Drafting a Conclusion
Every conclusion will be different, but a good conclusion...
• … reintroduces and synthesizes the main points.
Try revisiting each of the main points from your paper. Do not summarize them. Show how all of them fit together!
• ... responds to or rewrites the introduction and thesis.
You can revisit the intro, and thesis to show how your paper argued the claim effectively.
You can also rewrite the thesis in a new way that includes the information from your paper. Essentially, you are making a new thesis that is more confident and stronger than the first.
• ... transports the reader.
You are creating a portal out of the paper and back into the real world. Focus on how your argument can be applied to the readers' lives.
• ... urges a real-world response.
Solutions: present potential solutions that are based in research
Further Research: push for more research on the topic
Larger Context: show how the specific topic can be applied to a larger issue in the world
New Point of View: present the reader with a new point of view on a topic
... focuses on your audience and the exigency (urgency of a situation).
Think about who your audience is and why you are writing to them. What are they interested in learning from your paper?
Think about how urgent the issue is and what needs to be done. What kind of conclusion should be made?
• … leaves the reader with something memorable.
The final lines of your paper should be clear, confident, and memorable. The reader should be able to hold it in their mind.
• ... is not too short and addresses the assignment.
Your conclusion must align with any requirements and assignment prompts.
For more, visit UNC at Chapel Hill: https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/conclusions/