Writing Conclusions

Your conclusion should achieve three goals:

1.  Refer back to the hook, if possible, to bring the essay full circle. 
2.  Reinforce the thesis statement without repeating it exactly.
3. Leave a strong impression on the reader.

No!!!!!!	Yes! Yes! Yes!
Intro paragraph: Friends, family, and love:  Ponyboy had all three, but  he didn't realize it until tragedy struck.In The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton, Ponyboy goes through many changes during the course of the story. He became more appreciative of what he had, more comfortable with himself, and less self-centered.	Intro paragraph Friends, family, and love:  Ponyboy had all three, but he didn't realize it until tragedy struck. In The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton, Ponyboy goes through many changes during the course of the story. He became more appreciative of what he had, more comfortable with himself, and less self-centered.
This is the end of my essay. I hope you liked it. You should definitely give me an "A." Did you like the book?	From his experiences with death and loss, Pony gained more appreciation for friends and family. (This refers directly back to the hook.) He embraces his changes. Pony's experiences were difficult, but he learned from them and became a more mature individual as a result.

What's wrong with the example on the left?

• The use of I/You
• The last sentence is preachy and tells your reader what to do.
• For the purposes of this essay, avoid ending with a question (especially this one). It's the easy way out, and it sounds unsophisticated. 

For more help, try this link:
http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/acadwrite/conclude.html