SpeechFestConclusion

WhatisthepurposeofaConclusion?
stresstheimportanceofthetopicsentence
givetheessayasenseofcompleteness,and
leaveafinalimpressiononthereader
Shouldbethebestpartofyourspeech!!
Suggestions
Answerthequestion"SoWhat?"
Showyourreaderswhythispaperwasimportant.Showthemthatyour
paperwasmeaningfulanduseful.
Synthesize,don'tsummarize
o Don'tsimplyrepeatthingsthatwereinyourpaper.Theyhave
readit.Showthemhowthepointsyoumadeandthesupportand
examplesyouusedwerenotrandom,butfittogether.
Redirectyourreaders
o Giveyourreadersomethingtothinkabout,perhapsawaytouse
yourpaperinthe"real"world.Ifyourintroductionwentfrom
generaltospecific,makeyourconclusiongofromspecificto
general.Thinkglobally.
Createanewmeaning
o Youdon'thavetogivenewinformationtocreateanewmeaning.
Bydemonstratinghowyourideasworktogether,youcancreatea
newpicture.Oftenthesumofthepaperisworthmorethanits
parts.

Strategies
Echoingtheintroduction
Echoingyourintroductioncanbeagoodstrategyifitismeanttobringthe
readerfullcircle.Ifyoubeginbydescribingascenario,youcanendwiththe
samescenarioasproofthatyouressaywashelpfulincreatinganew
understanding.
Example
Introduction
Fromtheparkinglot,IcouldseethetowersofthecastleoftheMagicKingdom
standingstatelyagainstthebluesky.Totheright,thetallpeakofThe
Matterhornroseevenhigher.Fromtheleft,Icouldhearthejunglesoundsof
Adventureland.AsIenteredthegate,MainStreetstretchedbeforemewithits
quaintshopsevokinganoldfashionedsmalltownsocharmingitcouldnever
haveexisted.Iwasentranced.Disneylandmayhavebeenbuiltforchildren,but
itbringsoutthechildinadults.
Conclusion
IthoughtIwouldspendafewhoursatDisneyland,buthereIwasat1:00A.M.,
closingtime,leavingthefrontgateswiththenowdarktowersoftheMagic
Kingdombehindme.Icouldseetiredchildren,toddlingalongandstrugglingto
keeptheireyesopenasbesttheycould.Otherssleptintheirparents'armsaswe
waitedfortheparkinglottramthatwouldtakeustoourcars.Myfortyyear
oldfeetached,andIfeltabitsadtothinkthatinacoupleofdaysIwouldbe
leavingCalifornia,myvacationover,togobacktomydesk.ButthenIsmiled
tothinkthatforatleastadayIfelttenyearsoldagain.

Posingquestions

Posingquestions,eithertoyourreadersoringeneral,mayhelpyourreaders
gainanewperspectiveonthetopic,whichtheymaynothaveheldbefore
readingyourconclusion.Itmayalsobringyourmainideastogethertocreate
anewmeaning.

Example
Campaignadvertisementsshouldhelpusunderstandthecandidate's
qualificationsandpositionsontheissues.Instead,mosttelluswhataboobor
knavetheopposingcandidateis,ortheypresentgeneralimagesofthe
candidateasafamilypersonorGodfearingAmerican.Dosuchadvertisements
contributetocreatinganinformedelectorateorapeoplewhochoosepolitical
leadersthesamewaytheychoosesoftdrinksandsoap?
LooktotheFuture
Example
Withoutwellqualifiedteachers,schoolsarelittlemorethanbuildingsand
equipment.Ifhigherpayingcareerscontinuetoattractthebestandthe
brighteststudents,therewillnotonlybeashortageofteachers,buttheteachers
availablemaynothavethebestqualifications.Ouryouthwillsuffer.Andwhen
youthsuffers,thefuturesuffers.

Challengingthereader
Byissuingachallengetoyourreaders,youarehelpingthemtoredirectthe
informationinthepaper,andtheymayapplyittotheirownlives.
Example
Thoughservingonajuryisnotonlyacivicresponsibilitybutalsoan
interestingexperience,manypeoplestillviewjurydutyasachorethat
interruptstheirjobsandtheroutineoftheirdailylives.However,juriesarepart
ofAmerica'sattempttobeafreeandjustsociety.Thus,jurydutychallengesus
tobeinterestedandresponsiblecitizens.

GreatEndingsChecklist:

Doesyourendingmakesensewiththespeech?
Doesyourendingconnectwiththebeginning?
Istheresupportforyourendinginthespeech?
Doesyourendingcompletethemainidea