Conclusions

There are many styles of conclusions, but they all have three general components in common:

1. Thesis Recap – recaps the entire paper, reminding your audience of what the essay was about
2. Blueprint Recap – restates the major areas the paper covered in order to prove the thesis
3. Clincher – finishes up the essay with an interesting final statement (usually the best clinchers link directly back to the motivator in the introduction)

This is a sample of a simple, but perfectly decent conclusion.

If you are writing a scientific or research-based paper your conclusion might also include

• A very brief review of the research methods you used
• A very brief repeat of your findings
• A discussion of the broader implications of those findings
• A look to the limitations of your research
• An offering of suggestions for future research related to yours