AP Language and Composition: the Concluding Paragraph

Junior Project: The Concluding Paragraph

Because no reader likes to be jarred by an abrupt ending, a concluding paragraph or statement should be used to give the essay, a feeling of completeness. An effective conclusion should reemphasize the topic of the essay, leaving the reader with a strong impression of what has been said. Any one of the following methods may be used.  draw the necessary conclusions from what has been said  summarize the major points of the essay  make a plea for change  offer a prediction  offer an evaluation  offer a comment on the significance of the subject  mirror the introduction

Naturally, the method you choose will depend on the writing topic and on your own preferences. Any one of these devices can help make the reader receptive to an essay.  Draw the necessary conclusions: based on the facts given in the essay, you may use the concluding paragraph to form certain judgments about the topic.  Summarize the major points of the essay: good essays are based on a pattern of repetition--say what you’re going to say, say, it, say what you just said. A restatement of major points--using new wording--will help the reader remember what you just said. Concluding with a summary, works best in longer essays even though it is often quite dull. This technique would actually weaken a shorter essay.  Make a plea for change a conclusion may make a plea for change of attitude or a specific line of action.  Offer a prediction go for the bigger picture; suggest a new idea or area the essay seems to point to.  Offer an evaluation: reflect briefly on the value of what you ha ve covered in the essay. The evaluation can also include a justification of your work by looking at the topic in a broader perspective.  Offer a comment on the significance of the subject convince the reader that the information just read was important and worthwhile.  Mirror the introduction: a journalistic technique that can be effective in other kinds of writing. i.e. return to an anecdote or quote presented in the introduction.

There are also some very common concluding techniques that should be avoided because using these strategies make it difficult to accomplish your main goals:  use of absolutes such as "this proves that..."  the stilted statement "thus it has been shown..." or "In conclusion...", too obvious  apologize for your ideas or the quality of the writing  introducing a new idea requiring additional support not forthcoming; if the information is so good, it should have been presented in the body of the essay.  attempting to enhance the essay with overgeneralizations from ideas/evidence  making a radical assertion or wild conclusion to make-up for a lack of substance in the rest of the essay.