Concluding an essay is the last chance to make your argument stick. After all the arguments and claims made in the early paragraphs, you should not go for a loose conclusion, which just repeats whatever is already there. A weak ending makes your whole argument shaky, which, in the competitive world of academia, is a risk that you must not take.
Before diving into the topic, let us understand what is actually not considered a conclusion. When it comes to academic writing, many people do not know how to end an essay and reintroduce the less important factors of the essay in the conclusion. Let’s understand it properly.
What Your Conclusion Is Not
The conclusion should not be a repetition of your ideas you mentioned in the core subsections. While concluding essays, avoid this kind of redundancy. This approach often signals a lack of depth and critical thought. Your reader’s time must be respected, and there is a high chance they will notice the redundancy.
The Anatomy of a Perfect Conclusion
In an ideal conclusion of an essay, the core points of the essay are restated in a refreshed fashion. A truly globalized conclusion touches all the key points of an essay.
The ‘Restate, Synthesize, and Globalize’ Method
An effective essay conclusion typically performs three primary functions. Firstly, the thesis statement is restated properly, without sounding repetitive. Secondly, the main supporting points are synthesized through the conclusion section. Finally, the problem question raised early in the essay is answered by moving the argument into a concluding point. This structure is the key to leaving a prolonged impact on your grader or reader.
Your Conclusion Should be a Reflection
Your conclusion should solely contain your own idea. Even if you borrow ideas, they should be properly rephrased insightfully. Moreover, your conclusion must reflect the journey you have taken through the essay. It is also your responsibility as a writer to show the reader that you have proven your arguments earlier in the essay by giving evidence. By concluding an essay mentioning the core points of it, you reflect that you know about the core ideas of the topic.
Synthesis Over Summary
The conclusion of your essay needs to catch the essence of whatever you have mentioned in your core arguments. Therefore, instead of just mentioning your arguments, you need to show how interconnected they are. This way, you can demonstrate how these disparate elements collectively and powerfully support your central arguments. The relationship between your main points and your concluding points is something that you should highlight here.
The ‘Global’ Takeaway: Why Does This Matter?
In the entire essay writing process, this is the only missing point. The essay you write should be more connected to the larger academic or real-world issue. But you have to develop a wider implication of your argument in your essays. See your conclusion as the final move, which can elevate your work from a simple assignment to a meaningful contribution to the subject. Therefore, concluding an essay with a powerful final thought leaves the reader fully satisfied.
Common Concluding Pitfalls to Avoid
Here are some common concluding pitfalls that you should avoid as quickly as possible to make your conclusions more polished.
Do Not Start Your Conclusion With Vague Phrases
Do not start with phrases like “In conclusion,” or “To wrap things up.” All these phrases are very common and unnecessary. The placement of the paragraph clearly indicates its function. Your sophisticated argument needs to be concluded with a far more direct and confident opening.
Do Not Mention the Most Obvious Things
Do not focus on minor supporting evidence in your final remarks. Only the main pillars of your argument should be revisited. Here, you have to make the point of abstraction and not repeat what you have written in the main body.
Claims Should Not Be Unsubstantiated
Steer away from writing dramatic, sweeping comments that haven’t been adequately supported. Every assertion must be traceable back to the evidence provided in the essay’s core. Therefore, your conclusion must be a logical and inevitable outcome of your preceding discussion. Every claim made in the essay needs to be backed by academic proof.
Develop Professional Polish
Most students do not consider the power of a final edit prior to submission. Incorporating a strong concluding paragraph helps the examiners to understand what point of view you are using here. You must rigorously check that all claims have been fully addressed and supported.
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Structuring Your Final Paragraph for Maximum Impact
Keep in mind that your conclusion should take up a maximum of 5 to 10% of the entire word count of the essay. Therefore, for a typical 2,500-word essay, a brief 125-250-word conclusion will be sufficient. Hence, you need to ensure that each sentence executes a specific function in sequence.
Opening with Confidence
The conclusion must begin with a strong statement. If a reader reads a conclusion, it should create the concluding feeling. Therefore, while concluding an essay, you should not use any timid or loose words that may weaken your preceding arguments.
You can also use transitional phrases that not only sound ornamental, but also create distinction between two different tones. By using these phrases, you can create a shift in the focal point of the essay. Furthermore, these phrases help to maintain the seamless flow of the essay.
Perspective Change
It is the conclusion of an essay where the perspective shifts from the precise details of the body to the wider view of the field. This shift is what differentiates a high-quality paper from a low-quality one. Here, you are not just summarizing. Rather, you are here to interpret how the topics are shifting the point of view and looking at the core topic from a broader sense.
By creating an engaging conclusion, the goal is to project your findings outward. The conclusion not just ends the essay, but rather carries its essence.
Using the Right Tone and Voice
You should maintain a tone that is scholarly and reflective. Now, throughout the assignment, you have completed the task and presented the evidence. While concluding an essay, for example, is the place where you are placing the final judgment. The use of passive voice can be considered effective sometimes to emphasize the action or idea rather than the author.
A conclusion to the essay is considered acceptable if it shifts focus to the finding itself. However, it is good to avoid using too much passive voice in the sentences. A mix of active and passive voice makes your essay sound more professional and adds an engaging rhythm, making it more enjoyable to read.
Use of Active Voice
Using the active voice, you can make your conclusion clearer and energetic. Using phrases such as “This study compels researchers to re-examine,” or “The findings challenge the traditional view,” is highly effective. They show that this academic work is just beyond a summary.
You can use active voice when you need to make the action clear. By using the active voice, you are making your main point clear without creating any ambiguity. Active voice reflects the authority of an author who is controlling the material used in the essay and directing the thought process of their readers.
Strategic Use of Passive Voice Tone
You can use passive voice to strategically maintain the objective of writing the essay. Passive tones can be used as a stylistic element in the conclusion of your essay. You can use passive voice when you are talking about something objective, where the entire emphasis is on it. Here, it is the key to ensuring that it never makes your sentences sound vague.
Summing Up
Through your conclusion, you leave your academic signature. It is the section of the essay that the grader is most likely to remember. If you know how to conclude an essay, you can make a favorable, long-lasting impression and frequently affect the final grade. Learning how to effectively end an essay demonstrates your capacity to not only conduct research and present arguments, but also to synthesize your points.
Master the Art of Writing a Great Conclusion!
Want to write a better conclusion? Start practicing writing and exploring different writing styles to change your conclusion writing pattern for essays.
Frequently Asked Questions
The main idea behind writing a conclusion is to restate your thesis statement and provide a closure to your arguments made in the essay.
No, it is not generally recommended to introduce new ideas in conclusion.
While a relevant quote can be appropriate, you have to provide context about it to reinforce your main takeaway. Do not use the quote in the final sentence; rather, use it early in the conclusion.
