WRITING CONCLUSIONS

CONCLUSION The PURPOSE of CONCLUDING PARAGRAPHS BRING the ESSAY FULL CIRCLE

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!