Let’s not jump to conclusions here! The closing paragraph(s) to your paper is not an easy task to complete. It is not something you can just flippantly tack onto the end of your essay. A well written conclusion serves an important purpose in any piece of academic writing.

I remember back to my own writing history, I learned the hard way; my marks were usually affected by the construction of my conclusion. I remember comments like

‘A great use of the texts and literature, however you need to work on your conclusion. Your conclusion needs to tie your essay together’

So what’s this purpose then? Your conclusion gently brings the reader to the end of your work. It also provides the reader with a summary of what your paper has covered. It is a re-cap, and it must never have any new information or introduce or any new ideas.

In the scheme of things:

1. Your introduction introduces what you’re going to say. (Tell them what your going to say)
2. The body of the paper is where you develop your argument and your main points. (Tell them!)
3. The conclusion summarises what you have discussed. (Tell them what you told them!)

It’s pretty much that simple.

The conclusion should be crafted with as much skill and effort as you used with writing the body. Read through your paper and write down all the main points, and summarise your main argument. Don’t be afraid the start with the words “In conclusion…”

Here are some other ideas:

• This paper has shown…
• In summary then…
• The purpose of this paper has been to…

Also, it is important to refer back to your introduction (the part where you told them what you were going to say); it is here that you tie the paper together and give the reader a feeling of completeness.

A good idea when writing your paper is to allow time for you to have a rest (a day or two) before starting your conclusion. Once this time is up, re read your paper and make note of your argument and main points. Write your conclusion with the purpose of restating each of these points.

So before you rush headlong into your next conclusion, take some time to plan this very important part of your paper. You could very well reap the benefits of your labour with an “A” for a job well done!