Parts of an Essay Conclusion: How to Write a Good Conclusion Paragraph
When writing an essay and you already have a stellar introduction and body paragraphs that fully explain your essay topic, it is time to formulate the conclusion. All essays require you to build up to a finish line which is the conclusion.
It is a very important part of the essay because you take everything you have written and condense it into one or two paragraphs depending on the essay length. A good conclusion will help you make a final good impression on the reader.
It should always give the reader the feeling that you have accomplished what you wanted to prove. Writing a conclusion can sometimes be hard if you do not have the right strategy to do it.
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Parts of an Essay Conclusion
A good conclusion should restate the thesis, summarize the major points, and make the context of your argument clear.
1. Thesis
You have already created a thesis in the introduction of your essay and if you have done the right job, it is all that your body paragraphs are all about.
Just like your whole essay, the conclusion too should involve the thesis.
You can rephrase the thesis by reminding the reader that you have proven it all over the paper. Also, you can revise it in a way that reflects the relationship you have established with the reader in the paper.
You must not restate the thesis word to word as it is in the introduction. It should be an independent, fresh sentence.
2. Summary
This is where you remind the reader about what the essay entails. A good conclusion is not only a summary but also a synthesis. A summary just lists the main points but a synthesis draws those major points together and relates them to one another to make the reader apply how they are used in the essay.
To do that take the major points of the essay which are usually the topic sentences and give an explanation that shows how they are connected.
3. Context
A good conclusion should always provide context for your argument. A reader may fully understand all your arguments in an essay but fail to know why the argument is important. The conclusion provides you with the platform to avoid that.
The introduction should include the importance of the arguments made in the essay but the conclusion should point out the reason why those arguments matter.
To do this, for instance, in a call for action essay, you can remind the readers what you want them to do.
Also, you can ask the readers to think in a particular way. Additionally, you can explain why the essay topic is important and timely. Moreover, you can remind the readers why the topic matters to them personally.
Make an argument that makes the reader have a personal connection with the content of your paper.
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How to Write a Good Conclusion Paragraph?
To write a good conclusion paragraph, the following steps must be taken:
Start With a Topic Sentence
Just like other paragraphs in the essay, conclusion paragraphs should start with a topic sentence. This sentence should remind the reader about your main argument in the essay.
Therefore, using your essay’s thesis statement as the topic sentence is the best way to remind the reader about what your essay is all about. The thesis statement should be reworded differently from the one in the introduction to avoid repletion.
Also, it is important to always keep the introduction close and use it as a reference. The information you include in the conclusion should reinforce the arguments made in the introduction.
This will help you include the thesis, integrate the main points of the essay, and provide an emotional appeal to the reader
Summarize the Main Ideas
The main ideas are the most important issues in the essay. These are the topic sentences in your essay’s body paragraphs. Effective conclusions must restate these sentences, to sum up the essay’s main points.
Some essays, for example, research papers and argumentative essays can be long. Therefore, providing a summary of all the points in your essay in the conclusion paragraph can help to keep the reader up to speed.
Always note that the conclusion should only include information that has been included in the essay, any additional new information should not be included in the conclusion. When new ideas or research has been included in the instructions it can easily confuse the reader.
The conclusion should provide the reader with all the information included in the introduction and body paragraphs of your essay. Basically, by reading the conclusion the reader should know everything about the essay.
Appeal to the Reader’s Emotions
To create a powerful image that will last in the reader’s mind, you need to use emotional and sensory language. Make the reader connect to the work they have already read.
This can include a call for action directed to the reader or a reminder of why the topic is personally important to them. To add to that, using emotional appeal is a great way to ensure that the main points of the essay are reinforced.
Include a Closing Sentence
To wrap up your essay, a closing sentence is important. This can be done with a sentence that is a synthesis of the main points of your essay.
It should be succinct and clear enough to provide closure to the reader and a significant strong impression of the wider context of the essay.
It should also be strong and decisive to leave the reader with a lingering and strong interest in your essay topic.
How to Start a Conclusion in an Essay?
An essay conclusion is started with a topic sentence just like other paragraphs in the essay. The topic sentence is mainly the thesis statement of the essay.
It is the main point of your essay and it should start the conclusion to remind the reader of what the essay is all about.
It should be paraphrased to avoid looking similar to the one included in the introduction of the essay. It should be paraphrased depending on how you have phrased the main argument throughout the essay. Rewriting the main argument signals that your essay is coming to an end.
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Words to Conclude an Essay
The conclusion should always begin with words that show a transition from the body paragraphs. Different transition words have different meanings. Therefore, you should ensure that the one you chose fits your essay the most.
Some of the words used in transition include:
- Finally
- In conclusion
- To conclude
- As previously stated
- To sum up
They should always be followed up by a comma.
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How to Conclude an Academic Essay?
To conclude an academic essay, you must restate the thesis statement. This should be included in the first sentence of your essay.
Next, provide a summary of all the main points of your essay. Whether your paper is long or short, every point that is included in the body paragraphs should be reflected in the summary of your conclusion.
You will need to be clear and concise while writing the conclusion to enable the reader to know that you clearly understood the topic. Note that no new argument that is not provided in the essay should be introduced.
Lastly, include the closing sentence of your essay. Show why the topic matters by zooming out a broader view of the topic. This sentence should always leave the reader with more interest in your topic.
With over 10 years in academia and academic assistance, Alicia Smart is the epitome of excellence in the writing industry. She is our chief editor and in charge of the writing department at Grade Bees.
