’s everyday lives, it is important to understand how different platforms affect their developing self-conception. By testing the effect of daily Instagram use among teenage girls, this study established that highly visual social media does indeed have a significant effect on body image concerns, with a strong correlation between the amount of time spent on the platform and participants’ self-reported dissatisfaction with their appearance. However, the strength of this effect was moderated by pre-test self-esteem ratings: Participants with higher self-esteem were less likely to experience an increase in body image concerns after using Instagram. This suggests that, while Instagram does impact body image, it is also important to consider the wider social and psychological context in which this usage occurs: Teenagers who are already predisposed to self-esteem issues may be at greater risk of experiencing negative effects. Future research into Instagram and other highly visual social media should focus on establishing a clearer picture of how self-esteem and related constructs influence young people’s experiences of these platforms. Furthermore, while this experiment measured Instagram usage in terms of time spent on the platform, observational studies are required to gain more insight into different patterns of usage—to investigate, for instance, whether active posting is associated with different effects than passive consumption of social media content.
If you’re unsure about the conclusion, it can be helpful to ask a friend or fellow student to read your conclusion and summarize the main takeaways.
- Do they understand from your conclusion what your research was about?
- Are they able to summarize the implications of your findings?
- Can they answer your research question based on your conclusion?
You can also get an expert to proofread and feedback your paper with a paper editing service .
The conclusion of a research paper has several key elements you should make sure to include:
- A restatement of the research problem
- A summary of your key arguments and/or findings
- A short discussion of the implications of your research
No, it’s not appropriate to present new arguments or evidence in the conclusion . While you might be tempted to save a striking argument for last, research papers follow a more formal structure than this.
All your findings and arguments should be presented in the body of the text (more specifically in the results and discussion sections if you are following a scientific structure). The conclusion is meant to summarize and reflect on the evidence and arguments you have already presented, not introduce new ones.
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- How to Write Discussions and Conclusions
The discussion section contains the results and outcomes of a study. An effective discussion informs readers what can be learned from your experiment and provides context for the results.
What makes an effective discussion?
When you’re ready to write your discussion, you’ve already introduced the purpose of your study and provided an in-depth description of the methodology. The discussion informs readers about the larger implications of your study based on the results. Highlighting these implications while not overstating the findings can be challenging, especially when you’re submitting to a journal that selects articles based on novelty or potential impact. Regardless of what journal you are submitting to, the discussion section always serves the same purpose: concluding what your study results actually mean.
A successful discussion section puts your findings in context. It should include:
- the results of your research,
- a discussion of related research, and
- a comparison between your results and initial hypothesis.
Tip: Not all journals share the same naming conventions.
You can apply the advice in this article to the conclusion, results or discussion sections of your manuscript.
Our Early Career Researcher community tells us that the conclusion is often considered the most difficult aspect of a manuscript to write. To help, this guide provides questions to ask yourself, a basic structure to model your discussion off of and examples from published manuscripts.
Questions to ask yourself:
- Was my hypothesis correct?
- If my hypothesis is partially correct or entirely different, what can be learned from the results?
- How do the conclusions reshape or add onto the existing knowledge in the field? What does previous research say about the topic?
- Why are the results important or relevant to your audience? Do they add further evidence to a scientific consensus or disprove prior studies?
- How can future research build on these observations? What are the key experiments that must be done?
- What is the “take-home” message you want your reader to leave with?
How to structure a discussion
Trying to fit a complete discussion into a single paragraph can add unnecessary stress to the writing process. If possible, you’ll want to give yourself two or three paragraphs to give the reader a comprehensive understanding of your study as a whole. Here’s one way to structure an effective discussion:
Writing Tips
While the above sections can help you brainstorm and structure your discussion, there are many common mistakes that writers revert to when having difficulties with their paper. Writing a discussion can be a delicate balance between summarizing your results, providing proper context for your research and avoiding introducing new information. Remember that your paper should be both confident and honest about the results!
- Read the journal’s guidelines on the discussion and conclusion sections. If possible, learn about the guidelines before writing the discussion to ensure you’re writing to meet their expectations.
- Begin with a clear statement of the principal findings. This will reinforce the main take-away for the reader and set up the rest of the discussion.
- Explain why the outcomes of your study are important to the reader. Discuss the implications of your findings realistically based on previous literature, highlighting both the strengths and limitations of the research.
- State whether the results prove or disprove your hypothesis. If your hypothesis was disproved, what might be the reasons?
- Introduce new or expanded ways to think about the research question. Indicate what next steps can be taken to further pursue any unresolved questions.
- If dealing with a contemporary or ongoing problem, such as climate change, discuss possible consequences if the problem is avoided.
- Be concise. Adding unnecessary detail can distract from the main findings.
Don’t
- Rewrite your abstract. Statements with “we investigated” or “we studied” generally do not belong in the discussion.
- Include new arguments or evidence not previously discussed. Necessary information and evidence should be introduced in the main body of the paper.
- Apologize. Even if your research contains significant limitations, don’t undermine your authority by including statements that doubt your methodology or execution.
- Shy away from speaking on limitations or negative results. Including limitations and negative results will give readers a complete understanding of the presented research. Potential limitations include sources of potential bias, threats to internal or external validity, barriers to implementing an intervention and other issues inherent to the study design.
- Overstate the importance of your findings. Making grand statements about how a study will fully resolve large questions can lead readers to doubt the success of the research.
Snippets of Effective Discussions:
Consumer-based actions to reduce plastic pollution in rivers: A multi-criteria decision analysis approach
Identifying reliable indicators of fitness in polar bears
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- Conclusion Structure: Effective Strategies for Ending College Papers
How to Write a Conclusion Paragraph for an Essay: Structure & Tips
- How to Write a Conclusion Paragraph for an Essay: Structure & Tips
Essay conclusion paragraph outline
Essay conclusion structure:, what to write about in conclusion for an essay, best strategies for writing effective essay conclusions, finally, some advice on how not to end an essay.
Wondering how to structure a conclusion of your essay or research paper to ensure your audience won’t regret they’ve read your piece of writing? Writing a conclusion is an important step when you are working on any written project. A concluding paragraph is your last chance to convince your readers to accept your point of view and make them remember the key ideas. Achieving this goal is not as easy as it may seem and conclusion paragraph structure plays a crucial role in its effectiveness. It’s not enough to restate your thesis statement and just enumerate main points. Read on to learn how to write an effective conclusion that wraps your essay up and closes the discussion in a final sentence without actually closing it off. Think that is homework illegal? Think that writing a good conclusion or an engaging introduction to your paper is too challenging? Our writers will gladly help you solve any writing problem – just ask Homework Helper for assistance.
In an essay conclusion paragraph, you summarize what you’ve written about in your paper. When you’re writing a good conclusion paragraph, you need to think about the main point that you want to get across and be sure it’s included. The number of sentences in your conclusion will depend on how many paragraphs (statements) you have in the essay. A typical essay consists of 5 paragraphs .
So, first thing to come up with - conclusion paragraph outline:
1) A conclusion starter - topic sentence:
- It’s the sentence that functions as a Fresh paraphrasing / restating the thesis statement of your essay. Therefore, if you wonder how to start a conclusion, rephrase your thesis statement and put it first.
2) Supporting sentences - a summary of the main parts of your essay:
- Here you’ll have to summarize or wrap up the main points in the body of the essay. You’ll need to come up with 2-3 sentences wrapping up the arguments of your essay. Explain how the ideas fit together.
3) A concluding sentence (closing sentence):
- It’s a final sentence of your essay that connects back to the introduction providing a sense of closure and connecting readers back to the introduction.
Before creating an outline for this part of your work, look at an example essay structure . So, you will get a better understanding of every part of your work.
- Sentence 1 - restate the thesis by making the same point with other words (paraphrase).
- Sentences 2-4 - review your arguments; summarize them by paraphrasing how you proved the thesis.
- Sentence 5 - connect back to the essay hook and relate your closing statement to the opening one; transit to human nature to impress a reader and give them food for thought.
After - combine all sentences to the improved and expanded essay conclusion. And - here you go! Your conclusion is done! But, what about some "spicy" peculiarities of the whole conclusion "recipes" you don't want to overlook in the end..?
It’s critical to structure any conclusion in a way which ensures it conveys a sense of closure and demonstrates possibilities of the topic. Speaking about essential elements of the conclusion structure that are appropriate for different types of papers, we should mention the following ones:
- Brief summary of the key points of the text
- Your personal opinion about the paper’s main idea
- Concluding statement which includes deduction based on the ideas expressed in the main body
- Recommendations about future research and some predictions
- Implications of the work for future studies
These elements are important and should be included when you write longer academic papers, for example, extended analytical essays with rather complex structures, theses or dissertations. But it’s not obligatory to include all the above mentioned elements when you write an argumentative essay or a business plan. These types of papers have a simpler structure and don’t require lengthy conclusions. However, each piece of writing must include an introduction that presents its topic and a final section that wraps everything up and answers the question “so what?” to help readers see why they should care about the content of your paper.
A conclusion structure of an ordinary essay may be simpler and should consist of 3 essential parts:
- Answer where you restate your thesis statement
- Concise summary where you summarize main points of your argument
- Significance where you explain implications of your findings
Wondering what other things an essay conclusion structure may include? Here are some suggestions:
- Ask a provocative question
- Call for a certain action
- Evoke memorable vision
- Include an interesting quote
- Use the introduction paragraph as a guide but you should remember that these parts of an essay present information in a different manner and order. Although a conclusion is related to introduction, it presents information in the opposite way so conclusion structure is the opposite of the introduction. When writing a conclusion, you should start with some specific information and finish it with more general information.
- When writing an answer, you shouldn’t repeat your thesis word for word. Rearrange the thesis, keeping the most important keyword. Use different paraphrasing techniques and rewording strategies.
- Conclusion is the place where you should show the connections between main points of your paper. Choose the most useful ideas from your body paragraphs and summarize them, keeping relevant keywords. Express your ideas using different sentences. To write all parts logically, do not forget about transition words for college essays .
- Not all essays end with explaining implications. Short papers (up to 1100 words) don’t have enough space to give detailed descriptions of significance. But if you want your essay to convey a bigger picture, this tactic is very effective.
- Many people describe an essay as an attempt to “sell” your personal view on a specific issue. A strong essay conclusion should demonstrate that your arguments are really important and relevant for a specific topic.
- The structure of your conclusion should include a powerful positive statement which must be based on the information presented in the previous parts of your paper. Don’t include any new information in your conclusion.
- Avoid using such phrases as “to sum it up” or “in conclusion”. These phrases are unnecessary and they sound too unnatural. Your readers are smart enough to understand when your arguments are ending and phrases like those will just irritate them.
- To make your conclusion more powerful, you can finish your paper with a sentence that has a compound or parallel structure. Such sentences work well at the end of complex discussions, establishing a sense of order or balance.
- End your conclusion paragraph by restating a phrase or a word used at the beginning of the first paragraph. In this way, you can establish some link between two essential parts of your essay and bring the readers full circle. Returning to a theme of introduction is a great technique.
- End an essay with a sentence which consists of mainly one-syllable words because using simple language can produce an effect of understated drama.
- You can create a powerful concluding paragraph if you redefine one of the major terms of the argument. In this way, your essay will sound more original and unique.
- Don't simply summarize your essay. A brief summary of your argument may be useful, especially if your essay is long - more than ten pages or so. But shorter essays tend not to require a restatement of your main ideas.
- Avoid phrases like "in conclusion," "to conclude," "in summary," and "to sum up." These phrases can be useful - even welcome - in oral presentations. But readers can see, by the tell-tale compression of the pages, when an essay is about to end. You'll irritate your audience if you belabor the obvious.
- Resist the urge to apologize. If you've immersed yourself in your subject, you now know a good deal more about it than you can possibly include in a five- or ten- or 20-page essay. As a result, by the time you've finished writing, you may be having some doubts about what you've produced. (And if you haven't immersed yourself in your subject, you may be feeling even more doubtful about your essay as you approach the conclusion.) Repress those doubts. Don't undercut your authority by saying things like, "this is just one approach to the subject; there may be other, better approaches. . ."
Academic writing is an essential part of a higher education so every student must complete lots of papers to earn their degree. That’s why understanding how to properly structure a compelling conclusion and what basic elements to include in it is an important skill that all students have to master. We hope that our easy tips on how to write a strong conclusion will help you successfully complete academic papers on any topic and make a powerful impression on your readers. But if you face difficulties when writing college-level papers, you can easily get qualified help with any assignment on the website of our custom writing service. Spend a few minutes to place an order and our experts will provide you with a good paper with a proper structure which was written according to your instructions. Our writers will help you accomplish your academic goals and become a successful student.
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How to Start a Conclusion Paragraph
Last Updated: February 28, 2022 References
This article was co-authored by Emily Listmann, MA . Emily Listmann is a private tutor in San Carlos, California. She has worked as a Social Studies Teacher, Curriculum Coordinator, and an SAT Prep Teacher. She received her MA in Education from the Stanford Graduate School of Education in 2014. There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 1,037,079 times.
A conclusion paragraph is your last chance to leave your reader with a good impression. Your goal is to leave the reader feeling like they understand your argument and evidence. A great conclusion should tie all of your ideas together. You can do this by using some specific examples, reiterating key points, and editing carefully. There are several steps you can take to write a successful conclusion to any paper.
Crafting Your Conclusion Paragraph
- Make sure that your thesis is not vague. For example, don't just say, "This is a paper about the death penalty."
- Instead, try being clear and specific. You might write, "The death penalty costs America millions of dollars per year, and as such, is one of the major expenditures in our penal system. This paper will examine why the justice system in the United States needs significant reforms."
- This is also the time to make sure that your essay is organized the way you want and that you've supported your thesis with strong evidence and analysis. You can't write a successful conclusion until you've organized your essay in a way that makes sense.
- Do not just copy and paste your thesis statement. Put it in different words.
- For example, maybe your thesis statement is, "The Cold War significantly changed American foreign policy. It caused many policymakers to grow accustomed to having a defined enemy. This made for a somewhat confused foreign policy in the 1990s, after the fall of the Soviet Union." You will want to rephrase it in the conclusion.
- Try saying, "As demonstrated by looking at the foreign policy actions of President Bush and Clinton, the post-Cold War foreign policy suffered from a lack of coherent action.
- You might consider providing a useful anecdote in your conclusion. For example, if you are writing about the plight of the polar bears, offer a story about the polar bear at the San Diego Zoo.
- Try to synthesize. This means taking the analysis further than just simply summarizing your points.
- Your conclusion is a great place to not only summarize, but to draw connections. Tell your reader how your different points connect.
- For example, you can point out that the Civil War affected both the economy and politics, and that the two were intertwined.
- Make sure that you have clearly stated your argument. Your reader should not be confused about your point.
- Review your main points. Have you included all of them in your conclusion?
- Does your conclusion explain why your topic is significant? Remember, it is your last chance to convince your reader that your research is important.
- Make the importance clear. You can state, "This research is significant because it illustrates connections between 19th century literature and the feminists of today."
Starting Your Conclusion Paragraph
- Try connecting the last paragraph to the first. For example, if your introduction talked about a dog named Sam, finish your paper by referring once again to Sam.
- Linking the first and last paragraphs is a good way of ending your paper. It "bookends" your topic.
- You can also finish your essay with a quote or fact that you referenced earlier in the essay. This provides a nice sense of closure for your reader.
- Maybe you are writing a paper about the obesity epidemic in America. Your conclusion is a great place to offer some solutions.
- For example, you could say, "Clearly, there is a need for a greater focus on physical activity at a young age." Or you could say, "More research should be done to help learn to effectively treat the negative side effects of obesity."
- You can also use your conclusion to point to broader themes. For example, your paper about the Freedom Rides in 1961 could indicate some broader points about the Civil Rights movement.
- Try to avoid using a long sentence to start your conclusion. You want to grab your reader's attention and keep it.
- There is no need to say, "And so, as we have effectively demonstrated through the use of complicated evidence..." Instead, just say, "It is clear we need change."
- Try writing the first sentence of your conclusion using only one syllable words. This will enhance the drama of your paper.
- Clearly stating the importance of your argument is a good way to start your conclusion. Your reader will understand exactly what you are trying to say.
- You can say, "This research is important because it could help save the lives of animals." That is a direct, declarative statement.
- Context can help you explain why a topic is important. For example, your conclusion could begin with a statement such as, "As this essay is being written, there are blank amount of youths incarcerated in the United States."
- Avoid saying, "In conclusion". There are other, more interesting, ways to start your conclusion.
- Try saying, "As the research has demonstrated." You can also just introduce your final points by saying, "Finally..."
- You can also indicate that your reader is at the conclusion by saying, "To review..." or "We can see..."
- You can also write, "It is clear...". Try a few different options to see what works best for your particular paper.
Polishing Your Paper
- There are several words you can use to indicate that you are transitioning to the next part of your paper. You want your reader to know when you have reached your conclusion.
- In addition to saying, "In conclusion....", there are other choices you can make. For example, you would try, "Finally,..." or "As this paper demonstrates...".
- Make sure to transition between each main point. You can use words such as, "In comparison", "Next", or "A different approach" to illustrate your are shifting topics.
- Look for spelling and grammatical errors. Use spell check to help you.
- Edit for content. Read each sentence of your paper to make sure that it makes sense and helps get your point across.
- Don't be afraid to make cuts. If you find a paragraph that doesn't add to your argument, get rid of it.
- Read out loud. This is an excellent way to catch errors that you didn't notice while reading. [13] X Research source
- Be open to constructive criticism. Don't take it personally if your friend offers some helpful pointers.
- Explain the assignment. You can say, "This paper is supposed to be an assessment of the public school system in Indiana. Are my points clear?"
- Ask your reader to pay careful attention to your conclusion. They might spot holes that you didn't see.
- Format the paper as specified. If it is supposed to be written in 12 point Times New Roman, verify that that is the font you used.
- Submit the paper as specified. If your teacher asks you to submit both an electronic copy and a hard copy, follow those instructions.
Community Q&A
- Be flexible. Your argument may shift as you write the paper. Don't be afraid to change your conclusion. ⧼thumbs_response⧽ Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
- Allow yourself plenty of time to write. Don't try to write your conclusion the day the paper is due. ⧼thumbs_response⧽ Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
- Edit carefully. ⧼thumbs_response⧽ Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
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- ↑ http://writing.msu.edu/how-to-write-a-good-thesis-statement/
- ↑ https://owl.english.purdue.edu/engagement/2/2/60/
- ↑ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/conclusions/
- ↑ http://www.writing.ucsb.edu/faculty/donelan/concl.html
- ↑ http://writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu/pages/ending-essay-conclusions
- ↑ http://www.umuc.edu/writingcenter/writingresources/conclude.cfm
- ↑ http://www2.eit.ac.nz/library/ls_guides_sentencestarters.html
- ↑ http://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/Transitions.html
- ↑ https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/561/05/
- ↑ http://www.iun.edu/utep/docs/editing-academic-paper.pdf
- ↑ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/getting-feedback/
About This Article
To start a conclusion paragraph, signal that you’re at the end of the essay by linking the first and final paragraphs with a quote, anecdote, or reference. For example, if you started your essay talking about a dog named Sam, then return to Sam in your conclusion. Next, rephrase your thesis to return the reader to your main idea. Then, provide a quick summary or overview of your argument. Additionally, propose a plan of action to help solve the problem. Finally, leave an impression by explaining your topic's significance. To learn how to be creative with your conclusion, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No
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- Ending the Essay: Conclusions
So much is at stake in writing a conclusion. This is, after all, your last chance to persuade your readers to your point of view, to impress yourself upon them as a writer and thinker. And the impression you create in your conclusion will shape the impression that stays with your readers after they've finished the essay.
The end of an essay should therefore convey a sense of completeness and closure as well as a sense of the lingering possibilities of the topic, its larger meaning, its implications: the final paragraph should close the discussion without closing it off.
To establish a sense of closure, you might do one or more of the following:
- Conclude by linking the last paragraph to the first, perhaps by reiterating a word or phrase you used at the beginning.
- Conclude with a sentence composed mainly of one-syllable words. Simple language can help create an effect of understated drama.
- Conclude with a sentence that's compound or parallel in structure; such sentences can establish a sense of balance or order that may feel just right at the end of a complex discussion.
To close the discussion without closing it off, you might do one or more of the following:
- Conclude with a quotation from or reference to a primary or secondary source, one that amplifies your main point or puts it in a different perspective. A quotation from, say, the novel or poem you're writing about can add texture and specificity to your discussion; a critic or scholar can help confirm or complicate your final point. For example, you might conclude an essay on the idea of home in James Joyce's short story collection, Dubliners , with information about Joyce's own complex feelings towards Dublin, his home. Or you might end with a biographer's statement about Joyce's attitude toward Dublin, which could illuminate his characters' responses to the city. Just be cautious, especially about using secondary material: make sure that you get the last word.
- Conclude by setting your discussion into a different, perhaps larger, context. For example, you might end an essay on nineteenth-century muckraking journalism by linking it to a current news magazine program like 60 Minutes .
- Conclude by redefining one of the key terms of your argument. For example, an essay on Marx's treatment of the conflict between wage labor and capital might begin with Marx's claim that the "capitalist economy is . . . a gigantic enterprise of dehumanization "; the essay might end by suggesting that Marxist analysis is itself dehumanizing because it construes everything in economic -- rather than moral or ethical-- terms.
- Conclude by considering the implications of your argument (or analysis or discussion). What does your argument imply, or involve, or suggest? For example, an essay on the novel Ambiguous Adventure , by the Senegalese writer Cheikh Hamidou Kane, might open with the idea that the protagonist's development suggests Kane's belief in the need to integrate Western materialism and Sufi spirituality in modern Senegal. The conclusion might make the new but related point that the novel on the whole suggests that such an integration is (or isn't) possible.
Finally, some advice on how not to end an essay:
- Don't simply summarize your essay. A brief summary of your argument may be useful, especially if your essay is long--more than ten pages or so. But shorter essays tend not to require a restatement of your main ideas.
- Avoid phrases like "in conclusion," "to conclude," "in summary," and "to sum up." These phrases can be useful--even welcome--in oral presentations. But readers can see, by the tell-tale compression of the pages, when an essay is about to end. You'll irritate your audience if you belabor the obvious.
- Resist the urge to apologize. If you've immersed yourself in your subject, you now know a good deal more about it than you can possibly include in a five- or ten- or 20-page essay. As a result, by the time you've finished writing, you may be having some doubts about what you've produced. (And if you haven't immersed yourself in your subject, you may be feeling even more doubtful about your essay as you approach the conclusion.) Repress those doubts. Don't undercut your authority by saying things like, "this is just one approach to the subject; there may be other, better approaches. . ."
Copyright 1998, Pat Bellanca, for the Writing Center at Harvard University
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The Definitive Guide to Writing a Well-Structured Essay
Essay writing is a skill vital to academic success at all levels. It is one of the ways in which the intelligentsia express their thoughts and ideas and communicate with the academic community.
Most professors and instructors write publication-worthy essays at a professional level and therefore have high standards for their students’ writing. Also, essay writing is a useful practice that allows students to hone their writing skills and serves as a foundation for longer, more complex forms of writing.
Very often, students fail to understand the expectations of college-level essay writing and settle for less-than-stellar grades. One of these expectations is an effective and appropriate essay structure that presents ideas in a clear, concise, and logical manner.
A well-structured essay consists of a coherent set of ideas successfully molded into an articulate, formal argument supported by logic and evidence. And since essays are linear – they present only one idea at a time – by default, each idea must be expressed in a lucid and organized manner.
Your essay writing skills can be dramatically improved simply by learning how to structure academic essays correctly. The following is a definitive guide to writing a well-structured essay.
Understanding Essay Structure
A good essay has three basic components: an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. The opening paragraph consists of a detailed thesis statement. It is followed by a body of paragraphs, each paragraph presenting a single idea through a clear topic sentence along with 2 or more supporting sentences. The conclusion summarizes the major ideas presented in the essay. This format is critical for an essay’s success – imagine an essay that begins with the body paragraphs, followed by the introduction and a conclusion. The flawed logic of such an essay would make it impossible to read or understand.
1. How to Write an Introduction
While every sentence and every paragraph of an essay is important, the introductory paragraph is crucial. Many professors start evaluating your work as soon as they begin reading it. The introduction is enough to create an impression about whether your essay is interesting or dull, strong or weak, effective or ineffective. Obviously, you want it to be just right and as close to perfection as possible.
The introduction begins with a “hook” that will catch your reader’s attention and draw them in, hopefully motivating them to keep reading. The next few sentences build up to the topic of your essay and lead to the thesis statement, which announces the purpose of your writing. This can be followed by a few more sentences that explain or expand upon the thesis statement. Make sure you clearly mention the aims or goals you hope to accomplish through the essay and briefly mention some of the main points you will be setting forth in the body of the essay. This offers an overview of the entire argument and proves that you have carefully thought it through.
It is unnecessary to explore your key points in detail in the introduction, since you will be doing so later on. The reader should be able to get a thumbnail picture of the essay – the subject and how you intend to support or explain your main argument – just by reading the introduction.
2. How to Write Body Paragraphs
The paragraphs that follow the introduction and form the main bulk of the essay are referred to as the “body” of the essay.
Depending on the essay’s style and purpose, each paragraph is generally expected to be between 2-8 sentences in length. The size of the average paragraph in academic writing tends to be about 8-10 sentences. This is so because the author must back up their points with evidence before reaching a conclusion, thus requiring a greater amount of writing. Business writing, on the other hand, tends to have shorter paragraphs – usually 4-5 sentences in length – because it is expected to be as concise as possible.
The body paragraphs present the key points of the paper along with the relevant information and research data that supports the thesis. Each paragraph should contain one idea that is introduced by a topic sentence and supported by subsequent sentences. And each sentence in a body paragraph must link back to the topic sentence and add more information to it. A common mistake made by many novice writers is presenting multiple ideas in a single paragraph. This undermines the structure of the argument and confuses readers to the detriment of the essay as a whole.
3. How to Write a Conclusion
The conclusion is the final part of the essay structure. It is essentially a summary of the ideas presented in the introduction and the body paragraphs. Another important function of the conclusion is to demonstrate how the ideas stated in the introduction and the body paragraphs relate to the general thesis of the essay. The conclusion usually begins with a brief and is then followed by a one-sentence summary of the thesis and the supporting evidence. The ensuing sentences gradually expand the scope of the argument, within the context of the discussion, taking into account the evidence presented in the body of the essay. The last sentence associates the essay topic with the broader interests of readers or areas of further study.
A well-written conclusion often starts with connecting phrases such as “as we/you can see,” “in conclusion,” “summing up,” “therefore,” etc. Connecting phrases are used to link the conclusive paragraph with the ideas put forth in the essay. Depending on the subject and the overall length of the essay as well as the professor’s instructions, the length of a conclusion can vary from one paragraph to one page.
4. How to Address Counter Arguments
A well-structured essay is expected to strictly abide by the “introduction – body paragraphs – conclusion” format. However, the author does have the flexibility to include exceptions, limitations, or counter arguments to the main argument or ideas in the essay. These can be summed up in one or two paragraphs before the conclusion but should find no place in the introduction, as they would make the thesis statement far too convoluted. Counter arguments are nonetheless important because they balance the main argument and demonstrate that the author has examined the topic thoroughly.
Beginning Your Essay
Quite often, students have a solid grasp of essay structure but find it difficult to actually begin structuring their essay.
If you don’t feel confident enough to go through the writing process in a linear fashion, it is recommended that you do the body paragraphs first. Since each body paragraph contains one idea, starting here will give you a better understanding of what your key ideas are. This will make it fairly easy to form a thesis statement followed by the introduction and conclusion.
The Post-Writing Phase
Reviewing your well-structured essay is an important part of the writing process. It takes place in the post-writing phase and involves putting your essay aside for a couple of hours or a day and coming back to review it. Read through each paragraph to see if your points make sense and if you have articulated them clearly. Each paragraph must be relevant to the thesis and should relate to the main argument; if it has strayed, a rewrite or omission might be in order.
To sum up, a well-structured essay begins with a clear thesis, is followed by logical body paragraphs, and ends with a meaningful conclusion that summarizes the whole. Planning your essay with the above structure in mind will enhance your critical thinking and communication skills and help you achieve better grades.
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How to write a conclusion 1. Restate the thesis. An effective conclusion brings the reader back to the main point, reminding the reader of the... 2. Reiterate supporting points. Aside from restating your thesis, you should also reiterate the points that you made to... 3. Make a connection between ...
How to write a good conclusion As you set out to write your conclusion and end your essay on an insightful note, you’ll want to start by restating your thesis. Since the thesis is the central idea of your entire essay, it’s wise to remind the reader of the purpose of your paper.
The conclusion might include minor pieces of new information—for example, a sentence or two discussing broader implications, or a quotation that nicely summarizes your central point. But it shouldn’t introduce any major new sources or ideas that need further explanation to understand.
Table of contents Step 1: Restate the problem The first task of your conclusion is to remind the reader of your research problem. You will... Step 2: Sum up the paper Having zoomed back in on the problem, it’s time to summarize how the body of the paper went... Step 3: Discuss the implications
Writing a Conclusion for an Essay or Paper 1. Start with a transition sentence. If you are writing a conclusion to an essay or paper for school or college, it's... 2. Avoid saying "in conclusion". If you are concluding an essay or research paper, you should try to avoid using phrases... 3. Consider ...
Indicate what next steps can be taken to further pursue any unresolved questions. If dealing with a contemporary or ongoing problem, such as climate change, discuss possible consequences if the problem is avoided. Be concise. Adding unnecessary detail can distract from the main findings.
A conclusion structure of an ordinary essay may be simpler and should consist of 3 essential parts: Answer where you restate your thesis statement. Concise summary where you summarize main points of your argument. Significance where you explain implications of your findings.
There are several steps you can take to write a successful conclusion to any paper. Part 1 Crafting Your Conclusion Paragraph 1 Revise your thesis statement. One of the most important components of an effective conclusion is a well-written thesis statement.
To establish a sense of closure, you might do one or more of the following: Conclude by linking the last paragraph to the first, perhaps by reiterating a word or phrase you used at the beginning. Conclude with a sentence composed mainly of one-syllable words. Simple language can help create an ...
A well-written conclusion often starts with connecting phrases such as “as we/you can see,” “in conclusion,” “summing up,” “therefore,” etc. Connecting phrases are used to link the conclusive paragraph with the ideas put forth in the essay.