How to Write a Concluding Paragraph for a Persuasive Essay

Giving an Overview

Re-read your paper or paper outline. Organize your thoughts before writing your concluding paragraph by re-reading the rest of the paper, or the outline you made before writing it (if you made one). Isolate the key arguments made within the body of your writing, as well as the hypothesis proposed in the introductory paragraph. If it helps, print out a copy of the body of the paper and highlight the main points to be summarized.

Summarize your main arguments. Your concluding paragraph should repeat the main points that you made within your paper in different words. Briefly summarize the key arguments that make up the body of your essay in a clear and concise manner. Make sure to include important keywords from each point in your conclusion. For instance, "Gun laws should be changed to reflect the evolving needs of today's generations.”

Avoid introducing any new ideas. When concluding any kind of essay, avoid introducing an idea that isn't already in the body of the paper. If you feel the need to add something new to the conclusion, consider editing the body of your paper to include that information. For example, avoid adding a point about how fashion magazines provide unrealistic portrayals of the male body if your paper has focused solely on how these magazines affect women. You can, however, create a call to action or end with a creative and engaging hook statement.

Keep it brief. In an academic paper, your concluding paragraph should only be about 3-5 sentences long. Be efficient in your writing and communicate what you need to say as briefly as possible. To stay within this sentence range, try: Using the first sentence to restate the hypothesis in your introduction, in different wording Writing the next 2-3 sentence to summarize the key arguments made in your paper Having the last 1-2 sentences be a grand statement of conclusion, saying what your final findings are

Using Convincing Wording

Try parallel sentences. When summarizing parts of your research or arguments, use parallel sentences. This writing technique uses patterns of similar words to organize thoughts or ideas and show the reader that they are similar, or equal in value. In a concluding paragraph, parallel sentences can help organize information in a way that allows you to avoid writing too much. For instance, "Regular exercise reduces stress, improves your sleep, and promotes weight loss."

Use strong, simple language. Your concluding paragraph should drive your point home in a straightforward, assertive way. Avoid too much detail in your writing (such as lengthy adjectives or descriptions), as it can be distracting. Choose the simplest manner to say what you want to communicate. For instance, instead of writing, "The traditional American Dream is not dead and gone," write, "The American Dream is not dead.” However, keep in mind that in some cases, more elaborate wording may be necessary to drive home your point.

Avoid being obvious. A well-written paper does not need to use phrases like "to conclude" or "to summarize" in its conclusion. Restate your ideas in a different way, in a paragraph that can stand alone as a summary of your research. Your reader, having read the rest of your paper, will understand on their own that you are summing up the contents of your essay and presenting your conclusion.

Establishing the Relevance of Your Conclusion

Use the "Panning to the Horizon" technique to assert the importance of your research. In addition to summarizing the main points of your paper, your conclusion should point towards how your findings will be relevant in the future. You can achieve this by refocusing the topic within a larger context, and inviting the reader to reflect on how it will play out within a bigger picture. Use a thought-provoking question to communicate that the issue deserves further thought. For example,"What will happen to small businesses as different industries continue to go digital?"

Put out a call to action to engage your reader in a memorable way. Establish the importance of your essay's conclusion by challenging your reader to do something about it. Turning your final findings into a real life challenge will emphasize the relevance of the topic and your hypothesis. For example, "Being environmentally responsible is a necessary step for all people, in order to save the parts of nature that we have left."

Present an ideal picture to improve your reader's relation to the text. If your essay has presented a hypothesis about how something is bad, create a picture of how things could be better. The optimistic focus will re-frame your arguments in a more positive way. The possible solutions to the issue your have arguments have established gives merit to your thesis without undermining the structure of your paper or altering the arguments you made. For example, "If this competitive nature of school work were replaced with a more community-based learning approach, we might see happier, healthier children."