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/