Your essay should always include a final concluding paragraph. Although your conclusion should be related to your introduction, it should be more than a mere re-statement of your thesis statement. A good conclusion will not only summarize the main ideas of your essays, it will also synthesize them and show how they fit together. Let’s look at two very different examples of concluding paragraph to better understand what works, and what doesn’t.
Example 1
The following introduction and conclusion are taken from a CAEL essay that received a band score of 70. The prompt for this essay was, "Should the Canadian government use the biological method to control the infestation of zebra mussels in the Canadian waterways?"
Introduction
Based on my understanding of the articles and the audio lecture, it is apparent that the biological method offers a more effective solution of controlling pests than chemical and mechanical methods. Considering the fact that zebra mussels have inflicted significant environmental and economical harm to the Great Lakes, the Canadian government must pursue an approach that delivers permanent results to the zebra mussel population.
Conclusion
The use of biological methods to control the zebra mussel problem offers a permanent, target-specific and environmentally friendly solution at likely a lower cost than mechanical and chemical methods. Biological methods, if introduced properly by the Canadian government, will greatly reduce the drain on our natural and economic resources caused by zebra mussels.
In the introduction, the writer clearly states his support for the biological method of control of the zebra mussel population and demonstrates his understanding of the severity of this problem. In the body paragraphs that follow (not included here), the writer explores three ways in which the biological method is superior to chemical and mechanical solutions: it specifically targets the zebra mussels, it is a long term solution, and it is environmentally friendly. These ideas were discussed over the course of two body paragraphs. The writer uses the conclusion to summarize these ideas and draw them together. As in the introduction, the writer notes that the biological method is the best choice for the Canadian government to pursue, but he has provided far more detail to explain why. This conclusion is not just a repetition of the introduction but a synthesis of the ideas discussed in the body paragraphs.
Example 2
Prompt: Should governments invest money in and report long range forecasts for weather and other geophysical events?
Introduction
Some people believe that governments should invest money in areas such as public health, education and transportation. However, in my opinion, governments should invest their public funds in and report long range forecasts for weather and other geophysical events because this will provide benefits to society. First, this investment will improve the accuracy of long term forecasts. Second, society will be able to analyze data which will benefit our next generation.
Conclusion
In summary, governments should invest money and report long-range forecasts because this will benefit society as a whole. Money that’s invested will improve the accuracy of long term forecasts, which will help farmers avoid economic losses. In addition, it will help society analyze data which will benefit our children. For these reasons, government must invest money and report long range forecasts.
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