Guidelines for students on how to write academically and enhance their course work with a meaningful conclusion to reports, essays or assignments.

2. You are not just summing up:
you need to add some interest too.
Try asking yourself
- so what?
Then think about
- why is this important?

3. You can use the same themes
as the introduction.
If you set the scene
- - has it changed?
Then think about
- what new or improved
understanding have you created?

4. Don’t just repeat your main points, think:
- How does the information
fit together?
Consider using a quote:
- Did you found anything
relevant and thought provoking
in your reading?

5. Do your findings suggest further
areas to study?
- Where do the findings,
so far, lead us?
Make links to
other developments:
- Are there wider
considerations that aren’t included within
your current brief?

6. Some things to avoid in your conclusion :
Introducing your main idea
(thesis) for the first time
Adding extra, new,
ideas or evidence
Changing style:
for example ending a report with an
emotional, sentimental argument
This presentation uses ideas from: CONCLUSIONS. The Writing Centre (2015) [Online] Available from -
http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/conclusions/ [Accessed 16/05/2015]