An essay conclusion is perhaps the most underrated and critical section of academic writing. Regardless of the type of essay you write, it needs to end with a strong impression to make readers feel informed. Remember, it is the last impression of you, and it needs to be strong.
While the primary purpose of an essay conclusion is to summarise the most important points which you have already discussed in the essay introduction and main body, it should also aim to;
- Establish connections between the central points of your essay.
- Demonstrate why there was a need to investigate the topic further.
- Provide readers with a deeper insight into the implications of your work.
Example of an Essay Conclusion
To help you better understand how to conclude an essay effectively, we have included an excerpt from the prose on the effects of social media on the youth.
Social media has reshaped how people connect with each other, yet its influence is not so simple. This prose has shown how comparison, distraction, and constant connectivity shape self-esteem and focus in youth. Together, these effects reveal deeper struggles around identity and balance. Recognising both benefits and risks invites more mindful use of social media by youngsters. Ultimately, social media should support youth growth rather than defining their worth in comparison to other users.
Pro Tip: Always use transitions in an essay conclusion to indicate the shift from one point to another and ensure a smooth jump from one argument to another.
05 Proven Steps to Write an Essay Conclusion
Essay writing is an art, and it can be mastered by following a strategic approach towards writing. To learn the art of writing an essay conclusion without getting stuck at any point, follow the steps below.
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Restate the Thesis Statement
Start your prose conclusion by restating the topic sentence or thesis statement that you have used to map the whole discussion. Don’t just copy and paste the exact words again; instead, use a fresh perspective or a better variation to match the conclusion.
It will help your readers reconnect to the main argument they are skimming your essay for. For example, “Social media has reshaped how people connect with each other, yet its influence is not so simple.”
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Summarise Key Points
Now, look back at the topic sentence or main arguments presented in each paragraph of your prose. You can simply organise them in your mind and reproduce them in the concluding section of an academic piece.
Ensure to create a connection between them and rephrase them to move the discussion to a closure. For example, “This prose has shown how comparison, distraction, and constant connectivity shape self-esteem and focus in youth.”
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Synthesise the Arguments
Instead of simply summarising the arguments that you have already made in the body paragraphs of an essay. Reword them by connecting each sentence to another, and try to present a bigger picture to the reader. Your audience doesn’t need reiterations of the same statements; they need intellectual depth in this section.
Focus on presenting how your arguments fit into a larger context instead of restating them in isolation for better engagement. For example, “Together, these effects reveal deeper struggles around identity and balance.”
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Add a Closure Statement
The best way to end an essay effectively is by adding a closing insight or implication that can resonate with the reader. Focus on bidding farewell to your readers by offering a broader implication of the topic, a call to action, or a reflection on the issue’s importance that you have raised.
It should make the reader think even after completing the essay to make it impactful rather than forgettable. Here you can add a new perspective or related information less explored in the manuscript. For example, “Recognising both benefits and risks that invite more mindful use of social media by youngsters.”
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Use a Strong Final Sentence
You may have noticed that the best pieces that you have read have remained in your head for a long time, because of the strong concluding statement that made an impact on you and left a strong impression.
You can use rhetoric, an intriguing question, or even a bold statement that makes the reader stop for a minute and keep thinking after that. It should be something that marks the end of prose and complements everything that you have stated above.
For example, “Ultimately, social media should support youth growth rather than defining their worth in comparison to other users.”
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What are the Common Essay Conclusion Mistakes to Avoid?
ResearchProspect has dug deep and found out the most common mistakes that students usually make when writing an essay conclusion. We have listed them for you to scroll through and avoid repeating in your prose to conclude an essay effectively.
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Using Concluding/Signal Phrases
Using signal phrases in the conclusion, like to conclude, in the end, looking forward, etc, is a redundant practice now. Because readers already know that this is the last section of the prose and is meant to end the discussion. You should also avoid adding such phrases to make the essay look more engaging and humanistic.
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Adding New Information or Phrases
The concluding paragraph of an essay is meant to summarise or synthesise the arguments stated above in the manuscript. Don’t introduce new arguments, ideas, or information in this section; stick to reinforcing what you have already said in the prose.
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Writing Weak Statements
Your essay conclusion should include assertive or confident sentences to show firmness in your words. Students usually use weak phrases like I think, maybe this approach, in my opinion, this might be wrong, etc.
When concluding their discussion, this makes the writing uncertain or even shakes the trust of the reader in your prose. Write with confidence and own your arguments if you have placed strong evidence in them.
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Exact Repetition of Statements
You are meant to restate the thesis statement or supporting statements presented in each paragraph of the body. Not to just copy and paste the same words with little variations, giving no new perspective.
Focus on presenting the already mentioned statements as developed or supported in the conclusion, using fresh variations or improved wording, and offering a new perspective.
Frequently Asked Questions
There’s no fixed rule or word limit that you need to follow for writing an essay conclusion. However, a good essay conclusion should not be more than 10% of the whole text and less than the introduction. You can use our reliable word counter to keep the conclusion within limits.
A good essay conclusion should be the synthesis of the whole discussion you have made in the body. You can structure an essay conclusion by using the following steps:
- Restating the thesis statement
- Summarising the key points
- Synthesising the arguments
- Adding a closure
- Using a strong final statement.
You can simply refer back to the introduction and start your essay conclusion by restating the thesis statement with a new perspective, showing you have developed or supported it.
Using a rhetorical question, or even a bold statement, but not the cliché ones, is a good strategy for writing the closing sentence of the conclusion. Focus on using a call to action or make the reader think after the reading to move the reader and leave a lasting impression.
