What is a conclusion?
The conclusion is the last paragraph of your essay. As such, the aim of your conclusion is to sum up your main points and to leave a lasting impression on your reader.
A conclusion can act as a summary of the key issues discussed in your writing. However, you need to avoid repeating your previous ideas word for word.
Rather, you should try to paraphrase and restate your key points in order to bring your essay to a close.
For personal response pieces, the conclusion can be a bit less structured and a bit more expressive.
Since a personal response piece is designed to express the student’s own experience or viewpoints, you can reiterate your viewpoint or leave the reader with an interesting thought to consider as you bring your essay to a close.
How to write a conclusion − Tips
One way to write your conclusion is to look back at your main body paragraphs.
Then make a list of phrases that restate the key points from each paragraph.
Let’s look at the main body paragraphs from our sample essay again:
First of all, group projects are unfair because there is often a lack of full participation by certain group members. This failure to participate can take various forms. For instance, certain students may fail to attend group meetings at which tasks are to be allocated or work is to be discussed. Further, even if all of the students attend the group meetings, some students may not actually complete the work that they have agreed to do.
In addition, students can have noticeable disparities in their skills and abilities. It may seem a harsh comment, but some students are simply more capable than others. As a result, the more capable students may end up picking up the slack when the less capable students fail to perform in the group. Moreover, students can have vast differences in their personal preferences. Some students may love public speaking, while others loathe it. As a result, if a presentation is required, some students will not want to speak in front of the class.
Finally, the group project is not a cooperative endeavor in reality. Disagreements and differences of opinion are natural in any group setting, and arguments can take place among students in the group as the pressure to complete the project becomes too intense. It sometimes happens that the teacher will be told about these troubles. When the educator has to intervene in the project that he or she has assigned, clearly the goal of cooperation has not been achieved.
How to write a conclusion − Exercise 1
Now make a list of the key points from each of the paragraphs above. You can set up your list like this:
Paragraph (1) key point:
Paragraph (2) key point:
Paragraph (3) key point:
When you have finished making your list, check your response against the suggested answer provided below.
Paragraph (1) key point: Not all of the students in the group will put forward an equal amount of effort.
Paragraph (2) key point: Students have differences in their capabilities.
Paragraph (3) key point: Group projects are not truly collaborative activities.
How to write a conclusion − Exercise 2
Now look at your list of key points from above and write your conclusion.
Remember not to repeat word for word what you have already said.
You should also add a final comment that leaves your reader with a strong impression.
When you have finished, study the sample conclusions that follow.
Conclusion examples
Now study the conclusion examples that follow. Then choose the best one. When you have made your choice, have a look at the comments at the end of the page.
In conclusion, group projects are a problematic method of assessment because of the inequality in the amount of effort put forward by each student, the differences in student ability levels, and the lack of collaboration that is bound to occur in such an activity. Because of the inherent unfairness involved in working in a group setting, the use of these projects for student evaluation is a practice that is best avoided.
In conclusion, group projects are a problematic method of assessment because of the inequality in the amount of effort put forward by each student, the differences in student ability levels, and the lack of collaboration that is bound to occur in such an activity. For these reasons, I am against group projects.
Comments:
Conclusion 1 is the best answer because the last sentence of this conclusion is stronger than that of conclusion 2. Conclusion 2 closes with a personal statement of the student’s opinion. Conclusion 1 leaves a more lasting impression on the reader because it gives the advice that group projects should not be used for assessment purposes.