Your essay’s conclusion can make or break your argument. The impression it leaves the reader with can stay with them long after they finish reading it. Despite it’s importance, the conclusion can be one of the most difficult sections to write, but it can be critical in transforming a standard essay into a compelling one. Here are a few things to think about when writing your next conclusion:
Mountain and funnel analogy
The best english lit teacher I ever had once said your essay is like a mountain; your introduction and body paragraphs are your climb to the summit, and your conclusion is your chance to reflect on the journey. What parts stuck out the most? How did the journey contribute to what you see at the summit? Alternatively, she also offered the view of looking at your essay like a funnel. Each idea funnels down from its body paragraph to the conclusion, all contributing to the main idea of the essay or thesis. This is what your conclusion should highlight.
Do more than just reiterate the overview of your main arguments
Don’t just give a basic overview of the main arguments, as if reading off a shopping list. This is the opportunity to draw links between ideas which were previously detached from one another. Demonstrate the subtleties of the ideas, how they are all interconnected on some level, and how they support your thesis.
Reference a counter argument or limitation
A more insightful conclusion might give reference to a counter argument or limitation explained in a previous body paragraph. This shows to the reader you are capable of higher order thinking and recognising that your approach is not the only one.
Give your essay a sense of completeness
A strong conclusion will leave the reader with a feeling of satisfaction which comes from completion. There are a few ways you can go about this:
- Restate or echo your thesis - reuse key words in your thesis or the essay question throughout the conclusion to indicate to the reader that you have successfully answered the question
- A final sentence largely composed of single syllables implies finality
- Use compound or parallel sentences
Of course, these are only a few ways. There are many more!
Highlight the implications of your findings
What is the significance of your findings? How does this reflect reality/current times? What is its relevance? These types of questions go beyond the scope of the essay and allow you to draw more profound conclusions of greater importance.
Look to the future
Pose solutions to the problem, a potential course of action, or questions for further study! These can direct your reader to draw their own conclusions or to realise the larger implications.
- rewriting your introduction - your conclusion is more than a rehash of your introduction; try to include any of the above topics to avoid this!
- overused and clunky phrases such as ‘to conlcude’ and ‘in summary’ - these can be redundant and trite in writing and should be reserved for oral presentations
- introducing new information or ideas - these should all ready be presented in the body paragraphs
- overly sentimental or emotional remarks - this would be highly out of place in an analytical essay
- restating your thesis from the introduction without any development - your thesis should evolve in the body paragraphs to allow you to draw insightful conclusions
I hope this is helpful for writing future essay conclusions! My inbox is open if you have any questions!!