Essay Lab

What are some tips you give your students for writing strong conclusions? 

First, I don't advise my students to begin a conclusion with "In conclusion," since it is overused.  Also, I advise my students not to resort to too much summary.  If they've done a good job in the essay of stating their points, the reader will remember them.  I encourage my students to briefly restate their main points, if they choose, but also to end in a memorable way, perhaps encouraging their reader to take action, for example, if they're writing a persuasive essay, ending with an arresting statement, a question, etc.  I remind them that they are leaving their readers with an impression, and many readers remember best what they read last, so it is important to leave these readers with a good impression about their papers when they end them. 

Conclusion is a crucial part of an essay, because it leads the reader to understand that the author has finished providing his observations and therefore he is summing up. The best conclusion would be that which gives an overall impression of the topic that has been discussed in the main part of the essay. While in the introduction the author has to concentrate on initiating the main points of his discussion, in the conclusion he should try to let the reader know that all of these points have been discussed according to the need of the essay. A successful conclusion makes a reader happy and simultaneously makes the essay complete.

Begin your conclusion by going back to your introduction.  Whatever hook you used to start your intro, return to that hook for your conclusion to create continuity.  For example, if you started with a quote by Thomas Jefferson, mention Jefferson's name to start your conclusion.

Quote in Intro:  "A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine."

Example start of Conclusion:  So, when Jefferson announced that democracy is the same as mob rule, he might not have realized how true his sentiments would be over 200 years later. 

This avoids the cliche "in conclusion" but still provides transition by linking the reader back to previous information.  The writer can then reinforce the main points, and end with a lasting thought or additional question, such as:  "So where exactly is the line between justice and just bullying?"