I used to think but now…… Powerful Conclusions Might….. Restate the claim or position, finding another way to say the same thing. Leave the readers with something to think about. Show how the claim of the essay has significance in your own life or the lives of your readers. Suggest a further way of acting, or a further way of thinking. …… Show how your own position slightly shifted. Demonstrate how you are being fair to other viewpoints. Possibly leave the reader with an impression of some kind of “call to action” I used to think but now……

EXAMPLE ONE: Introduction: Nothing could have been more tragic than the sinking of the RMS Titanic over the night of April 14 and through the morning of April 15, 1912. Touted to be unsinkable, the boat failed to live up to her name and to this day people continue to argue the major causes. I firmly believe that the blame for this tragic incident is a mixture of people and things, primarily the blame of the decisions of Captain Edward Smith. Conclusion: Decisions can make all the difference. Clearly, on that tragic night in 1912, the decisions of Captain Edward Smith led to dark waters of despair. No one can slow down the ship now, the damage is already done. No one can pay attention to any ice warnings now, for this is all “after the fact”. However, we can all learn from the actions of ignorance and proceed into future events of this kind with keener insight as to the proper decisions to make. May we all heed to historical mistakes and never make them again.

EXAMPLE TWO: Introduction: On April 10th, 2012, The Associated Press printed the following in an article commemorating the Sinking of the RMS Titanic: “There are replica ships in Tennessee and Missouri, graveyard tours in New York and Nova Scotia, traveling exhibits from Las Vegas to Atlanta, and two brand new museums in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and Southampton, England.” Obviously this shows the public what an impact this 1912 event had worldwide. Who was to blame for this tragedy? What was to blame? The blame lies in several areas, with the major blame beginning before she even left shore – faulty rivets and faulty construction. Conclusion: With the invention of great things comes trial and error. However, the errors made in the Titanic’s construction were errors that cost lives – hundreds of lives. People in positions of responsibility, like Harland and Wolff, have an obligation to the public to provide for their utmost safety. When obvious and deliberate faulty materials are used to save money or save time, the public should never have to tolerate those actions. Iron Bar #4 material should have been used. Steel rivets should have been installed, bow and stern. Water compartments should have been designed higher. This did not happen and the outcome cannot be changed. That is why we will always commemorate the sinking of this great ship. The Titanic. Always a titanic memory.