• The writer restates the main points of the essay.
• This strategy is effective for long essays dealing in unfamiliar concepts.
• This method can seem dull in short essays.

• The writer demonstrates how the topic has broad significance.
• This strategy reveals the importance of the issue discussed.
• Analogy might be a useful tool in this kind of conclusion.
• The topic at hand might be tied to a larger philosophic question, political issue, or view of the human condition.
• The writer must be careful to make the connection to the original thesis clear.

• The writer asks readers to do something with a call to action.
• This strategy is often used in analyses and arguments.
• A similar approach is the "call for further study" approach.

• The writer uses a scene or brief story to subtly demonstrate the topic’s significance.
• This approach establishes an emotional connection with the reader.
• The technique can be as effective in argument as in expressive or open form writing.

The Hook and Return

• The writer returns to the essay’s lead or hook device.
• If a scene or example grabs the reader’s attention in the beginning, the writer takes the scenario a step further in the conclusion.
• This technique unifies the essay--it can seem very polished.

• The writer takes an exploratory approach, opening with a question or problem.
• The essay deals with a variety of proposals and solutions.
• In the conclusion, the writer states the thesis as a discovery.
• This approach can be effective for controversial issues because all sides can be examined.
• Check with your professor to make sure that this type of conclusion is appropriate for your assignment.