How to Create a Conclusion

What Does a Conclusion Include?• A conclusion is a small paragraph that

brings the essay to a pleasant ending. It must feel satisfying to the reader.

• It can NOT contain any new information.• It must begin by restating the thesis.• After that, several possibilities can be

employed.• The conclusion lets the reader know the

essay is finished without bluntly stating that it’s a conclusion.

To Conclude – Work Your Way Back

to the Beginning• One way to conclude the essay is to work

back toward the hook. Start with the thesis restate and essay map. Then add sentences to work back to how the hook drew the reader in.

• Expand on the information and put it in different words. Do NOT just repeat the introduction.

An Example of Circling BackIntro – The pounding of the waves matched my heartbeat as I lay upon the warm sand. I could feel the warmth of the sun’s rays soaking into my skin as I pondered once again entering the cool of the water. Sea birds squawked, but I couldn’t see them. My eyes were blissfully closed just listening to the waves and enjoying the temperate climate. This was paradise! It was a paradise I was quite familiar with since I visited this same beach every summer. Dewey Beach, Delaware, is my favorite vacation spot because of the family atmosphere, the proximity to much shopping, and the lack of crowds on most summer days.

Conclusion – The family atmosphere, the shopping, and the uncrowded beach all make Dewey Beach, Delaware the ultimate vacation spot for me. I can hear those sea gulls. I feel the warmth of the sun. Pounding waves comfort me. I love the beach!

To Conclude-Redefine the Problem and Solution• Another way to conclude an essay is to re-

explain the point. Start by restating the thesis. Then work through the essay map by re-explaining the main points made.

• Do not just repeat the details. Use different words to prove the solution to the problem.

• This type of conclusion will not work unless it deals with problem and solutions!

An Example of RedefiningIntro- All sports programs should be cut from school budgets! Although this idea will upset many people, it is the right thing to do when dealing with tax payer’s dollars. Students themselves can pay a fee to play sports or join a local recreational team. Too many tax payer’s dollars are spent on school sports programs; therefore they should be cut. Eliminating these programs will allow school districts to employ more educators to reduce class size, to purchase more technology to get students ready for real world jobs, and to include more elective classes for students to broaden their horizons.A

Conclusion- Sports programs should be removed from public schools. Then districts would have the funding to do things that would benefit all of the students. Classes would have less students which would help students to learn better. Those students would also have access to more technology to assist in the learning process. Students would also have more elective classes so that could expand their experiences and possibly find a future career. Cutting sports programs is the smart thing to do!

To Conclude –Draw a Conclusion

• A third way to create a conclusion is to draw a conclusion about the topic.

• Begin as always by restating the thesis. Continue on with making your point about the essay leading to a logical conclusion.

• State the conclusion you drew firmly. Use strong words.

An Example of Drawing a Conclusion

Intro – Everything seems to have rules. A household has rules. Classrooms have them also. Rules seem to be everywhere including the nation’s highway system. Some of the rules of the road need to be changed. They are outdated. Highway speed limits, cell phone usage while driving, and maneuvering through work zones are all aspects of the highway system that need to be changed.

Conclusion – The rules of the highway system need to be changed. There may have been a time for these rules, but now is the time for them to change whether that includes the speed limits, use of cell phones, and the way cars progress through a work zone. Wouldn’t the nation’s highways be a much safer place for drivers and state workers if the rules were updated?

To Conclude-Use a Quote

• An interesting way to wrap up and conclude your thoughts is to bring it all together with a quote.

• Be sure to cite the author of the quote.

An Example of a QuoteIntro – I hurled the foam Steeler brick at the television! I had another one, and I threw it too. I was absolutely hoarse from yelling about the missed pass opportunities, the lack of protection from the offensive line, and the sporadic coverage in the secondary. I could not believe this horrible game against the Cleveland Browns. What had happened to my Steelers? Despite the horrible losing score, I am still an absolute Steeler fan. My support will never waver for this team. I have watched them and cheered them on for over forty years when they were winning as well as during those seasons we would all like to forget. The Pittsburgh Steelers are my favorite football team because of their legacy to the league, their tremendous players they have had throughout their history, and the series of quarterbacks who have led them out of the dark years.

Conclusion – Whether the Steelers are winning or losing, they are the team closest to my heart. Their legacy, players, and history of quarterbacks all endear them to me. I am not alone in this loyalty to the Pittsburgh Steelers. They have a huge fan base, and the players themselves are very loyal such as legendary linebacker Jack Lambert. He sums it up well by saying, “If I could start my life all over again, I would be a professional football player, and you damn well better believe I would be a Pittsburgh Steeler." Jack Lambert, 1990 HoF Introduction

To Conclude-A Prediction

• One way to create a conclusion is to finish with a prediction. Give the reader something to think about.

• Be careful to stay in the appropriate point of view.

An Example of a PredictionIntro – To be the president of the United States, one must be educated; however, eight of our elected leaders never attended college. It might be expected that our earliest of leaders may not have been able to attain a college education, but in fact, two of them were later presidents – Cleveland and Lincoln. Shouldn’t our nation’s leader be educated? Would that not be one of the most important qualifications? To deal with international affairs, economic issues, and scientific and technological advances, the President of the United States must be highly educated.

Conclusion – The current president and all future ones need to be highly educated. On a regular basis they must have knowledge of the world around them, issues dealing with monies both foreign and domestic, and be well-versed in the use of modern technology. The nation’s leader must possess these skills. In fact, they need to be even more educated It would not be surprising if all future presidents have advanced degrees so that they can successfully be a world leader.

To Conclude-An Invitation or a Challenge

• Another way to conclude an essay is by challenging the reader. Ask them to take some sort of action based on what the essay has stated.

• Be sure to not let this affect the point of view of the essay.

An Example of a ChallengeIntro – Dolly Parton once said, “If you want a rainbow, you’ve got to put up with the rain.” How true this statement is for me! I have had many hard times in my life. Storm clouds gathered around me often on my road to academic and professional success. Some times of rain in my life that helped shape me into the successful person that I am today were working multiple jobs to pay for college, the death of my father which left me in charge of my family at age twenty-three, and working both a full time job and two part time ones to earn my advanced degree.

Conclusion – Working several jobs to pay for my education, losing my father at a young age, and being employed in several jobs while obtaining my Master’s Degree are all difficult events in my life that molded me to achieve success in my professional life. Although these aspects of my life were quite hard, I never gave up. I was determined to overcome any obstacles that got in my way. I would accomplish my goals. Anyone can if they put his or her mind to it. Let nothing stand in the way of attaining a dream! Turn that rain into rainbows!