Writing an effective and well-written conclusion is a skill that many students don't understand well. Here are some tips to bringing a college essay to a sufficient conclusion.
Summarize the Main Points
The conclusion needs to summarize the main points of an article. To summarize means to restate the main ideas in a manner that is as concise as possible.
Typically, the summary part of the conclusion includes a brief sentence that sums of the main points in a very simple way, and then a slightly more detailed recapping of the main points. In a short paper, the main points can all be summarized in one sentence, and in a longer paper, each point can have its own sentence. For example, here's what the summary of a 12 page paper about gender roles in Disney films might look like:
- "In this paper, I discussed gender roles in three Disney films: The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Mulan. In The Little Mermaid, Ariel is given little power to decide her own destiny, which is controlled by her father, Ursula, and Eric. In Beauty and the Beast, Belle defies gender roles in many ways, but ultimately she becomes the "damsel in distress" and the prize for two competing men. In contrast, Mulan defies traditional gender roles powerfully in that the heroine rejects her subservient place in society and is never dependent on help from men. "
Avoid Repetition
One mistake that students often make is to include too much detail in their conclusions. Instead of summarizing the most important information in the main points, they essentially repeat long sections of their paper. For example, a poorly written conclusion of the Disney gender role paper might include a passage like this:
- "Mulan defies traditional gender roles powerfully in that the heroine rejects her subservient place in society and is never dependent on help from men. She refuses to conform to the role of a traditional bride. She also stands up to a soldier who demands that her ailing father join the army. Then she defies social norms by stealing her father's conscription orders and armor, cutting her hair, and joining the army. Once in the army, she works hard and is able to fight as well as the men around her..."
This is way too much detail for a conclusion. The details discussed in this paragraph belong earlier in the paper, but for the conclusion, the first sentence adequately sums up gender roles in Mulan.
One serious mistake that students make is to cut and paste passages from earlier in the paper into the conclusion. This is a big no-no.
Avoid New Information
Summaries bring together the ideas in a paper. They should not introduce the reader to new information, which should instead be incorporated earlier in the paper.
Use Signpost Words
Signposts are words that the writer uses to help the reader follow along – just as signposts on the road help drivers get to their destination. Signpost language includes words like "first," "second," "next," "finally," and "in conclusion." The ending of a paper is an important time to use signpost language because the reader needs cues that the paper is about to end. Here's an example of signposting in the conclusion:
- "In conclusion, The Lion King portrays traditional gender roles in three ways. First, leadership passes down from male to male, even if there are lionesses who would do a better job. Second, the female characters are there to support the male characters..."
Concluding Statements
Papers should end with a statement that mentally brings the reader to a stop. This statement should be relatively short; three sentences is a good limit. Concluding statements might include:
- a brief anecdote
- an appropriate quotation
- a humorous or witty statement
- an interesting metaphor or simile
- re-emphasizing why this is an important topic
- a brief statement about the need for future research
However, avoid cliché statements that start with "so the next time," such as:
- "So the next time you're watching a Disney film, hopefully you'll think more about gender roles.
In Conclusion...
Writing a strong conclusion is an important skill that many students lack. Students need to summarize the main points concisely, avoid repetition, avoid the introduction of new information, and use signpost language. They also need to end the paper with an effective concluding statement. Remember, a conclusion is like a goodbye at the end of a first date, as this is the last chance you have to convince your date that he or she should go out with you again – just as this is the last chance you have to convince your professor that you should get an A. (How was that?)
 |
