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The Conclusion
A conclusion should
Stress the importance of the thesis statement,
Give the essay a sense of completeness, and
Leave a final impression on the reader.
*Don't simply repeat things that were in your paper. They have read it. Show them how the points you made and the support and examples you used were not random, but fit together.
Synthesize, don't summarize
If you are a beginner, try one of the following strategies...
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1. You can conclude your essay by reviewing your key points or restating your thesis.
Rotation of crops provided several benefits. It enriched soil by giving it a rest; it enabled farmers to vary their production; and it ended the cycle of “boom or bust” that had characterized the prewar South’s economy when cotton was the primary crop. Of course, this innovation did not solve all the economic problems of the postwar South, but it did lay the groundwork for the healthy economy this region enjoys today. (history exam)
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2. You can end a discussion of a problem with a recommendation of a course of action.
Well-qualified teachers are becoming harder and harder to find. For this reason, school boards should reassess their ideas about what qualifies someone to teach. At the present time, people who have spent their lives working in a particular field are denied certification because they have not taken any education courses. This policy deprives school systems of talented teachers. In order to ensure that students have the best possible teachers, school boards should consider applicants’ real-world experience when evaluating their qualification (education essay)
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3. You can conclude with a prediction. Be sure, however, that your prediction follows logically from the points you have made in the essay. Your conclusion is no place to make new points or change direction.
Campaign advertisements should help people understand a political candidate’s qualifications and where he or she stands on critical issues. They should not appeal to people’s fears or greed. Above all, they should not personally attack other candidates or oversimplify complex issues. If campaign advertisements continue to do these things, the American people will disregard them and reject the candidates they promote. (political science essay)
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4. You can end with a relevant quotation.
In Walden, Henry David Thoreau says, “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.” This sentiment is reinforced by a drive through the Hill District of our city. Perhaps the work of the men and women who run the clinic on Jefferson Street cannot totally change this situation, but it can give us hope to know that some people, at least, are working for the betterment of us all. (public health essay)
5. 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.
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.
6. Looking 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.
Example
Without 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.
7. Posing 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.
Example
Campaign advertisements should help us understand the candidate's qualifications and positions on the issues. Instead, most tell us what a boob 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?
http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/acadwrite/conclude.html
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WHAT NOT TO DO IN A CONCLUSION
· Don’t end by repeating the exact words of your thesis and listening with your main points. Avoid boring endings that tell readers what they already know.
· Don’t end with an empty phrase. Avoid ending with a cliché like, “This just goes to prove that you can never be too careful.”
· Don’t introduce new points or go off in new directions. your conclusion should not introduce new points for discussion. It should reinforce the points you have already made in your essay.
· Don’t end with an unnecessary announcement. Don’t end by saying that you are ending—for example, “In conclusion, let me say….” The tone of your conclusion should signal that the essay is drawing to a close.
From Patters for College Writing by Kirszner & Mandell
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Ready to get really fancy?
Time to try a clincher.
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