WRITING TIPS
3 Quick Tips On Writing Essay Conclusions
Last impressions also count

Your essay conclusion makes up 10% of your overall word count. It’s your last chance to prove to your reader why your work matters.
And your last chance to convince your tutor that your work’s worth a 1st class, of course.
In my previous post, I shared 3 quick tips on how to write an essay introduction. In this post, I’ll share some quick tips on getting the ending right.
Without further ado:
1. Answer the question
This is your chance to show that you’ve successfully answered the essay question or your research question.
Signal to your reader that your essay is coming to an end by restating your central essay argument.
Avoid beginning your conclusion with “stock phrases” such as “in conclusion” or “to summarise”. A well-written conclusion will make this obvious through its style and tone.
2. Evaluate your findings
Summarise the key findings or key arguments of your essay.
Then reflect upon your findings. What do they ultimately reveal? Have they successfully proved your thesis? Is there anything you’ve missed? Avoid introducing new arguments here.
Address any limitations (e.g. word count, lack of current research, breadth of the field, etc).
3. Look to the future
Look beyond your essay at the bigger picture.
Again, your essay does not exist within a vacuum. In your introduction, you addressed the past. In your conclusion, you should address the future.
So, what are the future implications of your findings in your field of research?
If you feel that there are still gaps that your essay hasn’t addressed, offer some recommendations for future research.
All in all, make sure your essay ends with some sort of closure and completeness. But leave the door ajar, so to speak.
Engage your reader’s emotions. You could do this with a powerful quote from a text or critic. Perhaps mirror a key word or phrase from your introduction. A call to action or even an insightful question to leave your reader with.
But, overall, make sure you get the last word.
Oh no, it looks like you’ve reached the end.
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