How can I write an effective conclusion to a persuasive essay?

Question

I've written the introduction and body paragraphs of my paper, but I am not sure what to write in my conclusion. Is the conclusion supposed to be the same as the introduction?

Answer 1

Great question! The first thing I'd advise students to do is to make sure your conclusion ties things together or comes to a natural ending that aligns with the rest of your essay, especially your first paragraph.

Ultimately, an impactful ending should either briefly restate your main point while cohesively connecting your entire essay without simply repeating what you wrote earlier. You can take a few different approaches - like finishing with a memorable final thought, reflection of what you learned, or a question you pose that encourages the person reading it to think more about the topic.

Answer 2

Yes, all agree the conclusion of your essay should revisit the thesis. Rewording and summing up the main points that have been made in the paper is a tough, but well agreed on, step in the conclusion. Another step which I am a proponent of, is connecting the whole thing to the broader picture, whatever that maybe for your topic. It could be your community if the topic was a school related topic or the world if the topic was environment related. Whatever it is, it wraps up the essay by taking everything you said and bringing it out to a larger more meaningful level and leaves the reader with a larger feeling that your argument is indeed correct.

Answer 3

Your thesis statement is the lens you use to define your conclusion. Review it, beef up the topic assertions and close any loopholes in your argument. The reader should come away convinced.

Answer 4

Basically your conclusion should summarize the main argument your paper is trying to make, answering the question "so what's the point of all that I've been talking about in this paper?" It's more of an answer to the question you started in your introduction.

It can also leave a final thought for the reader to consider, one that gets to the heart of the matter you're writing about.

Answer 5

We've all been there. You present your last supporting argument, but you don't know what you can write that will end your paper without leaving the reader "hanging".

You know what a good conclusion looks like, so how do you reverse-engineer that? Let's start with a few of the "nuts and bolts". The purpose of your conclusion is two-fold: (a) it ends your paper; and (b) it reminds the reader of your thesis and the major points you've proven or explained. Most people get stuck on part (b). It can be simple, though, once you plan it out.

Before you begin drafting that conclusion, take a close look at your introduction. You will find that the same ideas in that beginning paragraph can be incorporated in the content of your paper's final paragraph. Ask yourself: How do I re-word my thesis statement from the introduction? What are 2-3 of the major objectives in my paper? How effectively was I able to explain and support my thesis in the body paragraphs? The answers to these questions will guide you further as you plot out your conclusion. Use the conclusion to remind readers of your main points and show them that you've effectively explained why your thesis is a good one.

Don't get discouraged if you need to edit and retool your conclusion upon your first reading of it. After all, writing is re-writing. It’s also good to get the perspective of an outside reader, because they are distanced from your work and can view it with less bias than you could. A good conclusion will satisfy the reader in that they will understand your true intent, the purpose of your arguments, and the viability of your approach to the topic.