Not Just a Pretty Bow: Successful Conclusions
Conclusions and introductions are similar in that they both provide an overview of the paper, but their roles are slightly different. While introductions should motivate the topic without yet getting into details, conclusions should (1) summarize the highlights of what has already been said; (2) powerfully state your thesis one final time; and ideally, (3) “send off” the reader with a sense of how your paper should impact their larger life.
1. A conclusion is where you should summarize the main points of your paper. What are the main Big Ideas you want your reader to remember? What Major Tasks did you accomplish?
2. A conclusion should "wrap things up" by reminding the reader what the thesis was, and how all the parts of your paper -- all the Big Ideas and/or Major Tasks -- fit together to help this thesis.
3. A conclusion should powerfully communicate the thesis one final time with a memorable last line. It should convey to the reader why your thesis is significant -- in other words, why your reader should remember it after reading your paper!
4. You should NOT give any new, specific information in the conclusion.
REMEMBER: Conclusions and introductions should thematically match: that is, they should both convey to the reader your thesis, the “perspective” you have been arguing for (explicitly or implicitly). Your introduction and your conclusion should be a “pair of bookends”, a “frame” around the topic.
5. A strategy you may want to use is the reverse funnel: start by summarizing or reflecting on the topic of the essay, and then connect this topic to broader themes.
6. Try to not start your conclusion with the words “In conclusion …”!