It’s probably not true of goldfish that they only have a three second memory. It’s certainly not true of your reader!

The common belief that goldfish have three-second memories is most likely a myth, but the metaphor still works for describing the problematic repetition inherent in the five-paragraph essay. It is highly unlikely you will be writing for goldfish at any point in your scholarly career, and it is equally unlikely  that readers of your work will possess three-second memories. Your readers do not need to be reminded repeatedly of your essay’s focus and purpose.

Rather than treating your conclusion as if it is a return to your thesis, consider it as a final questioning and presentation of your thesis from the new position you have arrived at through your analysis. For this reason, it is vital at this point to reread the essay you have written before writing your conclusion.

Essentially, your conclusion should justify your particular reading and make a final declaration on the benefit and consequence of discussing the topic in the way you have. Remember that you are inviting others to discuss and debate this subject with you, so your conclusion is not intended to shut down all future conversation on the essay, nor is it a final proclamation of your reading as the “right” and “only” reading of the text. You want your readers to recognize your interpretation as a valuable contribution to the ongoing scholarly conversation.

There is no set formula for writing a conclusion. However, if you paraphrase the main idea from each body paragraph and tie the ideas back to your thesis, you will have included the most important points from your writing. After you have summarized your major points, close your essay with a statement to make sure that your readers understand why this information is important to them. You may want to find a way to connect your conclusion back to your introductory grabber, thereby bringing your essay full circle.

Avoid these common problems with conclusions:

• Do not restate your thesis exactly as it appears in your introduction. Always rephrase it.
• Do not use stock phrases such as “in conclusion,” or “in summary.”
• Do not use emotional or personal appeals that do not fit with the critical style of your paper.
• Do not introduce new information or ideas in the conclusion that should have been included in the body of the paper.

After you have written your conclusion, reread it and ask yourself: “So what?” or, “Why should my reader care about this?” If you can answer these questions, you have the basis for a memorable conclusion.