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People like closure. Imagine if a friend just hung up the phone in
the middle of a conversation. Or if you were watching a movie and the
DVD malfunctioned just before the end. Chances are you might feel unsettled,
let down, frustrated, and even a bit dazed. You might ask, "What
just happened? What was that about? What am I supposed to think now?"
When writing, many students find endings to be the most difficult part
of writing the draft. Sometimes students just run out of steam or out
of time. Some students aren't really sure what needs to go into an effective
ending, so they just wing it. Thus, many student papers stop abruptly,
leaving the reader hanging. Or they introduce a brand new topic, leaving
the reader confused. And then there are papers where students over-explain
what they've already said, leaving the reader feeling insulted and slightly
bored.
Good endings (or conclusions) tend to:
- Refocus the reader on the main idea of the paper.
- Circle back to the opening in some way (bring back ideas from the
introduction).
- Sum up the most important evidence or points that were established
in the body of the paper.
- Draw a connection between the main idea of the paper and the larger
world.
- Reflect the writer's passion and enthusiasm about the topic.
- End at just the right spot. It doesn't end too soon and doesn't
ramble on for too long.
- Say something surprising.
- Leave the reader thinking.
- Leave the reader feeling satisfied.
Good endings avoid:
- Introducing brand new information.
- Stopping abruptly.
- Veering off topic.
- Simply repeating what has already been said.
- Having a bland, uncommitted, or obligatory tone.
Tips for writing endings:
- Walk away from a paper that is almost finished. Do something to
clear the mind for a half hour or so (such as taking a run, taking
a walk, doing the dishes, or playing an instrument). Then come back
to the desk, reread the paper, and "play" with different
endings. Try writing several different ending paragraphs (3 to 5)).
Narrow down your choices to the best ones. Choose one. If you don't
like any, try writing a few more. Then try them out on a friend.
- Brainstorm the ideas that resonated most for you in your paper.
Identify why they resonate for you. Try to include that in your ending.
- Pay attention to endings that you like. Identify what you like about
them.
- Critique endings that you don't like. What isn't working?
Above all, crafting a good ending requires plenty of time. When writers
are pushed up too close to a deadline, they are more apt to cut the
writing off at an indiscriminate place and send it hobbling into the
world, incomplete, missing that crucial closure that we all seek. Some
writers actually prefer to write their endings first, which is one way
to ensure that the reader is not left hanging. However, since this method
doesn't work for everyone, we can instead encourage students to leave
enough time to reflect thoughtfully on their ending and to play with
different possibilities. Learning the craft of ending is as important
as learning the craft of beginning, a skill which we can transfer to
all aspects our lives since every beginning leads to an ending, and
all endings lead to new beginnings. It's hard to have one without the
other.
Helpful links about endings:
http://nutsandbolts.washcoll.edu/ending.html
A thoughtful, humorous explanation of endings that includes examples
of weak endings and strong endings.
http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/acadwrite/conclude.html
Questions or comments? Contact the author at kyle.cushman@tui.edu.
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