Argumentative Essay Conclusion - Write a Strong Concluding Paragraph
If you're reading this article, chances are you have been given an assignment that involves writing. And, that's the argumentative one. An argumentative essay does include some basic elements found in other types of academic papers, but here, we'll focus on its conclusion. After reading this article, you'll learn how to write a strong essay conclusion for a text with an argumentative implication.
As always, it's useful to recall that an argumentative essay consists of the introduction, body, and that element we're going to discuss in detail. All of these sections should be organized well and be developed around the main idea of your assignment. An introduction prepares grounds for your ideas, your essay body provides all necessary details and supporting evidence, and an argumentative essay conclusion is the last chance for you to defend a point and strengthen a final impression. All these elements ensure a logical flow and interconnection of the ideas discussed. And, to finish the writing well, it is important to know the standards and requirements of the essay's last part.
So, why is it necessary to have a conclusion in your argumentative essay? First, without it, the entire assignment will appear incomplete. Recall listening to a piece of music or song which abruptly comes to an end, or reading a book that ends in a cliffhanger. That would leave a bad taste in the mouths of those reading your paper or make the audience think poorly of the author's writing skills. Not only is the conclusion an obligatory part of any assignment, but it also brings wholeness to each of those. You may think of it as the last piece of a jigsaw puzzle: whatever is depicted in it, without that last piece, it's still incomplete. Also, a conclusion in the argumentative essay can highlight the central idea once again. That will not only help you end the writing logically but show your attention to details and competence in academic standards.
When people read lengthy argumentative essays, they can easily lose their bearings. One can use too many ideas, counterarguments, or evidence. A concluding paragraph helps the reader sort of "refresh" the whole text in their minds. That said, it isn't merely a mechanical task of summarizing the central points. The essence of doing so is even more meaningful and powerful - it can help to understand and draw connections between the issues under discussion. So, you write an argumentative conclusion to expand your readers' outlook, providing them with some relevant ideas or points they may have missed or never thought about.
Conclusions are significant for all types of papers. And, the process of writing one can be a hurdle for college students. That's because a lot more is expected from them in terms of the complexity of arguments, the use of advanced grammar, relevant references, and length of a written work. In light of this, it makes sense to offer you useful insights into how to write an argumentative essay conclusion.
Argumentative Essay Conclusion Writing
There is no best way to end an argumentative essay. The process of writing the conclusion is just as creative and subjective as that of working on other paragraphs of the work. However, some crucial elements should be included here. An argumentative essay requires you to repeat the thesis statement (optional), make the audience believe that the arguments made are valid, and cross all the T's.
Here are 3 simple steps involved in writing a good argumentative conclusion:
- Writing an outline
- Opening the conclusion
- Closing the conclusion
What follows next are some effective ways to accomplish the above-mentioned stages and achieve a well-written text. To start a concluding paragraph, you may want to do the following:
- Use a transition. Introduce the conclusion in a sequential way. The transition could be a phrase of varying length that somehow mentions previous ideas from the preceding paragraph.
- Creatively reiterate your thesis statement without being verbatim (i.e., writing it word for word). Consider the following essay conclusion example:
Recently, much has been said about the appropriateness of breastfeeding in public places. However, it would not be improper to state that women who choose to do so should neglect the fact that by exposing themselves in public, they run the risk of being shamed, judged, or even sexually abused.
The highlighted part of the above sentences is a possible creative restatement of the main thesis. That can be as follows:
Nursing mothers should be able to breastfeed their babies in public places without the fear of being shamed or intimidated.
To end the argumentative conclusion, consider using one of the methods below:
- End with a question. Closing your essay on a high note is a good way to make your reader want to look into the issues debated. Another way of doing so implies asking a question that invites the audience to analyze the subject beyond the aspects discussed. The question could be a rhetorical one and emphasize the importance of your argument. Here are some examples:
If it's normal for a relationship to be like this, would you allow yourself or your sister to be on the receiving end of such abuse?
or
Would you let your child, who's a mere 5 years away from entering adulthood, be subjected to such strenuous labor to make ends meet?
- Conclude by introducing a relevant but not-so-obvious idea. That will help you create the effect of surprise, reveal something new, and provide the reader with a fresh outlook frame on the issue.
Given its application in space travel and abundance of water on Earth (70% of Earth is made up of water), hydrogen as a fuel source could usher in environmentally-friendly vehicles within the next three decades!
Keep in mind that our examples are just templates. If you're writing an argument essay on a different topic, you need to come up with ideas relevant to it.
Argumentative Essay Conclusion Outline
In this section, we'll talk about the outline and give you some advice. This element lists the content of your essay - it can cover the whole text or its part. You may wonder why it's necessary to create an outline for a conclusion. The answer is simple - it helps you figure out how the last paragraph is organized and interconnected with the rest of the writing.
Remember that an outline is only a tool, but a very useful one. Unless you are a versatile and experienced writer, you may have some trouble writing a compelling essay without this element. The outline for an argumentative conclusion can be compared to a skeleton or foundation. Just as a skeleton gives shape and support to the body, it provides form and logical flow to your essay conclusion. Let's look through the following example:
- Transition. Mention the key idea or thesis in a sequence.
- Connection. Pick a sentence or two from the body that can support your central idea (use facts).
- Closing Words. Expand the issue by asking a related question to provoke ideas in the readers' minds.
The example above clearly serves as a foundation upon which the argumentative concluding paragraph can be formulated. Remember - the argumentative essay conclusion isn't for new ideas. Stick to your main questions and make sure your arguments are relevant.
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