Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Sketch ideas for your ending
• Method 2 of 3: Writing the Final Part
• Method 3 of 3: Avoiding Common Pitfalls
• Tips

Think of the ending of an essay as a bow on a beautifully wrapped gift. It ties everything together and presents your essay as a polished whole. In your final part, you need to summarize everything that was said in your essay. In addition, it should be provocative enough and resemble a verbal flourish. With a little work, you can decorate your essay with a wonderful ending, like a cake is decorated with a cherry.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Sketch ideas for your ending

1. 1 Consider the question “So what?”. A great way to come up with an ending is to imagine that your reader asked you "So what?" about what has been written. Why does what you write matter? What can you write at the end to convince the reader to believe in your ideas and reasoning?
   • Asking yourself the question "so what?" in the process of writing an essay, you will be able to look much deeper into your thoughts and ideas.
2. 2 List the main ideas for your essay. By understanding what the main ideas of your essay are, you can better understand what you should include in the final section. You don't have to squeeze every paragraph and sub-paragraph into the end: just display the most important things.
   • By knowing the main points of your essay, you can avoid the emergence of new ideas in the ending.
3. 3 Find the topics that you covered in the first paragraph. Getting back to where you started will help you finish your essay correctly. Consider if you can expand on the topic a little when you return to it at the end.
   • For example, if you started your essay with the idea of ​​how small humanity is compared to the vast expanses of space, you can return to this idea in the end. However, you can expand on this topic at the end with the idea that space is getting smaller as human knowledge grows.
4. 4 Consider if you can relate the idea to a different context. One of the many useful ways to complete an essay is to increase the importance of the topic under discussion to a broader context. This will help the reader understand how they can apply your ideas to another topic, and it will give your essay more meaning and focus.
   • For example, you might expand your essay “Orange Is the New Black” and touch on the culture of imprisonment in general.

Method 2 of 3: Writing the Final Part

1. 1 Start with a small transition (optional). This can be a hint to the reader that you are about to complete the essay and that he needs to follow closely.Although most essays start with a transition in the last paragraph, you don't need to do this if you feel like it’s clear that you’re finishing the essay. The transition can be very simple.
   • You need to avoid hackneyed phrases such as “In conclusion”, “Summing up the above” or “Subtotal”, as they are considered clichés due to their frequent use.
2. 2 Summarize the main ideas briefly. Try to accommodate every first sentence of the paragraph (your thematic sentence) and rewrite the main ideas differently in two or three sentences. This will lend credibility to your essay by reminding the reader of what was discussed and what you discussed.
   • Do not summarize ideas the way you wrote them earlier. The reader has already read your essay. Do not remind him of every point that you described.
3. 3 Be concise. There is no definite canon for the length of your ending, but for most high school and university essays, a good rule of thumb is that your ending should be around 5-7 sentences. If less, you may not be able to summarize the points of your essay well enough, if more, then most likely you are beating around the bush.
4. 4 Make sure you enable theses, if you have them, in the end. If you had a thesis, you should refer to it at the end, even if it is fleeting. Remember, the thesis is the main topic of the essay, what you write about. If the person reading your ending still does not understand your thesis, then you have not conveyed the message very well to the reader.
   • Find a way to rework the thesis in an interesting way using other speech constructs. Rewriting your thesis with the same words will discourage the reader and prevent you from getting to the heart of your essay.
5. 5 Write on the subject mindfully. Sounding authoritative means choosing the right words (not using outdated words), relying on valid evidence from reliable sources, and trusting in your own writing skills. Don't apologize for your ideas and don't use too specific language.
   • For example, instead of writing "Therefore, I think that Alexander Pushkin was the best Russian poet of the 19th century," write "Therefore, Alexander Pushkin was the best Russian poet of the 19th century." The reader already knows that if you write that Pushkin is the best Russian poet, then you believe in it. If you write "I think" it will sound like you are playing it safe and you will sound less authoritative.
   • Another example: Don't apologize for your views. These are your ideas, so take responsibility for them. Never say anything like "I may not be an expert" or "At least I think so", as this reduces the credibility of your words.
6. 6 Finish off with a dramatic stroke. Your last sentence should be elegant, provocative and to the point. This is easier said than done. But it all starts by illustrating the essence of your essay. Ask yourself What is my essay about and what do I want to say?, and only then move on.
   • Add some irony to the ending. Play around with the last sentence and mock what you're writing about. Thus, the ending of your essay will become especially provocative.
   • Address emotions. For the most part, essays are often rational; when writing them, people forget about emotions. Therefore, reaching out to emotion can be a powerful way to complete an essay. Done the right way, it will help the article find soulfulness. Just remember to keep the ending in tune with the rest of the essay.
   • Include a call to action (use wisely). If your essay is about how to make people change, include a call to action. But use it wisely: in the wrong context (explanatory essay or discussion essay) it can be devastating.

Method 3 of 3: Avoiding Common Pitfalls

1. 1 Avoid simply retelling the thesis. A common problem with many endings is that they simply retell the thesis and summarize what has already been discussed.This does not give readers a compelling reason to familiarize themselves with the ending - they already know what it will be about.
   • Instead, try to take the reader to the “next level” in your ending, or provide further inferences about your main idea.
2. 2 Don't use quotes. There is usually no need to end an essay with a quote or analysis - this is what you should have done in the main body of the essay. The ending is where you tie everything together instead of introducing new information.
3. 3 Don't use bombastic language. Do not get too carried away with pompous or secondary words in the ending. The essay should be pleasant to read and discuss, not boring and ossified. It is best to use clear, precise language rather than a rambling sentence crammed with overly long words.
   • Also, do not use "First", "Second", "Third" and so on to indicate items. Better, let's be clear about what you are talking about and how many points you have.
4. 4 Do not introduce new material at the end. Now is not the time to present new ideas or fulfillment. This distracts attention from the original idea and can confuse the reader. Don't over complicate things - simplify where the essay allows, and describe where you came to after doing the necessary analysis.
5. 5 Don't focus on a minor point or idea in an essay. The ending is not the best time to find fault with the little things in your essay. In fact, this is the time to step back a little further and look at your work more broadly. Let your essay focus on the essentials, bypassing the secondary. These words are not a way to start the transition.

Tips

• Never forget to read your essay again after writing. Check spelling, grammar and punctuation.
• Always get up-to-date information for the ending. Also try to tie the ending into a thesis to show the reader that your arguments are relevant to the topic of the essay.