Writing the Conclusion to a Cause & Effect Essay
- 1). Link the conclusion to your introduction. You can do this by reiterating a word or phrase you used at the beginning. You might also call for action based on the facts in your essay. Use simple and direct language. For example, an essay exploring the causes and effects of hurricanes might end with a call for more funding of early warning systems or more planning at the state and local levels to get people out of harm's way. An essay exploring the causes of malaria in infants in certain parts of Africa might end with a reiteration of the benefits of simple cost-effective solutions, such as mosquito nets.
- 2). Conclude with a quotation or a reference from one of the sources used in your essay. Amplify your main points without necessarily restating them. Quotations can add context and lend credibility to your discussion. For example, you could end a discussion in a health-related essay by quoting from a practicing physician, or one on an environmental topic by quoting a noted climate researcher.
- 3). Frame the discussion in a larger context. Consider the broad implications of the cause-effect relationships described in your essay. For example, you could end an essay on the causes and effects of floods by linking it to the ongoing debate over climate change; or you could end an essay on childhood obesity by mentioning the importance of proper dieting and the impact of food advertising on television.