All’s well that ends well... including your essay! Writing a strong conclusion paragraph for your college essay is important if you want to leave a positive lasting impression on your reader. Once you’ve laid out a solid introduction and supported your ideas with quality details, you want to finish strong by wrapping up your thoughts perfectly. But how? The conclusion paragraph, in theory, seems like the easiest part of an essay to write..really, you’re just wrapping up thoughts you’ve already written. But conclusions (and introductions) are sometimes the trickiest parts of an essay to get right. Learning how to write a conclusion takes practice, but there are many tips to help guide you through the process. With a few hints about what to do (and what not to do), you’ll be crafting stellar conclusions in no time! Why does a conclusion paragraph matter?Your conclusion is your final word in the argument you’ve written out. It can inspire your reader to see things from a different point of view or challenge the reader to open his mind to new ideas. It also serves as a reminder of everything the reader has just learned and ties together all of the points you’ve made. You want to craft your last words well so that people take something important away from what you’ve written. It should also provide an understanding of your topic as a whole and how all of the different claims you’ve made in your essay connect back to your central argument. How should I format a conclusion paragraph?There are some basic formulas that fit in with a standard college essay format that can help you get started on laying out your final thoughts. Most conclusion paragraphs are four to five sentences long and should average between 50–75 words. They should be long enough to get your point across, but short enough that you’re not rehashing every idea you’ve ever had on the subject. Conclusion paragraphs begin by revisiting the main idea definition. The first sentence reminds the reader of what this has all been about. This sentence revisits your thesis statement or main topic. The next two to three sentences tie together the main points you have used to support your thesis or central topic. Finally, your closing sentence is where you drive home the meat of your message and leave a lasting impression on the reader. What should I include in my conclusion?Every conclusion is trying to accomplish similar goals: making a lasting and positive impression on the reader, tying all of the pieces of an essay’s argument together, and making the reader think. But the road to these goals can take many different directions. There are a lot of options as to what to include in your conclusion. Here are a few to consider:
What should I avoid in my conclusion?You don’t want to put all of your hard work into a powerful introduction and fantastic body paragraphs, just to tank it in the end with a conclusion that goes way off course. Be sure to avoid these common errors:
There are a lot of things to consider when concluding your essay. You want to hit the highlights, make people think, and leave them with a positive impression of what they have just read. You only have one chance to wrap things up nicely for your reader. Make your conclusion succinct, thought-provoking and powerful. What is an example of a concluding sentence?They saw the new country as a place for new beginnings, and looked forward to beginning their lives anew—even if it meant living in a land of uncertainty.
How do you write a strong concluding statement?Strategies for writing an effective conclusion. Play the “So What” Game. ... . Return to the theme or themes in the introduction. ... . Synthesize, don't summarize. ... . Include a provocative insight or quotation from the research or reading you did for your paper.. |