Many students feel that they have nothing left to say after having written the paper. But they should bear in mind that the conclusion is often what a reader remembers best. Therefore, your conclusion should be the best part of your essay.
Conclusions contain in summary form what has already been presented in the paper. Though components of a conclusion may vary, a conclusion generally contains a restatement of the thesis in the introduction, a summary of key points in the body, and a broad statement(evaluations, speculations on future trends, recommendations, etc).
Activity 2-1: Analyzing the components of a conclusion
Below is the conclusion to an essay. Read carefully and discuss with your partner what aspects of the paper are addressed by each sentence in the conclusion.
Sample Conclusion 1
Conceptions of Grammar Teaching : A Case Study of Teachers’Beliefs and Classroom Practices
(1) This exploratory case study investigated the stated beliefs and actual instructional practices of two experienced teachers of English language in a primary school in Singapore. (2) The findings suggest that teachers do indeed have a set of complex belief systems that are sometimes not reflected in their classroom practices for various complicated reasons, some directly related to context of teaching. (3) Even though generalizations of this case study may be problematic, language teachers may learn much about the importance of accessing teachers’ beliefs and comparing these beliefs with actual classroom practices. (4) We also hope that this case study can act as a catalyst in enabling other teachers to reflect on and examine their own beliefs about their grammar teaching practices.
Questions for discussion
The conclusion has included the following aspects:
(1) _________________________________________________________________
(2) _________________________________________________________________
(3) _________________________________________________________________