Writing Guides

Lastly, in our essay-as-building, the conclusion serves as a final reflective space that echoes the introduction and body paragraphs while synthesizing what readers have encountered along the way. The conclusion helps readers appreciate the full significance of your argument by connecting its parts into a meaningful whole.

Remember: the reader who ends your essay is not the same reader who finishes it. Now that your reader has followed your line of reasoning all the way to its finale, what kind of strengthened claims, relevant reflections, acknowledgments of limitations, or parting observations are appropriate? These are the kinds of questions that effective conclusions answer. 

Key functions of conclusions 🔑

⭐ Summary and synthesis 

• Remind readers of your key claims and overall argument

🔭 Change in tone and perspective

• The conclusion often shifts to a more reflective or suggestive tone 
• Writers can acknowledge limitations of their point of view here without undermining their argument 
• The focus may broaden from specific claims to wider implications or recommendations 

🚀 Significance, limitations, and future directions

• Strong conclusions often demonstrate why an argument matters 
• This can include:
  • Implications of the argument - what effects might the argument have? 
  • Potential imitations of the argument - what questions still need answering? 
  • Future research directions - what new directions remain to be explored? 
  • Broader significance or recommendations for the field - why does this matter? 

There is no single formula for writing conclusions. Different disciplines and topics may call for difference approaches. In general, though, conclusions should strike a balance between modesty about claims and confidence in findings, providing a sense of overall coherence and completion. Conclusions are not a place to introduce new major evidence or claims. Instead, conclusions provide meaningful closure, answering the question, why does this matter?