How to Write a Conclusion for an Argumentative Essay

Writing an argumentative essay requires you to defend a position for which there is more than one side. To write an argumentative essay, use facts, statistics, details and expert testimony to support your position. While a conclusion for an argumentative essay does include some basic elements found in other types of papers, argumentative essay conclusions are significant, because they provide the last chance you have to sway the reader.

Read through your body paragraphs, taking notes on key points of the argument that you want to remind the reader of before the end of the essay. Use the strongest, most logical points of your argument to structure the conclusion so that you have the best chance of convincing the reader of the validity of your position. Review your introduction and include key phrases in the conclusion to add a sense of cohesion and closure to the argument and to the essay.

The conclusion should be an overview of the points you have argued, reminding the reader of the importance of the topic and the legitimacy of your side of the debate. Rephrase your thesis statement in a way that intensifies the claim of your argument. For example, if you are writing about the need for mandatory recycling in your town, the first sentence of your conclusion might read: “Keeping our city from turning into one, big waste dump is each citizen’s responsibility.” This sentence jolts the reader into a sense of duty and also creates a negative image in the mind.

The middle sentences of an argumentative conclusion should include the most convincing and rational points of your argument. The reader will remember your conclusion more vividly than all of the detailed evidence that you supplied in the body paragraphs, so synthesize your main points rather than summarizing them. You might explain how much waste recycling helps avoid, for instance, based on facts you presented in the paper. Avoid introducing new information in the conclusion, as this will cloud the issue and weaken your position.

The last sentences should include a call to action or a prediction of future ramifications. For example, you might include a sentence that urges your readers to attend city council meetings so that they can encourage leaders to vote in favor of a recycling initiative. Alternatively, you could make a prediction of what might happen if all households do not start recycling, such as the fact that more waste-disposal stations may need to be built to hold all of the garbage being produced. In doing so, you would remind readers of facts you stated previously in the body paragraphs detailing how much waste the community is currently producing and how close the local dump is to capacity. You might also include a reminder that dump sites could be built near readers' homes, which would make the issue personal.