e Writing Center
The Samuel Rudin Academic Resource Center
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CONCLUSIONS
by Kori Davis and Bette-Jane Raphael
What is a Conclusion?
A conclusion is the last paragraph of your essay and presents your nal thoughts on the topic at hand without
introducing new information. The conclusion accomplishes two important goals: it reminds the audience of what
they read before and creates both a lasting impact on the reader and a sense of resolution.
Structure of a Conclusion
A helpful way to think about a conclusion is to view it as
an upright triangle. This shape represents the course of a
conclusion, which starts with the most specic point of
your essay, the thesis statement. Your restated thesis is
followed by sentences that recapitulate the main points
you have made to support your argument. The wide space
at the bottom of the triangle is a nal impactful thought
that leaves a lasting impression on your readers and invites
them to think beyond the horizons of your essay.
Thesis
In order to remind your readers of what you have tried to prove in your essay, start your conclusion by restating your
thesis. This version of your thesis statement should not simply be a word-for-word recapitulation of what you wrote
in your introduction.
Main Points
In order to remind your readers of how you proved your thesis, you should follow it with a brief summary of the points
you made in your essay. Again, this recapitulation should be expressed in words dierent from the topic sentences
of your body paragraphs.
(see reverse)
Thesis
(rephrased)
Recap of Main Points
Impactful Ending
• Quote
• Call to Action
• Prediction
Statement in Introduction Statement in Conclusion
Despite this reputation, pizza should be praised for its
intricate avors, nutrition, aordability, and cultural
adaptability.
Far from being junk food, pizza turns out to be a delicious,
nutritious, aordable, and customizable meal.
Statement in Introduction Statement in Conclusion
Pizza toppings such as fresh, vitamin-rich garden
vegetables and lean meats can contribute to a healthy diet.
With its wide variety of toppings, pizza oers a wealth of
healthy choices to its consumers.
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Impactful Ending
You can prompt your readers to think more about your topic by ending the conclusion with a quote, call to
action, or prediction.
• Quote
You may want to introduce an authority gure or a more universal source to conclude the essay, adding
support to your main points and showing a connection to other works and ideas. This quote should
reinforce the ideas in your essay and be no longer than two lines.
Example
For all of these reasons, New York City’s Mayor, Bill DeBlasio, was correct when he called pizza “New York’s
fa
vorite food.”
• Call to Action
Recommend an action for readers to take on their own. If you are persuasive enough, this should create a
concrete objective for them, one that they can work towards using the information that you have supplied.
Example
So stand up for pizza and inform pizza critics of its value and potential to be a smart food choice.
•
Prediction
Tell the reader what you believe will happen next concerning the subject based on what you have
discussed in the rest of the essay. Like the call to action, a prediction allows your readers to think critically
about the subject after they has nished the paper.
Example
This food will only improve as future generations continue to develop new and innovative ways to make pizza.
Complete Conclusion (Ending with a Prediction)
Far from being mere junk food, pizza turns out to be a delicious, nutritious, aordable, and customizable meal. With
its innite variety of toppings, pizza oers a wealth of healthy choices to its consumers. Furthermore, it has the
potential to please anyone from a food connoisseur to a hungry citizen searching for a quick and aordable option
no matter where they are in the world. This food will only improve as future generations continue to develop new
and innovative ways to make pizza.
CONCLUSIONS: CONTINUED
