Conclusions• Introductions and conclusions are often the

toughest paragraphs to write in an essay.• Many writers find the body relatively easy,

because the writer simply takes the 3 points and proves/discusses them, one per paragraph.

• You’ve mastered introductions, so let’s talk about conclusions.

Purpose of a Conclusion• Help readers see why all your analysis and

information should matter to them.• The conclusion allows you to demonstrate

the importance of your ideas, and to propel your reader to a new view of the subject.

Purpose of a Conclusion• The conclusion pushes beyond the

boundaries of the prompt and allows you to consider broader issues, make new connections, and elaborate on the significance of your findings.

Conclusion Strategies1. Find out why your topic matters. One way to do

this is to play the “So What?” Game. If you’re stuck and feel like your conclusion isn’t saying anything new or interesting, ask a friend to read it with you.

• Whenever you make a statement from your conclusion, ask the friend to say, “So what?” or “Why should anybody care?” Then ponder that question and answer it.

Conclusion StrategiesYou: Basically, I’m saying that education was important to Douglass.Friend: So what?You: Well, it was important because it was a key to him feeling like a free and equal citizen.Friend: Why should anybody care?You: That’s important because plantation owners tried to keep slaves from being educated so that they could maintain control. When Douglass obtained an education, he undermined that control personally.

Conclusion Strategies• This strategy will help you realize and verbalize the

implications of your argument and how they apply to your reader.

Conclusion Strategies2. Point to broader implications. • For example, if your paper examines the

Greensboro sit-ins or another event in the Civil Rights Movement, you could point out its impact on the Civil Rights Movement as a whole.

• A paper about the style of writer Virginia Woolf could point to her influence on other writers or on later feminists.

Conclusion Strategies3. 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 (word picture), 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.

Conclusion Strategies4. Propose a course of action, a solution to an

issue, or issues for further study. • Tell what specific action you want your

audience to take in the real world, or how what you write should change your own or other people's lives.

• 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.

Conclusion Strategies5. Tell what good will happen if one accepts

your standpoint, and what the negative consequences will be if one fails to accept it.

• That is, discuss the real-world implications of what you say in the paper. Reassure your audience that they have more to gain than to lose if they agree with what you say in the paper, but without using "you."

Conclusion Strategies6. Challenging 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.

Conclusion StrategiesThough 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.

Conclusion Strategies7. Look to the future. • Looking to the future can emphasize the

importance of your paper or redirect the readers' thought process. It may help them apply the new information to their lives or see things more globally.

Conclusion StrategiesWithout well-qualified teachers, schools are little more than buildings and equipment. If higher-paying careers continue to attract the

best and the brightest students, there will not only be a shortage of teachers, but the

teachers available may not have the best qualifications. Our youth will suffer. And when

youth suffers, the future suffers.

Conclusions to AVOIDHere are some types of conclusions to avoid:

1. Ending with a rephrased thesis statement. This conclusion just restates the thesis and is usually painfully short. It does not push the ideas forward.

DO NOT restate the thesis statement in your conclusion at all!

Conclusions to AVOID2. Beginning with an unnecessary, overused

phrase such as “in conclusion,” “in summary,” or “in closing.” They come across as artificial, wooden, and trite in writing.

3. Stating the thesis for the very first time in the conclusion.

Too late!

Conclusions to AVOID4. Introducing a new idea or subtopic in your

conclusion.Too late!

Conclusions to AVOID5. Including evidence (quotations, statistics,

etc.) that should be in the body of the paper.

• People write this kind of conclusion when they can’t think of anything else to say.

Example: In conclusion, Frederick Douglass was, as we have seen, a pioneer in American education, proving that education was a major force for social change with regard to slavery.

Conclusions to AVOID6. The “America the Beautiful”/”We Shall

Overcome” Conclusion. • This kind of conclusion usually draws on

emotion to make its appeal, but while this emotion and even sentimentality may be very heartfelt, it is usually out of character with the rest of an analytical paper.

• In this kind of conclusion, you can almost hear the heroic theme music rising in the background.

Conclusions to AVOIDExample:

Because of the efforts of fine Americans like Frederick Douglass, countless others have seen

the shining beacon of light that is education. His example was a torch that lit the way for

others. Frederick Douglass was truly an American hero.

• A more sophisticated commentary, rather than emotional praise, would be a more fitting tribute to the topic.

Conclusions to AVOID7. The “Grab Bag” Conclusion. • This kind of conclusion includes extra

information that the writer found or thought of but couldn’t integrate into the main paper.

• You may find it hard to leave out details that you discovered after hours of research and thought, but adding random facts and bits of evidence at the end of an otherwise well organized essay can just create confusion.

Conclusions to AVOIDExample:

In addition to being an educational pioneer, Frederick Douglass provides an interesting case

study for masculinity in the American South. He also offers historians an interesting glimpse into slave resistance when he confronts Covey,

the overseer. His relationships with female relatives reveal the importance of family in the

slave community.

Conclusions to AVOID8. Focusing on a minor point in the essay.9. Apologizing for your view by saying such

things as “I may not be an expert” or “At least this is my opinion.”

10. Ending with a quote. As with introductions, use your own words. Using someone else’s words looks lazy. It also seems – even after all that research and writing – you have nothing of your own to contribute.

Sources• The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at

Chapel Hill http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/acadwrite/conclude.html

• The Write Place, St. Cloud State University http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/acadwrite/conclude.html

• University of Texas at El Paso, http://utminers.utep.edu/omwilliamson/engl1311/intro_conclu.htm

• Writing Center, University of Richmond http://writing2.richmond.edu/writing/wweb/conclude.html