How to Write an Amazing Conclusion Section for Your School Essay

The first thing to understand is the definition and purpose of the conclusion. Every essay is like every book or play or movie. It has a beginning, a middle and an end. Imagine if the film you're watching had an ending which didn't make any sense. It might be an ending which makes you sad or happy but it must make sense. This very same principle applies when you write an essay at school. Your essay must have a beginning which is known as the introduction. It must have a middle which contains the middle paragraphs. And it must have an end which is known as the conclusion.

But what is the purpose of the conclusion to a school essay?

The conclusion is the summing up. It is the writer looking back over the introduction and the middle paragraphs and telling the reader, in shortened form, everything that has gone before. It's a challenge to write a good essay and a good essay will always have a strong conclusion. What makes a conclusion strong?

• Absolutely no new information whatsoever.
• A brief description of what has gone before.
• A reminder of all the salient points which have appeared throughout the essay.
• A feeling of satisfaction for the reader.

It is a major mistake to introduce new material in the conclusion of your school essay; or for that matter any essay. You have made a variety of points throughout the writing of your essay. Now you arrive at the conclusion and you want to remind the reader of what you have already written. You will confuse the reader if you introduce new material at this stage of the essay.

The conclusion is a description of what has gone before but it is a brief description. Less is more. The best conclusions are those which can repeat all that has been written about before but do so in as few words as possible.

There will be a number of salient or major points which you have made in the body of your essay. Each one of these major points needs to be touched on in the conclusion. You do not develop these major points. You do not look for points which emanate from the main points. You simply mention what you have already written about.

The best conclusions to an essay are those which leave the reader feeling satisfied. There've read through your essay as they reached the conclusion they realize that everything they have understood is there in front of them. It makes the reader feel good about the essay. That's the type that will get the nod as far as a high mark is concerned.