This conclusion is taken from a short expository essay that explains the invention of the printing press and its effects on European society. It focuses on giving a clear, concise overview of what was covered in the essay.
This conclusion is taken from an argumentative essay about the internet’s impact on education. It acknowledges the opposing arguments while taking a clear, decisive position.
These phrases aren’t forbidden, but they can make your writing sound weak. By returning to your main argument, it will quickly become clear that you are concluding the essay—you shouldn’t have to spell it out.
Your conclusion should give a sense of closure and completion to your argument, but also show what new questions or possibilities it has opened up.
Don’t undermine your argument
Avoid using apologetic phrases that sound uncertain or confused:
- A rephrased version of your overall thesis
- A brief review of the key points you made in the main body
- An indication of why your argument matters
Any evidence or analysis that is essential to supporting your thesis statement should appear in the main body of the essay.
The invention of the printing press was important not only in terms of its immediate cultural and economic effects, but also in terms of its major impact on politics and religion across Europe. In the century following the invention of the printing press, the relatively stationary intellectual atmosphere of the Middle Ages gave way to the social upheavals of the Reformation and the Renaissance. A single technological innovation had contributed to the total reshaping of the continent.
The main purpose of a summary is to sum up the main points.
The summary is an abridged version of a text that only contains the main points.
A conclusion is an essential part of any document. A good conclusion is both interesting and attractive
A summary is an abridged version of a text that only contains the main points. The main purpose of a summary is to condense the text into a smaller text. A summary should present the central ideas and concepts clearly and concisely. However, it is possible to omit certain facts that are not essential to the text.
Definition
At the same time, you should avoid introducing new facts in the conclusion, rewriting the main points in the same words, focusing on the minor points of the text, and using sentimental, emotional appeals in an otherwise analytical and academic essay.
An executive summary is at the beginning of a document.
Sometimes a summary can be a synopsis of a book, film or a play. Here, an outline of the plot of the story can be considered as the summary. Furthermore, an executive summary, which can be seen at the beginning of a report, proposal, business plan, etc., summarizes all the content, highlighting the key points in the document. An executive summary should contain information such as subject matter, methods of analysis, findings and conclusions. This is similar to an abstract and should be written after completing the whole research.
The purpose of a conclusion is to conclude the text smoothly.
- A rephrased version of your overall thesis
- A brief review of the key points you made in the main body
- An indication of why your argument matters
This conclusion is taken from our annotated essay example, which discusses the history of the Braille system. Hover over each part to see why it’s effective.
- Important evidence or analysis that wasn’t mentioned in the main body
- Generic concluding phrases (e.g. “In conclusion…”)
- Weak statements that undermine your argument (e.g. “There are good points on both sides of this issue.”)
Your conclusion should leave the reader with a strong, decisive impression of your work.
More examples of essay conclusions
This conclusion is taken from an argumentative essay about the internet’s impact on education. It acknowledges the opposing arguments while taking a clear, decisive position.
The internet has had a major positive impact on the world of education
Avoid using apologetic phrases that sound uncertain or confused:
- Tie together the essay’s main points
- Show why your argument matters
- Leave the reader with a strong impression
Finally, you should end your paragraph with a last, powerful sentence that leaves a lasting impression, gives a sense of logical completeness, and connects readers back to the introduction of the paper.
This is a clear example of how you can shape your conclusion paragraph.
Just like the case of a regular essay’s conclusion, a research paper’s final paragraph should also include a short summary of all of the key points stated in the body sections. We recommend reading the entire body part a few times to define all of your main arguments and ideas.
Here are a few more tips for making a perfect conclusion for an argumentative essay:
How to Conclude Various Types of Essays
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Start your final paragraph with a quick reminder of what the topic of the piece is about. Keep it one sentence long.
Regardless of the technique you choose, make sure that your clincher is memorable and aligns with your introduction and thesis.
"Words and phrases like 'recap', 'summary' and 'restatement of your thesis' don't accurately describe what an essay conclusion is. A conclusion is so much more, and a lot hinges on how well it is done."
In Sonnet 18, Shakespeare explores the themes of love, ageing, and art through the extended metaphor of the changing seasons. Shakespeare uses both the meter and structure of the sonnet to maximise the effectiveness of this metaphor. Metrical variations like the spondaic substitution at the start of the third line maximise the drama of this metaphor. By making use of the formal structure of the sonnet – especially the “turn” at the start of the third quatrain – Shakespeare is able to explore different facets of his central conceit of summer changing into winter.
Here's a note if you’re writing an essay using a formulaic structure like the five-paragraph, three-argument essay. With these formulaic essays it’s even more important that you don’t simply regurgitate your introduction in your conclusion. The key to concluding an essay of any length or complexity is persuading your reader that there’s been development between the start and end of the essay. They must end knowing more than they did at the start. The same applies for five-paragraph essays.
Before we get to answering the question of what an essay conclusion is, it’s useful to spend a moment thinking about some of the things an essay conclusion isn’t.
How do I conclude an essay?
If you’ve been paying attention you may have seen that we’ve already mentioned “rhetoric” a couple of times so far in this post – and this is no accident. You can’t really talk about essay conclusions without talking about rhetoric. The conclusion to an essay is the most purely rhetorical part of the entire piece.
Better essay conclusion (recaps on central points and makes some attempt to draw them together):
By “rhetorical”, we mean a conclusion’s (and indeed the entire essay’s) ability to convince or persuade the reader of certain outlooks or arguments. An essay conclusion needs to use rhetoric to emotionally connect with the reader in some way. And this is done through the use of certain language and the way the information is presented.