Why? Because they want to end their concert with a high-energy song that everyone knows. They want to play that song—the one everyone waits all night to hear.

By leaving you excited about the final moments of the concert, performers know you’ll be more likely to have positive memories. You’ll also more likely be convinced that your hard-earned dollars were well spent.

The conclusion of your argumentative essay should be like the last song at your favorite concert: memorable and convincing.

Not sure how to make that happen? Read on to learn how to write a winning argumentative essay conclusion.

How to Write a Winning Argumentative Essay Conclusion

If you want to be a rock star of the argumentative essay world, you need to write a rock-star conclusion.

Because the goal of an argumentative essay is to use logical arguments to convince your audience, your conclusion needs to both remind readers of your main arguments and reinforce those arguments.

In order to write a winning argumentative essay conclusion, follow the three steps outlined below.

Step #1: Review the main arguments of your essay

The conclusion is your last chance to convince readers of your arguments. So it’s pretty important that you first identify not only the main arguments but also the strongest arguments you’ve presented.

Here’s how to identify the main arguments of your essay:

• Review your thesis statement. If you’ve written a three-part thesis statement, your key points may already be listed in your thesis.

• Review the topic sentence of each body paragraph. The topic sentence of each paragraph should identify the focus of the paragraph. By reviewing topic sentences, you can note the key points you’ve addressed.

• Create a reverse outline. If you want to be even more detailed about reviewing the main arguments (and the evidence you’ve used to support your arguments), try a reverse outline to get a complete picture of your essay.

Once you’ve identified your main arguments, decide which ones you’ll highlight in your conclusion.

You may wish to highlight some or all of your main arguments. (Keep in mind, though, that you might be required to summarize all of your key points in your conclusion, so check your assignment guidelines before you start writing.)

After you’ve decided which arguments you’ll highlight, begin writing your conclusion.

Step #2: Transition from the body of the essay and begin the conclusion

When readers reach the end of your essay, you want them to know that the essay has ended. You don’t want to leave them staring blankly, wondering if you forgot to include the final paragraph(s).

Thus, after you’ve written the final body paragraph of your essay, you need to clearly signal to the readers that your paper is coming to a close and transition to the conclusion.

I know it’s tempting to write “in conclusion” and just start writing, but “in conclusion” isn’t the most effective way to begin your concluding paragraph. Read Wrap It Up: 15 (Better) Concluding Transitions to learn 15 better ways to make the transition.

Once you’ve selected an appropriate transition word or phrase, use the first few lines of your conclusion to emphasize the key arguments of your essay.

I’m sure that you’ve heard that your conclusion should restate your thesis statement. While you should definitely restate the ideas presented in your thesis, you most certainly should not simply reword your thesis. (In other words, don’t just switch up a word or two and call it good.)

Remember, you’re synthesizing the core arguments of your paper and emphasizing the importance of your arguments. You’re not simply rewriting your thesis.

Example: An effective start

As an example of an effective start to a conclusion, take a look at these opening lines from the conclusion in an argumentative essay from our library:

Ultimately, one of the main problems with the men’s rights movement is their belief that women lie about being raped, sexually assaulted, or abused for attention or because they’re bitter against men. In turn, these men get more violent and lash out.

Notice that this conclusion begins with the transition “ultimately” to signal the beginning of the conclusion. The writer then effectively emphasizes the core arguments of the essay: what he/she believes are the main problems with the men’s rights movement.

By restating the central ideas of the paper, the writer effectively reinforces his/her claims and refocuses on the core arguments.

Step #3: Wrap up the conclusion

As you wrap up your argumentative conclusion, keep in mind the purpose of your essay: to convince your audience.

What better way to convince your readers than to appeal directly to them, right?

This doesn’t mean that you should address your readers by using second-person point of view. Instead, stick with third person.

To connect with your readers, you might urge them to take action or illustrate what might happen if they don’t make a change.

This strategy not only engages readers but also leaves them thinking about the importance of your claims.

Example: An effecting ending

Here’s the ending of the conclusion I included earlier. (I’ve included the ending in bold after the opening lines of the conclusion, so you can read the entire concluding paragraph at once.)

Ultimately, one of the main problems with the men’s rights movement is their belief that women lie about being raped, sexually assaulted, or abused for attention or because they’re bitter against men. In turn, these men get more violent and lash out. If they would listen to facts and reasoning, they’d understand what victims really go through. They may also come to learn that most of their problems of “male oppression” are results of a patriarchal societal structure and the toxic masculinity they refuse to acknowledge. Maybe they will never understand that feminism is the only thing that can liberate us all, but perhaps if it is rebranded as “egalitarianism” or “human rights”, they’ll reconsider.  

Notice that the writer uses third person to discuss the topic but clearly aims the final lines at anyone who refuses to acknowledge toxic masculinity. The writer then offers a suggestion for a change in terminology as a final push to convince readers that change needs to occur.

NOTE: The writer of this essay uses first-person plural (“us”). While it’s sometimes acceptable to use the first-person plural POV in an essay, check with your professor to see whether it’s acceptable in your assignment.

The Final Steps

With your winning argumentative essay conclusion in place, you can now focus on the final touches of your paper.

As you revise and edit your draft, make sure your essay fits all the requirements for a great argumentative essay. If you’re not sure whether your essay is strong, read these posts for additional argumentative essay writing tips:

• The Secrets of a Strong Argumentative Essay
• Writing an Argumentative Essay Made Easy (Infographic)
• What Is a Counterargument in an Argumentative Essay?
• What Is a Rebuttal, and How Do You Write an Effective One?

You can also review tons of example argumentative essays in our database.

Still on the fence as to whether your argumentative essay (or essay conclusion) is convincing? Send your essay our way.

Did you include enough evidence to support your arguments? Should you write more, or would that just make your essay sound more redundant?

Are you really ready to end your essay? And if so, what are the right words to give it the same impact and energy as the rest of your writing?

It can all get a little overwhelming.

And while every conclusion won’t be a piece of cake after this, once you figure out how to end an essay and practice a bit, it gets easier every time.

So let’s get started talking about how to end an essay.

What Is a Conclusion?

I know what you’re thinking… we learned what conclusions are in elementary school.

You may have learned the definition of a conclusion, but I bet you didn’t learn how to end an essay with confidence. Part of that is because many classrooms don’t go into conclusions in depth. Instead, they just tell you that it’s a summary of your main points.

While this may be true, it’s not just a summary. It’s a way to tie up any loose ends. It’s the final thought that leaves an impact on your reader. It’s what brings the whole essay together and makes it sound polished.

What a conclusion is only gives you half the story—you also have to know what a conclusion is not.

A conclusion is not an opportunity to add new information. It’s not just a restatement of your thesis.

A conclusion also isn’t a chance to phone it in at the last minute.

Now that we have some of the technicalities out of the way, it’s time to get into the finer details on how to end an essay with confidence.

What to Do and How to Do It

Most conclusions aren’t as long or as detailed as your body paragraphs. However, they are necessary because they tie everything together and make your essay sound complete.

For the majority of essays, your conclusion should have three components:

1. A summary of your main points
2. Answers to any potential reader questions
3. An interesting final note

Let’s dive into each of these.

A summary of your main points

The summary of your main points is easier and more pleasant to read if it uses different language than your thesis statement or the topic sentences of your body paragraphs. If you really want to make an impact, use some metaphors or descriptive language.

For example, if I was writing an essay about how important conclusions are, I wouldn’t just say:

 In conclusion, conclusions are important because they make an essay sound complete, they tie up loose ends, and they leave readers with a positive overall impression.

Instead, this part of my conclusion might read:

 Conclusions have the power to transform students’ writing from a hastily finished draft into a complete, polished essay. They give readers closure and make the essay stand out among the rest.

The second example is not over the top, but it sounds much more like an ending than a beginning.

Answers to any potential reader questions

This conclusion component isn’t always necessary. However, if you raise questions in the introduction or body paragraphs, you need to give your readers some relief.

If you have the time, I suggest at this step to take a break from your essay—a few minutes will do—before you come back and read it from the beginning. This lets you see it a little more as the reader instead of the writer.

You’ll see whether there are any loose ends. If there are, the conclusion is the perfect spot to take care of them.

An interesting final note

Start strong, end strong. Your introduction started with a hook, so why shouldn’t your conclusion have an interesting point too?

There are several ways to do this. One is to ask a rhetorical question. This makes readers think about the deeper implications of your essay or how the essay relates to their lives.

Another way to add some interest to your conclusion is to twist the beginning into something new.

For example, say we have an essay about the effects of social media on interpersonal relationships. The introduction would state the ways social media impacts its users, but the conclusion can twist it somewhat and open it up to a larger context:

 While some may argue that social media makes people less capable of face-to-face communications, it opens people up to collaboration, education, and a whole list of ever-expanding possibilities.

What to Avoid and How to Avoid It

There are only two things to avoid when writing a conclusion: ending too abruptly and rambling. This isn’t a too-short vs. too-long scenario.

The length of your conclusion depends on the length and complexity of your essay.

It all boils down to the question of whether your essay feels whole.

Ending too abruptly

To avoid this pitfall, simply follow the steps above. Make sure you have all three parts (if you have any unanswered questions, that is).

Most students who end their conclusions too soon only get to the summary part. Some do an almost word-for-word copy of the thesis statement.

Don’t do that.

Instead, round it out with more detailed language and an interesting closing note. And don’t worry—it gets easier with practice.

Rambling

Rambling happens for two different reasons. Either you don’t know where to end so you just keep writing, or you add new information that should be in the body paragraphs.

If you’re rambling because you don’t know when to stop, make sure you have all the right components of a conclusion, and reread what you have.

If there are accidental redundancies or confusing language, get rid of it. Your conclusion might be shorter, but it’ll also be clearer.

If you’re adding new information, decide where it should go in the body. The conclusion isn’t the time to bring up new ideas. It’s a time to reflect on what you wrote.

The conclusion isn’t the time to bring up new ideas. It’s a time to reflect on what you wrote.
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Conclusions You Can Learn From

Now that you know how to end an essay theoretically, let’s put some of these rules into practice. Here are a few examples of both bad and good conclusions.

(There are even more examples of good conclusions here.)

Topic #1: Explain how love causes violence in Romeo and Juliet

 In Romeo and Juliet, virtually every instance of violence is caused, at least in part, by extreme love or passion. Tybalt vows to kill Romeo the same night Romeo sees Juliet for the first time. There are also several threats of suicide because the protagonists are so in love with each other that they cannot imagine life without each other. Romeo and Juliet commit suicide because of their impatience (and a lack of communication), which is a side effect of both their youth and their obsessive love.

This conclusion is long-winded, presents new information (the lack of communication part), and just doesn’t seem to flow well. Here’s a better way to write it.

Romeo and Juliet proves that love and violence are not opposites—they are linked. From the time Romeo sees Juliet and makes Tybalt angry to the final death scene, the main characters’ obsessive love leads to their destruction. Even as Juliet stood at death’s doorstep, she muddled the line between love and violence, uttering the famous words, “Thus with a kiss, I die.”

Topic #2: How does the symbolism of the scarlet “A” change throughout The Scarlet Letter?

The scarlet “A” Hester had to wear is first a mark of shame but then transforms into a badge of honor once she embraces her true nature.

This conclusion is far too basic—just a simple restatement of the main point of the essay.

Instead, try something like this:

The rules of Puritan New England branded Hester, making her an outcast. But she never turns her back on her neighbors. The scarlet letter that once made her stand out in the beginning of the novel transforms into a symbol of power and leadership. Hester proves more loving and ethical than those who condemn her as a sinner, showing that what some may consider to be flaws can end up being the biggest assets.

One Last Note

Reading about how to end an essay can only get you so far. Now you just have to jump in and do it. But don’t worry—Kibin editors are here to lend their eyes (and their awesome editing powers).

They’ll help ensure your essay is as well-written as possible, from the first word of the introduction to the last word of the conclusion.

It’s the backbone of your paper.

In other words, it’s the star around which your ideas orbit, the bread crumbs in your essay meatballs, or any other metaphor that articulates the fact that your thesis is super-duper important and kind of holds the whole essay thing together.

I’m going to use the star metaphor today.

It’s not as sexy as meatballs, I know. But honestly, I just don’t have the willpower to concentrate on this blog post while visions of meatballs dance in my head.

But really, the solar system metaphor works well because today we’re going to talk about those important parts that revolve around your thesis: the body paragraphs.

So let’s take a look at how to write a paragraph that supports your thesis.

The Main Parts of an Essay

On the most basic level, your essay is made up of a few distinct parts: the introduction, the body, and the conclusion.

Of course, when you dig a little deeper, there are many more parts that are all connected to each other.

If you break down the introduction, you’ll find the all-important thesis statement tucked in nicely there at the end of your first paragraph.

This one sentence is a declaration of the main idea of your paper. In an argumentative essay, it’s your argument.

The thesis is like the sun.

Everything else in your paper orbits around it.

The thesis is like the sun. Everything else in your paper orbits around it.
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Break down the thesis and you’ll find that it’s made up of claims, the more specific and focused arguments that make up your main argument.

Each body paragraph is dedicated to one of these claims. These are like the planets in your essay solar system.

In much the same way that we’re separating the essay into parts, we can break a body paragraph down. When we do, we’ll begin to see that it’s constructed with the express purpose of supporting your thesis statement.

The Main Parts of a Body Paragraph

Galaxies and solar systems are like cosmic matryoshka dolls in that they have similar properties to the larger universe that they reside in.

Similarly, body paragraphs are like smaller essays residing inside your greater essay. They’re made up of clear parts that share properties with your essay as a whole.

According to the Purdue Online Writing Lab, there are four elements to a good paragraph: transition, topic sentence, evidence and analysis, and a brief wrap-up sentence (TTEB).

Each of these parts is important in forming a cohesive paragraph.

Let’s take a look at the roles the parts play and how you can ensure that they’re doing their part to support your thesis statement.

Transition

This aspect of a good paragraph has more to do with ensuring your paper flows well than it does with supporting your thesis. However, that doesn’t make transitions any less important.

It’s important to order your body paragraphs in a way that makes sense. If readers need a bit of information about one claim in order to fully grasp another claim, then the claims need to be in that order.

It’s important that the beginning and end of each paragraph is formulated in a way that clearly leads from the last paragraph and into the next one.

Doing this will ensure that your reader can connect the dots between your paragraphs and clearly see how, together, they support your thesis.

Topic sentence

If each body paragraph in your essay is like its own mini essay, then the topic sentence is the thesis of that paragraph.

One of your claims will become a topic sentence. As you know, your essay should always focus on your thesis without veering off into left field. The same goes for the claim in your body paragraph.

Just like you wouldn’t talk about meatballs in an essay about the solar system, you should be careful not to address other claims within a body paragraph.

Instead, focus on the claim at hand. Once that claim is stated in your topic sentence, it becomes the star of that paragraph around which everything else revolves. That means it’s important that it’s clear and concise.

If you need to add some explanation after your topic sentence for your readers to understand the gravity of it, then do it. Need some extra help with topic sentences? Read this post with examples of good topic sentences.

The evidence

It’s after the topic sentence that you will present and explain each piece of your evidence. This is your chance to delve into your claim on a deeper level.

If the thesis is the sun in your essay solar system and the claims (each with their own body paragraph) are the planets, then the pieces of evidence that support each claim are like moons.

Your evidence orbits closely around the claim while revolving around the thesis as a whole.

Your evidence should consist of concrete examples and data that you’ve gathered through your research. You should explain how this evidence supports your claim and your argument as a whole (your thesis).

Also, make sure you cite your evidence. Nothing will deflate your claim faster than unreliable evidence.

Concluding sentence

After presenting your claim in the topic sentence and your evidence in the rest of the paragraph, you should wrap up your paragraph with a concluding sentence.

The goal of this sentence is to tie all of the evidence together and clearly articulate how this claim relates to your thesis. Therefore, this is an important moment to ensure that your paragraph is supporting your thesis.

If there’s any chance that your reader will have trouble seeing the connection your paragraph has to your thesis, you must fix that here.

This part of your paragraph is also sometimes known as the “warrant.” The idea is that this is your chance to clearly articulate why this claim and the evidence are necessary to your thesis.

Now we can put it all together to complete the how-to part of how to write a paragraph that supports your thesis.

How to Write a Paragraph That Supports Your Thesis

The best way to ensure that a body paragraph is supporting your thesis is to ensure that it stays on topic. Make sure that each body paragraph is dedicated to one of the claims from your thesis.

Then make sure the evidence within each paragraph is focused on that specific claim.

The solar system and the actions of all its parts are dictated by the laws of physics. For example, planets can’t suddenly start rotating around each other or other stars. Moons can’t suddenly swap planets.

Likewise, your essay should be structured judiciously. There shouldn’t be a body paragraph that argues for a claim that isn’t found in your thesis. And there shouldn’t be evidence in a body paragraph that doesn’t clearly relate to the claim of that paragraph.

I suggest that you create an outline at the beginning of your writing process and then stick to it. Compare your essay and its paragraphs to that outline at the end of the process to ensure you’re staying focused and that your paragraphs are supporting your thesis.

Don’t have your essay written yet? Look at example essays from other students. Now that you know how to write a paragraph that supports your thesis, you can more easily see what does and doesn’t work.

If you need a fresh set of eyes to ensure that you’re accomplishing this goal in your own essay, send your paper to the editors at Kibin.

Thanks for reading, and good luck!

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But then you sit and stare at a blank page, unsure how to start.

It happens to the best of us. Fortunately, because it’s a cause of concern for so many students, you’re not alone in the struggle.

And even better—you have me here to guide you through your introduction paragraph. Once you have your intro down, the rest will follow.

So let’s get started on starting your essay.

Reviewing What You Already Know

If you’ve been writing essays for a while, whether they’re literary analysis essays or compare and contrast papers, you probably know the basics.

Every teacher will tell you how important your thesis statement is for almost any type of essay you write. They’re not wrong to stress this.

A good thesis statement delivers a clear message of what your essay is about and helps give your reader a type of navigation guide throughout the reading experience. It also keeps the information in your essay focused as you write.

Another popular point for teachers to stress is the hook. This is usually the first sentence or two, and it serves to catch the reader’s attention. A good hook makes people want to read more.

But when you have your hook and thesis statement written, your introduction paragraph looks a little skimpy. You may feel like you need something more—and not just fluff.

What you need is to give some background on the topic between your hook and your thesis statement.

But what kind of information do you need?

What Else Goes Into an Introduction Paragraph?

You don’t want just some filler fluff to go into your intro paragraph. It needs to be relevant. It needs to be informative. It needs to be interesting.

No pressure, though.

Really, the type of information you include beyond a hook and a thesis statement depends somewhat on the type of essay you’ll be writing.

The main thing to remember is that you want to give some background information, however this applies to your particular essay.

The main thing to remember is that you want to give some background information.
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Literary analyses

In essays involving literature, you might include information about the author and the circumstances surrounding the creation of the novel.

For example, if you were writing about Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, you might mention that she wrote it as part of a competition among friends. You might also mention that it’s considered one of the first (or the first to some) examples of science fiction literature.

Bonus Read:

15 Literary Terms You Need to Know to Write Better Essays

Argumentative/persuasive essays

In essays involving a debate of some sort, you could discuss the main views for and against the topic.

An essay about whether soda vending machines should be placed in public schools, for instance, may mention that those in favor would argue for the freedom of choice, while those against would argue that kids need to have healthier options.

Check out these annotated argumentative essay examples to see what works and what doesn’t in two different introductions.

History essays

Essays on historical topics should include background information that puts the topic of the essay into perspective.

If you were writing about the beginning of jazz, it would be important to note that New Orleans was the only place jazz could’ve been created because it had a period of time when segregation was not enforced as strictly as it was elsewhere.

What each of these has in common is that the extra information in your introduction paragraph should give your reader enough background to put your thesis statement, and the points that follow, into context.

Narrative essays

The exception to the rule is the narrative essay. Narrative essays tell the reader about a certain point in your life.

Introduction paragraphs in these types of essays usually have a hook, but typically don’t have a traditional thesis statement. They may or may not have background information, depending on how much or how little you want to give away in the beginning.

In a narrative essay, you’re building up a story, usually with some sort of moral or lesson in the end. This means you want a bit of mystery. The intro paragraph may not contain a lot of background information, but it should still give some context.

For example, if you’re writing about persevering in a bowling league, you could start out by setting the scene of your first league meeting—how your teammate dropped a ball on your foot, another teammate couldn’t stop yelling at her mom, and you didn’t get a single strike.

Those details would give context and allow the reader to see how far you came from the beginning to placing in a state competition (true story).

Need some inspiration? Explore these narrative essay examples.

What Not to Include in Your Introduction Paragraph

Again, what to include (and what not to include) depends on what type of essay you’re writing. The main idea is to keep it relevant.

If you’re refuting one argument of a great philosopher, you shouldn’t be talking about what every other philosopher has said on the subject (at least not yet). And you shouldn’t mention that philosopher’s other arguments and theories unless they’re relevant.

Stick to the topic.

If you struggle with this aspect of writing, try the TREE approach or a reverse outline to make sure your paper stays focused and on-topic.

It’s also important to keep your own arguments out of the way for now, except for what you write in your thesis statement. You’ll have time for that in the body section. But for now, you want to get your reader comfortable before presenting your hard-hitting evidence.

So you have the hook, added some context, and ended your introduction paragraph with a well-formed thesis, right? You’re almost done—just one more thing to check: your transitions.

Keeping Your Transitions Clean

Transitions are all about flow. Since I don’t know what type of essay you’re working on or what you chose as your hook, it’s hard to give super-detailed information about how to write your transitions. However, I do have a few general tips:

1. Read your introduction out loud. If it sounds too choppy, you need to add transitions.

2. You can use basic transitional words like “therefore” and “however,” but don’t become too reliant on these. Doing so can lead you to either sound like your writing skills are too basic or have the opposite effect and make your essay sound too formal (depending on which words you choose).

3. Whatever words you choose, stick to a consistent tone. Using “therefore,” for instance, would work for a more formal tone. But if you immediately went into a conversational tone in the background information section, it can be somewhat jarring to your readers.

4. Overall, make it flow. You may need to do a couple read-throughs and tweaks to get this right. Read and revise until it sounds good.

Reaching Out for Help When You Need It

If you’re still stuck, that’s okay. That’s what the Kibin editors are here for. They’ll look over your introduction paragraph, and the rest of your essay, to make sure you give enough (but not too much) detail and that each idea flows well into the next.

So get to writing!

Why? Because you need variety.

The need for variety doesn’t only apply to meals, though. It’s important in writing too.

Because both spaghetti and writing can get a little messy, let’s grab some napkins and utensils (a fork and a spoon for the spaghetti and your preferred writing utensils for your upcoming essay) and talk about how to improve sentence variety in your essays.

Why Sentence Variety Is Important

Even if you don’t love pasta, you probably know that pasta is full of variety: spaghetti, penne, fusilli, farfalle, rigatoni, linguine… the list seems endless. While each noodle is essentially made of the same ingredients, they’re all unique in shape, texture, and size.

See, pasta is like an effective essay! Each sentence is made up of a string of words, but every sentence should be unique in structure, length, and style.

When you’re writing an essay, mix it up a bit. Include a variety of long and short sentences, and vary sentence structures and openings.

Include a variety of long and short sentences, and vary sentence structures and openings.
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This type of variety is important in your writing because it makes your writing easier to read. It also keeps readers interested. Need some evidence to convince you?

Check out these short sentences:

I went to Pasta Land. I ordered spaghetti. It was delicious.

Using only short, choppy sentences makes your writing sound unsophisticated and boring. No one wants to read a paper written like this.

Check out this long sentence:

Yesterday, I went to Pasta Land for dinner to try their all-you-can-eat spaghetti super-special, and because I’m such a huge pasta lover, you know I had to order the spaghetti, and I did, and it was so over-the-top delicious that I just couldn’t believe it was only $12.99!

Trying to catch your breath after reading that long, rambling sentence? Any reader would be. These long, winding sentences can become overwhelming, and readers can easily get lost trying to figure out the focus of the sentence.

In other words, don’t go for extremes. Using only long, rambling sentences isn’t any better than using only short, choppy sentences.

(Read Why Eliminating Wordiness Is So Important for Your Essay to learn more about writing concisely.)

The trick, as I mentioned above, is to add variety. A few short sentences are great. They add emphasis. A few longer sentences are important to keep writing interesting. (Just be careful not to go too overboard on extremely long sentences.)

Need a little help finding the perfect balance? Check out the strategies below.

How to Improve Sentence Variety

Now that you have a better understanding of why sentence variety is important in your writing, take a look at these two strategies to improve sentence variety in your own essays.

Vary sentence length

If all of your sentences are short, the writing sounds simplistic. If all of your sentences are too long, they become rambling and often unclear. Including a variety of sentence lengths in your essay keeps writing interesting and adds emphasis.

Here are two examples:

Example #1

Yesterday, Pasta Land had all-you-can-eat spaghetti for $12.99. Because I’m such a huge pasta fan, I had to try it at least once. It was delicious. I couldn’t believe the variety of choices and the amazing sauces.

These sentences are varied in length to add interest. Notice that there is one short sentence: “It was delicious.” This sentence is intentionally short to add emphasis to the fact that the main point of the sentences is the taste of the meal.

If you want to emphasize the cost of the meal, you might revise to include the price in a shorter sentence that reads something like this:

Example #2

Yesterday, Pasta Land had all-you-can-eat spaghetti, and because I’m such a huge pasta fan, I had to try it at least once. It was a delicious meal with a large variety of choices and amazing sauces. The best part? It was only $12.99.

Vary sentence openings

If all of your sentences start the same, your writing becomes dull and repetitive. By varying sentence openings, you add rhythm and emphasis to your writing.

Here are two examples to clarify:

Example #1

I love lasagna. I could eat it every day. I would never grow tired of it.

In this example, all of the sentences are short and begin with “I.” To revise, simply combine the ideas.

Revision

I love lasagna so much that I could eat it every day and never grow tired of it.

In this revision, the sentence still begins with “I.” But the ideas have been combined to create a compound sentence that’s much more engaging than the short, choppy sentences.

Example #2

It is important to choose the right sauce to complement your chosen pasta. It is necessary in order to find the perfect balance of flavor and texture.

In this example, the sentences are longer, but they both begin with the “it is” and use the same sentence structure. In order to create more interesting writing and add emphasis, combine ideas and vary openings.

Revision Suggestions

• In order to find the perfect balance of flavor and texture, it is important to choose the right sauce that will complement your pasta.

• Choosing the right sauce will complement your pasta and balance both flavor and texture.

• If you choose the right sauce, it will complement your pasta and will be the perfect balance of flavor and texture.

• To find the perfect complement to your pasta that will balance both flavor and texture, you must choose the right sauce.

Notice that these revision suggestions all express the same general idea but place emphasis on different aspects of the sentence.

Crafting the Perfect Sentence

It takes plenty of practice to become a master chef capable of making the perfect noodle. Likewise, it takes plenty of practice to become an expert writer capable of creating the perfect sentence.

Sentence variety is one way to improve your writing. There are, of course, additional strategies you might use to improve your writing style. Check out these posts for more information:

• 15 Ways to Improve Your Academic Writing
• 3 Ways to Focus on Concrete Language in Your Next Essay
• Passive Voice: 3 Things You Need to Know for a Better Essay
• Avoid These 10 Common Grammar Mistakes in Your Paper

While reading about how to become a better writer can be a huge help, you can also learn a lot about improving your own style by reading someone else’s work. Take a look at a few example essays about writing style, and take note of the sentence variety each writer uses.

Did you also know Kibin has a variety of expert editors to help with your writing style and just about any other aspect of your writing? Send us your paper for helpful feedback.

In the academic writing world, it feels as if we are often worshiping her ourselves.

I mean, your thesis statement is kind of like the bedrock on which your paper will either live and breathe, or dissolve into primordial soup.

So it’s important that you have a solid grasp of what a thesis statement is and how to best formulate it, which is why we’ve spent so much time on the subject here at the Kibin blog.

Yet before we create our own thesis statement, it’s best that we understand the parts that make one up.

Just as the basic unit of all matter, the atom, can be divided into subatomic particles, the thesis statement can also be divided into parts. So what is it made of?

Claims.

So what is a claim in an essay?

That’s what we’ll be talking about today. Before you formulate that all-important thesis statement, you must know what a claim is and how you can make yours good.

What Is a Claim in an Essay?

The purpose of most essays is to tackle a debatable topic. You begin by researching a topic and then choose a side. That’s where claims come in.

At its simplest, a claim is an argument.

However, not all arguments are created equal. For example, the old man down the street might think his climate change argument is perfectly logical, but that doesn’t mean it belongs in an academic essay.

For an academic claim to be worthy of a place in your essay, it should be complex, debatable, supported by research, and focused on the facts. No opinion allowed.

So how does this differ from the thesis? I thought it was your main argument.

Well, yes, it is. But while the overall gist of your thesis may be that climate change is bad, claims are the specific arguments that make up your thesis (e.g., widespread drought will lead to an increase in terrorism).

If we agree that the thesis is the backbone of your essay, then the claims are the vertebrae.

Now that you can answer the question that brought you here—what is a claim in an essay?—let’s look at how claims might differ.

Are There Different Types of Claims?

Although each of your claims will present an argument, not all claims will take the same approach to those arguments.

Although each of your claims will present an argument, not all claims will take the same approach.
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There are several approaches to making a claim. Here are the five major ones:

1. Fact

A claim of fact argues whether something is true. A claim in this category must be debatable. “The earth is actually flat” is not a valid claim. If you’re going to challenge something that has long been considered fact, you must be able to back it up with research.

For example, there’s competing research on how and when the dinosaurs went extinct. You could make your own claim on the matter if you have the research to back it up.

2. Definition

A claim of definition argues how something is defined. The idea is that you argue one thing is another thing, even though some people don’t consider it to be.

For example, you could argue that mass shootings in the United States should be considered terrorist attacks.

3. Cause and effect

A claim of cause and effect argues that one thing causes another. Again, it must be debatable. Smoking causes cancer. There is no argument there.

For example, you could argue that money in politics leads to the ineffectiveness of congress.

4. Value

A claim of value requires you to argue how good or how bad your topic is. You’re going to want to steer clear of opinion here. “Baseball is the best sport” is not a valid claim because any support you come up with will be steeped in opinion.

On the other hand, you could argue that climate change will be the greatest geopolitical crisis of your lifetime.

5. Solution

A solution claim, also referred to as a claim of policy, takes the previous category a step further. Whereas value claims often argue how bad something like climate change is, a solution claim argues how we can best fix the problem.

For example, one could argue that the decriminalization of drugs would lower overall drug abuse rates.

What Makes a Good Claim?

Now that we’ve talked about the various ways in which you can approach a claim, let’s talk about how to ensure that your claims are good, no matter which approach you take.

You may have noticed a few warnings interspersed with the examples above. That’s because there are certain pitfalls that can tank your claims—and in turn your essay—if you’re not careful.

Keep it narrow

A thesis is supposed to be quite narrow in its scope. Your claims are even more narrow arguments within that argument. So needless to say, your claims should not have a broad focus.

Be specific about what you’re claiming, and consider breaking your claim into multiple claims if it covers too much area.

Avoid opinion

In and Out burgers are the best fast-food hamburgers. This may be true. You have my vote. But that doesn’t make this an academic claim.

This is a dead-end claim because it’s purely based on opinion. You can talk about the quality of beef all day, but some people genuinely prefer burgers made out of crappy beef. This is a sad fact of life.

Support your claims

An errant claim with nothing to back it up is like a kite with no string. It looks good, but it’s not going to work like you want it to.

So make sure you only include a claim if you’ve done the research to support it within the body of your essay.

What About Counterclaims? Should I Worry About Them?

So now that you’ve developed some strong claims that can be used in your academic essay, it’s time to look at the flip side.

Although you have lots of great research to back up your arguments, you still have to address your detractors.

A strong claim is supported not only by research that proves it, but also by the accompanying research that refutes the potential counterclaims. For example, let’s say your paper is focusing on climate change and the dangers that it poses.

You not only need to provide evidence of the dangers associated with an increasing global temperature, but you also must provide evidence that it’s not just a symptom of normal fluctuations that occur over time in the climate, but a symptom of human excess.

Addressing readers’ potential counterarguments will make your essay and your claims even stronger.

Now Let’s Talk About That Thesis Statement

As we wrap up this post on claims, let’s circle back and talk about that celestial body around which your entire essay orbits: the thesis statement.

Remember, strong claims are the building blocks of a good thesis. If your claims are weak, the gravity of your thesis will be too.

The main purpose of the thesis is to do two things:

• State the subject of your essay
• State your claim(s)

Your thesis should go at the end of your introduction so that your claims can serve as a road map of the rest of your essay.

After the thesis, you will begin to tackle each claim, one by one, supporting the claims in the body of your paper with research.

In a traditional five-paragraph essay, you’ll have an introduction at the beginning and a conclusion at the end. Between the two, you will have three body paragraphs, each one focused on supporting one of your claims.

However, many essays are shorter or longer than five paragraphs. Depending on the assignment and subject, you paper could have more than three claims or only one. This will depend on the scope of the project.

No matter which it is for you, follow the above advice and your claims will be strong, and in turn, your paper will be too. If you’re still unsure about your draft, send it over to the editors at Kibin. They will ensure your claims are strong.

“Come here, Pet.”

“Hey, Maternal Grandmother, could I get your recipe for Casserole?”

“Book about a Long Journey is pretty much the best thing I’ve ever read.”

“I love shopping at Clothing Store at Mall—its Regular Jeans are to die for.”

Meh. Yawn. Zzzzzz.

Now you understand the crushing ennui your teacher feels flipping through a stack of essays entitled “Narrative Essay” or “Essay 4,” “Analysis of Emily Dickinson’s Poetry,” or worst of all, the dreaded “Untitled.”

Boring, right? No wonder it takes three weeks to get them graded and handed back!

So how do you make your essay the shining gem in the rough, the beacon that keeps your teacher from falling asleep in yet another puddle of coffee and tears during hours-long grading marathons?

We’ll get there. First, let’s discuss why essay titles matter in the first place.

Why Are Essay Titles Important?

The title of an essay occupies a pretty sweet spot: front and center, first page. This is a position of prestige and privilege. It just begs to be read.

Don’t waste this opportunity to make a good first impression!

Much like a hook sentence, a title should snag the attention of your readers and make them want to read more.

Like a hook sentence, a title should snag your readers’ attention and make them want to read more.
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Most importantly, the title—even a short one—can give readers a lot of context about an essay. Good essay titles not only identify the essay’s subject, but they can also give readers clues about important elements of the essay:

• tone (Is it serious or irreverent?)
• structure (Is it argumentative? Are you comparing and contrasting?)
• angle/stance (Are you in favor of something or against it?)

So what goes into a mind-blowingly good essay title? Keep reading to find out!

What Are the Essential Elements of Good Essay Titles?

Unfortunately, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to titling essays. While a one-word title might work for some essays, others practically beg for long, descriptive ones.

That said, there are a few qualities that most good essay titles share:.

1. A good essay title identifies the subject.

It probably seems obvious that a title should give the reader at least a hint about the essay’s subject, but you’d be surprised how often it doesn’t! I’ve edited plenty of essays with titles like “Analysis Essay,” “History,” or “Assignment 5.”

Not only are these boring, but they’re completely vague and nonspecific.

2. A great title establishes the tone of the essay.

In addition to telling readers what an essay is about, really great titles also help to set the tone or mood of the essay. A forceful, direct title is perfect for an angry rant or a somber piece of persuasion.

Titles with puns or other fun wordplay, on the other hand, suggest that the reader can take the piece a little less seriously.

3. Good essay titles are specific.

It’s possible for a title to establish both the tone and subject … but in a vague way. For instance, “A Scholarly Examination of Chinese Art” identifies a subject and a tone, but if the essay actually focuses on fifteenth-century Chinese pottery, specificity is lacking.

A more specific essay title would be “A Scholarly Examination of Fifteenth-Century Chinese Pottery.”

4. A great essay title is attractive to the intended audience.

Last but not least, a title should be attractive and interesting—but most importantly, it should be attractive and interesting to the audience for whom it was written.

For example, a playful and punny title might fall flat for a stodgy, humorless professor—you know the type.

In this case, it’s better to be straightforward and descriptive—but that doesn’t have to mean boring.

On the other hand, your creative writing instructor would probably appreciate a bit of clever wordplay.

This aspect of title-writing requires you to know your audience and make a judgment call regarding the type of title your readers will find engaging. But it’s totally worth it when you snag a big, fat ‘A,’ right?

Now that you know what goes into a good title, let’s look at some strategies for writing titles that meet these criteria.

Tips and Tricks for Writing Good Essay Titles

Now that you know the different components of a solid title, how do you actually write one?

Here are a few tips and tricks to help. For each of the following tips, I’ve also shared one or more relevant examples from the Kibin essay database.

Use subtitles to your advantage

Many essay titles have both a main title as well as a secondary title that elaborates a bit on the first part.

Consider the late David Foster Wallace’s essay Shipping Out: On the (nearly lethal) comforts of a luxury cruise. Alone, neither part of that title would meet all the criteria I listed earlier. Yet together, they create a title that’s almost irresistible. (What was “nearly lethal”? I have to know!)

Essay database example: Wrap It Up: An Ode to the Burrito

Sum it up

Another strategy for writing good essay titles is to choose two or three words that sum up the main ideas of the essay—bonus points if these words seem oddly juxtaposed as this creates interest and attraction. Just be sure that they’re relevant.

While they aren’t essays, Jared Diamond’s book Guns, Germs, and Steel and Chuck Klosterman’s essay collection Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs are both fantastic examples of this titling strategy in action. How could you pass those up?

Essay database example: Scalpel, Forceps, Empathy: How My College Experiences Are Preparing Me to Become a Competent Doctor

Take a page (well, a phrase) from someone else’s book

Sometimes, great titles are right under your nose—maybe even in the text you’re analyzing. An especially provocative or descriptive line can really set the tone for your essay and save you a bit of brainstorming.

And sometimes, you may find inspiration from a piece of writing that you aren’t writing about. Consider Joan Didion’s famous essay collection and the essay of the same name, Slouching Towards Bethlehem. The title of this work was inspired by the last line of William Butler Yeats’ poem The Second Coming.

One thing to remember, though: if your snippet is a direct quotation, be sure to place it in quotation marks, as in the example below.

Essay database example: “Dark of the Invisible Moon”: Imagery in Cormac McCarthy’s The Road

Get punny (if appropriate)

Clever wordplay has its place, including in essay titles. That said, there’s a fine line between funny and corny. Not all topics or essays are suited for a funny title. Use your best judgment, and keep your audience in mind.

Consider Donovan Hohn’s Moby-Duck: The True Story of 28,800 Bath Toys Lost at Sea & of the Beachcombers, Oceanographers, Environmentalists & Fools, Including the Author, Who Went in Search of Them. The title is cheeky yet descriptive and suits the subject well.

You can also balance your wit with a more buttoned-up subtitle to ensure that your work is still taken seriously. For instance, consider David Walter Toews’ book titled The Origin of Feces: What Excrement Tells Us about Evolution, Ecology, and a Sustainable Society.

Essay database example: Secrets of the C.I.A.: America’s Premier Chef’s School

Be provocative

Sometimes, the best essay title is simply a provocative statement that makes the reader feel just a tiny bit defensive or that speaks to an opinion the reader also holds. This titling strategy works especially well for argumentative and persuasive essays, in which you simply state your argument in the title. Pamela Druckerman’s Why French Parents Are Superior is a good example of such a title.

However, other types of non-argumentative yet controversial statements can also work. Consider Bertrand Russell’s Why I Am Not a Christian, a title that would have been particularly controversial in 1927, when it was originally published, or Mathew Ingram’s Is the Internet Making Us Smarter or Dumber? Yes.

Essay database example: Why Donald Trump Will Never Be President of the United States 

Bonus tip: Study great titles

If you really want to improve your title-writing game, figure out what makes you want to read an essay or article. Scroll through an online magazine that tickles your fancy—The New Yorker, the Opinion section of The Wall Street Journal, Rookie, and Rolling Stone all publish great essays—and figure out what makes you want to click on a title.

This I Believe is another great source of inspiration, especially for titling personal essays. Check out the titles of the most viewed essays, and consider which ones you want to read and why.

Parting Thoughts

Ultimately, writing good essay titles takes time and practice. In fact, some bloggers spend half the time it takes to create a piece of writing working on the title.

While this is definitely overkill for a school assignment—after all, you’re not necessarily competing for attention among thousands of other writers—it gives you an idea of just how important the title is.

But most importantly, you have the strategies you need to give your essay the name it deserves. And if you’re not sure if your title fits your paper or really reels the reader in, ask a Kibin editor for an honest opinion—we’re always happy to help!

Happy writing!

Wrapping up your essay can sometimes feel like wrapping a present without tape—it can be difficult at times, and you may feel that it’s just too much work. But don’t worry; I’ll give you some advice that’ll really stick with you and make writing conclusions a cinch.

Follow my guidelines and your essay conclusion will not only bind your writing together, but it’ll leave the reader with a sense of closure—the bow on top of the box, so to speak.

What (Almost) All Essay Conclusions Should Do:

There are a lot of different kinds of essays, so your conclusion is going to vary between each category. However, there are a few common elements that almost every essay conclusion should include.

Why almost every one?

Well, in a few circumstances, it’ll be okay to break the rules a little bit. But just like anything else, you should get to know the rules first before you break them.

Summary of Your Thesis Statement and Main Points

Okay, by now you should have a strong introduction complete with a hook and a thesis statement. You should also have the body of your essay written, or at least outlined.

If you don’t have these things written down, stop what you’re doing and get to writing.

Okay, are you done with your intro and body paragraphs now? Good, let’s talk about summarizing what you said.

When I say summarize your thesis statement and the main points of your body paragraphs, I don’t just mean restate them in the same or nearly the same words. You have to use different language in your essay conclusion that will make it engaging.

Still going with the gift idea for this example:

If your thesis statement is, “Wrapping gifts is important because it builds anticipation in the recipient, it makes the gift look nice, and it shows the person you really care.”

Your essay conclusion shouldn’t just say the exact same thing over again. Instead, try using more vivid language.

For example, “One of the most important aspects of gift-giving is the element of surprise, and a great way build up the surprise is to take care in wrapping your gift. Using bright colors and decorations such as ribbons and bows can make quite an impression. Your dedication to detail will let your loved one know you cared to take the time.”

Tie Up Loose Ends

You might notice that my essay conclusion example is a little more drawn out than the thesis statement. This is because I wanted to include enough details to tie up any loose ends.

If I had just simply restated the thesis statement, the reader might wonder how wrapping a gift shows that you care about someone, or how gift wrapping makes a present look nice.

Before writing your conclusion, read over the rest of your paper with new eyes. Put yourself in the reader’s shoes and try to imagine any questions you might have left unanswered. Consider any ideas you may have skirted around but didn’t make a direct statement about.

Then, answer those questions in a clear and concise manner in your conclusion.

End with Interest

Remember your hook in the introduction? Most likely it’s something like a statistic, short anecdote, quote, or surprising fact.

Well, your essay conclusion should have a kind of ending hook as well, a statement of interest. There are a couple ways to go about writing this statement.

1. Use a parallel structure. If you used a statistic in the introduction, use another statistic in the conclusion; if you used a quote, use another similar quote. However, just as you shouldn’t simply restate the thesis, you should also not use the same hook for the ending.
2. Ask a rhetorical question. This can give the reader something to think about, and it can put your topic in the context of some greater problem.

These two options are merely suggestions, and you can end your conclusion however you feel is best. The point is to make sure that the reader stays hooked until the very end.

Essay Conclusions That Are Exceptions to the Rules

The tips I’ve given above are for a general essay conclusion and will hold true for most types of essays. However, there are times when you’ll need to add some details or deviate from the formula a little bit.

An Argumentative Essay Conclusion

The guidelines I have listed will cover most of what you’ll write for an argumentative essay conclusion, but there are more details you should add.

An argumentative essay presents an argument for a specific point. This argument is probably important in some way, and in your body paragraphs, you should address opposing viewpoints.

Thus, a conclusion for an argumentative essay should let the reader know why the topic you’re writing about is important, and why you think your point of view is the right one. This means quickly readdressing and dispelling the opposition.

For your point of interest at the end of your essay conclusion, it is often a good idea to give an idea of what would happen if the reader, or the world as a whole, chose the opposing point of view.

Be descriptive; paint a picture.

A Narrative Essay Conclusion

Narrative essays are just a whole other ball game. You’re not analyzing, arguing, or explaining. You are telling a story, and you probably have not come across many books that fully summarize the main points of the story at the end.

This does not mean that you can’t restate the purpose of your narrative. It just means that you have to do it in a different way.

Often this takes the form of reflection. You’ve taken the reader through a journey, and reflection in a narrative essay conclusion “takes the reader home.” It tells what you learned as a result of that journey.

The conclusion could also be a piece of dialogue that has some statement that ties everything up nicely. Think about it as an ending line in a movie.

And Now For My Conclusion

Though you may need to add more details as in the case of the argumentative essay, or change the rules completely as with the narrative essay, most conclusions follow a pretty straightforward set of rules.

It is important to use descriptive, detailed language no matter the type of essay, as this will tie up your loose ends and make the summary of your thesis and main points more interesting to the reader.

And speaking of interesting, don’t forget to keep that reader interested until the very last word. Use shocking statements, or put your topic in the context of a larger issue.

Any way you choose to end your writing, it’s important to spend time developing your essay conclusion. As novelist Colm Toibin said, “Ending a novel is almost like putting a child to sleep – it can’t be done abruptly.”

If you’re still unsure about your conclusion or any other part of your essay, the Kibin editors are here to point you in the right direction.