When you are done with the main part of your research paper, you need to think about the ending. A conclusion is a summary of your entire work, so you need to wrap your thoughts up and present the essence of your argumentation as an expert essay writer would do. In this article, we will discuss the best way to do that. We will talk about some general recommendations as well as small tips that will help you move in the right direction.
Basic guidelines to follow
1. Tell your readers what you have learned
Your main task is to restate your main argument (thesis statement) and provide the results of your thinking. Tell the readers what did you understand about the subject and explain how your work supports or denies the common discourse.
2. Avoid adding new information
The conclusion shouldn’t contain any new points or arguments. This paragraph serves to sum everything up, so avoid adding quotations as well.
3. Make a synthesis of your thoughts
Demonstrate how your arguments work as one whole and how they serve to support your central claim. Explain yourself.
4. Suggest ideas for further research
Do you have any ideas for further study? Highlight the contradictions or/and points that need more attention. Maybe, someone else will continue your tedious work.
Concluding your essay step by step
Now let’s move to practice. These tips will show you how to communicate with your audience more efficiently:
1. Restate your main idea
In the very first sentence, you need to restate the topic. Remind the initial idea to your readers and the goals you were following. Keep this part no longer than one sentence.
2. Sum up the main arguments from the body paragraphs
Each of the body paragraphs has a particular point. Summarize each of them very briefly and don’t include any details or references. Just restate what you have already written.
3. Call to action (if the topic allows)
Essays on ethical, political, or environmental issues are great when you end them with a call to action. You may express your own aspirations that might fix a specific problem like global warming.
Essential things to keep in mind
In general, your conclusion is a rope that ties all the main points of your paper together. A successful conclusion is one that adds a sense of “completeness” to your work. Here are some techniques to help you do that:
- State a question in an introduction and answer it in a conclusion
- Use imagery words in the introduction and mirror them in a conclusion
- Start telling a joke or a story in an introduction and finish it in the last paragraph
These are strong techniques that will make your piece work better. However, you cannot rely on them if you are not writing a literary composition, but an academic paper. There is something more to add. Logic!
Use the techniques listed above but make your piece rather logical and clear than inspirational. You need to present facts, so give them to your readers. Provide solutions, support your ideas with words of authoritative figures, show criticism. Depending on the topic, you can also refer to your personal experience. This will connect you with the readers on a personal level. The last tip won’t work if your assignment is technical, but it is excellent for general topics that are not very strict. Just decide if your theme allows a subjective point of view.
Common mistakes students usually make
1. Not connecting your topic to the larger body of knowledge
You need to show how your paper fits the entire body of knowledge. If you cannot combine it with the general thought, then you have failed it. Show how your ideas work as a part of the collective field.
2. Don’t be one-sided
If you present only the positive results and avoid talking about the problems, you fail to provide an objective point of view. You have to show both! If your hypothesis turned to be wrong – say it.
3. Avoid blabbing too much
As we have already claimed, you shouldn’t talk about your methods and other details in the last paragraph. You have a body section for that! Give a summary and focus on the main insights.
4. Don’t be lazy
You have been working on a paper for so long, now you are tired and would rather skip writing the last paragraph. Don’t do that! Your professor will pay special attention to this section, and we bet that you don’t want to get a lower grade.
Now you know everything about conclusions and ways to write them! Keep it brief, logical, and engaging. Avoid new facts and summarize all the crucial points you have made previously. Well, stick to these tips and make your papers even more memorable! Happy writing!
Also Read: Defining Supporting Evidence & Its Importance In Writing
