How to Write a Conclusion
Many students still have problems on how to write a conclusion for an academic paper. However, you can now easily know how to write research paper or essay conclusions by following the guidelines that we have outlined in this section. Besides, we will also give you samples of conclusions to clearly see how they should be written.
What is a Conclusion?
One of the most important steps that you should first take in order to know how to write a conclusion for a research paper or essay is defining what a conclusion is. Many students assume that the conclusion summarizes the paper.
The truth is that, a conclusion refers to the last section of a paper or text whose role is to provide final judgment after reaffirming the thesis statement and answering any important questions about the paper in brief.
A conclusion gives you the last chance as the author to make your final judgment on the issues discussed in the text. It also gives you the opportunity to synthesize your thoughts, show the importance of your ideas and drive the reader to a new dimension of the subject.
The conclusion of a paper is quite important in several ways. It is supposed to create links to all the parts of the research paper or text. Besides, it should also give comments on the meanings of the content of these sections. Thus, the conclusion will show a synthesis and integration of various issues addressed in the paper and how it is linked to the thesis statement, and objectives of the study.
The conclusion should clearly answer the questions raised at the start of the study. On the other hand, it also demonstrates the connection between the study and theoretical and policy implications of the research.
Although the conclusion may not be very long, it can also show the limitations of the study. Another important element of a conclusion is that it provides insights or directives for further studies. In other papers like essays, a writer can also use the conclusion to give his or her future plans or prospects.
Know how to write a conclusion from these guidelines
There are several benefits that you are bound to attain when you take the bold step of learning how to write a conclusion. Conclusions can be written for essays, research papers, dissertations, reports among other kinds of papers. Therefore, knowing how to write a conclusion is a valuable skill for your success in academics.
Constant practice in writing outstanding conclusions can go a long way in improving your communication skills both with your peers and also at a professional level.
Guidelines you on how to write a conclusion
Below are the main guidelines on how to write a conclusion for a dissertation, essay or research paper.
- Avoid introducing new knowledge
As you write the conclusion, it is always advisable that you do not unleash a new concept or idea that is not discussed in the paper or text. Instead, you should only provide a synthesis of the points that have been highlighted therein to avoid confusing the readers.
A good conclusion should echo the introduction of the paper.
- Be brief and systematic
Readers will always notice if you give a poor conclusion and bear in mind that this section is not another point for further discussions. The conclusion is only to wrap up the text and fill up any loop holes in the paper. Even if you are writing for a dissertation paper or any other elaborate piece, it is advisable that your conclusion should be below or equal to between five to fifteen pages.
- Give your readers something to think about
Although you should not introduce a new dimension in the conclusion, it would be ideal if you gave your readers some sort of re-direction. For instance, show them a way on how to apply the paper in ‘real’ life. In other words, try to portray a global view in your conclusion.
This can be achieved by a statement or posing a question to the readers at the end of the text. In this way, they may be able to gain a new perspective to the ideas discussed in the paper. Besides, it can also help you to bring together the points highlighted in the text.
Steps on how to write a conclusion
With the key guidelines that we have discussed above, you can now get down to the actual writing of the conclusion for your paper. Follow the procedures that we have outlined below to find out how to write a conclusion for any paper.
- Draft an outline
Although many students often ignore this step, it is always very important. An outline is basically a draft of how you intend to present your final thoughts on the subject of the text in order.
- Start writing by making reference to the introduction
This will help in giving your readers a full view of the discussion before it is brought to a close. Reference to the intro can be made through using phrases, key words or similar concepts that were applied at the start of the paper.
- Briefly highlight the points discussed in the body
After pointing out the introduction, go ahead and synthesize the key points addressed in the text. However, this should be done in a simple and unique way so that it does not look like you are repeating them. Try to link the points to examples and evidence given in order to pull the whole article together.
- Give a provocative insight
Readers like being ignited and using a provocative statement or quote related to the text would do great justice to your paper.
- Suggest a course of action
Giving a solution to an issue discussed in the paper or proposing any further action on the matters deliberated in the body can be a good way of redirecting the thoughts of your readers.
On this part, you can also highlight the broader implications of your paper in case there is any.
Writing a good conclusion for any paper is a process that requires constant practice. In fact, your success will greatly depend on how well you apply the guidelines that we have given above in writing conclusions.
Examples of Conclusions
Samples to help you understand better how to write a conclusion
We have collected a few examples of conclusions that are listed herein to also help you on how to write a conclusion for an academic paper.
- The essay on Environmental Policies in China is one of the papers with an example of a good conclusion.
In this paper, you will find that the author has been able to highlight almost all the qualities of a good conclusion. For instance, the conclusion of the paper has properly given reference to the subject of the text.
In this case, the conclusion begins with the statement, ‘’the evidence reveals that the environmental policies in China have undergone numerous transformations aimed at ensuring positive impact…’’
In the conclusion of this essay, the author has also briefly outlined some of the environmental policies in China that are discussed in the body of the paper. This is called synthesizing the
- Another good example of a conclusion can be found in the Scientific Report on Climate Change.
This sample paper also provides a well written conclusion example that you can refer to in order to learn how to craft an outstanding ending to your paper. From the sample, you will see that the author has written a very short and clear conclusion that illustrates well the key elements of a conclusion.
For instance, the conclusion begins by giving a recap of the introduction. The beginning of the conclusion reads, ‘’this report has evaluated the ways in which human activities can impact climate change.’’
The author of the report has also gone ahead to provide a solution to the problem which in this case is climate change. In doing this, the writer has closed the discussion by pointing out that, ‘’going by the findings of the study, it has recommended that farmers should opt for practices that can hinder the emission of greenhouse gases.’’
- The Culture of Spain essay is also another sample paper that you can refer to in order to know how a good conclusion should be written.
This paper has also illustrated how the various qualities of a conclusion should be portrayed in the text.
For instance, the author of this paper has been able to effectively wrap up the piece by justifying the points discussed in the paper. The author concludes by pointing out that, ‘’there are different cultures in Spain because of the autonomy of the regions and each exhibits a unique identity that is created from their attributes…’’
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References:
http://www.bestessayservices.com/blog/
http://www.globalcompose.com/blog/
http://www.essaysexperts.net/blog/
http://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Conclusion-for-a-Research-Paper
http://writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu/pages/ending-essay-conclusions