How to Write a Concluding Paragraph
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This document provides guidance on how to write an effective conclusion by answering three key questions: 1) What is the paper about? 2) Why does it matter? 3) How should the reader change their thinking or actions? It advises restating the thesis to answer the first question. For the second question, it suggests explaining why the idea's importance. The third question should prompt the reader to educate themselves or make a contribution. These three parts should then be combined into a single concluding paragraph.
How to Write a Concluding Paragraph
- 1. HOWTOWRITE A CONCLUSION Julia Miele Rodas Bronx CommunityCollege / CUNY
- 2. WHY? A solid conclusion leaves your reader with a clear idea of your whole paper, even if you made some mistakes along the way …
- 3. Just answer these three questions: 1. What is your paper about? 2. Why does it matter? 3. How should the reader change their thinking or actions?
- 4. TRY ANSWERING EACH QUESTION ONE AT ATIME
- 5. 1. What is your paper about? ■ Write ONE sentence that reminds the reader what the paper is about. It’s fine if you return to your introduction and use a revised version of your thesis. EXAMPLE In this essay, I discuss how much social attitudes toward psychiatric disability have improved, but also how we still have a lot of work to do.
- 6. 2. Why does it matter? (Sorry! I know this seems like kind of a mean question, but it really makes a difference for your reader!) ■ In two or three sentences, tell the reader why your idea matters.This can be why you think this is interesting or why you think the idea has greater importance. EXAMPLE A lot of people don’t realize how common psychiatric disabilities are. Better visibility for and treatment of people struggling with mental health might help reform the justice system as well as having other positive social effects. Just as important, these changes might help ordinary people—families and friends, coworkers, teachers and students—manage mental health crises more safely and productively.
- 7. 3. How should the reader change their thinking or actions? (aka, What should we do?) ■ In one or two sentences, tell the reader what contribution they can make. EXAMPLE We should all educate ourselves about psychiatric disability and emergency mental health care. However, the single biggest thing we can do to improve this situation is to think of mental health challenges as a regular part of being human.
- 8. FINALLY, COMBINE ALL THREE PARTS INTO A SINGLE PARAGRAPH at the end of your essay
- 9. Concluding paragraph … EXAMPLE In this essay, I discuss how much social attitudes toward psychiatric disability have improved, but also how we still have a lot of work to do.A lot of people don’t realize how common psychiatric disabilities are. Better visibility for and treatment of people struggling with mental health might help reform the justice system as well as having other positive social effects. Just as important, these changes might help ordinary people—families and friends, coworkers, teachers and students—manage mental health crises more safely and productively. We should all educate ourselves about psychiatric disability and emergency mental health care. However, the single biggest thing we can do to improve this situation is to think of mental health challenges as a regular part of being human. The stressors that help trigger psychiatric crisis affect all of us. Housing insecurity, racism, poverty, addiction, sexual trauma, misogyny, state bureaucracy, isolation …
- 10. NEED MORE HELP? thanks for studying! See a sample conclusion with Julia’s notes + make an appointment to work one-on-one with a FREEWritingTutor