The main purpose of the conclusion is to show that the main aim of the piece of writing has been achieved. Therefore, the conclusion should match the introduction in terms of the ideas presented and the argument put forward.
Conclusions are also difficult to write. Fortunately, conclusions have a pattern you can follow so that you can write a convincing conclusion. In clearly written sentences, you restate the thesis from your.introduction (not word for word), make a brief summary of your arguments and finish with some sort of judgment about the topic. Here are some steps to follow in writing a conclusion.
1. Restatement of aims
Begin with a sentence that refers to the main subject. It should recall the issues raised in the introduction and discussed in the body of the essay. That is to say, what is the aim of the piece of writing. Also, it is a good idea to start your conclusion with transitional words (e.g.“in summary” “in conclusion” “to conclude”) to link to previous paragraph and to signal that these are your final words on the subject. Some useful patterns are as follows.
This study set out to determine ...
The present study was designed to determine the effect of ...
The purpose of the study was to determine ...
The project was undertaken to design ... and evaluate ...
Activity 4-1: Providing a statement of aims
Below are the titles of academic essays. Infer from the titles the aim of the papers and provide possible statements of aims.
(1) Timed versus At-home Assessment Tests: Does Time Affect the Quality of Second Language Learners’ Written Compositions?
(2) The English Lesson as a Site for the Development of Critical Thinking
(3) Individual Differences in a Proficiency Task as a Function of L2 and non-L2 Specific Dimensions
2. Brief summary
Give a brief summary of your arguments and identify the main reasons/ causes/ factors that relate to the question addressed by drawing together the points made in the main body of the essay. If there are two or more parts to the question, be sure to include responses to each part in your conclusion. Useful patterns for summarizing the content and the findings are:
This essay has argued that ...
This paper has given an account of and the reasons for the ...
The assignment has explained the central importance ...
This study has shown that ...
These findings suggest that ...
The results show that ...
Activity 4-2: Locating the summary
Read the conclusion part of the academic essay titled Foreign Language Anxiety: Understanding Its Status and Insiders’ Awareness and Attitudes (See Appendix 2). Analyze the structure, and locate the sentences that summarize the main points of the essay.
3. Reiteration of the thesis
Finally, add a sentence or two to reinforce the thesis statement which was used in the introduction. This shows the reader that you have come to a clear conclusion and gives the essay a sense of unity and completeness.
4. Additional elements
The elements that may be added include recommendations for future action and speculations on future trends. Place the paper in a large context, giving the reader something to think about. But try to avoid direct quotations, or references to other sources.
Activity 4-3: Understanding dos and don’ts in conclusions
In the following activity, you are asked questions about what you should do when you’re writing a conclusion. Choose the option that best answers each question.
(1) Which of the following is essential to a good conclusion?
A. A restatement of the essay thesis.
B. A summary of the main points made.
C. A clear confirmation of your opinion or the significance of your findings.
D. All of the above.
(2) Why don’t references appear in a conclusion?
A. You only need to state your own ideas in the conclusion.
B. References add to the word count.
C. You discuss and reference any relevant information earlier in the essay.
D. Personal opinions don’t require referencing.
(3) Why isn’t new material presented in the conclusion?
A. It’s a waste of space.
B. The conclusion represents your final thoughts on the question asked.
C. The reader won’t be interested at this stage.
D. All of the above.
(4) What is often the main problem found in a conclusion?
A. The final statements are weak.
B. The significance of the findings is not stated clearly enough.
C. It is too short or seems hurried.
D. All of the above.
What You should Know
Not every academic essay has a conclusion. In some cases it may be linked to the discussion section, or it may be called “concluding remarks” or “summary”. However, in most cases it is helpful for the reader to have a section which (quite briefly) looks back at what has been said and makes some comments about the main part.
The conclusion usually serves two functions. The first is to summarize and bring together the main points covered in the paper. The second is to make comments on the meaning of all of it. This includes highlighting the significance of the findings, noting any implications resulting from your study, making suggestions, speculating on future trends, and the need for further research.
The conclusion should:
be a logical ending to what has been previously discussed.
never contain any new information.
add to the overall quality and impact of the paper.
usually be about 5% of your essay word count. In an extended paper (3000+ words) it may be better to have two or three paragraphs to pull together the different parts of the paper.
The conclusion should not:
just sum up.
end with a long quotation.
weaken your position by apologizing for what you have already argued.
The content of the conclusion may include:
a restatement of the main point of view presented in the introduction.
a summary of the arguments presented in the body.
the implications of this view or what might happen as a result.
The structure of a conclusion generally follows a pattern, moving from specific to general.
Restatement of the main premise.
Summary of key points in the essay.
Broad statement (evaluate, forecast future, make recommendations).
Language Focus
Tenses in Academic Writing
The present and past tenses are normally used in a research paper.
The present tense is generally used when you describe a text, even when you describe it in terms which place it in the past (e.g. by mentioning the author).
In Los Gusanos (1991) John Sayles describes Miami as it was in the early 1980s. He constructs a complex set of interrelationships between the different ethnic groups.
The present tense is also used when telling a story, as in a summary of the narrative of a novel.
The past tense, on the other hand, is generally used for describing situations or narrating events outside the work(s) you are discussing, such as those of national or cultural history or the development of literary traditions.
The past tense is also used to describe an event, be it a survey, an experiment, a study of some kind, done by other researchers or by you. When you report the results of research, use the past tense, too. e. g.
The survey was distributed to a total of 200 students, of whom 182 responded.
Four web pages were designed to collect data for the study.
However, interpretations, evaluations, assessments, discussions, or ideas arising from this should be in the present. e. g.
The results may be explained by the fact that .../ by a number of factors.
The evidence from the study suggests that ...
The present perfect tense is often used when summarizing the content and findings in the conclusion section of the essay. It is also used when providing background information in the introduction. e. g.
This paper has argued that ... is the best instrument to ...
This essay has investigated ...
Forest decline has become a favorite topic for environmental studies.
Many researchers have found that numbers of variables affect the use of language learning strategies ...
Assignment
1.Read the following conclusion and discuss with your partner the questions below.
Wind turbines and wind generators are used today to capture wind energy and transform it into power to run machinery (Indopedia, 2004). Wind is used to generate electricity, via grid connections, in large, developed countries such as Australia. Wind power is also less destructive of the environment and reduces our dependency on fossil fuel. To be renewable, environmental, social and economic aspects must be considered. This essay has reviewed the current state of wind energy as a source of renewable energy in Australia.
(1) Is this conclusion an effective summary of main points?
(2) Does the paragraph provide a strong, conclusive ending?
(3) Is the conclusion long enough for a 1500-word assignment?
(4) Does the conclusion express a reasoned opinion, or indicate the significance of the work you have done?
2.Below are notes for the main body of an essay. Read the notes and complete a conclusion in about 100 words.
A comparison of classroom learning with internet-based teaching
(1) Reasons for increasing use of on-line education:
Cheaper if large numbers involved; allows students to study in their own time; students do not have to travel to university.
(2) Reasons why classroom based education remains popular:
Students can be part of group; receive support and advice; learn from each other; students having face-to-face contact with a teacher is seen as traditional and effective.
(3) Discussion
Can a solitary student in front of a computer enjoy the same learning experience as a member of a class?
Pressure of student numbers in universities makes more on-line education likely?
Is internet learning really a new method of education? Distance learning has been popular for many years (e.g. Open University).
3.Read your most recent written work again, for example, the term paper of a course you took last semester, and focus specifically on the conclusion section. Use what you have learned from this unit to improve on your writing.