how to write a conclusion for a magazine article

17 Ways to Write a Conclusion for an Article

• Freelancing & Consulting
• Retail Small Business
• Restauranting
• Real Estate
• Nonprofit Organizations
• Import/Export Business
• Food & Beverage
• Event Planning
• Construction
• Operations & Success
• Becoming an Owner

Conclusions to news articles—or any kind of article for that matter—are important because they wrap up the story and comfortably tell the reader that they've reached the end. Think about any news story or op-ed piece that you thought was well-written and you'll notice it ended with an important or interesting piece of information.

The truth is, everyone has a hard time writing conclusions. But don't fret. This list of seventeen kinds of conclusions will help you polish off your next piece of writing. Bookmark this list, keep it handy, and reach for it the next time your brain is out of fresh ideas.

Reiterate the Main Point

Circling back to your main point is the most straightforward way to wrap up your article. Simply reiterate your main point with slightly different verbiage. It may not seem very creative, but it's logical and it works.

For example, an article about the need for clean energy could end with a statistic about the melting of the polar ice caps.

Summarize Succinctly

Summarizing is different than reiterating. Instead of focusing on the main point, you could wrap up with a quick revisit of your document's body text . 

An article about the nuclear arms race could end with information about the current status of China and North Korea's nuclear arsenal.

Answer Potential Questions

Have you ever read something, gotten to the end, and thought, "So What? Why should I care?" In other words, what is the outcome or consequence of the main points made in the article?

For example, an article about the lack of qualified high school basketball coaches in your area should conclude with statistics about the low percentage of NBA players from areas with unqualified high school basketball coaches.

Send Readers Elsewhere

If your article, essay or blog post is pretty complete and doesn't need a "so what?", nor a reiteration, consider sending the reader in a new direction. It works well for blog posts.

For example, you could end a blog post similar to this article by saying something along the lines of, "Of course, there are plenty of credible blogs out there hiring freelancers. Try checking out any of these," and then list blogs you know are credible.

Issue a Challenge

Spur your readers on by challenging them in some way. Invite them to prove or disprove your point, or to think about the information you presented in a new and innovative way.

Allowing the reader to comment or send a letter  to the editor is always a powerful way to end an article.

Point to the Future

This one tends to be easy. It mentally places your reader in the future while keeping your article in mind. This makes it more likely the reader will use your information or revisit your publication.

For example, if you are writing an article about increasing your freelance writing rates , ask the reader to consider the benefits of doing so—such as more savings, fewer work hours and higher self-esteem. 

Make a New Connection

Ask the reader to consider new information or a new connection birthed by your article. This connects your article to the bigger picture.

For example, an article about a new social media platform could conclude with how this digital offering plugs the readers into what is relevant today, whether they are 26 or 62.

Wrap up a Scenario

If you opened your document with a scenario, story or vignette, revisit that scene. It works well for many types of articles and tends to add interest to weighty information.

For example, if your article is about gun control, go back to your opening scene about Parkland or Shady Hook.

Circle Back

Circling back to your opener or introduction is similar to the wrap-up scenario

L et's say you opened an essay on the Gettysburg Address with a quote from Lincoln. Conclude by letting the reader know that the Gettysburg Address is considered one of the most important orations in American history because it was the official dedication ceremony for the National Cemetery of Gettysburg, on the site of one of the bloodiest and most decisive battles of the Civil War.

End With a Quote

Many writers are partial to pithy quotes . If you can find one that supports your article or essay, feel free to use it—as long as you attribute it properly. You don't want to violate any copyrights .

If your article explores the importance of details in mid-century architecture, end with Mies van der Rohs' famous line, "God is in the details."

Present a Solution

If your article focuses on a problem, use your conclusion to point the reader to a good solution. It works well for political and sociological pieces.

For example, an op-ed about the need to engage more students in the political process could end by mentioning the League of Women Voters, which helps pre-register 16-year-olds.

Suggest Further Reading

If your prose is limited by a word count , offer your reader further resources to continue learning about the subject at hand.

For example, an article about starting a business could send readers to ​their local Chamber of Commerce.

Suggest an Action

It is similar to issuing a challenge but more concrete. For those who write online, this may come in the form of asking the reader to click a link leading to your other pieces about the same subject. 

The importance of leadership to the success of a business could have the reader click on a link to a recent entrepreneur.com story with advice from exemplary leaders.

Point to Great Things

This conclusion works well for pieces meant to be persuasive or to provide a solution or challenge. It entails pointing out the great things that will happen to the readers if they accept and act upon your point of view.

For example, if you are writing an article about the need for people to adopt shelter dogs, let the reader know how many dogs could be saved each year through adoption.

Get Rhetorical

Ask a rhetorical question.

For example: "It's up to you: Do you want to write great conclusions or not?"

Consider the Larger Context

Place your article, essay, blog post or  e-book within a larger context.

If you're writing a how-to piece about conclusions, connect the ability to write conclusions to the advancement of one's career by saying, "Your clients will appreciate the skill that you have in wrapping up your copy, and will hire you again and again."

Switch Gears

Switch gears, and approach the other side of an argument.

For example, you could conclude an article about writer's rates by saying, "Then again, some very good writers prefer not to earn a living through their craft, and prefer being hobbyists, and that's perfectly fine."

• What Is an Op-Ed Article?
• How to Write a Profile or Interview-Based Article
• Secrets to Managing a Successful Blog
• Red Mittens, Hooks, and Other Ways to Make Contest Entries Spectacular
• How to Make Money with the Amazon Associates Program
• How to Make Money Selling Ebooks Online
• What Is a Sidebar?
• What Is a Freelance Writer?
• How to Start Writing Articles as a Freelancer
• How to Start a Freelance Writing Business
• Backgrounder Career Example
• How to Write the Best Retail Blog
• Getting Paid to Write Essays and Term Papers
• Ways to Generate Great Interview Questions
• How to Write a Book Review
• Learn How to Become a Speech Writer

By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.

Start your 14-day free trial

Create Your Account: Step 1 of 2

Get free expert insights and tips to grow your knowledge business sent right to your inbox.

17 Tips on How to Write a Great Article Conclusion for Your Blog

We’re not going to lie: Writing great conclusions for your blog articles can be tough. You’ve already shared the meat of your content with your audience, so what else is left to say?

It’s important to nail your conclusions, though. We’ll explain why in a moment.

But first, you need to understand the conclusion’s purpose in your article. It’s designed to bring the article full circle and reinforce the statements you’ve made.

As a Knowledge Commerce professional, you know that your purpose is to teach others. You probably also know that the last word matters — a lot.

Think about an article as an analogy for an argument. You’re putting forth your own ideas on a subject to convince others of your point of view. You want them to use the information you’ve given to better themselves or others.

If they disagree with you, they won’t take your article seriously at all.

Consequently, you need a persuasive closing argument to wrap up your perspective and encourage your readers to take the desired next steps. Honing your copywriting skills can help, but you also need to understand the psychology behind the conclusion.

It’s harder than it looks, but we’ve gathered 17 tips to help you write slam-dunk conclusions every time you post an article on your blog.

Why Does an Article’s Conclusion Matter?

You probably already know the desired structure for an article:

• Introduction

• Supporting text

• Conclusion


That’s it. You have lots of freedom when it comes to fulfilling those three essential parts, but the structure really matters.

People spend a lot of time on the Internet these days, but if they read every article they came across, they’d never leave the screen. What does that mean for you? It decreases the chances that your article will get read at all.

However, all hope isn’t lost.

Eye-tracking and heatmap studies have shown that people read online articles in myriad ways. A common trend looks like this:

• Read the headline

• Scan the introduction

• Read subheadlines

• Scan the conclusion


Why do people read like this? Because they want the gist of the article.

The headline tells them what to expect, the introduction eases them into the content, the subheadings help fill out their understanding of the content, and the conclusion wraps up the piece.

In many cases, they can learn most of what they want to know from the introduction and conclusion alone.

If you end your article with a sentence or two of useless fluff, you lose the opportunity to impress your reader. Worse, most entrepreneurs put their CTAs at the ends of their articles. If readers never scroll down to the conclusion, they never get the chance to convert.

Now that you understand why conclusions matter so much for your marketing strategy, let’s explore 17 tips to help you write better conclusions.

1. Restate the Article’s Thesis

This part of your article’s conclusion might take just a sentence or two, or you might need an entire paragraph. Either way, make sure you sum up the article’s primary takeaway in an engaging way.

We mentioned above that visitors might not read the majority of your article. However, if they skip to the conclusion, you want them to walk away with something of value.

In other words, your readers should learn something from what you write at the end of your blog post.

Your article’s thesis is the primary focal point of the piece. Why did you write the article? What point are you trying to make?

Restate it so your readers know exactly what you want to get across.

Remember, though, that many of your visitors will have read the entire thing. They’ll already know the ideas you put forth and the suggestions you made.

You don’t want to bore those constant readers, so keep the summary short. If you don’t give anything away, the people who skipped ahead might go back to read some of the finer points.

To that end, you can instill some curiosity. Reference some other part of the article so visitors will want to scroll back up and see what you’re talking about.

2. Answer the Pertinent Question: “So What?”

Think about the last novel you read or movie you watched. The climactic moment solved the mystery, revealed the villain, thwarted the antagonistic forces — in other words, the story was resolved.

However, the book or film didn’t end there, did it? There were at least one or two scenes afterward to wrap up the story and leave the reader or viewer satisfied.

This is known as a “So What?” moment. You took a journey with these characters, so the writer wants you to know why you spent all that time with them. What can you take away from the story?

An article conclusion works the same way. It wraps up the content, sure, but it also tells you why it matters. What should your readers take away from the information you’ve given them?

More importantly, why should they care?

If you can answer that question effectively, your readers will know they haven’t wasted their time.

3. Start With a “Conclusion” Heading

It might seem a little boring to call your conclusion what it is, but it’s also straightforward and direct. If you get too creative with your final subheading, readers might wonder if it’s really the end.

You’ll notice that we always use the subheading “Conclusion” here on the Kajabi blog. There’s a reason for that.

We want you to know that you’ve reached the end of the article. It’s like a signpost on a road trip. You know you’ve reached your destination.

It’s also very simple. There aren’t any guessing games. You don’t have to worry about wordplay.

These days, simplicity is underrated. We crave it because our lives are so jam-packed with information that we often feel overwhelmed.

When you can give your readers a break by simply stating what you mean, you’ll gain loyal followers.

4. Keep It Short and Sweet

Conclusions shouldn’t drag out the inevitable. They certainly shouldn’t be used to pad the word count or to prolong your visitors’ time on page.

If readers think you’re wasting their time, they won’t come back.

The best marketing strategies involve quick, easy-to-understand copy. Whether you’re writing an article conclusion or a Facebook Ad, you want to get to the point and wrap up before you’ve overstayed your welcome.

Create a style guide for your blog and establish a desirable conclusion length. The best article conclusions are typically between 50 and 250 words, but if you can err on the side of short, you’ll probably experience better results.

However, the conclusion should reflect the length of the article. If you’ve already written 3,000 words of content, your conclusion shouldn’t wrap up in 50 words. You need more screen space to fully summarize the article and to engage your reader.

5. Talk to Your Audience Conversationally

For some reason, writers often get very formal in their conclusions. They might think they need to sound smart or professional so their readers will take them seriously.

Don’t fall into this trap.

Your article’s conclusion should reflect the tone and voice you adopted for the rest of the article. Don’t change just because you’re wrapping things up.

In fact, it’s even more critical to remain conversational in the conclusion than it is in the rest of the piece. You’re trying to make friends with the reader, to show that you have the information he or she needs.

You can’t do that with stilted verbiage and five-dollar words.

The conclusion is a great place to insert trigger words . You want to inspire your audience to do something after they finish reading, whether they click over to a landing page or sign up for your email list .

6. Avoid Photographs and Graphics

You’ll notice that we use lots of images in our blog posts. That’s purposeful. Visual imagery engages your audience and keeps them moving through your articles.

However, images don’t belong in your article conclusion. The only exception is a button or other graphic that signals a CTA.

Put simply, images distract your reader more than anything else in the conclusion. You don’t need them to keep reading because there’s nothing else to read.

Instead, focus on engaging text. You don’t need graphs, photos, illustrations, or any other images here because you’re telling the reader what he or she should have gained from the article.

7. Include Disclaimers or Disclosures if Necessary

These days, entrepreneurs have to protect themselves. This means adding any necessary disclaimers or disclosures to the end of your article.

Let’s say, for example, that you’ve included affiliate links in the piece. Let readers know that you’ll benefit monetarily if they click on these links and buy the products associated with them.

The same goes for any products or services you’ve recommended. If you have an arrangement with the person who sells those products or services, be transparent and let your readers know.

Essentially, if you’ve included anything in your article for financial incentive (other than promoting your own digital products ), disclose the relationship in the conclusion.

You might also want to add a disclaimer to protect yourself as well as your reader.

For instance, maybe you have written about a health or wellness topic. If you’re not a doctor (or even if you are), add a disclaimer that looks something like this:

The information provided in this article does not serve as a substitute for medical intervention.

It’s not just about protecting you. It’s also important to encourage your readers to seek professional advice in person.

Other industries that might need this type of disclaimer could include law, religion, fitness, and finance.

8. Restate the Article’s Main Points

In your article conclusion, go back over the main points (often the information you included in subheadings) and reiterate them. You’re summarizing the important information so your readers know what to take away from the piece.

We already talked about restating your thesis, but you also want to cover your sub-points. These might be steps to take, benefits of a particular practice, or supporting arguments. They’re the structure of your article.

Don’t go into any depth here. Just hit each point with as much brevity as possible. Readers who are interested in exploring those points in more depth can return to that part of the article.

9. Let Your Reader Know What to Do Next

It’s time to give your audience some next steps to take now that they’ve read your article. What should they do with the information you’ve provided?

In some ways, next steps and CTAs (discussed below) are similar. You probably want your reader to join your membership site or buy your latest course.

However, the next steps aren’t always about you or your business.

Maybe you have other articles related to this topic that you want your readers to check out. Consider linking to them in the conclusion.

Alternatively, perhaps you want readers to apply your advice in a specific way. Spell it out for them at the end of the piece.

Remember that consumers don’t always act unless they’re specifically told what to do. It’s not because we’re unable to make our own decisions, but because we don’t always know where to go next.

Now’s the time to give your readers a helping hand.

10. Ask an Insightful Question

Formulate a question for the very end of your article. It should come last and give readers an incentive to leave a comment or otherwise participate in the conversation.

Remember that your blog should inspire community. You want people to interact with you and with other readers.

If you ask a direct question, people will want to share their experiences and opinions. Many blog posts on the web garner hundreds or even thousands of comments because of such insightful questions.

Just make sure that it’s engaging and on-point. You don’t want to drift off-topic or ask such a complex question that readers don’t know where to start.

Your question can also help readers start thinking about their own journeys. What do they want to accomplish? How can your digital products help?

11. Add a CTA [h2]

The CTA can come anywhere in the conclusion (or even in a segment above the conclusion). It should tell the reader exactly what you want him or her to do.

Think of the CTA as your elevator pitch. You only have until the lift reaches the fifth floor to convince someone else in the cab to buy your product.

Since you have very little space and time, make your CTA snappy. Don’t just tell your reader what to do — explain why they should.

For instance, maybe you offer a free gift with every purchase of your mini-course. Use that extra bonus to incentivize your readers. They can get this free gift if they buy your course.

You could also use a CTA for your email list. Use coupons or a lead magnet as an incentive.

Whatever the case, you need to answer an important question in your CTA: “What’s in it for me?”

That’s what your readers are asking themselves. If you don’t give a strong enough incentive, those readers won’t convert.

12. Address Your Target Audience Directly

When you’re crafting your article conclusion, don’t be vague. Keep your buyer persona in the back of your mind with every word you type.

In other words, who are you talking to? And what verbiage would most appeal to that person?

Your article’s conclusion would look one way if you were writing to young, single women with bachelor’s degrees. It would look much different if your audience was married men and women with kids and advanced education.

You can even mention your target audience directly.

Let’s say that you’re writing to an audience of young mothers. Your conclusion might start something like this:

“If you’re struggling to parent successfully as a single mother…”

You’ve named your target audience right there in the conclusion. Consequently, your reader will identify strongly with the content.

13. Issue a Challenge

Who doesn’t love a challenge? If you want to liven up an otherwise hum-drum conclusion, consider challenging your audience to take on a particular goal or to reach a specific milestone.

Since you’re involved in Knowledge Commerce, you know your target audience wants to learn. That’s why they’re reading your article in the first place.

At this point, you can encourage them to reach their goals and better themselves by laying down the gauntlet. It just has to be specific.

Let’s say that you’re writing fitness tips for beginners. You could add something like this to your conclusion:

“I have a challenge for everyone reading this. Over the next seven days, do every exercise in this article at least once per day. Come back after the week is over and report your progress.”

This type of challenge serves two purposes:

• Engaging the reader on a deep level; and

• Inviting the reader back to the blog.


Each purpose can benefit you, the business owner, as well as the reader.

14. Sum Up Potential Benefits

We’ve mentioned before that, in marketing and advertising, it’s better to talk about benefits than features. A benefit shows a clear advantage for the reader, while a feature just illustrates a fact.

The same goes for your article conclusion. It’s a good idea to sum up your thesis and main points, but you also want to help the reader understand how he or she can specifically benefit.

Let’s go back to the article example of fitness for beginners. Benefits could include starting with simple exercises that don’t pose an injury risk, building up to more difficult movements, and improving range of motion.

In other words, you want your reader to walk away from your article thinking, “I can enjoy advantages if I put these tips into practice.”

You can sum up this point in a sentence or two. For the fitness article, it might look like this:

“Practice these eight exercises for the next seven days and experience improved range of motion, better endurance, and risk-free progress toward your fitness goals.”

It’s a bit like marketing copy, but you’re not selling anything other than ideas.

15. Hit a Pain Point

An article conclusion is also a great opportunity to hit your reader where it hurts — not physically, but metaphorically. We all have pain points we want to solve, and you’re offering the answer.

This article, for instance, teaches writers and entrepreneurs how to write better article conclusions. That’s pretty simple.

But what’s the pain point? Maybe you struggle with your conclusions every time you write a blog post. Perhaps you’re not getting great conversions even though your blog posts get lots of traffic.

In other words, you’re struggling with something. We’re trying to help.

When you address the pain point directly, you connect with the reader on a new level. He or she realizes you understand his or her frustrations and want to help.

16. Alternate Sentence and Paragraph Length

Conclusions aren’t usually the most exciting parts of an article. That’s why readers often skim them.

One way to keep them glued to the page is to make the copy itself more engaging. You could make one paragraph three sentences long, then add a subsequent paragraph that has one sentence with just five words.

17. Share an Exciting or Interesting Fact

Finally, your article’s conclusion should demonstrate that you don’t write conclusions just for the heck of it. You’re still imparting information.

Including an interesting or entertaining fact can help. Statistics work particularly well for this purpose.

Alternatively, you could disclose a personal fact about yourself. Maybe you’ve struggled to write article conclusions, but have only recently begun to improve them. Share that information with your audience if you’re writing about conclusions.

You’ll make a connection with your reader, show that you’ve been in his or her shoes, and keep the reader wanting more.

Article Conclusion Example

The best article conclusions boast most or all of the suggestions listed above. You can find many excellent article conclusion examples right here on the Kajabi blog .

Although our conclusions might vary from one article to the next, you’ll see patterns (especially with regard to the tips above). We don’t include every element in every conclusion, but we try to hit as many as possible.

Of course, you probably want to see it in action on someone else’s blog. That’s understandable.

With that in mind, let’s look at another example from elsewhere.

Neil Patel , one of the foremost marketing experts in the world, writes a long, in-depth article on some aspect of marketing for his personal blog every day. One common denominator is that he always writes fantastic conclusions.

Check out the conclusion to his recent article on headlines :

You’ll notice that the article conclusion exhibits many of the tips we’ve provided here:

• He labeled the conclusion.

• The first sentence reiterates the article’s thesis.

• The second sentence hits a pain point.

• In the third sentence, he explains why the preceding tips matter.

• He then goes on to explain how the reader will benefit.

• The article conclusion ends with a question for his audience.


You can learn a lot from studying other writers, such as this feature article conclusion sample. The faster you learn how to write a conclusion, the more conversions you’ll get from every article you write.

Use Kajabi To Turn Your Knowledge And Content Into Products You Can Sell

It’s hard to start a business by yourself. You need lots of stamina, willpower, and fortitude if you want to succeed.

However, you don’t have to go it alone. We don’t mean you need a partner — though one of those can help, too — but that you need a platform for your business that will set you up for success from the very beginning.

That’s exactly what Kajabi provides. We’ve grouped together all the tools you need to make your Knowledge Commerce business flourish.

You can sign up for our 28 Day Challenge  and discover the Kajabi platform for yourself for free!  In fact, you can start creating your own online course from the moment you sign up.

Article conclusions matter. Regardless of whether the article is going on your blog, in an email, or somewhere else entirely, it needs a well-crafted conclusion.

But you know that, right? You read this article.

There are lots of ways to spruce up your conclusion and make it more useful to your audience. We’ve described 17 of them here.

It’s important to note, however, that your audience is unique. Your conclusions should represent your brand, writing style, and company culture.

Maybe your conclusions will only be 50 words long. Perhaps they extend to 100 words or more.

The length doesn’t matter as much as the content. Keep it brief in relation to the article itself, but make sure you include enough meat to give your audience something of value.

And now, for the obligatory question:

What hacks have you discovered to help improve your own article conclusions?

Start Building Your Business With Kajabi!

Start your 14-day free trial today! Create, market, and sell digital products like online courses, membership sites, coaching programs, ebooks, and private podcast episodes all in one place. Monetizing your knowledge has never been easier. Find more blog posts by category:

Create Your Product Build Your Business Grow Your Business Kajabi News Self-Made

Similar Blog Posts

Client intake form benefits and best practices

What is cross-selling + 6 strategies to increase it

How to increase sales: 21 proven strategies to sell more online

What are you waiting for? Develop your one page business plan with our lean canvas template so you can see your success mapped out.

Download our FREE niche worksheet to discover how you can make a profitable business.

Use our FREE idea validation worksheet to identify your ideal customer and the solutions you can offer to make money.

Download free AI prompts for social media, email marketing, website copy, and digital products to 10x your productivity!

Got followers? Download our free guide on how you can turn your social media following into paying customers.

Get your free worksheet to help you write the perfect sales landing page to convert leads into paying customers.

No email marketing experience? No problem. Download our free performance tracking sheet so you can refine your strategy.

• Good Writing
• Revising & Rewriting
• Nonfiction Writing
• Academic Writing
• Travel Writing
• Literary Agents
• Getting Published
• Fiction Writing
• Self-Publishing
• Marketing & Selling Books
• Building a Blog
• Making Money Blogging
• Boosting Blog Traffic
• Online Writing
• eZine Writing
• Making Money Online
• Non-Fiction Writing
• Magazine Writing
• Pitching Query Letters
• Working With Editors
• Professional Writers
• Newspaper Writing
• Making Money Writing
• Running a Writing Business

How to End Your Article: 5 Ways to Write a Powerful Conclusion

• December 30, 2022
• 13 Comments

A good article ends with a conclusion that surprises the reader, yet makes sense. Writing an ending that summarizes your ideas is difficult, but not impossible.

Endings are important. So important, in fact, that some writers say a strong ending is more important than a strong beginning. I disagree. If you don’t hook your reader from the start, she’ll never get to the end.

Nevertheless, ending your article on a high note gives it power to stick with the reader forever. Or a really long time. In this article, you won’t find a “one size fits all” tip on how to end your article because it doesn’t exist. You will, however, find the five most effective ways to write a conclusion.

“It is always important to know when something has reached its end,” writes Paulo Coelho in The Zahir: A Novel of Obsession . “Closing circles, shutting doors, finishing chapters, it doesn’t matter what we call it; what matters is to leave in the past those moments in life that are over.”

Sometimes the ending practically writes itself. Other times you have to wrestle that ending to the ground. Either way, you must be alert. Writing a great conclusion is easier when you have a variety of tools and techniques to choose from. Who goes into battle empty-handed? These five tips for ending your article will help you find the right way to say “The End” without coming out and saying…The End.

Whether you’re writing an article for a national magazine or blogging a little blurb, keep the ending at the back of your mind. What impression do you want to leave the readers with? How do you want them to feel, what do you want them to do? As you research, write and revise your article, stay alert to possible endings. Play with different ideas.

5 Powerful Ways to End Your Article

Some writers say the conclusion of an article could work just as well as the introduction – with a slight modification. I think it depends on your article, writing style, and audience.

Your conclusion rounds out the article, ties up the loose ends. It’s not an afterthought. To be powerful, a strong ending has to develop naturally from the article, essay, or chapter. The conclusion has to both surprise readers and make them feel like they should’ve known it was coming all along.

1. End with a quotation that looks back or looks forward

You don’t necessarily want to add anything too new to the end of your article, but you can include a surprising twist. Readers want the same, but different. So do editors and publishers. So, give your reader more of what you’ve been doing in the article — ending with a little poke in the ribs.

“…don’t make the surprise so foreign that it seems out of place and doesn’t tie into the article. If the quote or surprising statement seems out of place, then you only leave the reader confused, and you have lost the value of what you have built throughout the article,” writes Roger Palms in Effective Magazine Writing: Let Your Words Reach the World .

2. Invite the reader to go in a different direction

The most powerful ending neatly wraps up the article  and gives the reader something new to think about. This is difficult for most writers – even seasoned freelancers. Imagine your ending as a fork in the road. Where do you want readers to go? Write two or three different endings, then take a break. Have a nap, visit another world. Now how does the ending feel? Maybe it needs more work, or maybe one of your conclusions does the job.

The bad news is there is no one perfect way to write a powerful ending to your article. This is also the good news! If there was one perfect way to end it, then all writers would use that conclusion. And it would lose its power. You need to find the right ending for your article.

3. Finish with a dollop of something different

“If you say in the first chapter that there is a rifle hanging on a wall, in the second or third chapter it absolutely must go off,” says Paula LaRocque, author of The Book on Writing: The Ultimate Guide to Writing Well . “If it’s not going to be fired, it shouldn’t be hanging there.”

This type of conclusion might involve weaving in (not tacking on) a whole new anecdote, or including a new bit of information that adds to the story you introduced in the lead or body of the article. Many professional freelance writers like to end with a relevant story, a little vignette, something that gives the reader a feeling that the essence of the article or essay was captured.

How do I end my articles? I circle back to the beginning somehow – it depends on the topic, interviewees, audience, article length, and deadline. I often include more information about something I introduced earlier in the article.

“What is this ‘more’ you speak of?”, you ask? It depends on the article you’re writing. That’s the pain and power of writing: so much simply depends on so many things. If you know how to end your article or essay but your writing is flimsy and weak, read  How to Write Powerful Words That Grab Attention .

4. If you must summarize, do it with style

Some endings need to clearly restate and summarize the article’s main argument. Other articles don’t need a summary because there wasn’t a stated theme. Does your article need a summary? Ask it. Ask yourself as the writer. Maybe even ask a beta reader. If you’re arguing for or describing something complicated or new to readers, perhaps a summary is the most powerful way to end the article.

A summary isn’t the most creative   way to end your article, but you can spice it up with different literary techniques. Use sensory details to fire up your writing, or bring an inanimate object alive with personification. Learn different types of  edgy and quirky writing . Sometimes it’s not what you write…it’s how you write it.

Here’s how NOT to end an article:

• “In summary, I would like to say….”
• “The End.”
• “In conclusion, may I reiterate….”
• “I know I said this in my intro and in paragraphs three through thirty, but it cannot be overstated that…”

I take a week to write magazine articles. This allows my brain and the article to tell me how to write a powerful ending. It’s never perfect, but it is as good as I can write it.

5. Circle back to the beginning

The final, most powerful tip on how to end an article: write a conclusion that refers back to your introduction or opening statements. This, says some professional freelance writers, gives readers a feeling of arrival.

You could pick up a word, a phrase, or part of an anecdote from your introduction, and round it out more. Don’t just repeat it; expand on it, color it in, give it some texture and depth. Ideally, leave readers with a hook at the end of your article – something that lodges in their minds so deeply that they can’t forget it right away.

Good writing isn’t just about learning how to end an article with a strong conclusion or conclude an essay with a summary of all your main points. Rather, good writing is about weaving all the aspects of the whole piece together.

Are you writing for a magazine?

In 11 Most Popular Articles to Write for Magazines (Freelance Writing is Easier Than You Think!) I share tips for getting published in magazines.

Getting published in print and online magazines is a lot easier when you know what types of articles editors and publishers need.

I welcome your thoughts on writing good endings – and learning how to listen to your article for the ending it wants to tell. Remember that writing a good ending involves editing and revising; it’s not something you can just tack onto the end.

Comments Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

13 thoughts on “How to End Your Article: 5 Ways to Write a Powerful Conclusion”

Great article! Your explanation of how to write a conclusion was very clear and informative. I particularly appreciated the tips on summarizing the main points and tying them together to leave a lasting impact on the reader. Thank you for sharing this valuable information with the writing community

Appreciate the encouragement!

Just to say: Paula LaRocque is quoting (or ripping off?!) master playwright Anton Chekhov there (about the gun that must go off). It’s a pretty famous quote from him: he just says “acts” instead of chapters, since he was a playwright. Just sayin’! Thanks for the tips on endings!

8 Tips for Writing More Powerful Conclusions

Updated: July 28, 2017

Published: January 05, 2015

What’s the toughest part of writing a blog post?

For a lot of people, it’s the conclusion. You spend a long time -- maybe hours -- writing the perfect article. You do all the outlining, research, formatting , and then you get to the end. Now what do you say?

The most successful articles have strong finishes, where the conclusion is one of the most powerful components of the article.

How do you write powerful conclusions for your blog posts? Luckily, it's not too complicated -- you can even follow a sort of formula. Here are my favorite tips for creating a really powerful conclusion for any blog post.

1) Call it a conclusion.

In my opinion, the best conclusions are outright labeled "Conclusion," either with a header (as in my example below) or with the phrase "In conclusion."

I’ve seen some very good writers call the end of the article something differently, like “Now What?” or “Wrapping things up…” These might work for them, but I personally prefer to be very straightforward and direct throughout the entire article and at the end. When a reader sees “conclusion,” she knows exactly what the section is going to be about. It helps the blog post to end neatly.

2) Make it short.

When the reader comes to the end of a well-written article, they can feel the article begin to wrap up and they're prepared for an ending. When you're done with all your main points, the actual ending of the article should be short, and ideally shouldn't include any new information.

I usually write a few sentences, although occasionally, I break it down into a few paragraphs.

Below, you'll find a great example of a conclusion from JeremySaid.com. Notice he slows the article down nicely, includes a bit of a call-to-action, and a full stop. It's short, but compelling.

3) Be real.

A conclusion is a chance for you to relate with your audience, human to human. This is especially important if you’ve just finished writing an exhaustively detailed or complicated technical post. To help breathe at the end, make a few personal comments.

Why? Because personal is powerful. People will respond to your CTA more effectively if you share a personal anecdote or mention how you’ve dealt with the issue. 

Joel Gascoigne of Buffer uses this technique when he closes his articles. Check out an example below :

4) Don’t put any pictures in it.

I have images or screenshots throughout most of my articles, but when I hit the conclusion, I stop. Adding images to the conclusion adds unnecessary length and makes the conclusion seem longer than it needs to be.

5) Make any beneficial or necessary disclaimers.

A disclaimer is a way of clarifying what you’re saying so you can be sure your readers take away the right message from your post. I'm known to slip in a disclaimer at the end of an article here and there, and I usually end up writing it after reading through the completed article. I think to myself, "Hmm, I should make sure that they understand x."  SO I jot down a quick disclaimer in the conclusion.

Here’s an example of a disclaimer (highlighted) in the conclusion of one my articles :

6) Summarize the article.

If you do nothing else at the end of your post, make sure you include a summary. A summary is a quick flyover of your article. You can go point-by-point if you want, or you can just sum up the big idea in a few sentences or less. They allow you to reinforce your message and make it memorable. Your article is about one main thing, so you should remind your users about it at the end of the article.

Below is an excerpt from the conclusion of a  Lifehacker article  about doing a detox. The author’s main point is that you don’t really need a full-on detox, you just need to eat healthily. His conclusion contains only three, short sentences, but they perfectly summarize the entire article.

7) Provide next steps.

Most articles benefit from suggested next steps, which gives your specific audience guidance on what to do with the information they've just absorbed. Although some of your readers will read your post and know exactly what they should do, but it's more likely they'll need a little direction and encouragement from you. In your conclusion, tell them what to do.

Below is an excerpt from the conclusion of a HubSpot article on digital ad fraud. The author includes several suggested next steps for HubSpot's readers, which I've shown using red boxes.

8) Ask a question.

At the end of almost every article, I ask my readers a question. Questions demand responses, so placing them in your conclusion gets people’s minds moving. The whole motivation in writing an article is to change someone’s behavior, and I consider the question to be one of the most effective ways of doing so.

Asking questions to stimulate critical thinking and discussion is also a powerful teaching technique called the “Socratic method.” Instead of giving information directly, a teacher asks a series of questions that lead to a conclusion. I often start articles with a question, ask questions throughout the whole article, and conclude with a question. ( Here's an example  if you're interested.)

Questions also help to spark comments at the conclusion of the article. I don’t expect the comment section to be full of answers to my question, but it sometimes gets people talking. Below's  an example from Buffer’s blog -- they often include a question or two in the conclusion.

Questions inspire response. Here's another great example of a powerful conclusion from ShopifyNation.com. Notice how their articles end with a “Conclusion” that is short, summative, personal, picture-free, suggests next steps, and includes a question.

Now I’ve come to the conclusion of an article about writing conclusions. What am I going to do?

Easy. I’m going to summarize the main points: Call it a conclusion, make it short, be real, don’t use pictures, provide disclaimers, summarize the article, suggest next steps, and ask a question.

If your conclusions aren’t powerful, then they'll weaken your whole article. It takes some practice, though -- so bookmark this article, and check off each item the next time you’re ready to write your own conclusion.

What tips do you have for writing more powerful conclusions?

Don't forget to share this post!

Related articles.

How to Write a Memo [Template & Examples]

9 Simple Ways to Write a Good Introduction Sentence

Comma Rules for Clear Writing (with Examples)

How to Write an Introduction: A Simplified Guide

How to Become a (Better) Editor: 13 Editorial Tips

How Long Should Blog Posts Be in 2021? [New Data]

How to Improve Your Writing Skills and Escape Content Mediocrity (Infographic)

How The Flesch Reading Ease Test Can Help You Write Clear and Concise Copy

HubSpot's Guide to Becoming a Better Writer

Outline your company's marketing strategy in one simple, coherent plan.

• PRO Courses Guides New Tech Help Pro Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade Sign In
• EDIT Edit this Article
• EXPLORE Tech Help Pro About Us Random Article Quizzes Request a New Article Community Dashboard This Or That Game Popular Categories Arts and Entertainment Artwork Books Movies Computers and Electronics Computers Phone Skills Technology Hacks Health Men's Health Mental Health Women's Health Relationships Dating Love Relationship Issues Hobbies and Crafts Crafts Drawing Games Education & Communication Communication Skills Personal Development Studying Personal Care and Style Fashion Hair Care Personal Hygiene Youth Personal Care School Stuff Dating All Categories Arts and Entertainment Finance and Business Home and Garden Relationship Quizzes Cars & Other Vehicles Food and Entertaining Personal Care and Style Sports and Fitness Computers and Electronics Health Pets and Animals Travel Education & Communication Hobbies and Crafts Philosophy and Religion Work World Family Life Holidays and Traditions Relationships Youth
• Browse Articles
• Learn Something New
• Quizzes Hot
• This Or That Game New
• Train Your Brain
• Explore More
• Support wikiHow
• About wikiHow
• Log in / Sign up
• Education and Communications
• College University and Postgraduate
• Academic Writing

How to Write a Conclusion

Last Updated: July 15, 2023

Template and Sample Conclusion

This article was co-authored by Christopher Taylor, PhD and by wikiHow staff writer, Danielle Blinka, MA, MPA . Christopher Taylor is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of English at Austin Community College in Texas. He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014. This article has been viewed 470,279 times.

Writing the introduction and body of a paper is a big accomplishment. Now you need to write your conclusion. Writing a conclusion can feel difficult, but it's easier if you plan ahead. First, format your conclusion by revisiting your thesis, summarizing your arguments, and making a final statement. Then, re-read and revise your conclusion to make it effective.

• Let’s say your thesis reads, “Allowing students to visit the library during lunch improves campus life and supports academic achievement because it encourages reading, allows students to start assignments early, and provides a refuge for students who eat alone.”
• You might restate it as, “Evidence shows students who have access to their school’s library during lunch check out more books and are more likely to complete their homework; additionally, students aren’t forced to eat alone.”

• You might write, “According to data, students checked out more books when they were allowed to visit their library during lunch, used that time to do research and ask for help with homework, and reported feeling less alone at lunch time. This shows that opening up the library during lunch can improve student life and academic performance."
• If you’re writing an argument essay, address the opposing argument, as well. You might write, “Although administrators worry that students will walk the halls instead of going to the library, schools that allow students into the library during lunch reported less behavioral issues during lunch than schools that don’t allow students in the library. Data show that students were spending that time checking out more books and working on homework assignments.” [3] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source

• Call your reader to action . For example, “By working with school administrators, Greenlawn ISD can increase academic achievement by letting students use the library during lunch.”
• End with a warning . You might write, “If students aren’t allowed to use the library during lunch, they are missing out on a valuable learning opportunity they’ll never get back.”
• Evoke an image . Write, “Next year, students at Greenlawn could be gathered around a table in the library reading or broadening their minds.”
• Compare your topic to something universal to help your reader relate . You might write, “Everyone knows how stressful it is to have a planner full of assignments, so having extra time to work on them during lunch would be a great relief to many students.”
• Show why the issue is significant. Write, "Giving students more time to spend in the library will help them become more comfortable spending time there, which also helps the library's mission."
• Predict what would happen if your ideas are implemented . Say, “Next year, students at Greenlawn could increase their academic achievements, but results will only happen if they can use the library during lunch.”
• End with a compelling quote . For instance, "As author Roald Dahl once said, 'If you are going to get anywhere in life, you have to read a lot of books.'"

• You could also ask your instructor if you can see an example of a well-written conclusion to give you an idea about what they expect you to write.

• If you want to use an introductory phrase, use a stronger one like “based on the evidence” or “ultimately.” You might also begin your first sentence with a word like “although,” “while,” or “since.” [6] X Trustworthy Source University of North Carolina Writing Center UNC's on-campus and online instructional service that provides assistance to students, faculty, and others during the writing process Go to source
• Additionally, avoid “to conclude,” “in summary,” or “in closing.”

• For example, you may have opened your introduction with an anecdote, quote, or image. Bring it back up in your conclusion. Similarly, if you opened with a rhetorical question, you might offer a potential answer in your conclusion.

• For example, you wouldn’t want to end your essay about allowing students to use the library during lunch by stating, “As the evidence shows, using the library at lunch is a great way to improve student performance because they are more likely to do their homework. On a survey, students reported using the library to do research, ask homework questions, and finish their assignments early.” This leaves out your points about students reading more and having a place to spend their lunch period if they don’t like eating in the cafeteria.

• If you have introduced something you think is really important for your paper, go back through the body paragraphs and look for somewhere to add it. It’s better to leave it out of the paper than to include it in the conclusion.

• If something doesn’t make sense or your conclusion seems incomplete, revise your conclusion so that your ideas are clear.
• It’s helpful to read your entire paper as a whole to make sure it all comes together.

Community Q&A

• Don’t put any evidence or statistics in your conclusion. This information belongs in the body of your paper. [11] X Trustworthy Source University of North Carolina Writing Center UNC's on-campus and online instructional service that provides assistance to students, faculty, and others during the writing process Go to source Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
• Make sure you aren’t simply repeating what you’ve written earlier. While you want to restate your ideas, present them in a new way for the reader. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Don’t write your conclusion until you’ve written the entire paper. It’ll be much easier to come up with your concluding thoughts after the body of the paper is written. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

• Never copy someone else’s words or ideas without giving them credit, as this is plagiarism. If you are caught plagiarizing part of your paper, even just the conclusion, you’ll likely face severe academic penalties. Thanks Helpful 5 Not Helpful 2
• Don’t express any doubts you may have about your ideas or arguments. Whenever you share your ideas, assume the role of expert. [12] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ http://writing2.richmond.edu/writing/wweb/conclude.html
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/conclusions/
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/common_writing_assignments/argument_papers/conclusions.html
• ↑ https://writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu/pages/ending-essay-conclusions

About This Article

Writing a conclusion can seem difficult, but it’s easier if you think of it as a place to sum up the point of your paper. Begin your conclusion by restating your thesis, but don’t repeat it word-for-word. Then, use 1-2 sentences to summarize your argument, pulling together all of your points to explain how your evidence supports the thesis. End the paper with a statement that makes the reader think, like evoking a strong image or concluding with a call to action. Keep reading for tips on how to avoid cliches in your conclusion! Did this summary help you? Yes No

• Send fan mail to authors

Reader Success Stories

Pragya Kujur

Sep 26, 2020

Did this article help you?

Anne Chinasa

Aug 28, 2020

Gregh Alcomendras

Oct 18, 2017

Ivanice Bido

Dec 10, 2017

Jun 19, 2017

Featured Articles

Trending Articles

Watch Articles

• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell or Share My Info
• Not Selling Info

wikiHow Tech Help Pro:

Develop the tech skills you need for work and life

• my research
• contributions and comments

concluding the journal article

The conclusion to a journal article is very important. Of course, it’s hard to end things. There’s no equivalent in the journal article to the text message that says you’re dumped… or more elegantly, reader I married him.

It’s important not to rush things at the end of an article even though it might feel as if the end is nigh. That’s because the conclusion does crucial work. Unfortunately it’s often one of things that a lot of writers skimp on.

It’s pretty important to get clear about the work that the conclusion must accomplish. So here’s a few things to think about before beginning on the ending.

The conclusion must remind the reader why the article was written in the first place . At the beginning the writer will have argued that there is a space in what is known, a puzzle that needs to be solved, a debate that is continuing, or an issue that deserves discussion. The writer will have promised to fill the space, solve the puzzle, contribute to the debate or participate in the discussion. The writer should use the argument made for the need for the article to present the case that this is what they’ve done.

The conclusion must reprise the argument that has been made without repeating it ad nauseam . No-one wants to read an article and then read it all over again in the conclusion. The conclusion must be a déjà vu free zone.

The conclusion must deal with the So What and Now What questions . We’ve read this piece of research – so what? who cares? The writer must not leave the answers to these questions to chance, assuming that any sensible reader will be able to work them out for themselves. The conclusion must succintly tell the reader how and why it is that what’s been presented is significant for practice, policy or further research. They must explicitly say how it is that the article constitutes a contribution to knowledge. They must also address the implications for further research or action.

The conclusion must avoid clichés. It’s pretty easy to round off an article with a few pious sentiments. While resorting to a clutch of tired phrases won’t cause your article to be rejected, it will leave the reader with a poor lasting impression. As the conclusion is the last thing that the reader will encounter, its important that they finish with the things that you want them to remember rather than with a sigh or a grimace.

Phrases to consider when thinking about concluding might be …

I argued at the beginning of this article that… The findings that I have presented suggest that… This is important for… because … To date the literature/policymakers/the profession has … but this study offers … While this study does not offer a conclusive answer to the question of… it does….. The research raises important questions about … for … As a result of conducting this research, I propose that … It would be fruitful to pursue further research about … in order to … If policymakers were to take this study seriously, they might …

Share this:

About pat thomson

12 responses to concluding the journal article.

This sounds very much like what my teacher was trying to explain to us in my final year of French schooling. Unfortunately, she couldn’t explain this in context and failed to give us any good reason why the stages you’ve outlined above must be carefully thought through when writing a conclusion. All we got was a profoundly abstract account on how to write a conclusion, no real practice at it either and I admit I’ve tended to be a bit of a conclusion skimp-er ever since! (ps. never got any ‘literature’ classes in uk after that… donc pas de rattrapage sur ces apprentissages manques en literature!!).

So thank you for this post because your approach is infinitely clearer as well as more detailed, informative, concrete and to the point :)))

Reblogged this on Academic Tips and Tricks and commented: I used to really struggle with Intros and Conclusions to essays. Here are some great tips on how to write a good conclusion without resorting to cliche.

i m really happy to get conclusion from here it will help me a lot

Pat, should a conclusion necessarily be long? If we are able to sum up the argument and contribution vis a vis the literature pithily, in only a few hundred words, is this OK? I tend towards short conclusions which “wrap up” rather than discuss.

I don’t think there are any rules… But it is important to not cut short the paper. So make sure that you cover all the things that arise from the paper, not just summarise the contents. My conclusions are sometimes relatively short too.

Thanks, very useful indeed 🙂

It was helpful thanks!

Thank you for explaining this so eloquently. I’m currently trying to teach medical residents and faculty members how to write up their research, and your post has been very helpful.

Thank you – this is exactly the advice I was looking for. Much appreciated.

Brilliant thank you

Pingback: Academic writing

always so helpful! thanks Pat

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

• Search for:

Follow Blog via Email

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Email Address:

patter on facebook

Recent Posts

• the slow paper
• publishing in top ranked journals
• write short to help write with authority
• a letter to reviewer 2
• you’ve submitted, now it’s wait time
• creating a writing mood
• criticality in the PhD – nine things to avoid
• Writing a journal article – 8 steps to So What and Now What
• finding your favorite writers
• Help! Someone’s working on my topic
• keeping up with the literatures

SEE MY CURATED POSTS ON WAKELET

Top posts & pages.

• aims and objectives - what's the difference?
• publishing in top ranked journals
• writing a bio-note
• what's a #phd 'contribution'?
• 20 reading journal prompts
• I can't find anything written on my topic... really?
• five ways to structure a literature review
• write short to help write with authority
• connecting chapters/chapter introductions
• Entries feed
• Comments feed
• WordPress.com

• Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
• Follow Following
• Copy shortlink
• Report this content
• View post in Reader
• Manage subscriptions
• Collapse this bar