After spending so much time refining our essay’s introduction and body paragraphs, we finally arrive at the concluding paragraph. But what should we even put in a concluding paragraph? Is it simply a re-hash of all that has already come before? In that case, why not just restate the topic sentences of each body paragraph? An effective conclusion is not just a simple restatement of the argument which you have just taken the reader through, but also a way for you to argue for the broader significance of your argument.
The concluding paragraph allows you to call back to the original motivating question that you developed in the first few paragraphs of your paper, where you discussed why your argument was going to be new and intriguing. This year’s pieces use different but effective approaches to tie up their arguments.
Example 1: Balance of Legal and Personal Influences on Constitutional Judgments: Reversals and Redefinition of Precedent
by Katja Stroke-Adolphe
Example 2: Donelle Woolford: The Politics of Appropriative Parafiction An Analysis of Craftsmanship and Collaborative Structure by Heather Grace