Concluding Paragraph

An Exit Strategy

Objectives

• Understand the importance of a

Concluding paragraph

• Develop methods of writing a Concluding

paragraph

• Write Concluding paragraphs

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Importance

• An concluding paragraph is important

because it summarizes and ends the

paper.

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Thesis Statement

• The thesis statement is usually restated in

the concluding paragraph.

• It is not repeated in the concluding

paragraph

• The concluding paragraph wraps up the

paper

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Methods

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Summarize

• The conclusion

can summarize

the main points

of the paper.

• Keep the

summary clean

and simple

– It is not the entire

paper

Global warming is

affecting the world’s

migratory animals,

melting the tundra

permafrost, and

warming the oceans. It

is becoming an issue

we must face now and

not later.

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Call for Action

• Ask the reader to

respond by changing

behavior.

Global warming is affecting

us today. We can no longer

deny the science nor

postpone action. Each

person should pitch in to

prevent global warming.

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Prediction

Tells what will happen if

the thesis is not

agreed with.

Global warming is affecting

us now. It is not some future

problem. If we do not act,

oceans will flood our cities.

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Conclusion from Facts

Makes conclusions drawn by deduction or induction from the facts in the paper.

If global warming

continues unabated, the

oceans will continue to

warm and hurricanes will

continue to be more

destructive.

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Question

A question can

challenge the reader

Global warming is radically

changing the climate of the

world. But is it changing it

for the better?

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Quotation

Use to soften a conclusion

and provoke though

While global warming is

debated in Washington, the

EPA says, “Changing

regional climate could alter

forests, crop yields, and

water supplies. It could also

affect human health,

animals, and many types of

ecosystems.”

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Dismiss the Opponent

Points out that opponents

are out of touch with the

facts.

Although Chris Adamou

and his following dismiss

global warming as an

assault by liberals on the

American economy, the

scientific facts are far

more scary. And we can

not play

conservative/liberal with

the future of our world.

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Contrast

Expresses the strong difference between the proven thesis and reality.

Most scientists of the

world believe global

warming is real, and we

are causing it. However,

despite the facts, 51

percent of the American

public are skeptical that

global warming exists

(Colorado College, 2011).

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Moral

Use cautiously. Make sure that a real moral can be drawn and it is not a quick and easy ending.

Global warming may be a

world problem, but the

moral of global warming is

that is has an individual

cause— each individual

idling a car in a traffic jam.

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Example or Story

Tell a story that

illustrates the thesis.

Frequently this may

be a continuation of a

story used in the

introduction.

Jack Singer’s home in

Christmas, FL, will be

ocean front property in 50

years. And he and his

grandchildren can thank

global warming.

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Universalize

Makes general statement that expands beyond the paper.

Mankind is causing the

world to get warmer at the

cost of other life on earth.

Mankind again exhibits his

hubris.

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Don’ts

• Don’t apologize

• Don’t announce one’s intentions

– In conclusion

– I have proved

– Finally

• Don’t add new facts or information which support your thesis

• Don’t be sentimental or maudlin

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Summary

• A good conclusion lets the reader know

that the essay is finished

• It restates the thesis statement

• It does not include information to support

the thesis

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Resources

• Concluding Paragraphs http://www.wooster.edu/writing_center/Help/concl.html

• Concluding Paragraphs http://webster.commnet.edu/grammar/composition/endings.htm

• Colossal Conclusion Confusion: How to

Avoid Calamity http://www.bgsu.edu/offices/acen/writerslab/handouts/conclusion.pdf

• The Concluding Paragraph http://www.usciences.edu/writing/handouts/wc/WC18-

TheConcludingParagraph.pdf

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