Understanding Your Enemy – Identifying the Problem
In order to conquer your fear of conclusions, you must first understand why they give you problems. There are three main roots to most conclusion-related problems:
- Problems with The Basics = “I don’t know what a “good” conclusion actually is.”
- Problems with The Process = “I’m not sure how to produce a good conclusion.”
- Problems with Intimidation = “I know that stuff, but I still can’t sit down and do it!”
In the next three sections, will explore these 3 roots more in-depth…
Getting Over the Fear and Finishing Strong
1. The Basics - What is a Good Conclusion?
You aren’t sure what a good conclusion actually is, and thus struggle with creating one yourself.
A good conclusion…
- synthesizes the paper’s points
- does NOT simply summarize
- connects your big points in a new, broader way to create FRESH meaning
- expresses significance of the thesis
- tells the reader why he/she read the paper
- directs the reader’s future thinking
- gives a way for the reader to take the knowledge you’ve given them and do something with it
Let’s look at an example:
This is a student essay on Shakespeare’s Othello. Notice the argument set up in the introduction…
While the survival of William Shakespeare’s tragedies is a testament to the timelessness of greed, love, jealousy, and other enduring aspects of human nature, there are certain elements of these works that prove problematic for the modern reader. This is especially true for Othello, in which deep-rooted racial dynamics operate at center stage, often times in soberingly straightforward ways. Reading Othello for race is a popular way to approach the text, but while examining the blunt racial prejudices of characters like Iago, Roderigo and Brabantio will unearth ways to interpret the play’s underlying racial stance, no interpretation can be complete without understanding how the titular character himself feels about his race and the stereotypical image others map to him throughout the play. When Othello is confronted by expressions of these overt prejudices, his even-tempered reactions give the reader little indication of his feelings towards these sentiments. As he is goaded into a jealous rage, however, he finally begins to reveal the effects these assaultive societal judgments have had on him. In three crucial gestures – a reflection on Desdemona’s infidelity, his reversal on his use of magic, and his climactic suicide – Othello reveals he has not only heard these prejudices loud and clear, but also that he has absorbed them into his very being, in turn fulfilling the previously unfounded stereotype.
Now look at the conclusion. Notice how the author presents the argument here…
As unfortunate as it is, racial prejudice will likely always play a role in shaping culture and society. It is only fitting that in the historically enduring texts of William Shakespeare, this issue is also at play. But while to a modern reader, problematic characterizations of race in Othello may be shrugged off as nothing more than relics of a time gone by, the interpretation presented here can provide a way of reconsidering Othello’s gradual stereotype fulfillment not as a reflection of an archaic insensitivity, but rather as a strikingly modern critique of the role a society plays in repressing its outcasts.
In the introduction, the author simply says he will prove that the character Othello fulfills the stereotypes mapped onto to him by members of the society. Though we do not see the full paper, we can assume the author provides enough evidence to support this thesis. After he proves this claim in the body of the paper, the author expands on his argument in the conclusion by explaining what the reader can do with this knowledge. And equally important, this conclusion gives new meaning to thesis.
If you are a Northwestern student, follow this link to access Freshman Seminar Writing Award winning papers, where you can find more example conclusions and papers that demonstrate the lessons discussed here.
2. The Process - How to Write a Good Conclusion
So you know what a good conclusion looks like, but you still struggle with putting it on the page.
In going about the actual writing, the best place to start is the thesis. Read it a couple of times. Now consider: What are you trying to prove in this paper? What did you prove? After that, think about how your thesis may have implications beyond what you discuss in your paper. These “implications” are what your conclusion should focus on.
Here are some common mistakes that can indicate a process-related problem:
Failing to go beyond the original thesis and expand on argument
SOLUTION
- Ask “so what?” → why is your paper important to read?
- Remember, new meaning ≠ new information
- Connect your big points in a new light WITHOUT bringing in something brand new, which will throw the reader off
Withholding the thesis until the conclusion
SOLUTION
- Relocate the thesis to the beginning
- Further develop your main points with brainstorming exercises
- Remember that framing your evidence is necessary for guiding the reader’s expectations
Making dramatic emotional claims with no academic commentary
SOLUTION
- Say what you really think and what can fairly be claimed from your paper, not what you think your teacher wants to hear
- Refer back to the thesis and consider what you actually PROVED
Throwing in new points or facts in the conclusion
SOLUTION
- Remove any new information – you don’t want to surprise the reader with this stuff
- Consider the purpose of EACH sentence
- Is every fact relevant?
- If it is, then put it where it can really help: the BODY.
- If it isn’t, get rid of it.
- Is every fact relevant?
3. Intimidation - Overcoming Hesitation
You know what makes a good conclusion and how to go about making one, but for some reason you still can’t face the music and write one!
There’s no easy solution to this problem, but it’s important not to feel alone in this struggle. Everyone (even teachers) struggles with wrapping things up at the end of a piece of writing. It’s very difficult, even to someone familiar with the basics and how to apply them. Good writing requires practice and time, so for best results, don’t leave papers to the last minute. Yes, it takes effort to work ahead, but if you want a conclusion you can be proud of, that’s what it’s going to take. Procrastinating will only add to your pressure and make writing even more difficult than it already is. Take the extra time and finish strong – your teacher will appreciate it, and so will you.
If you seek further advice, make an appointment at the Writing Place and talk to a tutor about your conclusion problems. Or check out some of the links below for more tips.
Things to Remember:
- Everyone struggles with conclusions – you are not alone!
- Understanding the root of your struggle is the first step to overcoming it.
- You can alleviate pressure on yourself and make the writing process easier by working on projects early.
Further resources:
- A convenient handout from the Writing Center at UNC. It reiterates many of the same points mentioned here, but, as is often the case with difficult or confusing topics, sometimes it’s just a matter of hearing it a different way to make that lightbulb go off. There’s also a great little mock-dialogue that replicates the “so what” evaluation process.
- Here you’ll find another introduction/conclusion comparison, done with short, simple passages. Tracing the argument from the introduction to the conclusion is one of the most useful skills to have if you want to succeed in conclusion writing.