Writing a strong conclusion for an argumentative essay is an essential part of crafting a well-developed, persuasive paper. The conclusion is your last chance to reinforce your argument and leave the reader with a lasting impression, so it requires careful thought and construction. Here are some tips and strategies for crafting an impactful concluding paragraph that wraps up your argumentative essay successfully.
Restate Your Thesis: The conclusion should begin with a restatement of your thesis statement. Do not copy it word for word, but express the central idea in a new way using different words. Rephrase the main argument you made throughout the essay to remind the reader of your overall position one last time. You want them to leave with a clear understanding of your stance on the topic.
Review Main Points: After restating your thesis, take a moment to briefly review the three main points or key arguments you made in the body paragraphs to support your position. Summarize the most important evidence or examples you provided for each point. This fulfills the basic requirements of restating the thesis and reviewing major claims. Doing so reinforces the overall flow and logical progression of your persuasive argument.
Draw a Conclusion: Go beyond merely restating and summarizing by drawing an original conclusion about the implications of your argument. Discuss why your stance matters and the significance or ramifications of believing your thesis to be true. Leave the reader with food for thought about how accepting your position could impact them or influence related issues. You may also discuss lingering questions, further avenues for research, or a call to action if appropriate for the topic and scope of the essay.
Use Impactful Language: When concluding, choose dynamic vocabulary that leaves a lasting impression. Replace bland words like “look at,” “discuss,” or “talk about” with more compelling verbs such as “prove,” “establish,” “demonstrate,” or “confirm.” Similarly, swap out descriptive adjectives like “good” or “important” for more evocative options like “persuasive,” “incontrovertible,” or “thought-provoking.” Your conclusion needs to stick with the reader long after they’ve finished, so make it punchy and persuasive through purposeful word choice.
Avoid Introducing New Information: Resist the temptation to introduce any new evidence, examples, quotes, facts, or ideas in your conclusion. This will only confuse the reader and weaken the integrity of your essay. The conclusion should solidify ideas already presented throughout rather than launch into unexplored territory. Stay tightly focused on synthesizing and tying together only the content included in the body of the paper.
Begin with a Hook: To really grab attention and leave an impact, consider starting with a clever hook, quote, or rhetorical question that ties into your thesis. But be careful — this hook must relate directly back to your argument and not introduce unrelated information. It should creatively emphasize your stance or preview how your thesis connects to broader implications and issues. The perfect concluding hook will linger in the reader’s mind long after they’ve finished.
Keep it Brief: While concise and compelling, your conclusion should still be relatively short – usually one well-crafted paragraph. Stick to no more than 5-7 sentences, as you don’t want to introduce new substantive claims so late in the game. Respect the reader’s time and attention by getting straight to the point with clear and economical language in your wrap-up. Edit ruthlessly to eliminate any excess words or redundant restatements.
Proofread Carefully: Like the introduction, the impact of your conclusion will be ruined by sloppy errors. Double and triple check your conclusion for grammatical mistakes, incorrect citations, factual slip-ups, or other issues before submitting. You don’t want glaring flaws undermining an otherwise strong finish. Get feedback from peers, tutors or professors as well to identify any lingering weaknesses. Your conclusion deserves the same level of precise polishing as the introduction that hooked readers in from the start.
A well-crafted conclusion is the mark of an insightful, meticulous writer. It ties a neat bow on your persuasive argument and leaves both you and your reader feeling satisfied. Take the time to thoughtfully reiterate your thesis, review major points, draw conclusions, use vivid language and proofread carefully. With strategic composition, your conclusion can finish with the same reasoned vigor that motivated the rest of your argumentative essay. Mastering powerful wrap-ups is a hallmark of any strong academic paper – and a skill worth perfecting for success in research, debate and beyond.