C2-c: Drafting a conclusion

C2-cDraft a conclusion.

A conclusion should remind readers of the essay’s main idea without repeating it. Often the concluding paragraph can be relatively short. By the end of the essay, readers should already understand your main point; your conclusion drives it home and, perhaps, gives readers something more to consider.

To conclude an essay analyzing the shifting roles of women in the military services, one student discusses her topic’s implications for society as a whole.

As the military continues to train women in jobs formerly reserved for men, our understanding of women’s roles in society will no doubt continue to change. As news reports of women training for and taking part in combat operations become commonplace, reports of women becoming CEOs, police chiefs, and even president of the United States will cease to surprise us. Or perhaps we have already reached this point.

—Rosa Broderick, student

To make the conclusion memorable and to give a sense of completion, you might include a detail, an example, a quotation, or a statistic from the introduction to bring readers full circle.

Whatever concluding strategy you choose, keep in mind that an effective conclusion is decisive and unapologetic. Avoid introducing completely new ideas at the end of an essay. And because the conclusion is so closely tied to the rest of the essay, be prepared to rework it or replace it as you revise your draft.

Strategies for drafting a conclusion

In addition to echoing your main idea, a conclusion might do any of the following:

  • Briefly summarize your essay’s key points
  • Propose a course of action
  • Offer a recommendation
  • Discuss the topic’s wider significance or implications
  • Redefine a key term or concept
  • Pose a question for future study