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Situating the conclusion paragraph
After drafting the introduction and body paragraphs, it is time to consider how to end the essay. The conclusion paragraph functions in
much the same way as the introduction paragraph. In the introduction paragraph, the writer introduces the broad topic and narrowed
thesis statement. In essence, the writer tells the reader what the essay will be about. In the introduction paragraph mini-lesson, we
Attention-grabber
Transition
Thesis
To review, the introduction paragraph begins with an attention-grabber to pull the reader into the essay; then it is followed by a transition
into the focused thesis statement. The introduction paragraph should begin broad and then become more and more narrowed in the
thesis statement as represented by the shape of the inverted triangle above.
The conclusion paragraph acts in a similar manner as the introduction paragraph. It retells the reader what he/she just read and
emphasizes the main topics and narrowed thesis of the essay. However, the parts of the conclusion paragraph are in an opposite
Rephrased
Thesis
Summary of Main Points
Broad/ Universal Statement
When put together, the introduction and conclusion paragraphs create an hourglass shape with the body paragraphs as the narrow neck
of the hourglass because they represent the most specific and focused part of the essay. This can be illustrated as follows:
Introduction
body
conclusion
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parts of the conclusion paragraph
1. Rephrased Thesis Statement
The first step in writing a conclusion paragraph is to rephrase the thesis statement. In this
part of the conclusion paragraph, you should remind your reader what the essay was about.
To do this, refer back to your thesis statement in the introduction paragraph and put it into
new words. Do not simply cut/ paste the exact same sentence into the conclusion
paragraph. Say it again in a new way. This will refocus your reader’s attention on your
argument.
2. Summary of Main Points
This step is self-explanatory, but be sure to keep it brief. There is no need to go into any
detail of what you already discussed in the body of the essay. The best way to do this is to
summarize the topic sentences of your body paragraphs. Be careful that you do not
introduce any new evidence (quotations) or new ideas in the conclusion. If you find that
you have brought up a new point in the conclusion, and you want to keep it, put it in the
body of your essay so that it doesn’t appear “out of the blue” in the conclusion. This
section of the conclusion paragraph should be one to two sentences.
3. Broad/ Universal Statement
Just like the introduction paragraph begins with a broad topic, the conclusion paragraph
should end with a broad statement to give your essay universal appeal. This final sentence
should answer the “so what?” question… So the reader just read your essay. So what?
Why should he/she care? This final part of the conclusion paragraph should address
something broad and universal about society, mankind, the world, the future, literature in
general, theme, etc. It should not say anything specific about the specific piece of literature
that was discussed but should instead appeal to a broad, universal level that could apply to
anyone reading your essay. Since this is the last part of the essay that your reader will see, it
should be powerfully worded and memorable. It should leave the reader with a strong
impression of your argument. To do this, try using a rhetorical device such as parallel
structure to give your concluding sentence punch!
The conclusion paragraph is an important paragraph in the essay because it is the writer’s last
attempt to convince the reader of the argument. A carefully crafted conclusion paragraph
reiterates the thesis statement by emphasizing the most important content of the entire essay. It is
important not to rush through writing the conclusion paragraph. Pay close attention to how you
construct and word the final words of the essay because they will most likely be what the reader
remembers the most about the essay.
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sample conclusion paragraph #1
Ratiocination Key
1. Rephrased thesis statement is underlined
2. Summary of main points is italicized
3. Broad, universal statement is bolded
STUDENT EXAMPLE #1
The lives of both men and women of the Beat Generation showed a difference in
freedom and rebellion that prevented the women from striking out on the literal road.
Instead, women’s lives served as their road, guiding them towards a redefinition of gender
roles. Joyce Jonson’s memoir Minor Characters explores the difficulty she faced in navigating her role as
mother, girlfriend, and artist. Diane di Prima’s memoir Recollections of my Life as a Woman similarly
depicts a female writer’s struggle to find her artistic identity in a male-dominated society. While many
female Beat writers did not assert the complete freedom of mobility seen with the
male writers, the lives and artistic works of these women served as a stepping-stone
for future generations of women to emulate.
Reflection Question
What makes this conclusion paragraph effective?
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sample conclusion paragraph #2
Ratiocination Key
1. Rephrased thesis statement is underlined
2. Summary of main points is italicized
3. Broad, universal statement is bolded
STUDENT EXAMPLE #2
In Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, the author depicts how unchecked ambition causes
corruption. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth allow their ambition for the throne to corrupt their morals, and
they become ruthless murderers as a result. The more Macbeth ignores his conscience, the more ruthless he
becomes, and he eventually orders the slaughter of Macduff ’s entirely innocent household of women and
children. Lady Macbeth eventually faces the consequences of her corrupt behavior, but the guilt is so
overpowering that she commits suicide. All of these tragic actions were avoidable. All of
these tragic actions were unnecessary. Through the lens of this corrupt married
couple, Shakespeare shows how one’s conscience can protect, guide, and teach and
that ignoring it can lead to dire consequences.
Reflection Question
What makes this conclusion paragraph effective?
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sample conclusion paragraph #3
Ratiocination Key
1. Rephrased thesis statement is underlined
2. Summary of main points is italicized
3. Broad, universal statement is bolded
STUDENT EXAMPLE #3
According to Duff, “All literature shows us the power of emotion. It is emotion, not
reason, that motivates characters in literature.” The characterization of both Beowulf and
Macbeth prove Duff ’s point to be true. Beowulf and Macbeth show that literary characters are
driven by emotion and that emotion oftentimes leads them to total destruction.
When man goes
unchecked by the rules that govern society and is left to act upon his emotions
alone, his inner greed comes forth, birthing the beast that is selfish, inhumane
suffering.
Reflection Question
What makes this conclusion paragraph effective?
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drafting the conclusion paragraph
Directions: Draft a conclusion paragraph for your literature analysis essay. Be sure to include all three of the parts
that make up an effective conclusion.
1. Rephrased Thes is State m ent
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2. Su m mary of Main Points
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3. Broad/ Universal State m ent
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the universal statement
Directions: The last sentence of an essay is oftentimes the most difficult sentence to write. This sentence needs to be
broad, universal, and step away from the literature that is analyzed in the body of the essay. This universal statement will
make the essay have relevance to life beyond the details of the story itself, which is why artists create art in the first place.
Review the following conclusion paragraphs from student essays and match the appropriate conclusion paragraph to its
corresponding universal statement. After you match each final sentence to its paragraph, answer the reflection questions that
follow.
Conclusion Paragraph #1
In her poem “Crossing the Swamp,” Mary Oliver uses beautiful, descriptive diction and drastic
tone shifts to illustrate the theme that struggle leads to growth. Although the relationship between the
swamp, or the struggle, and the speaker is initially full of negativity, disgust, and despair, after the
crossing, the swamp actually benefits the speaker because it provides the speaker with new
opportunities to improve and grow…
Conclusion Paragraph #2
In both John Gardner’s Grendel and William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the characters act upon
their emotions without thinking through the consequences of their actions. Such is the case for
Grendel and Macbeth who become ruthless murderers in order to accomplish their goals. In literature,
oftentimes characters are motivated by their feelings rather than by logical, rational thinking, and this
is what causes their downfalls…
Conclusion Paragraph #3
The two works of literature, Macbeth by William Shakespeare and Brave New World by Aldous
Huxley, use characterization and conflict to illustrate that pride leads to downfall. In Macbeth, the title
character shows how a guilty conscience results from arrogant pride, and in Brave New World,
Bernard Marx depicts how internal conflicts result from overweening pride. Both of these characters
experience a loss of power that typifies their downfalls...
Options
A. Egoism can enable success, but it can also destroy. Egoism raises the ambitions of people;
egoism diminishes the happiness of people.
B.
Without struggle, mankind cannot expand the realms of possibilities. Without struggle,
mankind cannot reach the status of greatness.
C. Literature exhibits passion. It is struggle: feverous and impulsive.
Reflection Questions
1. How are these concluding statements universal?
2. What makes these concluding statements memorable and impactful?
3. What rhetorical strategies can you identify in these concluding statements?
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Adding rhetorical power to the
concluding statement
Directions: Rewrite the Universal Statement (concluding statement) of your conclusion paragraph three different
ways, trying out the different rhetorical strategies below. After you have rewritten your concluding statement three
different ways, put a STAR beside the one you want to use for your essay and be ready to explain why you chose
that version of your universal, concluding statement.
Strategy #1: Paral l el Structure
Parallel structure is repeating a grammatical pattern at least two times.
• “I don’t want to live on in my work, I want to live on in my apartment.”— Woody Allen
• “My fellow citizens: I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have
bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors.” —President Barack Obama
• “Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any
hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.”— JFK
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Strategy #2: Antithes is
Antithesis is a form of parallel structure that uses an opposite/ contrast to emphasize
conflicting ideas.
• “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was
the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it
was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair…”— Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities
• “Great minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Small minds discuss people.” — Eleanor
Roosevelt
• “This is one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” —Neil Armstrong
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Strategy #3: Short Sentences
A series of two or more short sentences can make a strong impact at the end of an essay.
• Recklessness creates a hero. A hero defines society. Society builds leaders.
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conclusion paragraph peer revision
Directions: Attach this peer revision form to your conclusion paragraph. Then, swap conclusion paragraphs with
a peer. The peer will answer the following questions and complete the following steps for your conclusion
paragraph. Return the conclusion paragraph and peer revision form to the original owner when you are finished
and review the feedback for your conclusion paragraph.
Peer Reviewer’s Name:
____________________________________
1. Underline where the writer rephrases the thesis statement in the conclusion paragraph.
2. Highlight where the writer summarizes the main points of the essay.
3. Put brackets around where the writer includes a broad/ universal statement.
4. Has the writer included all three parts of the conclusion paragraph? YES or NO? (circle one).
If you circled no, which part does the writer need to add to the conclusion paragraph?
5. Has the writer used any specific evidence from the piece of literature such as a quotation in the conclusion
paragraph? YES or NO? (circle one).
If you circled yes, please mark through this quotation and write in the margin: “No specific evidence in
the conclusion paragraph.” Note that the writer may include a quotation if it does not introduce a new
idea.
6. Does the conclusion paragraph “sound” complete? YES or NO? (circle one).
If you circled no, how can the writer revise the final sentence to make it “sound” more final? Oftentimes,
if the final sentence does not “sound” complete, the writer needs to reword it or add one more sentence.
7. Do you see any punctuation or spelling errors? If so, correct them as needed.
8. Write one positive statement about the conclusion paragraph? What do you like about it and why?
Homework: Edit and revise your conclusion paragraph as needed. Bring in an updated, TYPED copy to turn in
for teacher approval.
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teacher approval form
Directions: Attach this form to your conclusion paragraph and submit for teacher approval.
Your teacher will check either “YES” or “NO” to approve your conclusion paragraph. If you do
not receive teacher approval, you must revise and resubmit before moving on in the writing
process.
If you have any questions about your conclusion paragraph, please write them at the bottom, and
your teacher will answer them accordingly.
Teac her Approval
__________ YES
__________ NO
Feedback:
—————————————————————————————————————Questions I still have about my conclusion paragraph:
(if applicable)
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answer key & modifications
Universal Statement Practice
Conclusion Paragraph #1—Answer Choice B
Without struggle, mankind cannot expand the realms of possibilities. Without struggle, mankind
cannot reach the status of greatness.
Commentary:
The final sentences of this conclusion paragraph are memorable because they use repetition (specifically,
anaphora, parallel structure, and antithesis). Depending upon the level of your students, you may not need to go into detail with
these specific terms. As long as students can see and understand that there is a pattern of repetition, they can begin to use
repetition in their own conclusion paragraphs to create impact and emphasis. This final sentence emphasizes the duality of
struggle—that it brings hardship, but out of that hardship comes greatness.
Conclusion Paragraph #2—Answer Choice C
Literature exhibits passion. It is struggle: feverous and impulsive.
Commentary: The final sentences of this conclusion paragraph are impactful because of the punctuation that is used. By using
the colon, the writer emphasizes the two key traits of following one’s passions or emotions. The use of this punctuation creates
a nice final thought that is dramatized by the structure.
Conclusion Paragraph #3—Answer Choice A
Egoism can enable success, but it can also destroy. Egoism raises the ambitions of people;
egoism diminishes the happiness of people.
Commentary: The final sentences of this conclusion paragraph also use anaphora, parallel structure, and antithesis. Like the
first example paragraph, this creates a sense of duality—that egoism has both positive and negative traits.
Overall commentary: Note that NONE of the final sentences in these example conclusions mention a specific piece of
literature. That is done in the other parts of the conclusion. The final sentence or sentences should be broad and universal—
just as the essay started in the introduction paragraph.
Modifications
Overall, the conclusion paragraph is typically an easier paragraph to write for students because it is mostly a matter
of summarizing the essay, which is a very basic skill. If students struggle with it, it will be with the last sentence.
You can modify this essay by not requiring the final, universal statement, or by simply giving students the question:
“What impact does this idea (their thesis topic) have on the future?” Their answer to this question can stand as
the final sentence of the essay.
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