How To Write A Conclusion For An Essay

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how to write a conclusion for an essay

For many students, writing the conclusion to their essay is one of the hardest parts. Are you not really sure how to craft a conclusion? Then don’t worry, as this guide is for you.

What Makes A Good Essay Conclusion?

When you write a great essay, you need a great conclusion to pull it all together. You’ve most likely heard that you shouldn’t be introducing anything new into your conclusion, but if that’s true, what’s meant to go in it?

The good news is that it’s easier than you’d think. In a good conclusion, you should pulling together all the arguments that you made, and showing the reader why your argument is important. Overall, you’re looking to leave a good impression with an essay that has made a good conclusion.

How To Write A Conclusion For An Essay

So, let’s have a look at how you’ll write that conclusion for your essay.

Go back to your thesis: In the process of writing your essay, you should have created a thesis that helped you stay on track. When writing your conclusion, you want to go back to that thesis. You’re not looking to rewrite the thesis in your conclusion, but you are looking to go back to your overall argument now that you’ve presented the evidence in the body of the essay.

Check over your main points: Again, you’ll want to go back to the work you did when you were planning your essay. At this point you may still ask yourself:"Who can write my essay for me?" When you’re writing a conclusion, you want to show how all the points you made were relevant to the argument, and how they all back up your thesis. Be careful not to write the points in summary, as you’ve already made them in the body of the text. Instead, you’re looking to bring them together in the conclusion to prove your argument in full.

Show the importance of your argument: In your conclusion, you want to show the reader why your argument matters. Why should the reader take what you say into account?

To do this, you need to broaden your scope and consider this yourself. For example, does your argument lead to a need for further study? Are there practical suggestions that can be made? Will there be a new understanding of the topic thanks to your study?

If you know this, you can steer your conclusion towards these ideas. That shows that your view is important and worth considering.

Take care in writing your conclusion: You know what needs to go into your conclusion, but you also need to know what shouldn’t go in it. Firstly, as you already know, you shouldn’t be adding any new info in the conclusion. If there’s a point that needs to be made, it needs to be in the body of the text.

Also, avoid ‘conclusion phrases’ such as ‘in conclusion’ and ‘to sum up’. They’re essentially filler, and the reader already knows you’re starting your conclusion.

Another key tip is not to undermine your argument. You should avoid using phrases like ‘there are good arguments on both sides’, or ‘there is no clear answer’. Even if that is the case, that’s not relevant in the case of your essay. Focus on the point that you have made.

Example Of A Conclusion

To see how this works in practice, let’s take a look at an example of a good conclusion. This is the conclusion to an essay about the positive impact the internet has had on learning:

The internet has created a positive impact on education, ever since it was introduced. There are numerous applications for the internet as a tool in learning, something that has been seen especially in recent years. The need for distance learning shows just how valuable it is, and how students value it as a tool. As such, the internet is now a permanent and useful fixture when it comes to learning.

This conclusion sums up the main points of the essay, focusing on the argument that the internet has had a positive impact on education as a whole.

Now you know all the basics you need to write a good, well thought out conclusion to your essay. Now you’re ready to finish your essay off strong and show why your thoughts on the topic are worth listening to.

written by Mary Watson

editor and tutor, 12 years experience

Mary, our exceptional editor and online tutor, brings a wealth of knowledge to the table. With her extensive expertise in academic writing, she guides and mentors aspiring students, providing them with constructive feedback that propels their essays to the next level.