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It does not matter what the medium of the content is, the opening and closing often get special treatment from both the receivers and the creators. It is because of its importance in connecting with the receivers and making an impact.
The conclusion in an expository essay, or in any essay for that matter, is the last thing that readers will read and probably remember about it. That’s why it has to finish on a higher note and cover all the bases for the topic and its treatment throughout the essay.
This is where the importance of conclusions lies and that’s why students should be able to provide the necessary input in tweaking and fine-tuning the conclusions of their expository essays.
When it comes to writing expository essays, there is often nothing exciting in them, especially when talking about things literally. They are objective through and through with no surprises and no play of language. The simplest but most comprehensive definition of an expository essay can be an essay that provides factual information to the readers in objective and unbiased language and tone.
There are many ways writers can compose these essays to prove their points. The most common types of expository essays include cause-and-effect essays, process essays, compare-and-contrast essays, and more. They are to the point and provide evidence for each postulate so there is no speculation about the contents.
Many students confuse expository essays with argumentative essays. The reality is that they are both different. The expository essay deals with a single problem or topic by providing multiple empirical pieces of evidence from reliable sources. An argumentative essay, however, can have opinions, personal views, and evidence from credible sources for several issues.
The rationale or primary purpose behind writing an expository essay is to inform the readers objectively and somberly. The purpose and nature coincide in expository essays because they should be written in objective and unbiased language. The tone should be actionable and reliable so that readers can even put the theory into practice. This is further clear from the fact that manuals and how-to articles are written in an expository style. The use of subjective information and literary devices introduces a duality of meanings which can be confusing for readers.
In academic institutions, expository essays are used by instructors to gauge the research and writing capabilities of the students. Where narrative and descriptive essays can be written based on memory and intuition, expository essays require a solid foundation for all the points that are going to be discussed.
Writing a satisfying conclusion may require hit and trial since we do not know what works and what does not. Still, the best way to know is by checking the hallmarks of the conclusion and its requirements.
In this section, we will go through the process of writing one step by step.
Just like you outline the whole essay beforehand, it helps to outline the conclusion. You can split it into three distinct sections.
The first one is the opening where you can use transition words to let readers know that you are winding up the discussion. Then comes the main body where the major points should be discussed. In closing, you should aim for memorable one-liners to make a difference.
We cannot deny the importance of opening lines, even when they are about the conclusion. The best way to start these for the conclusion is by connecting them with the introduction.
You do not have to paraphrase the whole introduction. Just use a term or a point from the opening. Again, aim for something attention-grabbing and eye-catching because readers may want to remember it later.
The main body of the conclusion is the reiteration of the main points from the main body of the essay. This is the meat and bones of the conclusion and should be written with care.
Many students make the mistake of adding a new point here. This can throw off the whole essay and its discussion. Instead aim for the developments already written but now, only in compact form.
An expository essay can use memorable lines at the end so that readers can sign off on a high note. Again, look for the main points and distill them down to one-liners and other sorts. Writers often look toward the introduction, the topic, and the thesis statement to get it right. Students should go over it again and again until they are satisfied that it is making the intended impression.
After outlining the whole process of writing the conclusion, it is best to share different angles that students can pursue in this regard. This section is dedicated to those angles, whether explored or unexplored before. These are just suggestions as writers can experiment with them or use them as they are. Whatever works for them should be given priority.
The conclusion of an expository essay can reflect the message and context of the introduction. To do that, writers should go through the opening and come up with the main points, or terms, that can help them reiterate the things from there. There is no need to go verbatim and there is no need to come up with a new point.
Expository essays are objective. They are not good at using literary devices but they can test theories and provide helping evidence. In this regard, good conclusions can predict and amplify the main points from the body. Students should keep in mind that no new development should make it there. Otherwise, it will lose its purpose and denature its existence.
The thesis statement is the summation of the main idea or central idea of the essay. In the closing section, writers can rely on it to make additions to the developments and discussion in the main body. So, writers can step up the thesis in the conclusion and it will help readers in understanding the main ideas of the essay.
Yes, you can. It is one of the best ways to conclude an essay. By connecting it with the introduction, it can make the circle-back effect on the readers by reiterating the ideas and points from the opening and the main body.
The conclusion is one of the most important sections of an expository essay. Its special place makes it more memorable and appealing to the readers. Students should give more attention and time to composing a winning conclusion.
There is no set word count when it comes to concluding an expository essay. Mostly, is given a paragraph to summarize the main points of the essay. Still, if you are curious about the exact word count of the essay, it is around 125 to 150 words.
No, this is not ideal. The purpose of writing a conclusion is to reiterate or reinforce the already discussed ideas from the main body. If a writer adds new ideas, it will affect the impact of the main body and the discussion surrounding it.
There should be cohesion between different sections of an expository essay. When it comes to the main body and the conclusion of the essay, it should bridge the gaps and provide the context to the ideas discussed in the body.
Following are some of the best tips to conclude an expository essay:
When it comes to writing a conclusion, it is necessary to understand its purpose and scope. A conclusion is a section where all the discussion and developments of the essay are from the main body. Since it is one of the most important sections of the essay, writers should keep in mind the needs of the readers and the premise of the essay and its topic. In this blog, we have provided all the necessary elements for the students to write riveting conclusions. We have also added sections covering practical tips so that novice writers can have a head start when they sit down to write conclusions to expository essays.
