Writing Conclusions ENC 1101 A conclusion should Give

Writing Conclusions ENC 1101

A conclusion should… Give a sense of completeness and closure Show the lingering possibilities of the topic, its larger meaning and implications Close the discussion without closing it off Stress the importance of thesis Leave a final impression

What NOT to do Do not summarize your essay. Short essays do not require a restatement of the main idea. Avoid phrases like “in conclusion, ” “in summary, ” “to sum up. ” Your reader will see they are at the end of the paper. Do not add new information. Do not allow a strong essay to fizzle with a weak conclusion.

Approaches to writing conclusions • Answer the question "So What? " Show your readers why this paper was important. Show them that your paper was meaningful and useful. • • Synthesize, don't summarize • • Redirect your readers • • 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. Give your reader something to think about, perhaps a way to use your paper in the "real" world. If your introduction went from general to specific, make your conclusion go from specific to general. Think globally. Create a new meaning • You don't have to give new information to create a new meaning. By demonstrating how your ideas work together, you can create a new picture. Often the sum of the paper is worth more than its parts. From St. Cloud State Literacy Education Online

Link your conclusion to your introduction Reiterate words or phrases Echo, don’t repeat

Conclude with a sentence of one syllable words. Creates understated drama

Challenge the reader. Help them to apply the information in your essay to their own lives.

Look to the future. Emphasize the importance of your topic Redirect readers’ thoughts Help them see your topic from a global perspective

Pose questions. Help readers gain a new perspective Bring main ideas together to create new meanings

Conclude with a quote. Use a quote from or reference to a primary or secondary source Amplify your main point

Set your discussion in a new context. Put your topic in a different, perhaps larger, perspective Ex) link the past to the present or the present to the past

Redefine. Redefine of the key terms of your argument. Landscape? Brute force? Muscle?

Here’s an example: sample conclusion

Now, you try… The Golden Arches is an image that evokes only one response: Mc. Donald’s! Yes, our good friend, Ronald, has made quite on impact on our society, from food to toys to clothing, Ronald’s signature brand has a prominent role in our lives. That is why, if given the choice, I would want to spend a day with Ronald Mc. Donald. Oh, those fries make my mouth water! Ronald has unlimited access to those fries and all of the other delectable delights at Mc. Donald’s. Lucky! If we spent the day together, I could have any food that I want from the menu for free. After eating, I could play with the cool Happy Meal toys. They have so many new toys each month. You never know which one you will get. I bet Ronald keeps one of each for himself. Although I do like Ronald’s signature outfit, I prefer something more subtle. Maybe Ronald can hook me up with a manager’s shirt! As long as I get to try on Ronald’s big red shoes, I will be happy! I can’t spend a day with Ronald without trying on those shoes.