When writing a paper in college, it is important to properly conclude the essay. The conclusion ties all of the points made in the paper together and can be one of the most difficult parts to write when completing research papers.
There are several steps you should take when determining how to write a good conclusion for your college research paper.
Do Research on Writing Conclusions
Before actually beginning to write, do some research about different ways to structure conclusions in academic papers. You might look up example essays or ask an instructor if they have any particular formats that they expect you to use in your work. This will ensure that your piece has the proper structure and meets all of their requirements before you begin working on it.
Write Out Your Points Beforehand
Before writing a conclusion for a research paper, make sure you know what the main points of your work are going to be. Think about all of the reasons you have provided throughout your essay and how they contribute to proving your thesis statement. Once you have established what those points will be before writing your conclusion, it becomes much easier to tie them together into an effective piece that makes sense.
Use Clarity When Writing Conclusions
When writing conclusions for college papers, do not use language that is unclear or confusing. The sentences should follow the same type of structure as the other parts of your essay, using clear words and phrases instead of ambiguous ones. Being concise will also make it easier to write good conclusions for research, so try to cut out any unnecessary wording.
Include a Coda
A coda is a short paragraph that provides additional information to conclude your essay. You can add them at the end of any sort of paper, including college research papers. If you want to use a coda in your work, make sure it does not distract from the thesis statement and actually contributes to what was already established in the text. Using a cliché or giving away too much might not be appropriate for this part of writing an academic paper, so make sure you spend some time thinking about whether or not it will benefit your conclusion before adding one.
Include a Statistic
Adding a statistic to your conclusion can help prove the legitimacy of your thesis statement. If you used research throughout the essay, adding it into this section reinforces that information and shows that what you have said is justifiable. Using numbers from sources provides further evidence of why you are correct in agreeing with your position. However, make sure not to include too many statistics or use ones that seem unrelated–this will only confuse the readers and make it difficult for them to understand what you are trying to say.
Add Your Own Thoughts
You always want to end your paper on a personal note. This part should be written slightly differently than other parts because these sentences will sum up how you feel about the topic. Make sure they are still related to the paper and contribute something to what you have said, but focus on what you learned from writing it or believe about the subject.
When writing conclusions for college research papers, pay attention to the structure they require before beginning to write your conclusion. Make sure you know the writing style and format that you need to use and follow all of their guidelines when placing any part of your conclusion. When in doubt, ask for help from an instructor or a teacher before starting so they can point out any issues with it beforehand.