Believe it or not, the rest of the semester is about to fly
by. With Spring Break in just over a week, the rest of the semester will be
filled with projects, papers, and studying for finals, of course. So, of
course, the most important thing is to end the year strong. No one wants to
reach summer vacation only to be haunted by the preceding school year.
You can think of your writing in the same way. Many people
have trouble with strong conclusions. Something about ending a paper simply
terrifies some people. You may get to the final few body paragraphs and get
research-paper-itis. You may feel as though you could not possibly write
another word! However, the conclusion is where you make your lasting
impression. Whether it is for a narrative, personal statement, or research
paper, you want a shining ending.
While there is, unfortunately, no set formula for the
perfect conclusion, there are several things to consider when constructing one.
·
Your conclusion should give your work a sense of
completeness. Think of J.K. Rowling’s famous final sentence to the Harry Potter series: “All was well.”
This gives the reader a sense of peace. (Imagine if the last thing you read was
that Harry still had one horcrux left to find!) Read through your paper as
though you have never seen the subject before. Have you left the reader feeling
complete, or does it seem like it could go into a new section? Make sure all
loose ends are tied by the conclusion.
·
Emphasize the “selling factor” of your paper.
Don’t repeat what you said, just finalize the sale. Especially for a paper with
several pieces of evidence supporting it, you will want to create the big
picture and use the sum of all parts to make the ideas even more meaningful as
a whole.
·
Answer the question “so what?” Why does your
paper matter? Show the importance to your reader.
·
Return to your introduction. If you return to
the theme of the introduction, the conclusion will feel more integrated into
the story. Any story, question, quote, etc. that you mention in your
introduction could be referenced in your conclusion.
·
Don’t feel the need to use “in conclusion,” or
anything similar to that phrase. The reader will understand that this is your
conclusion without having to tell them.
·
Do not add any new information that would be
suited for the body of your paper. Any support or evidence needs to happen
before this point. The more you stray from what was already said in the paper,
the less likely the reader will feel that your argument is complete.
Just like in the case of finishing out a wonderful school
year, hard work on the ending of a paper will pay off. Commit some time to your
conclusions. Remember, this is the last thing that will be read, and will
determine much of someone’s attitude for your work!
No comments:
Post a Comment