Writing a Good Conclusion STAAR PREPARATION

In a conclusion paragraph, You summarize what you’ve written about in your paper. To be effective: o think about the main point that you want to get across and be sure it’s included o Use your introductory paragraph as a guide o Thesis says: "There are three classes at school that I absolutely can’t wait to go to every day." o Conclusion says: "Gym, Math, and Art are the three classes I try to never miss."

Structure o A conclusion is the opposite of the introduction o The introduction begins general and ends specific o The conclusion begins specific and moves to the general

Structure Introduction Thesis statement (Your Answer) Hook Body Paragraph(s) Strong examples/supports Rephrase of Thesis Statement Conclusion

What to Include o Your topic sentence should summarize what you said in your thesis o Do NOT simply restate you thesis statement o Rephrase the thesis statement with fresh and deeper understanding o Provide consistent information; do NOT bring up new ideas in your conclusion o Your topic/idea for each body paragraph should be included in your conclusion o Your closing sentence should be your “clincher” (it’s your last word)

The 3 Must Haves 1.Restated answer/thesis statement 2.Connection to image(s)/theme(s)/examples used in introductory paragraph and body paragraph(s) Use key words, or parallel concepts and images that you also used in the introduction 3.Closing sentence

How to Get There Play the "So What" Game.  When you read your restated thesis, ask yourself, "So what?" or "Why should anybody care?"  Ponder that question and answer it  This will guide the final sentence of your conclusion paragraph

Conclusion Strategies that Do NOT Work  Beginning with an unnecessary, overused phrase  These come across as wooden and trite in writing  "in conclusion“, "in summary“, "in closing“, "as shown in the essay"  Stating the thesis for the very first time  Introducing a new idea or subtopic in your conclusion  Making sentimental, emotional appeals that are out of character with the rest of the paper  Including evidence (quotations, statistics, etc.) that should be in the body of the paper

Examples of Strong Conclusions These two innovative pioneers of the world of technology demonstrated the truth that failure leads to success and strengthens you. They achieved the incomprehensible idea of may flying, even when they failed over and over again. Because they found the capabilities to learn and adapt to failure, they became stronger. This message they left behind in the legacy urges all of us to not use our shortcomings as excuses, but to be strengthened by them and overcome challenges.

Examples of Strong Conclusions We don’t want to accept our faults. We don’t want to admit that we did something wrong. But if you have the strength to recognize your imperfections and then change them to better yourself, that is what learning from your mistakes is about. Don’t be ashamed of the chances you took that might not have turned our so well. Push yourself to take away a lesson from those chances, do it better next time, and try to live by the phrase “Live and lean.”