- WHAT’S THE PURPOSE OF A CONCLUSION PARAGRAPH?
- The purpose of a conclusion paragraph is to remind the reader of the main point or thesis and to make connections to broader ideas or contexts. A conclusion paragraph should begin by restating and rewording the thesis statement (as stated in the final sentence of the Introduction paragraph, then should present the significance, relevance, or big idea of the thesis statement, and then conclude with a closing statement. Where the introduction moves from a general idea to a specific idea, the conclusion paragraph begins specifically and moves to the general.
- WHAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN A CONCLUSION PARAGRAPH?
- Restated and reworded thesis statement Remind the reader of the main thesis of the paper by restating and rewording it from the beginning of the conclusion paragraph (in one sentence). This is more specific than what follows.
- Significance Usually in three-to-five sentences, describe the significance, relevance, or big idea that relates to the thesis. Make connections to other relevant contexts that apply to the thesis. Perhaps make predictions about future aspects related to the thesis statement. In most cases, this will be the only time you’ll use the future tense in your paper.
- Closing statement The closing statement is the most general idea of the paragraph. It’s the most broad statement that leaves the reader thinking about the thesis statement and overall text. Some writers choose a famous quote to conclude the paper, but experiment with creating your own final saying, thought, etc. Try to come up with your own final quote that best applies to your paper.