Writing Conclusion Paragraphs Help

The Art of Framing

One of the most effective ways to provide a sense of closure is to "frame" your essay with a conclusion that refers to the introduction. The introduction and conclusion use the same approach, presented in different terms. The conclusion then serves as a reminder of where the essay began.

In the sample conclusions offered later in this lesson, notice how the "anecdote" conclusion frames the Dumbo essay by repeating the opening question and providing a more sophisticated answer. Similarly, the "call to action" conclusion frames the To eat or not to eat? essay by referring to the essay's opening lines.

Arousing the Reader's Emotions

Good conclusions can also move readers by appealing to their emotions. Because your conclusion restates and extends your thesis by offering a new understanding, and because you want your essay to end with impact, it makes sense to write a memorable ending. One of the best ways to do that is through emotion. The conclusion to the Dumbo essay, for example, touches our emotions by making us think about how we may have let negative beliefs about ourselves dictate who we have become. At the same time, it inspires us by suggesting that we have the power to change ourselves if we have a negative self-image.

Strategies for Conclusions

Just as there are many strategies for creating an attention-getting introduction, there are a number of strategies for creating a powerful conclusion. These are among the most effective:

1. a quotation
2. an anecdote
3. a prediction
4. a solution or recommendation
5. a call to action

A Quotation

You may have noticed that three of the introduction strategies we discussed in the previous lesson—quotations, questions, and anecdotes—are also effective for conclusions. Here's how you might use a quotation to sum up an essay:

In Grand Illusion, the whole idea of nationhood is exposed as an illusion, and the fact that we go to war over an illusion is the film's greatest irony—and tragedy. It is a tragedy Renoir hopes we can avoid repeating. If "losing an illusion makes you wiser than finding the truth," as Ludwig Borne wrote, then Renoir has succeeded in making us all more wise.

A Question

Here's how you might use a question to conclude an essay:

"What kind of place is America?" you asked. In short, America is an idea and an experiment. We call the idea "democracy," and we see what happens when we let people say whatever they want, go wherever they want, and in most cases, do whatever they want. True, the results aren't always pretty. But it certainly is a beautiful experiment, isn't it?

An Anecdote

Anecdotes add interest and impact to conclusions. Notice how this anecdote frames the essay by repeating the question used in the introduction.

Introduction: What's in a name? Nothing—and everything. It is, after all, just a name, one tiny piece of the puzzle that makes up a person. But when someone has a nickname like "Dumbo," a name can be the major force in shaping one's sense of self. That's how it was for me.

Conclusion: What's in a name? Enough to make me think long and hard about what to name my son before he was born. I spent months researching names and their meanings and thinking about the nicknames people might come up with. Once we finally settled on a name, I spent many sleepless nights worrying that we'd made the wrong choice and petrified that Samuel James would hate us for giving him that name. But I've realized that along the way, Sam will have to learn the same lesson I did. I only hope that I can help make it less painful.

A Prediction

You can close your essay with a forecast for a person, place, or thing related to your thesis. Here's an example from a college application essay:

Thirty years from now, when I'm 48, I will retire and survey my empire. I will have created and led a hugely successful Fortune 500 company; I will have used my considerable wealth to set up a literacy foundation and a home for orphans in my native Cuba. Deeply satisfied with my accomplishments, I will then establish scholarships for disadvantaged students to Briarwood College, for I will recall with great gratitude that my education there made all of my accomplishments possible.

A Solution or Recommendation

Conclude with a solution to the problem you've discussed, or a recommendation for future action. This strategy will serve you well later, when you're asked to write business memos or reports. Here is a conclusion from an essay that examines misinformation on the Internet:

While the Internet can be a very valuable source of information, it contains so much misinformation that it's almost criminal. Though we can't—and shouldn't—regulate what people put up on the Web, we can—and should—provide guidelines for citizens surfing the Web. Why not create a "reliability index" that measures the trustworthiness of websites? Then the Web can truly be what it was meant to be: an asset, and not a liability.

A Call to Action

Finally, you can end your essay by suggesting a specific action that your readers should take. As with the solution or recommendation strategy, this one is also used often in business writing. Here's an example of a conclusion for the essay about television and lack of exercise. Notice how it frames the essay by referring to the opening line of the introduction.

Introduction:To eat or not to eat? That is the question millions of Americans struggle with every day as they fight the battle of the bulge. But it seems to be a losing battle. Despite the millions spent on diet pills and diet plans, Americans today are heavier than ever.

There are many reasons for this nationwide weight gain, but experts agree that the main cause is lack of exercise. And one of the reasons we don't get enough exercise is because we spend too much time in front of the TV.

Conclusion:Television entertains and informs us. But it also fattens us. If you are one of the millions of overweight Americans, take a simple step toward a healthier body. Get up and turn off the TV. The question isn't "To eat or not to eat." Rather, the question is, what can you do instead of watching TV? Go for a walk. Take a swim. Ride a bike. Get some exercise! You'll end up with a healthier body—and mind.

In Short

Like introductions, conclusions serve several important functions. They refocus the essay by restating the thesis; they offer a gift to the reader in the form of a new understanding (which is an extension of the thesis); they provide a sense of closure; and they arouse readers' emotions. Some of the same strategies for introductions also work for conclusions, including quotations, questions, and anecdotes. Other closing techniques include predictions, solutions or recommendations, and calls to action.

Exercises for this concept can be found at Writing Conclusion Paragraphs Practice.