Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Writing Conclusions

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Your conclusion should achieve three goals:
  1.  Refer back to the hook, if possible, to bring the essay full circle. 
  2.  Reinforce the thesis statement without repeating it exactly.
  3. Leave a strong impression on the reader.

Example of how NOT to write a conclusion:

In my hook, I talked about what love is. In Kate Chopin's "Story of an Hour," three essential quotes told you all about love. You should love your family and tell them every day. What do you think?

What's wrong here?

  • The use of I/You
  • The last sentence is preachy and tells your reader how to act.
  • For the purposes of this essay, avoid ending with a question (especially this one). It's the easy way out, and it sounds seventh grady.
Better example:

(Assume the hook mentioned ambivalence, and the thesis statement was: Three essential quotes in Kate Chopin's "Story of an Hour" reveal how Louise's suppression of her true feelings led to both physical and emotional pain.)


Ambivlance of any kind is never easy to deal with, and Louise's struggle is not unique. As the quotes illustrate, keeping ambivalence inside and avoiding it can lead to emotional pain as well as physical pain. Perhaps looking deep within and facing one's problems head on is a healthier way to live.


For more help, try this link:
http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/acadwrite/conclude.html

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