| Conclusions Introductions and conclusions can be the most difficult parts of papers to write; however, they are extremely important to your essays. An introduction helps the reader make a transition between their own world and the issues your will be writing about. Once you've hooked your reader with the introduction and offered your evidence to prove your thesis, your conclusion can provide a bridge to help your reader make the transition back to their daily lives. Such a conclusion will help them see why all that argument should matter to them after they put the paper down. Here are some tips that may help: � Your conclusion is your chance to have the last word on the subject. Just as it is important to make a good first impression, it is also important to make a good final impression. The conclusion allows you to have the final word on the issues you have raised in your paper, to summarize your thoughts, to demonstrate the importance of your ideas, and to propel your reader to a new view of the subject. Take good advantage of that opportunity. It's worthwhile to remember that your reader (the instructor) will be grading your paper right after he or she reads the conclusion, so it is your opportunity to end on a positive note. � Your conclusion, ideally, should make your readers glad they read your paper. Your conclusion gives your reader something to take away that will help them see things differently or appreciate your topic in personally relevant ways. Your conclusion can suggest broader implications that will not only interest the reader, but will also enrich your reader's life in some way. It is your gift to the reader. � Play the "So What" Game. If you're stuck and feel like your conclusion isn't saying anything new or interesting, ask a friend to read it with you. Whenever you make a statement from your conclusion, ask the friend to say, "So what?" or "Why should anybody care?" Then ponder that question and answer it. Don't be discouraged if you initially answer, "I don't know." Keep thinking. Your friend can help you by taking notes on your "so what" answers. It's okay if you don't have a good answer for every "So what?" -- just keep trying to develop the significance of your work further. � You can also play this kind of game by yourself, asking yourself "So What?" as you develop your ideas or your draft. You can also consider how this topic might relate to everyday life. � You might think specifically about why your instructor asked you to write this paper. Sometimes if you can figure out why your instructor wanted you to write this particular paper, you will start to get a sense of the significance of the topic. That significance, in turn, can be a stepping stone to a useful conclusion. � You might try free-writing your conclusion in the form of a letter or e-mail to a friend or family member. In your letter, explain what you wrote about and then try to tell your friend what you learned as a result of writing the paper, how the ideas in the paper might relate to their experiences, or why the content of the paper matters in terms of "the big picture." But, of course, you�ll have to then revise this freewriting to turn it into an acceptable conclusion. Adapted from: http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/conclusions.html Sample Conclusions The author, Jerome Mason, sort of writes about personal defeat in this passage, but he also writes of how he made some changes in his life and rose back up to reach his goals. He�s actually making his dreams come true. To me, this passage means that anyone can achieve goals, long-term or short-term, and make their dreams come true. Sure, you might have a lot of ups and downs along the way, but if you keep trying, you�re bound to be successful. (83 words) Jerome Mason proves a good point in his passage �Stone City.� Everyone does have different interpretations of the meaning of success. Some believe that accomplishing one of your goals is a success. Others, like me, believe that we haven�t succeeded until all of our goals are accomplished. (47 words) (a bit too short, but the wording is good) Realizing that members of a community can play a key role in motivating children to reach for a higher level of education, I have decided to dedicate some of my time to young children who don�t have someone in their lives to support them. Maybe I can make a difference. (50 words) (again, a bit too short, but it�s a good example of a �personal� conclusion) |