Writing a Conclusion for an Essay

The conclusion is the last paragraph of an essay. Although often brief in

comparison with the other paragraphs, the conclusion performs a number of
very significant functions.

Restate your thesis
Introductions thesis: Today I will show how accurate the novels character,
setting, and plot matched the actual facts of the Scopes Trial.
Conclusions thesis: Today you learned how accurate Monkey Towns
character, setting, and plot matched the actual facts of the Scopes
Trial.

Summarize the purpose of the essay
Introductions summary: Dayton, Tennessee was a quiet, conservative, and
religious small town. Inside the local drugstore, owner Fred Robinson read a
newspaper advertisement from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
requesting a Tennessee teacher admit that he or she taught evolution, which
was against the law in Tennessee at the time, so that the ACLU could defend him
or her in a trial and hopefully get the law revoked. Since Dayton could use a
tourism boost, the town fathers asked local teacher John Scopes to answer the
ad. The rest, they say, is history.
Conclusions summary: Dayton, Tennessee may have been a quiet
community before this trial, but during the summer of 1925, the entire
world listened as a young teacher defended teaching of evolution.

Revisit your attention getter
Finish your story
o Introductions story: It was the summer of 1925 and school was just
released for 15 year old Frances Robinson. Frances was hoping to see her
crush, the young teacher John Scopes, around her fathers drug store.
However something was going to be occupying Johns time that summer;
he was on trial.
o Conclusions story: In the end, Francess crush would say good-bye
and leave Tennessee, but she never forgot that summer, and
neither would we.
Restate the quote
o Introductions quote: We're in a revolution just over evolution. The
battle of ages is on. Some scientists have claimed We're human just by
name, That monkeys and men are the same. But Darwin's theory doesn't
sound good to me. I might have monkey manners But with him I can't
agree. You cant make a monkey out of me. These are lyrics from Billy
Rose about the 1925 Scopes Trial over evolution.
o Conclusion s quote: Perhaps the song was correct that Were in
a revolution just over evolution. The battle of ages is on. Its a
battle that still goes on today, but we have learned so much since
the Scopes Trial.
Answer the rhetorical question or ask another one
o Introductions question: Do you believe we have evolved from monkeys?
o Conclusions question: In 1925 you may not have believed we
evolved from monkeys, but today, we have the Scopes Trial to
thank for starting our education of evolution.
Revisit the statistic
o Introductions statistic: In a recent survey from the PBS website, 29%
of people believe evolution should be removed from state science
standards, but in Dayton, Tennessee during 1925 that statistic would be
drastically greater.
o Conclusions statistic: Today, 70% of people surveyed by PBS
believe evolution should remain in science standards. The monkey
trial made a difference.

Example:
Today you learned how accurate Monkey Towns character, setting, and plot
matched the actual facts of the Scopes Trial. Dayton, Tennessee may have been a quiet
community before this trial, but during the summer of 1925, the entire world listened as a
young teacher defended teaching of evolution. Today, 70% of people surveyed by PBS
believe evolution should remain in science standards. The monkey trial made a difference.

RESTATE THESIS



REVIEW YOUR SUMMARY





REVISIT YOUR ATTENTION GETTER