Writing a Strong Conclusion

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WHETHER IN THE TV show Suits or a real-world courtroom, one of the most crucial moments in a trial is the closing statement. It’s the lawyer’s last chance to make his or her case to the jury. Christos Kalohoridis/© USA Network/ Courtesy Everett Collection

There’s a reason why courtroom dramas like TV’s Suits almost always include footage of the hero lawyer’s closing statements. When a wealth of evidence, testimony, and facts have been presented, it’s easy for juries (and television audiences) to get bogged down in the details and lose track of the bigger, more dramatic picture. For any speaker, it is important to end a presentation with a compelling and pointed conclusion. Once again, the “recency” part of the primacy–recency effect reminds us that the conclusion is the last thing the audience will hear in your speech, and it is likely what they will remember most. As such, a speech conclusion must address a number of functions.