Prof. Rodas gives step-by-step instructions for writing a successful conclusion.

1. HOWTOWRITE A
CONCLUSION
Julia Miele Rodas
Bronx CommunityCollege / CUNY

2. WHY?
A solid conclusion leaves your reader with a clear
idea of your whole paper, even if you made some
mistakes along the way …

3. Just answer these three questions:
1. What is your paper
about?
2. Why does it matter?
3. How should the reader
change their thinking or
actions?

4. TRY ANSWERING EACH
QUESTION ONE AT ATIME

5. 1. What is your paper about?
■ Write ONE sentence that reminds the
reader what the paper is about. It’s fine
if you return to your introduction and
use a revised version of your thesis.
EXAMPLE
In this essay, I discuss how much social
attitudes toward psychiatric disability
have improved, but also how we still have
a lot of work to do.

6. 2. Why does it matter?
(Sorry! I know this seems like kind of a mean question, but it really makes a difference for your reader!)
■ In two or three sentences, tell the reader why
your idea matters.This can be why you think this
is interesting or why you think the idea has
greater importance.
EXAMPLE
A lot of people don’t realize how common
psychiatric disabilities are. Better visibility for and
treatment of people struggling with mental health
might help reform the justice system as well as
having other positive social effects. Just as
important, these changes might help ordinary
people—families and friends, coworkers, teachers
and students—manage mental health crises more
safely and productively.

7. 3. How should the reader change their thinking
or actions? (aka, What should we do?)
■ In one or two sentences, tell the reader
what contribution they can make.
EXAMPLE
We should all educate ourselves about
psychiatric disability and emergency mental
health care. However, the single biggest
thing we can do to improve this situation is
to think of mental health challenges as a
regular part of being human.

8. FINALLY, COMBINE ALL
THREE PARTS INTO A
SINGLE PARAGRAPH
at the end of your essay

9. Concluding paragraph …
EXAMPLE
In this essay, I discuss how much social attitudes toward
psychiatric disability have improved, but also how we
still have a lot of work to do.A lot of people don’t realize
how common psychiatric disabilities are. Better visibility
for and treatment of people struggling with mental
health might help reform the justice system as well as
having other positive social effects. Just as important,
these changes might help ordinary people—families and
friends, coworkers, teachers and students—manage
mental health crises more safely and productively. We
should all educate ourselves about psychiatric disability
and emergency mental health care. However, the single
biggest thing we can do to improve this situation is to
think of mental health challenges as a regular part of
being human.
The stressors that help trigger psychiatric crisis affect
all of us.
Housing insecurity, racism, poverty, addiction, sexual
trauma, misogyny, state bureaucracy, isolation …

10. NEED
MORE
HELP?
thanks for
studying!
See a sample conclusion
with Julia’s notes
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