CONCLUDING PARAGRAPHS



CONCLUDING PARAGRAPHS

Because no reader likes to be jarred by an abrupt ending, a concluding paragraph should be used to give the essay a feeling of completeness. An effective conclusion should reemphasize the topic of the essay, leaving the reader with strong impressions of what has been said. Any one of the following methods may be used:

1. Make a plea for a change.

2. Draw the necessary conclusions from what has been said

3. Summarize the major points of the essay

When choosing a method for ending an essay, remember that the conclusion should flow naturally out of the body of the paper; it should not appear to be tacked on. An effective conclusion often refers back to an image or anecdote that was used in the introduction, a method which helps to unify the whole essay. Your conclusion should not introduce completely new ideas that need explanation or support.

Practice Writing Conclusions

1. Make a plea for change. A conclusion may make a plea for a change of attitude or for specific action. The following paragraph does both

The parents, the schools, and the government must make a combined effort to educate young people about the dangers of drug abuse. Moreover, the whole society must change its attitude concerning such over-the-counter preparations as sleeping pills, diet pills, and tranquilizers. The careless use of these drugs creates an atmosphere that invites the use of illegal narcotics. When we realize our full responsibility in dealing with this problem, drug addiction may begin to disappear as a national menace.

1. Make a plea for change. (Complete the chart below based on the paragraph above.)

|Part #1 |Part #2 |

|Reemphasize the topic of the essay: |An image or anecdote: |

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|The plea for change: |

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1. Make a plea for change from the model text used in class. (Complete the chart below based on the model text.)

|Part #1 |Part #2 |

|Reemphasize the topic of the essay: |An image or anecdote: |

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|The plea for change: |

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2. Draw the necessary conclusions from what has been said. Based on the facts given in the essay, you may use the concluding paragraph to form judgments about the topic. For example:

Thus it can be seen that the strong warnings about drug abuse heard on radio and television and seen in newspapers and magazines are not an exaggeration. The evidence is overwhelming, and only one overriding conclusion can be drawn: drugs are deadly, and experimenting with them can lead people and, in fact, our entire society to the point of extinction.

2. Draw the necessary conclusions from what has been said. (Complete the chart below based on the paragraph above.)

|Part #1 |Part #2 |

|Reemphasize the topic of the essay: |An image or anecdote: |

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|Necessary conclusions: |

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2. Draw the necessary conclusions from what has been said using the model text from class. (Complete the chart below based on the model text.)

|Part #1 |Part #2 |

|Reemphasize the topic of the essay: |An image or anecdote: |

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|Necessary Conclusions: |

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3. Summarize the major points of the essay. A restatement of the major points--using new words--will help the reader to remember what he has read. A summary is usually most effective in a long essay; it would seem repetitious at the end of a short one. For example:

Narcotics, then, can affect the user in a variety of ways, most of which are frightening and dangerous. When someone tries an illicit drug, he may experience immediate effects such as severe hallucinations, serious mental changes, and a loss of appetite. Taken over a long period of time, drugs may cause hepatitis, a complete mental breakdown--or even death from an overdose. If people can be made to truly understand these effects, the seductive appeal of drugs will disappear, and thousands of useful lives will be saved from the terrifying results of narcotics addiction.

3. Summarize the major points of the essay. (Complete the chart below based on the paragraph above.)

|Part #1 |Part #2 |

|Reemphasize the topic of the essay: |An image or anecdote: |

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|Summary of major points: |

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3. Summarize the major points of the essay using the model text from class. (Complete the chart below based on the model text.)

|Part #1 |Part #2 |

|Reemphasize the topic of the essay: |An image or anecdote: |

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|Summary of major points: |

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Writing Your Own Conclusion:

Select one of the following models to use for your conclusion

• Make a plea for a change.

• Draw the necessary conclusions from what has been said

• Summarize the major points of the essay

|Part #1 |Part #2 |

|Reemphasize the topic of the essay: |An image or anecdote: |

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|Write an example of the type of conclusion you selected: |

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Complete Conclusion:

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