Writing conclusions

WRITING CONCLUSIONS

CONCLUSION The PURPOSE of CONCLUDING PARAGRAPHS

CONCLUSION THE PURPOSE of CONLCUDING PARAGRAPHS

• To stress the importance or relevance of your thesis

(SO WHAT?!)

• To give the essay a sense of completeness or finality
• To leave the reader with a final impression:

*This is your last chance to convince or persuade the reader, so make the most of it!

CONCLUSION SUGGESTIONS

• REPEAT, REPEAT, REPEAT:
• repeat your purpose
• repeat your thesis
• moral, lessons
• point, argument
• Dominant Impression
• repeat your main ideas (support, proof)
• examples, details, points,
• arguments, traits

NOT WORD FOR WORD

CONCLUSION SUGGESTIONS

• Discuss in full the lessons learned
• Suggest larger implications of your findings
• Suggest future papers or research
• Refer back to the purpose and/or scenario mentioned in your Introduction
• Pose rhetorical questions
• Offer a 3rd side to the issue
• End with a CLINCHER SENTENCE*

CONCLUSION CLINCHER SENTENCE

• Just as you ended each Body paragraph with a concluding sentence that wrapped up that point/paragraph AND that segued into the next point, so too will you end the entire essay.

Thesis Statement : Topic Sentence ::
Clincher Sentence : Paragraph Clincher Sentence

CONCLUSION CLINCHER SENTENCE

• Clincher Sentences:
• aphoristically summarize the main point
• they signal that the essay is finished
• they suggest future essay topics
• they refer to your opening scenario (purpose)
• they refer to your main point

CONCLUSION CLINCHER SENTENCE

• Avoid the empty cliché.
• Wrap it all up.
• *Relate to your point*
• For example, if you wrote a process paper on making a PB&J sandwich, end by saying that you are now hungry for one.
• If you wrote about your favorite band, end by waiting impatiently for their next disc or their next concert.
• If you wrote that your car is a Junker, end optimistically by looking forward to the day when you can afford a new car or the car of your dreams.

Clincher Sentence: TAKE a BOW

GOODNIGHT, DETROIT! WE LOVE YOU!

CONCLUSION

• Refer to opening GENERALIZATION or SCENARIO
• Repeat THESIS
• Repeat MAIN IDEAS
• End with CLINCHER SENTENCE

CONCLUSION Helpful Websites When Writing Conclusions

• http://www.gmu.edu/departments/

writingcenter/handouts/introcon.html

• http://depts.gallaudet.edu/englishworks/

writing/introconslu.html

• http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts

conclusions.html

• http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/acadwrite/

conclude.html

THE
END!