Conclusions give you a chance to leave the reader with a thoughtful closing to a discussion. That’s why it makes sense to write your conclusions as more than a mere restatement of your thesis and a concise retelling of your primary ideas.
Your conclusion should always include a brief summary of your main points, as it will help the reader recall the major ideas you covered. Aside from that, you should use one or more of these instruments to help your piece become more interesting:
- Pose a provocative question.
- Use a quotation that encapsulates your message.
- Make a strong call for action.
- Evoke a vivid image in the reader’s mind, using descriptive writing to drive your point home.
- Suggest possible consequences that could result from your results or findings.
- Leave your reader with a warning.
Things To Avoid
- Rushing your conclusion, both in terms of content and grammar. Too many people lose focus towards the end of a paper, looking to wrap it up as quickly as possible. Don’t be one of them. In fact, you should give it more attention, since it’s the last paragraph of the paper that readers will see. Don’t skip the use of an English checking software either.
- Starting a new sub-topic. The conclusion is not the place for that. Create a separate paragraph if it’s really necessary.
- Concentrating on a minor point of the paper, no matter how interesting it might be.
- Qualifying your conclusion by using phrases such as “In my humble opinion.” This just paints your paper in a bad light, destroying the reader’s confidence in your arguments.
