where would you find a restatement of the thesis

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How to Restate a Thesis

Last Updated: February 27, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was reviewed by Gerald Posner . Gerald Posner is an Author & Journalist based in Miami, Florida. With over 35 years of experience, he specializes in investigative journalism, nonfiction books, and editorials. He holds a law degree from UC College of the Law, San Francisco, and a BA in Political Science from the University of California-Berkeley. He’s the author of thirteen books, including several New York Times bestsellers, the winner of the Florida Book Award for General Nonfiction, and has been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in History. He was also shortlisted for the Best Business Book of 2020 by the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 383,306 times.

A thesis statement serves as your paper’s (or speech’s) guiding idea, alerting readers to the main points of your paper and the direction it will take. A thesis restatement, which comes in the paper’s conclusion, is the thesis’s kindred spirit, though not its identical twin. It differs from the thesis in both word choice and sentence structure. Restating your thesis at the end of the paper allows you to remind your readers of what you have proven in your body paragraphs and helps to bring your paper to a successful close.

Working out the Restatement Basics

• Sketching out a rough conclusion (the main points you want to get across) will give you an idea of the best place for the restated thesis before you actually try your hand at writing the restatement.
• Depending on the nature of your paper or of your conclusion, you may want to open your conclusion with a question or some other kind of rhetorical device, rather than a restatement of the thesis. While writing often follows prescribed formulas (such as the 5-paragraph essay), there is no one-size-fits-all approach for writing a concluding paragraph, and you may need to try out several positions for your thesis restatement to find out what works best.

• You can use the restated thesis to provide a greater level of sophistication or emotional impact to the original argument. For example, if your initial argument was that buying pets as holiday gifts is dangerous, you might restate your thesis this way: "Remember: buying that puppy as a Christmas present might seem like a good idea at the time, but it could end in the tragedy of another homeless dog by Easter."
• You can also restate your thesis to incorporate the relationship you've built with your reader. For example, if your essay was about developing business partnerships, you could begin your restatement by saying something like, "As a businessperson...." Not only will this make your restatement different from the original, but it will also help draw connections with important elements from the essay/speech.

• For example, if you have written an essay about alcohol use on college campuses, you could revisit the "So what?" question in your conclusion by providing a statement about what that means for students and for college officials. It could look something like this: "Because alcohol abuse depends on more than just the legal drinking age, it is crucial that students be educated about how alcohol abuse occurs, and also that college officials broaden their perspective to include a greater variety of aspects."

• You may be able to use something like “In conclusion” at the end of a speech, however. Signaling or signposting words—like “in conclusion” or “next”—are very important in speeches because listeners only have one chance to follow along with what you’re saying, and these words help them to keep their place.

• Avoid saying things like, “It seems like” or “It is possible that” in the restatement. One exception would be if this conditional language is part of your original thesis statement and your paper is devoted to discussing a topic that is only a possibility, not something you are stating is definitely the case. Otherwise, maintain a level of confidence.
• While maintaining confidence is crucial to the success of your paper, it’s important to acknowledge when opposition exists and not to use absolute statements which may alienate readers. Confidence in your position and in the fact that you’ve proven your point is one thing; blind certainty in your opinion is another!

Making the Restatement Distinct from the Thesis

• You can use your word processor’s thesaurus function for this, an online thesaurus, or a good old-fashioned paper thesaurus. If you use a thesaurus, however, check your chosen word in the dictionary to ensure that you know its precise meaning. Thesauruses group words very loosely by general meaning, and there is often a significant difference in connotation between them.
• It’s not necessary to change every single word, such as prepositions (“in,” “on,” “above,” “over”) and articles (“a,” “an,” and “the”). Spend your time focusing on words/phrases that receive the most emphasis, like those that are central to the points you’re making.

• Try varying your sentences by starting with different parts of speech. For example, if you began the original thesis with a prepositional phrase, start the restatement with the subject of the sentence. For instance, if the thesis starts out “Around the turn of the nineteenth century in England, women frequently…”, you might start your restatement out with something like “Women in early nineteenth-century….”
• Another way to vary the structure is to present your points in a different order. Many thesis statements include three ideas, presented in the order in which they will be discussed in the body paragraphs. When restating, you can list the points in an alternate order.

Community Q&A

• When restating your thesis, if you find that the statement doesn’t fit your paper anymore, you’ll want to go back to the body of your paper and try to find where things went off track. You may find that you need to revise the original thesis to reflect what you actually wrote in the paper, or that parts of the body of the paper need to be revised to better suit the thesis. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
• While restating your thesis is essential to the conclusion of your paper or speech, it’s not enough. You will need to emphasize main points and, depending on the assignment/goal of the paper, you may also need to call your audience to action, discuss the implications of what you have talked about in the paper, or make predictions for the future. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
• Think of the restatement as a new, more powerful version of your thesis—you’ve written the paper and learned a lot over that process, and now you have all of this knowledge to draw on. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0

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• ↑ https://wts.indiana.edu/writing-guides/writing-conclusions.html
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/cliches/
• ↑ https://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/conclusion
• ↑ https://lsa.umich.edu/sweetland/undergraduates/writing-guides/how-do-i-write-an-intro--conclusion----body-paragraph.html

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How to Restate a Thesis Statement: Examples & Tips

What is the most important part of any essay or research paper? Of course, it’s the thesis statement —a sentence that expresses the paper’s main idea and guides the readers through your arguments.

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But where do you place the thesis? You’ve probably answered, “in the introduction.” However, that’s not all of it—you also need to restate the thesis statement in the conclusion. Moreover, it should be paraphrased using a more diverse vocabulary.

If you’re unsure about how to restate a thesis, this article by Custom-Writing.org will be helpful for you. Here, you will find:

• various rephrasing strategies,
• a step-by-step guide,
• the most actionable thesis restatement tips.
• ✍️ Thesis Restatement Definition
• ✅ Step-By-Step Guide
• 💡 Rephrasing Strategies
• 📋 Example Sentences
• 🖼️ How to Reframe
• ✨ Bonus Tips

🔍 References

✍️ what is a restated thesis.

A restated thesis is a reworded and restructured version of the original statement. It is presented in a conclusion or any other part of the essay requiring a recap of the paper’s main idea. It shouldn’t repeat the thesis statement word for word: instead, it’s better to focus on its content.

Why Restating Your Thesis Is Necessary

For a solid, effective academic work, a restated thesis in a conclusion is a must. Here’s why:

• A restated thesis helps reintroduce your central argument, thus enhancing its perceived significance.
• A correctly restated main claim makes the transition to the implications smoother.
• A paraphrased thesis restatement signals the readers about the wrap-up of your paper.

✅ How to Restate a Thesis Step by Step

Now, let’s dwell on the restatement process in more detail. We recommend you follow the steps we described below. It will help you make your paraphrased thesis effective without undermining your persuasive arguments.

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💡 How to Rephrase a Thesis: Different Strategies

You can approach the restatement of thesis in several ways. Here are the best strategies that will make your argument effective and easily understood.

How to Restate a Claim by Substituting Synonyms

English is a language rich in synonyms, so you’ll hardly experience any trouble finding suitable substitutes for the words you’ve used in the original thesis. You can also try out an online reword generator or thesis statement maker to get different versions of your central claim.

For instance, imagine that this is your thesis:

People of color have achieved pronounced success in the fight for their civil rights and equality in the USA over the last century,

You may experiment with synonyms as freely as you want. Here are some variants:

• The 20-century civil rights movement gave many rights and freedoms to the minorities in the United States.
• The situation with racial equality improved significantly over the past 100 years, giving racial minorities a strong voice in American society.

Restating Your Thesis by Altering the Sentence Structure

The syntax is also a rich source of inspiration for thesis changes. If the original statement is compound, divide it into several shorter sentences. If you’ve used several simple sentences in the first version, consider combining them into one longer statement.

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Here is an example of altering the thesis’ structure without changing the main points:

In the original version, we started by focusing on diabetes. In the reworded thesis, we presented the numbers as the first piece of data. This way, we’re directing the reader’s attention to the gravity of the problem.

How to Restate Your Thesis by Changing the Tense

In most cases, the original thesis statement uses future or present tense. It helps to inform the readers about what they are about to read. For instance, it can start with an introductory phrase:

I will argue that homework should be canceled to give students more free time and ease the burden of high school studies.

In this example, the thesis statement is written in the present tense. It links to the general statistics of time students spend on their homework. You can transform this statement into a past-tense sentence in the conclusion, showing that your argument has been proven.

The presented evidence showed that students benefited from homework cancellation and had more quality time for their hobbies and relaxation.

Restating a Thesis by Shortening or Lengthening It

The length of your thesis statement also matters. You may present it in a shorter way at the beginning of your paper, focusing only on the gist of your research question. Later on, once the arguments are laid out and explained in detail, you can present a more extended version of the initially formulated problem.

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In this restates thesis example, we have extended the original idea, explaining what “assigned seating” and “school bullying” mean. This way, the reworded version could embrace the evidence discussed in the argumentative essay’s body.

Restating a Thesis by Linking It to the Research Problem

The strategy we’re about to describe is suitable for use in research paper writing. You will need to tie the thesis statement to the problem you’ve outlined in the introduction, linking it to the issue you’re examining.

For instance, in an essay on child obesity in the USA, you can restate the thesis as follows:

Although preventive healthcare has witnessed much advancement in the past decade, evidence proves that child obesity is still on the rise, with alarming annual increase rates.

📋 How to Restate a Thesis: Example Sentences

Now, let’s examine how to rephrase a sentence in practice. Have a look at these examples:

Example # 1

Here, we expanded the thesis statement by making it longer and adding some details.

Here, we have changed the sentence structure by switching the first and second parts. The first example focuses on the legalization of marijuana, while the second version starts by mentioning the rising rates of teenage weed consumption.

In this example, we’ve changed the thesis statement’s tense from future to past, showing how an intention transformed into a completed task.

🖼️ How to Reframe a Reworded Thesis?

Once you’ve approached the conclusion paragraph of your work, it’s time to think about reframing your main claim. It’s important not to duplicate the introductory thesis because its role in the final section is different. Here are some workable reframing suggestions:

• Reword the original thesis and put it at the beginning of your conclusion. It will bring the focus back to your initial research purpose.
• Enumerate the central claims you’ve focused on. They can be compiled from topic sentences used in the body paragraphs.
• After restating the thesis, you can dwell on the broader significance of the problem you’ve examined. Make a logically related call to action based on the cited evidence. You can also mention your study’s limitations and clarify what additional research is needed.

✨ Bonus Thesis Statement Tips

Now, it’s time to give you a bonus for careful reading: our tried-and-tested tips for good thesis rewriting. Check them out:

As you can see, rephrasing a thesis statement requires effort. Using extensive vocabulary and syntax will help you restructure the content and retain its meaning. And, of course, make sure to follow our tips!

Further reading:

• Best Thesis Statement Examples with Expert Comments
• How to Write a Conclusion for a Research Paper: Examples & Tips
• How to Write a 5-Paragraph Essay: Outline, Examples, & Writing Steps
• What Are the 5 Different Types of Essays? A Complete Guide

❓ How to Restate Thesis in Conclusion FAQs

Restatement of your thesis involves restructuring and changing the vocabulary originally used in the introduction. However, the altered thesis should preserve your work’s meaning and central message.

You will typically need a reworded thesis in a conclusion paragraph. This part of your essay or research paper should wrap up everything you’ve said and summarize your claims in different words.

When composing your essay conclusion paragraph, it is vital to reword your thesis statement initially presented in the introduction. This strategy will help you make the conclusion sound non-redundant while preserving the original main idea.

When restating the claim, you do the same work as when you reword the thesis. You need to change the wording and syntax while preserving the overall meaning of the original claim.

A good example is as follows: “children should wear uniforms at school.” The reworded thesis would contain the same meaning rephrased in your own words: “Uniforms are recommended for all students.”

• Writing the Conclusion: Indiana University Bloomington
• Writing Introductory and Concluding Paragraphs: University of Minnesota
• How to Restate a Thesis Statement: Classroom: Synonym
• Writing a Paper: Conclusions: Walden University
• Conclusions: Purdue University
• Ending the Essay: Conclusions: Harvard University
• Thesis Statements: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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How to Restate a Thesis: Various Approaches to Restating Your Thesis

Table of contents

• 1 Understanding the Purpose of Restating a Thesis
• 2.1 Paraphrasing.
• 2.2 Summarizing.
• 2.3 Reflecting.
• 2.4 Significance.
• 2.5 Rhetorical Devices.
• 2.6 Emotional Appeal.
• 2.7 Call to Action.
• 2.8 Broader Context.
• 2.9 Engaging Language.
• 2.10 Memorable Statement.
• 3.1 Understand the purpose of restatement
• 3.2 Avoid clichés and overused phrases
• 3.3 Be specific and avoid vague language
• 3.4 Keep it concise
• 3.5 Reflect on the essay’s journey
• 3.6 Emphasize the significance
• 3.7 Check for coherence
• 3.8 Avoid introducing new ideas

A thesis statement guarantees that your essay will be read, and a paraphrased thesis states that the main points of your essay will be remembered. Students have already heard about the importance of formulating a thesis statement to interest the reader in your written work. However, inexperienced authors often forget to restate the thesis.

The purpose of the successful thesis restatement is to reinforce the essay’s main idea. This way, you intensify the original argument and influence the reader’s mind. For your research paper to be convincing, it must be coherent. For this reason, the thesis and the restated thesis should not contradict but complement each other.

In this article, detailed instructions will help you restate your thesis and make your essay memorable. Our experienced specialists are ready to share with you the most working strategies for high-quality rewording of the thesis. Moreover, we want to make it easier for you and have created a checklist of the necessary details to consider to restate your thesis effectively.

Understanding the Purpose of Restating a Thesis

We remind you that the thesis statement is a claim that summarizes the main idea of your essay. It is often used as the first sentence in the introductory paragraph to dedicate the reader to the context of the written work. However, a good thesis statement is not limited to the first paragraph. In academic and persuasive writing, for example, there is a need to restate the original thesis to maintain coherence.

What does restate thesis mean? Let’s start with the fact that a restated thesis is a statement based on the original thesis used in the concluding paragraph or throughout the body paragraphs. Quoting the original thesis statement word by word will not be effective, so you have to analyze the original meaning and reword it. You may use a paraphrasing tool in case you struggle with an issue of how to restate a thesis.

You must be wondering why restating a thesis statement in the conclusion paragraph is so important. It is sometimes difficult for the reader to follow your thought course while reading. Remember when you read a book, then by the last page, you begin to forget about what happened at the beginning. To regularly refresh the reader’s memory of your argument, you need to recall it by restating the original thesis statement in the essay’s conclusion paragraph and body paragraphs.

Thus, the thesis claim should permeate your essay. Each part should contain a reminder of the central idea to reinforce the perceived significance of the thesis word. The restated thesis acts as a link between the main components of your essay. It’s necessary to restate the thesis in conclusion, connect it with topic sentences and provide a logical analysis flow.

Strategies for Restating a Thesis Effectively

Unfortunately, a simple understanding of the importance of restructuring the thesis is insufficient. It is also necessary to understand the primary strategies for good restating. Our PapersOwl experts have prepared a list with good examples for you on how to restate a thesis statement effectively. The most effective strategies are:

Paraphrasing.

Reword your original thesis statement using different words and changing the sentence structure. With this technique, the form changes, but not the main point.

Initial thesis: The desegregation of public schools is considered to be the key purpose of the Civil Rights Movement.

Restatement: The anti-segregation movement in America was aimed at equalizing public schools.

Summarizing.

In this technique, you should analyze and summarize the overall meaning of the original point in the introduction. Thus, the statement will be concise and informative.

Initial thesis: Increased anxiety and stress exposure by the mother during pregnancy can negatively affect the intrauterine development of the child, making his nervous system more vulnerable to stress.

Restatement: A pregnant mother’s stress can make a child more anxious.

Reflecting.

Link your restated thesis to the ideas you uncovered in the body paragraph of the paper.

Initial thesis: The opportunities for women to develop professionally were historically equal to the career prospects of men, or were they?

Restatement of thesis: In the nineteenth century, the inequality in the career opportunities of the two sexes was drastic.

Significance.

Emphasize that the thought you expressed in the original thesis statement is so crucial that it is worth developing in restating the thesis.

Initial thesis: The lack of sex education in schools and families leads to increased unwanted pregnancies among adolescents.

Restatement: Again, 50% of pregnancies among teenagers are unwanted. As a result of the lack of sex education, the total number of teenage pregnancies continues to grow.

Rhetorical Devices.

Use rhetorical techniques in your thesis statement, such as parallelism and repetition, to enhance the persuasiveness of the paper and rephrase the original contribution.

Initial thesis: The film provides a detailed picture for our eyes.

Restatement: The film provides a detailed picture for our eyes, and a book provides an even more detailed image for our mind.

Emotional Appeal.

Use a moving phrase or concept to appeal to the reader’s emotions to enhance interaction. If you don’t know how to apply this technique, try asking for help with college papers , and get expert help.

e.g. How long must pass before people realize that their grandchildren will suffer from the consequences of environmental disasters.

Call to Action.

Formulate your paper’s central argument, and motivate the reader to take action by introducing a thesis restatement in the conclusion.

Example: Do not delay, nature needs your intervention right now, sort garbage responsibly!

Broader Context.

Explain to the reader the background of your thought.

Example: Initial thesis: The world was a millimeter far from a nuclear war.

Restatement: In the 20th century, the development of the nuclear industry reached such a level that the advanced countries were on the verge of starting a nuclear war.

Engaging Language.

Use vocabulary that is close and understandable to the reader.

Example: Lack of sleep is the major reason for heart diseases, so don’t worry, go take a nap!

Memorable Statement.

A powerful version of your original claim has a good potential to be remembered by readers.

Example: Realizing that you owe nothing to anyone is difficult, but only by recognizing this do you begin to live for real.

Checklist to help you ensure an effective restatement of your thesis

Now that you’re familiar with working strategies for paraphrasing a thesis statement, as well as with illustrative examples, it’s time to stock up on all the tips from our experienced writers. We have created a checklist of eight points you need to follow to know how to write a thesis statement for the conclusion section so that most professors truly value your writing.

Understand the purpose of restatement

Understanding the reasons and motivation for your actions gives you the key to rephrase a thesis right. Having realized the primary goal of restating your thesis statement will help you articulate it more clearly. Remember that this writing technique exists to strengthen your arguments and improve their perception by readers. So let’s see how to restate a thesis for your conclusion and write a perfect paper.

Avoid clichés and overused phrases

The reader will not be interested in hackneyed formulations, absolute statements, and overused concepts in your thesis restatement. Our brain always demands novelty, so unique information will attract more attention and arouse interest in your research paper. Try to make your thesis restatement look fresh and intriguing.

Be specific and avoid vague language

Vague concepts, conditional language, overly long sentences, and oversimplification of information will make your thesis statements more boring. Do not think that your reader is a fool. On the contrary, provide him with food for thought. Also, reconsider the sentence structure, for it not to be too weary, use different words to be diverse.

Keep it concise

An excellent conclusion thesis restatement should be concise, giving only the most necessary context to make it easier to understand. You can expand on your idea in more detail in the following main paragraphs. To get a perfect reworded thesis, use the thesis statement generator to make the process easier. Still, to make rephrasing effective, it should be concise, write shorter sentences and use different words.

Reflect on the essay’s journey

Summarize your main ideas. After all, the thesis restatement is precisely the information you want the reader to remember the most. Why don’t you recall once again the main points and central claims of your writing? Use grammar tenses to convey your point. Perhaps your original statement was written in the present or future tense, then use past tense to show you’ve accomplished your ideas. Or, at the beginning of your writing, you used a sentence with a subject. So, restate the thesis in the conclusion with a prepositional phrase instead.

Emphasize the significance

Your opinion and your words must be heard. Emphasize the importance of your ideas with a strong conclusion paragraph thesis restatement. Choose the right strategy for your body paragraphs and paper’s conclusion to sound more convincing. Restate the thesis so that the reader has no doubts regarding the expertise of your writing and the words you say.

Check for coherence

Do not forget about the connection between the thesis sentence in the introduction paragraph and the restatement in the essay conclusion section and the main body. Follow the logic of the presentation of your thoughts when you restate claim. Your paper should not contain contradictory words and statements.

Avoid introducing new ideas

New and creative ideas are good, but they should be pre-planned as part of your paper. An unexpected and unforeseen conclusion that isn’t related to the research problem can confuse the reader at the end of the essay. Stick to your original concepts and the same meaning for the coherence of your writing. Rewrite existing concepts to reinforce your introduction thesis statement.

A thesis statement is an effective technique for attracting the attention of the reader, as well as ensuring his interest. However, using a thesis statement only in the introductory paragraph will not provide you with the desired result. For a more comprehensive result, you will have to rephrase a thesis statement a few more times in the writing process.

No strong conclusion is complete without a good reworded thesis. Remember to connect the rephrasing to the main research question. Use our strategies to write an effective thesis and get a well-deserved assessment from the teacher. Stick to our recommendations to make your paraphrased thesis effective.

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11.2 Steps of a Conclusion

Learning objectives.

• Examine the three steps of an effective conclusion: restatement of the thesis, review of the main points, and concluding device.
• Differentiate among Miller’s (1946) ten concluding devices.

Matthew Culnane – Steps – CC BY-SA 2.0.

In Section 11.1 “Why Conclusions Matter” , we discussed the importance a conclusion has on a speech. In this section, we’re going to examine the three steps in building an effective conclusion.

Restatement of the Thesis

Restating a thesis statement is the first step in a powerful conclusion. As we explained in Chapter 9 “Introductions Matter: How to Begin a Speech Effectively” , a thesis statement is a short, declarative sentence that states the purpose, intent, or main idea of a speech. When we restate the thesis statement at the conclusion of our speech, we’re attempting to reemphasize what the overarching main idea of the speech has been. Suppose your thesis statement was, “I will analyze Barack Obama’s use of lyricism in his July 2008 speech, ‘A World That Stands as One.’” You could restate the thesis in this fashion at the conclusion of your speech: “In the past few minutes, I have analyzed Barack Obama’s use of lyricism in his July 2008 speech, ‘A World That Stands as One.’” Notice the shift in tense: the statement has gone from the future tense (this is what I will speak about) to the past tense (this is what I have spoken about). Restating the thesis in your conclusion reminds the audience of the major purpose or goal of your speech, helping them remember it better.

Review of Main Points

After restating the speech’s thesis, the second step in a powerful conclusion is to review the main points from your speech. One of the biggest differences between written and oral communication is the necessity of repetition in oral communication. When we preview our main points in the introduction, effectively discuss and make transitions to our main points during the body of the speech, and finally, review the main points in the conclusion, we increase the likelihood that the audience will retain our main points after the speech is over.

In the introduction of a speech, we deliver a preview of our main body points, and in the conclusion we deliver a review . Let’s look at a sample preview:

In order to understand the field of gender and communication, I will first differentiate between the terms biological sex and gender. I will then explain the history of gender research in communication. Lastly, I will examine a series of important findings related to gender and communication.

In this preview, we have three clear main points. Let’s see how we can review them at the conclusion of our speech:

Today, we have differentiated between the terms biological sex and gender, examined the history of gender research in communication, and analyzed a series of research findings on the topic.

In the past few minutes, I have explained the difference between the terms “biological sex” and “gender,” discussed the rise of gender research in the field of communication, and examined a series of groundbreaking studies in the field.

Notice that both of these conclusions review the main points originally set forth. Both variations are equally effective reviews of the main points, but you might like the linguistic turn of one over the other. Remember, while there is a lot of science to help us understand public speaking, there’s also a lot of art as well, so you are always encouraged to choose the wording that you think will be most effective for your audience.

Concluding Device

The final part of a powerful conclusion is the concluding device. A concluding device is essentially the final thought you want your audience members to have when you stop speaking. It also provides a definitive sense of closure to your speech. One of the authors of this text often makes an analogy between a gymnastics dismount and the concluding device in a speech. Just as a gymnast dismounting the parallel bars or balance beam wants to stick the landing and avoid taking two or three steps, a speaker wants to “stick” the ending of the presentation by ending with a concluding device instead of with, “Well, umm, I guess I’m done.” Miller observed that speakers tend to use one of ten concluding devices when ending a speech (Miller, 1946). The rest of this section is going to examine these ten concluding devices.

Conclude with a Challenge

The first way that Miller found that some speakers end their speeches is with a challenge. A challenge is a call to engage in some kind of activity that requires a contest or special effort. In a speech on the necessity of fund-raising, a speaker could conclude by challenging the audience to raise 10 percent more than their original projections. In a speech on eating more vegetables, you could challenge your audience to increase their current intake of vegetables by two portions daily. In both of these challenges, audience members are being asked to go out of their way to do something different that involves effort on their part.

Conclude with a Quotation

A second way you can conclude a speech is by reciting a quotation relevant to the speech topic. When using a quotation, you need to think about whether your goal is to end on a persuasive note or an informative note. Some quotations will have a clear call to action, while other quotations summarize or provoke thought. For example, let’s say you are delivering an informative speech about dissident writers in the former Soviet Union. You could end by citing this quotation from Alexander Solzhenitsyn: “A great writer is, so to speak, a second government in his country. And for that reason no regime has ever loved great writers” (Solzhenitsyn, 1964). Notice that this quotation underscores the idea of writers as dissidents, but it doesn’t ask listeners to put forth effort to engage in any specific thought process or behavior. If, on the other hand, you were delivering a persuasive speech urging your audience to participate in a very risky political demonstration, you might use this quotation from Martin Luther King Jr.: “If a man hasn’t discovered something that he will die for, he isn’t fit to live” (King, 1963). In this case, the quotation leaves the audience with the message that great risks are worth taking, that they make our lives worthwhile, and that the right thing to do is to go ahead and take that great risk.

Conclude with a Summary

When a speaker ends with a summary, he or she is simply elongating the review of the main points. While this may not be the most exciting concluding device, it can be useful for information that was highly technical or complex or for speeches lasting longer than thirty minutes. Typically, for short speeches (like those in your class), this summary device should be avoided.

Conclude by Visualizing the Future

The purpose of a conclusion that refers to the future is to help your audience imagine the future you believe can occur. If you are giving a speech on the development of video games for learning, you could conclude by depicting the classroom of the future where video games are perceived as true learning tools and how those tools could be utilized. More often, speakers use visualization of the future to depict how society would be, or how individual listeners’ lives would be different, if the speaker’s persuasive attempt worked. For example, if a speaker proposes that a solution to illiteracy is hiring more reading specialists in public schools, the speaker could ask her or his audience to imagine a world without illiteracy. In this use of visualization, the goal is to persuade people to adopt the speaker’s point of view. By showing that the speaker’s vision of the future is a positive one, the conclusion should help to persuade the audience to help create this future.

Conclude with an Appeal for Action

Probably the most common persuasive concluding device is the appeal for action or the call to action. In essence, the appeal for action occurs when a speaker asks her or his audience to engage in a specific behavior or change in thinking. When a speaker concludes by asking the audience “to do” or “to think” in a specific manner, the speaker wants to see an actual change. Whether the speaker appeals for people to eat more fruit, buy a car, vote for a candidate, oppose the death penalty, or sing more in the shower, the speaker is asking the audience to engage in action.

One specific type of appeal for action is the immediate call to action . Whereas some appeals ask for people to engage in behavior in the future, the immediate call to action asks people to engage in behavior right now. If a speaker wants to see a new traffic light placed at a dangerous intersection, he or she may conclude by asking all the audience members to sign a digital petition right then and there, using a computer the speaker has made available ( http://www.petitiononline.com ). Here are some more examples of immediate calls to action:

• In a speech on eating more vegetables, pass out raw veggies and dip at the conclusion of the speech.
• In a speech on petitioning a lawmaker for a new law, provide audience members with a prewritten e-mail they can send to the lawmaker.
• In a speech on the importance of using hand sanitizer, hand out little bottles of hand sanitizer and show audience members how to correctly apply the sanitizer.
• In a speech asking for donations for a charity, send a box around the room asking for donations.

These are just a handful of different examples we’ve actually seen students use in our classrooms to elicit an immediate change in behavior. These immediate calls to action may not lead to long-term change, but they can be very effective at increasing the likelihood that an audience will change behavior in the short term.

Conclude by Inspiration

By definition, the word inspire means to affect or arouse someone. Both affect and arouse have strong emotional connotations. The ultimate goal of an inspiration concluding device is similar to an “appeal for action” but the ultimate goal is more lofty or ambiguous; the goal is to stir someone’s emotions in a specific manner. Maybe a speaker is giving an informative speech on the prevalence of domestic violence in our society today. That speaker could end the speech by reading Paulette Kelly’s powerful poem “I Got Flowers Today.” “I Got Flowers Today” is a poem that evokes strong emotions because it’s about an abuse victim who received flowers from her abuser every time she was victimized. The poem ends by saying, “I got flowers today… / Today was a special day—it was the day of my funeral / Last night he killed me” (Kelly, 1994).

Conclude with Advice

The next concluding device is one that should be used primarily by speakers who are recognized as expert authorities on a given subject. Advice is essentially a speaker’s opinion about what should or should not be done. The problem with opinions is that everyone has one, and one person’s opinion is not necessarily any more correct than another’s. There needs to be a really good reason your opinion—and therefore your advice—should matter to your audience. If, for example, you are an expert in nuclear physics, you might conclude a speech on energy by giving advice about the benefits of nuclear energy.

Conclude by Proposing a Solution

Another way a speaker can conclude a speech powerfully is to offer a solution to the problem discussed within a speech. For example, perhaps a speaker has been discussing the problems associated with the disappearance of art education in the United States. The speaker could then propose a solution of creating more community-based art experiences for school children as a way to fill this gap. Although this can be an effective conclusion, a speaker must ask herself or himself whether the solution should be discussed in more depth as a stand-alone main point within the body of the speech so that audience concerns about the proposed solution may be addressed.

Conclude with a Question

Another way you can end a speech is to ask a rhetorical question that forces the audience to ponder an idea. Maybe you are giving a speech on the importance of the environment, so you end the speech by saying, “Think about your children’s future. What kind of world do you want them raised in? A world that is clean, vibrant, and beautiful—or one that is filled with smog, pollution, filth, and disease?” Notice that you aren’t actually asking the audience to verbally or nonverbally answer the question; the goal of this question is to force the audience into thinking about what kind of world they want for their children.

Conclude with a Reference to Audience

The last concluding device discussed by Miller (1946) was a reference to one’s audience. This concluding device is when a speaker attempts to answer the basic audience question, “What’s in it for me?” The goal of this concluding device is to spell out the direct benefits a behavior or thought change has for audience members. For example, a speaker talking about stress reduction techniques could conclude by clearly listing all the physical health benefits stress reduction offers (e.g., improved reflexes, improved immune system, improved hearing, reduction in blood pressure). In this case, the speaker is clearly spelling out why audience members should care—what’s in it for them!

Informative versus Persuasive Conclusions

As you read through the ten possible ways to conclude a speech, hopefully you noticed that some of the methods are more appropriate for persuasive speeches and others are more appropriate for informative speeches. To help you choose appropriate conclusions for informative, persuasive, or entertaining speeches, we’ve created a table ( Table 11.1 “Your Speech Purpose and Concluding Devices” ) to help you quickly identify appropriate concluding devices.

Table 11.1 Your Speech Purpose and Concluding Devices

Key Takeaways

• An effective conclusion contains three basic parts: a restatement of the speech’s thesis; a review of the main points discussed within the speech; and a concluding device that helps create a lasting image in audiences’ minds.
• Miller (1946) found that speakers tend to use one of ten concluding devices. All of these devices are not appropriate for all speeches, so speakers need to determine which concluding device would have the strongest, most powerful effect for a given audience, purpose, and occasion.
• Take the last speech you gave in class and rework the speech’s conclusion to reflect the three parts of a conclusion. Now do the same thing with the speech you are currently working on for class.
• Think about the speech you are currently working on in class. Write out concluding statements using three of the devices discussed in this chapter. Which of the devices would be most useful for your speech? Why?

Kelly, P. (1994). I got flowers today. In C. J. Palmer & J. Palmer, Fire from within . Painted Post, NY: Creative Arts & Science Enterprises.

King, M. L. (1963, June 23). Speech in Detroit. Cited in Bartlett, J., & Kaplan, J. (Eds.), Bartlett’s familiar quotations (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Little, Brown & Co., p. 760.

Miller, E. (1946). Speech introductions and conclusions. Quarterly Journal of Speech, 32 , 181–183.

Solzhenitsyn, A. (1964). The first circle. New York: Harper & Row. Cited in Bartlett, J., & Kaplan, J. (Eds.), Bartlett’s familiar quotations (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Little, Brown & Co., p. 746.

Stand up, Speak out Copyright © 2016 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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How to Restate Your Thesis: 5 Strategies

November 22, 2023

Examining the Purpose of Restating Your Thesis

Restating your thesis in the conclusion of your essay serves a vital purpose in reinforcing the main argument and leaving a lasting impact on your readers. This section will explore the significance of restating your thesis and why it is not merely a repetitive exercise.

• Reinforcement: Restating your thesis reaffirms the central idea of your essay. By reasserting your main argument, you emphasize its importance and remind readers of the key point you want them to remember.
• Summarization: Restating your thesis allows you to summarize the main points and evidence presented in your essay. It provides a succinct overview that helps consolidate the information and reinforce your main argument.
• Closure: Restating your thesis brings a sense of closure to your essay. It signals to the reader that you have reached the end of your discussion and allows for a satisfying and cohesive conclusion.
• Lasting Impact: By restating your thesis effectively, you can leave a lasting impression on your readers. It helps solidify your argument in their minds and prompts them to reflect upon the ideas presented long after reading your essay.

In the following sections, we will explore various strategies and examples to help you master the art of restating your thesis in a compelling and impactful way.

5 Strategies for Effective Restatement of Your Thesis

Restating your thesis effectively requires more than simply repeating your thesis statement. Instead, it involves summarizing your main points and findings while communicating the overall significance of the argument.

Summarize Your Main Points

Summarizing your main points is a crucial step in restating your thesis effectively. It allows you to remind your readers of the key arguments, evidence, and examples presented in your essay. Here are some strategies to help you summarize your main points:

• Identify the main points: Review your essay and identify the main arguments or supporting points that you have made. These are the key ideas that contribute to your overall thesis.
• Condense the information: Take each main point and condense it into a concise statement that captures its essence. Avoid going into too much detail or providing new information. Focus on the core message of each point.
• Use bullet points or numbered lists: If applicable, present your main points as a list. This can help readers grasp the key arguments quickly and easily. Bullet points or numbered lists also create a visual break in the text, making it more reader-friendly.
• Order your main points strategically: Arrange your main points in a logical order that reinforces the flow of your essay. Consider prioritizing the most impactful or strongest evidence first.
• Avoid repetition: While summarizing your main points, be mindful of avoiding repetition. Restate each point in a way that adds value and emphasizes its significance without redundantly restating the exact same information.

By effectively summarizing your main points, you provide a concise overview of your essay’s key arguments and reinforce the foundation of your thesis.

Paraphrase Your Thesis Statement

Paraphrasing your thesis statement is an essential aspect of restating your thesis effectively. It involves expressing the main idea of your essay in a different way, using different words and sentence structures. Here are some strategies to help you paraphrase your thesis statement:

Change the sentence structure: Instead of using the same sentence structure as your original thesis statement, try rearranging the words and sentence structure to create a fresh and engaging restatement.

Example: Original thesis: “Climate change is a global problem that requires immediate action.” Paraphrased restatement: “Urgent measures are necessary to address the worldwide issue of climate change.”

Use synonyms and alternative words: Replace specific terms in your thesis statement with synonyms or related words. This not only helps avoid repetition but also adds depth and clarity to your restatement.

Example: Original thesis: “Education is crucial for societal progress.” Paraphrased restatement: “The advancement of societies heavily relies on the importance of education.”

Maintain the core message: While paraphrasing your thesis statement, ensure that the main idea or message remains intact. The restatement should still convey the central argument of your essay.

Example: Original thesis: “The government should implement stricter regulations on the usage of plastic to reduce environmental pollution.” Paraphrased restatement: “To combat environmental pollution, it is imperative for the government to enforce more stringent regulations regarding plastic consumption.”

By effectively paraphrasing your thesis statement, you provide a fresh perspective on your argument while staying true to the core message of your essay.

Connect Your Thesis to a Larger Idea or Context

Connecting your thesis to a larger idea or context helps emphasize the broader significance of your argument. It allows readers to understand the relevance and implications of your thesis statement in a broader context. Here are some strategies to help you connect your thesis to a larger idea or context:

Highlight the broader impact: Discuss how your thesis statement relates to a larger societal, cultural, or academic issue. Explain why understanding or addressing your thesis statement is essential in the larger scheme of things.

Example: Original thesis: “The portrayal of women in media perpetuates harmful stereotypes.” Restatement connected to a larger context: “Challenging the portrayal of women in media is an integral part of the ongoing fight for gender equality and empowering women.”

Provide historical or current examples: Demonstrate how your thesis statement connects to historical events, current affairs, or prominent figures. This highlights the relevance of your argument in a larger and recognizable context.

Example: Original thesis: “Corruption undermines the integrity of democratic systems.” Restatement connected to a larger context: “Throughout history, instances of corruption have been notorious for eroding trust in democratic institutions and fostering public disillusionment.”

Discuss the wider implications: Analyze the consequences or wider implications of your thesis statement beyond the scope of your essay. This helps readers understand the significance of your argument and its potential impact.

Example: Original thesis: “Automation in the workforce necessitates the need for reskilling and upskilling.” Restatement connected to a larger context: “The rapid advancement of automation technology not only requires individuals to adapt and acquire new skills but also poses significant challenges for educational institutions and policymakers in preparing the workforce of the future.”

By connecting your thesis to a larger idea or context, you demonstrate the broader relevance and impact of your argument, providing a deeper understanding for your readers.

Adding New Information or Ideas

While restating your thesis, you may want to introduce new information or ideas that support or expand upon your original argument. This can help enrich your restatement and provide further insight for your readers. Here are some strategies to add new information or ideas when restating your thesis:

• Present additional evidence: Introduce new evidence or examples that strengthen your argument and support your thesis statement. This shows that your original thesis is well-founded and backed by solid evidence.
• Include relevant statistics or research findings: Incorporate relevant statistics or research findings that further validate your thesis statement. This adds credibility and demonstrates a deep understanding of your topic.
• Discuss alternative perspectives: Address counterarguments or opposing viewpoints and explain how your thesis statement still holds strong despite these alternatives. This showcases critical thinking and strengthens the overall persuasiveness of your argument.
• Propose future implications or areas for further exploration: Suggest possible future developments or areas for further research and analysis related to your thesis statement. This expands the scope of your argument and encourages further engagement with the topic.
• Connect to current events or trends: Relate your thesis statement to ongoing current events or emerging trends. By highlighting the relevance of your argument to contemporary issues, you make your restatement more relatable and impactful.

Remember to integrate new information or ideas seamlessly into your restatement, ensuring they enhance and build upon your original thesis in a cohesive and logical manner.

Changing the Stance of Your Thesis

Sometimes, it can be effective to restate your thesis by presenting a different perspective or changing the stance of your original argument. This adds complexity and nuance to your restatement, engaging readers with a fresh viewpoint. Here are some strategies for changing the stance of your thesis:

• Acknowledge counterarguments: Address opposing viewpoints or critiques of your original thesis statement. Show that you have considered alternative perspectives and are open to a balanced discussion.
• Present a different angle: Introduce a related but contrasting aspect of your topic. This allows you to present a new interpretation or highlight a lesser-known aspect, challenging conventional thinking.
• Offer a qualified stance: Adjust the certainty or absoluteness of your thesis statement. Use words and phrases like “it is probable,” “it is likely,” or “there may be exceptions” to indicate a more nuanced or conditional stance.
• Explore the limitations: Discuss the limitations or constraints of your original thesis statement. This demonstrates critical thinking and an understanding of the complexities involved in your topic.

By changing the stance of your thesis, you demonstrate intellectual flexibility and engage readers with a thought-provoking restatement that encourages further exploration and discussion.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Restating Your Thesis

Restating a thesis statement is a crucial step in effectively summarizing your main argument and reinforcing its significance. However, there are some common mistakes that should be avoided in order to maintain clarity and coherence. Here are some pitfalls to steer clear of when restating your thesis:

• Repetition of the exact same words: While restating your thesis, strive to express the main idea using different words and sentence structures. Repetition can make your restatement sound monotonous and redundant.
• Adding new information or ideas: Remember that restating your thesis is about summarizing and reaffirming your original argument, rather than introducing new information or ideas. Avoid incorporating unrelated or irrelevant content in your restatement.
• Changing the meaning of your thesis: Ensure that the restatement maintains the same core message or main argument as your original thesis statement. Avoid altering the meaning or taking a completely different stance without proper justification.
• Being too vague or general: Avoid being overly broad or generic when restating your thesis. Aim to provide a concise and specific restatement that accurately captures the main focus of your essay.
• Not addressing the main points of your essay: Your restatement should reflect the key points and supporting arguments discussed in your essay. Neglecting to encompass these important elements can weaken the overall effectiveness of your restatement.

By avoiding these common mistakes, you can successfully restate your thesis statement in a manner that reinforces your main argument while maintaining clarity and coherence.

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How to Restate A Thesis: Your Detailed Guide

A thesis acts as your research paper’s main pillar, guiding the readers to the key points on the paper and the direction that you took. A thesis statement comes at the introduction, but you will need to restate it in the conclusion. Notably, a lot of students find this challenging and keep asking, “How do you rephrase a thesis statement?” and “Are you supposed to reword your thesis in the conclusion paragraph?”

To help you restate thesis of your paper appropriately, we have highlighted the key steps that you should follow. Make sure to also check the examples and practice the different ways to restate a thesis until you can hack it like a pro.

What Does Restate Thesis Mean?

Before we can look at the steps involved in restating a thesis, it is important to start by asking the questions, “What does restating means?” and “How long does a thesis restate have to be?”

Restating means that you are highlighting something that you had already brought out, in this case, the “thesis of your paper.” Therefore, you are simply reminding the readers about the points that you were trying to put across in the entire paper, but without sounding repetitive. When it comes to length, there is no specific rule on it, but you should try to make it approximately the same length as the original thesis.

When you restate thesis and conclude the paper well, your work will look complete, professional and earn you a better grade.

Restate Thesis Statement: Decide Where to Position It

In most cases, college students restate the thesis at the start of their conclusion. You might also want to place it on a different section of the conclusion, other than the beginning of the conclusion. When teaching students how to restate a thesis in a conclusion, we recommend them to use the method that will make their work look unique.

For example, instead of restating the thesis as the first sentence, consider starting the conclusion with a rhetoric question followed by your restated thesis statement. Here is an example below. “Will we ever appreciate the importance of saving our rainforests? Rainforests act as the largest carbon sinks on the globe, as well as home to thousands of species, and everyone can play a role in their protection.”

Note that since there is no specific formula on how to restate a thesis statement , it is advisable to start by crafting a draft conclusion and then decide where to position it. Actually, you might consider several positions until you get the perfect spot.

How to Rephrase a Thesis: Make It to have a Deeper Impact

By the time a reader gets to the conclusion of your work, it implies that he/she has already read the entire paper and has a clear idea about your stand on the topic. Therefore, you should take advantage of this and rephrase the thesis statement to deliver a deeper level of emotional effect.

One way of driving this deeper emotional impact is addressing the reader directly, and here is an example. If you were working on a paper with a topic, such as cybersecurity for startups, a good way to start restating the thesis might be:

• “As a startup enterprise owner …”
• “To strengthen your information security as a small business owner …”

Ways to Restate a Thesis: Answer the Question, “So What?”

The stated thesis at the start of your introduction might not provide the answer to the question, “so what?” However, the restated thesis , in your conclusion, should comprehensively answer the question. The answer seeks to inform the reader about the significance of the arguments in the paper to avoid leaving him/her hanging.

For example, if your paper was talking about teenage alcohol and substance abuse, make sure to answer the question “So what?” by showing what it does to teenagers. This can be something such as this; “ Additional awareness of the dangers of substance abuse, such as alcohol, should be emphasized because teenagers are more prone and likely to give in because of peer pressure rather than the implications of substance abuse.”

Avoid Making Apologies when Rewording a Thesis

When working on the conclusion of your paper, it is prudent to be confident that you provided ample proof in the body. Therefore, as you restate the thesis, you should not make apologetic statements because they undermine your argument. Such statements, which you should avoid, include:

“It appears that …. “ “It is possible that …” “It is my opinion that …”

The only time when using such statements when restating your thesis might be okay is when the topic of discussion was simply a possibility.

Restate Thesis Statement by Varying the Tense

When writing an paper, the thesis statement at the introduction might have been done in the future tense, informing the reader what to anticipate in the rest of the paper.

For example, a paper looking at coal production might have a thesis such as this, “ I will examine the effects of using coal in Azerbaijan ….” When restating the thesis, you can change the tense, and put it in the past, so that it looks something like this, “ I evaluated the how harmful the use of coal is to the environment in Azerbaijan …”

Seek Writing Help to Restate Thesis of Your Paper

When you work on any piece of assignment, how you wrap it up, especially in the conclusion, is very important to avoid leaving your reader in suspense. In this post, we have demonstrated how to restate a thesis statement, but you should consider reading a carefully done restate thesis and practice more to hone your skills. However, if you are still finding the task a challenge, even after reading a restate thesis example, consider seeking writing help from an expert.

We have a pool of qualified writers who are ready to help you with your academic assignments, and all you have to do is ask us for help to “restate my thesis.” They know how to start a paper, write the body professionally, and restate the thesis like pros. Furthermore, our services are cheap, and you can count on our writers for quality work and top grades.

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Master the Art: How to Restate a Thesis

Mastering the art of restating a thesis: your guide to academic precision, hook: unveiling the power of thesis restatement.

In academic writing, mastering how to restate a thesis effectively is paramount for leaving a lasting impact on your readers. Similar to a conductor orchestrating a symphony, skillful restatement harmonizes your ideas, ensuring clarity and resonance. Crafting an effective restatement of the thesis is akin to distilling the essence of your argument into a potent elixir—one that leaves a lasting impression on your readers. While the task may seem daunting, employing the right techniques can transform this endeavor nce of restating your thesis and explore strategies for achieving this in the thesis conclusion of your paper.

By condensing these sections, you can maintain the article’s clarity and coherence while making it more concise and reader-friendly.

The Significance of Thesis Restatement in Academic Writing

In the intricate tapestry of academic discourse, the thesis statement stands as a beacon of clarity, guiding readers through the labyrinth of your arguments. However, its significance extends beyond mere introduction; it serves as the linchpin of your entire paper, encapsulating the essence of your research or analysis. Yet, as the final crescendo approaches, the thesis deserves a moment of resplendent reaffirmation—a chance to resonate in the minds of your audience.

Overview of What the Article Will Cover

Throughout this guide, we’ll unravel the mysteries of thesis restatement, exploring its significance and providing strategies for crafting impactful restatements. From dissecting the anatomy of a thesis statement to showcasing examples and offering practical exercises, we’ll equip you with the tools necessary for academic precision. Additionally, we’ll demonstrate restate thesis example instances to illustrate effective application.

Understanding and Crafting a Strong Thesis Statement

In academic writing, a strong thesis statement serves as the cornerstone of your argument, guiding your readers through the complexities of your paper. Let’s outline the key characteristics that make a thesis statement effective:

• Specificity: A strong thesis statement is clear and precise, providing a focused direction for your paper. For example: Thesis: “The rise of social media has transformed communication, but it has also raised concerns about privacy and authenticity.”
• Debatable: An effective thesis statement presents an argument or perspective that invites discussion and analysis rather than stating an indisputable fact. For instance: Thesis: “The portrayal of female characters in classic literature reflects societal attitudes towards gender roles and expectations.”
• Evidence-Based: A robust thesis statement is supported by evidence or reasoning, demonstrating your engagement with the topic and your ability to construct a compelling argument. Consider: Thesis: “Drawing on cognitive psychology theories, this study investigates the impact of mindfulness meditation on reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression among college students.”

Restating your thesis effectively in the conclusion of your paper is crucial for reinforcing your main argument and leaving a lasting impression on your audience. But how do you restate a thesis in a way that is both impactful and memorable? Let’s explore some strategies and techniques to achieve this.

The Purpose of Restating a Thesis

In academic writing, the restatement of the thesis serves several crucial purposes. Firstly, it acts as a guiding light, illuminating the main argument and reminding readers of the paper’s central proposition. By encapsulating the main argument in a succinct and memorable manner, the restatement ensures that readers depart with a crystal-clear understanding of the writer’s intentions. Additionally, as the final act of the paper unfolds, the restatement serves as a poignant reminder of the intellectual journey that has transpired. It echoes like a refrain, drawing attention to the central theme or argument that has permeated every paragraph and citation, reinforcing its enduring relevance in the broader scholarly discourse. Lastly, the restatement strengthens the overall coherence and cohesion of the paper, binding together the various strands of thought and ensuring structural integrity.

Techniques for Effective Restatement

Crafting an effective restatement of the thesis is akin to distilling the essence of your argument into a potent elixir—one that leaves a lasting impression on your readers. While the task may seem daunting, employing the right techniques can transform this endeavor into a seamless and impactful conclusion to your academic paper. Let’s explore some key techniques for how to restate your thesis in a compelling manner:

• Summarizing Without Repetition

Avoid the temptation to simply repeat the original thesis verbatim. Instead, strive to encapsulate the main argument in a fresh and succinct manner. Consider paraphrasing the thesis statement while retaining its core essence. Focus on conveying the central idea without regurgitating the exact wording, allowing for a sense of closure while avoiding redundancy.

Example: Original Thesis: “The proliferation of social media has revolutionized communication, but it has also raised concerns about privacy and authenticity.” Restatement: “In summary, while social media has transformed how we communicate, it has also sparked debates surrounding privacy and authenticity.”

• Emphasizing Key Points

Highlighting the key points of your argument in the restatement can reinforce their significance and leave a lasting impression on your readers. Identify the main themes or findings of your paper and ensure that they are prominently featured in the restatement. This serves to underscore the importance of your argument and provides a concise recapitulation of your paper’s main contributions.

Example: Original Thesis: “The implementation of sustainable farming practices is essential for mitigating the environmental impact of agriculture and ensuring food security.” Restatement: “In conclusion, the adoption of sustainable farming methods is crucial not only for environmental preservation but also for safeguarding our global food supply.”

• Incorporating New Insights or Perspectives

While the restatement should echo the main argument of your paper, it also offers an opportunity to introduce fresh insights or perspectives that have emerged throughout your discussion. Consider how your analysis has evolved and whether there are any additional points you wish to emphasize in the conclusion. By integrating new insights into the restatement, you demonstrate the depth of your engagement with the topic and leave readers with food for thought.

Example: Original Thesis: “The portrayal of female characters in classic literature reflects societal attitudes towards gender roles and expectations.” Restatement: “In retrospect, the depiction of female characters in classic literature not only mirrors historical gender norms but also invites critical reflection on the evolution of societal perceptions of femininity and empowerment.”

Incorporating these techniques into your restatement can elevate it from a mere summary to a compelling synthesis of your paper’s main arguments. By summarizing without repetition, emphasizing key points, and incorporating new insights, you can craft a restatement that resonates with your readers and leaves a lasting impression long after they’ve finished reading.

Strategies for Crafting Impactful Restatements

Crafting an impactful restatement of the thesis requires strategic approaches tailored to the nuances of each situation. Here are concise strategies to consider:

• Analyzing the Context and Audience: Consider the broader context in which your paper exists and the expectations of your audience. Tailor your restatement to resonate with the interests and concerns of your readers, ensuring relevance and engagement within the larger scholarly discourse.
• Tailoring the Restatement to Suit Different Types of Papers: Recognize that different types of academic papers may require different approaches. While a concise summary may suffice for shorter papers, a more comprehensive restatement may be necessary for longer works. Consider the scope and complexity of your paper when determining the appropriate level of detail and nuance.
• Using Language that Reflects Confidence and Authority: Adopt a tone of confidence and conviction in your restatement. Avoid hedging or equivocation, and make declarative statements that leave no doubt about the significance of your argument and the validity of your conclusions.

By implementing these strategies, you can craft restatements that resonate with your audience, reinforce the strength of your argument, and leave a lasting impression.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid in Restating a Thesis

Crafting an effective restatement of the thesis requires finesse and attention to detail. Here are the key pitfalls to avoid and straightforward guidance on how to steer clear of them:

• Merely Repeating the Thesis Without Adding Value: Avoid simply regurgitating the original thesis statement without offering any additional insight or analysis. Expand upon the original thesis by summarizing the main argument in a fresh and engaging way. Reflect on the key points of your paper and consider their broader implications or significance to add depth and nuance to your restatement.
• Introducing New Information in the Restatement: Resist the temptation to introduce new information or ideas in the restatement of the thesis. The conclusion of your paper is not the place to unveil novel findings or introduce fresh arguments. Stick to summarizing and reinforcing the main argument, avoiding tangential topics or straying from the scope of your paper.
• Underestimating the Importance of Clarity and Coherence: Prioritize clarity and coherence in your restatement. Ensure that your restatement ties together the various threads of your argument in a cohesive and compelling manner, providing readers with a sense of closure and resolution. Avoid ambiguity or vagueness, and use language that is clear, concise, and to the point.

By avoiding these common pitfalls, you can craft restatements that enhance the clarity and impact of your paper, leaving a lasting impression on your readers.

Examples of Effective Restatements

Examining successful restatements from academic papers offers valuable insights into the strategies and techniques employed to reinforce the thesis and leave a lasting impression on the reader. Let’s deconstruct a few restate thesis example, and highlight the key elements that contribute to their effectiveness:

Example 1: Original Thesis: “The rise of social media has revolutionized communication, but it has also raised concerns about privacy and authenticity.” Restatement: “In conclusion, the transformative impact of social media on communication cannot be overstated. However, as we navigate this digital landscape, it is imperative to address the pressing issues of privacy and authenticity.” Key Elements: Synthesis of Main Points: The restatement succinctly summarizes the main argument while emphasizing the transformative nature of social media on communication. Relevance to Conclusion: It sets the stage for the conclusion by highlighting the importance of addressing privacy and authenticity in the digital age. Clarity and Conciseness: The language is clear and concise, ensuring that the restatement effectively reinforces the thesis without unnecessary repetition. Example 2: Original Thesis: “Effective leadership is essential for driving organizational success and fostering a positive work culture.” Restatement: “In summary, the role of effective leadership in shaping organizational success and cultivating a supportive work environment cannot be overstated. As we strive to navigate the complexities of the modern workplace, it is crucial to prioritize the development of strong leadership skills.” Key Elements: Emphasis on Importance: The restatement underscores the significance of effective leadership in achieving organizational goals and fostering a positive work culture. Forward-Looking Perspective: It looks to the future, urging readers to prioritize the development of leadership skills in the face of evolving workplace challenges. Elegance in Expression: The language is elegant and persuasive, enhancing the impact of the restatement and leaving a memorable impression on the reader. Example 3: Original Thesis: “The findings of this study highlight the importance of early childhood education in promoting cognitive development and academic success.” Restatement: “In conclusion, the findings of this study underscore the critical role of early childhood education in shaping cognitive development and laying the foundation for academic achievement. As we consider the implications of these findings, it is evident that investing in quality early childhood education programs is essential for the future success of our society.” Key Elements: Summarization of Findings: The restatement summarizes the key findings of the study, reinforcing the importance of early childhood education. Call to Action: It goes beyond summary to advocate for action, emphasizing the need to invest in quality early childhood education programs. Clarity and Conviction: The language is clear and persuasive, conveying a sense of urgency and conviction that resonates with the reader.

In conclusion, these examples illustrate how effective restatements reinforce the thesis, set the stage for the conclusion, and leave a lasting impression on the reader. By synthesizing main points, emphasizing importance, and using clear and persuasive language, these restatements effectively encapsulate the essence of the paper and underscore its significance in the broader context of academic discourse.

Refining Your Restatement Skills

Improving your ability to craft effective restatements requires a proactive approach and dedication to practice. Here are actionable steps and tips to refine your restatement skills:

• Seeking Feedback from Peers or Instructors: Share your restatements with peers, instructors, or mentors and solicit their input. Ask for specific feedback on clarity, coherence, and effectiveness in reinforcing the thesis. Constructive criticism can provide valuable insights and help identify areas for improvement.
• Utilizing Online Resources and Writing Centers: Take advantage of the wealth of online resources and writing centers available to support your academic writing endeavors. Many universities offer writing assistance services, including workshops, tutorials, and one-on-one consultations with writing tutors. These resources can provide guidance on structuring restatements, refining language, and enhancing overall writing proficiency.
• The Importance of Continuous Practice and Refinement: Set aside dedicated time for writing exercises focused specifically on crafting restatements. Experiment with different techniques, styles, and approaches to see what works best for you. Keep a journal or log of your restatements and reflect on your progress over time. Consistent practice will help sharpen your skills and deepen your understanding of effective restatement strategies.

By incorporating these steps and tips into your writing process, you can refine your restatement skills and enhance the clarity, coherence, and impact of your academic writing.

Mastering the art of thesis restatement is transformative, elevating academic writing to new heights of clarity and impact. As we conclude our exploration, let’s recap the significance of this vital aspect of academic discourse and its profound implications for your writing prowess.

Recap of Significance:

Restating the thesis serves as a beacon of clarity, guiding readers through the labyrinth of your arguments and reinforcing the central proposition of your paper. It provides a moment of reflection amidst the intellectual journey, offering a succinct summary of key points while underscoring their enduring relevance in the broader scholarly discourse.

Encouragement for Implementation:

To my fellow scholars, I encourage you to implement the techniques and strategies discussed with confidence and enthusiasm. By mastering thesis restatement, you’ll refine your ability to distill complex ideas into clear and persuasive arguments, leaving a lasting impression on your readers.

Emphasizing Transformative Impact:

As you incorporate these strategies into your writing process, you’ll experience a transformative impact on your academic writing prowess. Your restatements will become more concise, compelling, and impactful, resonating with clarity, coherence, and conviction.

In conclusion, the art of thesis restatement is not merely a technical skill but a powerful tool that can elevate your academic writing to new heights. Embrace it with confidence, implement the techniques learned, and watch as your papers resonate with clarity, coherence, and conviction.

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Writing conclusions.

Though expectations vary from one discipline to the next, the conclusion of your paper is generally a place to explore the implications of your topic or argument. In other words, the end of your paper is a place to look outward or ahead in order to explain why you made the points you did.

Writing the Conclusion

In the past, you may have been told that your conclusion should summarize what you have already said by restating your thesis and main points. It is often helpful to restate your argument in the conclusion, particularly in a longer paper, but most professors and instructors want students to go beyond simply repeating what they have already said. Restating your thesis is just a short first part of your conclusion. Make sure that you are not simply repeating yourself; your restated thesis should use new and interesting language.

After you have restated your thesis, you should not just summarize the key points of your argument. Your conclusion should offer the reader something new to think about—or, at the very least, it should offer the reader a new way of thinking about what you have said in your paper.

You can employ one of several strategies for taking your conclusion that important step further:

• Answer the question, "So what?"
• Connect to a larger theme from the course
• Complicate your claim with an outside source
• Pose a new research question as a result of your paper's findings
• Address the limitations of your argument

The strategy you employ in writing a conclusion for your paper may depend upon a number of factors:

• The conventions of the discipline in which you are writing
• The tone of your paper (whether your paper is analytical, argumentative, explanatory, etc.)
• Whether your paper is meant to be formal or informal

Choose a strategy that best maintains the flow and tone of your paper while allowing you to adequately tie together all aspects of your paper.

The Final "So what?" Strategy

Part of generating a thesis statement sometimes requires answering the "so what?" question—that is, explaining the significance of your basic assertion. When you use the "so what?" strategy to write your conclusion, you are considering what some of the implications of your argument might be beyond the points already made in your paper. This strategy allows you to leave readers with an understanding of why your argument is important in a broader context or how it can apply to a larger concept.

For example, consider a paper about alcohol abuse in universities. If the paper argues that alcohol abuse among students depends more on psychological factors than simply the availability of alcohol on campus, a "so what?" conclusion might tie together threads from the body of the paper to suggest that universities are not approaching alcohol education from the most effective perspective when they focus exclusively on limiting students' access to alcohol.

To use this strategy, ask yourself, "How does my argument affect how I approach the text or issue?"

The "Connecting to a Course Theme" Strategy

When you use the "connecting to a course theme" strategy to write your conclusion, you are establishing a connection between your paper's thesis and a larger theme or idea from the course for which you are writing your paper.

For example, consider a paper about mothers and daughters in Eudora Welty's Delta Wedding for a class called "The Inescapable South." This paper argues that a strong dependence on the mother is analogous to a strong dependence on the South. A "connecting to a course theme" conclusion for this paper might propose that Welty's daughter characters demonstrate what type of people can and cannot escape the South.

To use this strategy, ask yourself, "What is an overall theme of this course? How does my paper's thesis connect?"

The "Complicating Your Claim" Strategy

When you use the "complicating your claim" strategy to write your conclusion, you are using one or more additional resources to develop a more nuanced final thesis. Such additional resources could include a new outside source or textual evidence that seemingly contradicts your argument.

For example, consider a paper about Ireland's neutrality during World War II. This paper argues that Ireland refused to enter the war because it wanted to assert its sovereignty, not because it had no opinion about the conflict. A "complicating your claim" conclusion for this paper might provide historical evidence that Ireland did aid the Allies, suggesting that the Irish were more influenced by international diplomacy than their formal neutrality might suggest.

To use this strategy, ask yourself, "Is there any evidence against my thesis?" or "What does an outside source have to say about my thesis?"

The "Posing a New Question" Strategy

When you use the "posing a new question" strategy to write your conclusion, you are inviting the reader to consider a new idea or question that has appeared as a result of your argument.

For example, consider a paper about three versions of the folktale "Rapunzel." This paper argues that German, Italian, and Filipino versions of "Rapunzel" all vary in terms of characterization, plot development, and moral, and as a result have different themes. A "posing a new question" conclusion for this paper might ask the historical and cultural reasons for how three separate cultures developed such similar stories with such different themes.

To use this strategy, ask yourself, "What new question has developed out of my argument?"

The "Addressing Limitations" Strategy

When you use the "addressing limitations" strategy to write your conclusion, you are discussing the possible weaknesses of your argument and, thus, the fallibility of your overall conclusion. This strategy is often useful in concluding papers on scientific studies and experiments.

For example, consider a paper about an apparent correlation between religious belief and support for terrorism. An "addressing limitations" conclusion for this paper might suggest that the apparent correlation relies on the paper's definition of "terrorism" and, since the definition is not objective, the apparent correlation might have been wrongly identified.

To use this strategy, ask yourself, "In what aspects is my argument lacking? Are there circumstances in which my conclusions might be wrong?"

Polishing Your Conclusion—and Your Paper

After you've completed your conclusion, look over what you have written and consider making some small changes to promote clarity and originality:

• Unless your discipline requires them, remove obvious transitions like "in conclusion," "in summary," and "in result" from your conclusion; they get in the way of the actual substance of your conclusion.
• Consider taking a strong phrase from your conclusion and using it as the title or subtitle of your paper.

Also, be sure to proofread your conclusion carefully for errors and typos. You should double-check your entire paper for accuracy and correct spelling as well.

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How can I restate a thesis statement effectively?

This is the second of three chapters about Thesis Restatements . To complete this reader, read each chapter carefully and then unlock and complete our materials to check your understanding.   

– Introduce four tips for writing effective thesis restatements

– Explore the four elements of a thesis restatement 

– Provide guidance on restating a thesis restatement using paraphrasing techniques

Chapter 1: Why are concluding thesis restatements important?

Chapter 2: How can I restate a thesis statement effectively?

Chapter 3: Can I see example academic thesis restatements?

Before you begin reading...

• video and audio texts
• knowledge checks and quizzes
• skills practices, tasks and assignments

In Chapter 1 of this short reader we introduced the basic elements of a concluding paragraph and compared the introductory thesis statement   with the concluding thesis restatement . In Chapter 2, we next attempt to deconstruct and reconstruct some example thesis restatements to exemplify how these elements can be written most effectively. This exemplification can be broken down into four tips. Continue reading to learn about how to apply these simple tips to your own writing.

Tip 1: Include the Elements

As was mentioned at the end of Chapter 1, there are four key elements that build a thesis statement – and these same elements can be used to build thesis restatements too. The first is the inclusion of task language. The task language provided in the table below works to inform the reader of both the format of the assignment  ( essay , dissertation , etc) and its type ( discuss , evaluate , etc.). From this information, an experienced reader should then be able to predict the likely structure of the essay based on their experience:

The second and third aspects are usually constructed from the topic of the essay and its key arguments. While the topic is simple as it’s often taken directly from the essay question, the writer’s key arguments are somewhat more complex as they’re drawn from the body-paragraph main ideas – as outlined in the essay’s topic sentences . As can be seen in the following table, however, these aspects are straightforward enough to write once the body section is complete (a thesis restatement should not be written before this stage):

When writing a thesis restatement, students should also remember to provide their main ideas in the same order as presented in the body section of their essay, also including stance (writer opinion) as the fourth element wherever required:

Tip 2: Paraphrase the Thesis Statement

While it’s important that the meaning of the original thesis   is restated by the writer in the concluding paragraph , this doesn’t mean that precisely the same words should be used. In fact, doing so might appear lazy or repetitive to the reader. Instead, writers should use a wide variety of techniques to help them restate their thesis in different words and linguistic structures.

The most helpful techniques are listed for students below:

• alter the grammar
• alter the sentence structure
• change the order of information
• change the word order
• modify the word forms
• use antonyms and synonyms

Students should remember, of course, that it’s not necessary to paraphrase every word. Names, collocates  and subject-specific words should be maintained, as can small grammatical words such as prepositions and determiners .

Tip 3: Be Specific and Concise

An effective thesis restatement should always be specific and concise . Specificity is critical as being vague will only confuse your reader or lead them to believe that you’re as unsure about your topic as they are. Likewise, overwritten text may be tiring for the reader and will use up your limited word count . To see this in action, take a look at the two example thesis restatements below and see why example A has the best balance of specificity and concision:

Tip 4: Edit Carefully

Finally, remember to check every aspect of your essay carefully for grammar and spelling errors before submission, including your concluding thesis restatement. Should a reader spot too many errors in your writing, their confidence in your argumentation will be reduced (and so too may your grade).

To reference this reader:

Academic Marker (2022) Thesis Restatements . Available at: https://academicmarker.com/essay-writing/concluding-paragraphs/thesis-restatements/ (Accessed: Date Month Year).

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Once you’ve completed all three chapters in this short reader about Thesis Restatements , you might then wish to download our Chapter Worksheets to check your progress or print for your students. These professional PDF worksheets can be easily accessed for only a few Academic Marks .

Chapter 1 explores the topic: Why are concluding thesis restatements important? Our Chapter 1 Worksheet (containing guidance, activities and answer keys) can be accessed here at the click of a button. 

Chapter 2 explores the topic: How can I restate a thesis statement effectively? Our Chapter 2 Worksheet (containing guidance, activities and answer keys) can be accessed here at the click of a button. 

Chapter 3 explores the topic: Can I see example academic thesis restatements? Our Chapter 3 Worksheet (containing guidance, activities and answer keys) can be accessed here at the click of a button. 

To save yourself 2 Marks , click on the button below to gain unlimited access to all of our Thesis Restatements Chapter Worksheets. This  All-in-1 Pack includes every chapter, activity and answer key related to this topic in one handy and professional PDF.

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Workshop Resources: Thesis Statements & Outlines

• Politics & Practice of Citation
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Thesis Statement

Your thesis statement should be a one sentence, declarative, controversial statement

Controversial meaning it is possible someone could disagree with it--you will have to ARGUE your case

Of course when you are writing a 15-20 page paper, it will be more than 5 paragraphs. But you can scaffold this out in various ways. Add additional Evidence Paragraphs, or make 3 Evidence Sections with multiple paragraphs each.

Introduction

Lead: One sentence that makes a general statement and tries to get the reader’s attention.

Background Information: One or two sentences that give you some general information about the topic of the essay.

Main Point of Paragraph: One or two sentences telling what your body paragraphs will discuss in the order they appear in the essay.

Thesis Statement: One sentence that gives a clear, concise representation of your topic and argument

Evidence Paragraphs

Topic Sentence: One sentence that tells the topic of the paragraph AND acts as a transition from the previous paragraph.

Details/Examples/Support/Quotes/Evidence: Several sentences related to the topic of the paragraph

Closing/Conclusion for the Paragraph: One sentence that relates to paragraph’s topic sentence and points back to the thesis.

Restatement of Thesis: One sentence that restates the thesis from the introductory paragraph.

Review of Main Points: One or two sentences that briefly reviews the main points from your body paragraphs.  No new information should be discussed here.

Closing for Essay: One or two sentences that wrap up the essay so that there is a feeling of finality.

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Easy-To-Use Guide On How To Restate a Thesis in 2023

So, you have painstakingly written your paper intro, body, and now you are stuck on how to restate a thesis in conclusion. Well, you are not alone, my friend! Many college and university students go through what you are experiencing now.

Nevertheless, do not panic. In this top-tier post, you will see how to restate a thesis statement effortlessly and fantastically. Keep on reading to get your problem solved by the experts today.

What Does Restate Thesis Mean?

For us to have better grounding, we have first to understand what restating means? It denotes stating an idea again or differently, especially more transparently or convincingly.

In most papers, this short part forms the first sentence of the conclusion paragraph. As you state the thesis again in a new way, you help the reader recap the original thesis statement, especially in a long paper.

How Do You Rephrase a Thesis Statement?

There are a plethora of ways to restate a thesis statement. However, a successful thesis restatement ought to remind your readers of what you have proven in your body paragraphs. It should also help to bring your research paper to a successful close.

Below are professional steps to guide you when you are thinking about a thesis restatement:

• Where do I want to restate my thesis?

The first step is to determine where you’d want to fit your thesis restatement in the conclusion paragraph. Most students think that it is supposed to be the first sentence of the concluding section. However, that is not the case.

You can decide to place it at the beginning, middle, or end of your summarizing paragraph. The goal is to remind your reader of the main idea while still maintain a sense of creativity and high writing standards.

Therefore, you can draft a rough conclusion and identify a suitable place for your thesis restatement before writing the final paper.

• What have I discussed in the body paragraphs?

By the time you write your conclusion, you have already exhausted everything; the reader needs to know the original thesis statement. Therefore, you have ‘an informed reader’ by the time you are thinking to restate thesis statement.

Why is this important to know?

It helps you draw your thesis restatement from the arguments you’ve raised in the body paragraphs. The restated thesis will, therefore, provide a greater level of sophistication to the original statement.

How To Rephrase a Thesis

It is no secret that paraphrasing as a whole is not an easy task. At this point, after writing your five-paragraph paper, your mind might be saturated, and rephrasing can seem like calculating a calculus equation.

But you can still achieve this task and accurately. Scroll down to see how?

• The ‘so what’ question

Professionals have unanimously agreed that this is the backbone of any thesis restatement. This question explains the significance of the original idea. When you revisit it in conclusion, it will prompt the reader to see why it was worth his/her time.

For instance, if you have a paper about cheating among students – the ‘so what’ question can address its meaning for the students and instructors. Look at the restate thesis example for this illustration: “Because cheating in exams depends on more than just the copy-pasting, it is crucial that students know about how cheating occurs.”

• Avoid apologizing

At this point, you have given your defense in more than four body paragraphs; why should you be apologizing now? It will only make your conclusion look weak and write off all the body paragraphs’ strides.

Desist from phrases such as “it seems like or it is possible” when restating your thesis.

However, when the original thesis uses this conditional language, then an exception is made. You should maintain a high level of confidence at all costs, even in such a case. Have faith that you have done justice to your thesis statement.

• Clichés are a no-go-zone

You all know how tedious and frustrating clichés can be on the part of the reader. Whenever you use words like ‘in conclusion or in summary,’ you will turn off your reader. Who doesn’t know that the last paragraph is a conclusion or summary?

Take a fresh perspective from the norm to make your conclusion paragraph thrilling and exciting. It will also show your maturity level in writing through the original and creative phrases you choose to use.

Rewording a Thesis

Are you supposed to reword your thesis in the conclusion paragraph? The answer is yes! As we have seen hitherto, rewording a thesis statement gives it a new and captivating outlook. Your conclusion will not appear blunt or dull when you re-write the thesis statement word for word.

So how do you achieve this task?

• By changing the structure

To have a dissimilar thesis statement from the original, you have to alter its language and structure. It also applies to the clauses used in the original thesis.

Use different parts of speech to begin our thesis restatement. For example, if you start the original thesis with a subject, begin the paraphrase with a prepositional phrase. Here is an example of how to do that:

Original thesis: “Students in college and university are fond of copying and cheating.” Thesis restatement: “In many colleges and universities, students copy and cheat in their exams.”

• Use different words altogether.

Make use of synonyms to the words used in the original thesis. Your word processor’s thesaurus function could be a good starting point. However, ensure that the words you choose bear the same meaning as the original ones.

• Break the points up

If you had an original thesis with one long sentence, you could split it up in two or three manageable sentences. After doing this, you can spread the sentences across the conclusion paragraph to break the monotony.

• Consider changing the tense.

Juggling between the present and past tense is a good strategy for rewording a thesis.

For instance, “I will discuss the impacts of exam cheating” to “I explained how deleterious cheating can be to students.”

How Long Does a Thesis Restate Have To Be?

In most cases, the conclusion paragraph accounts for 5-7% of the whole paper . Therefore, you should consider the overall word count of the entire piece first. After doing this, you will take the number of words you intend to use for your introduction and body paragraphs.

Once you determine the difference between these two, you can know the number of words to use for your thesis restatement. Either way, the number of words should not deter you from coming up with a quality thesis restate in conclusion.

Using the tips above guarantees you a top-notch restate of your thesis. If you wish to use cheap expert writing help to restate your thesis, our experienced writers are on standby.

Hit the ‘Order Now’ button and get your paper started!

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6.3.2: Steps of a Conclusion

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Learning Objectives

• Examine the three steps of an effective conclusion: restatement of the thesis, review of the main points, and concluding device.
• Differentiate among Miller’s (1946) ten concluding devices.

In  Section 6.3.1 “Why Conclusions Matter” , we discussed the importance a conclusion has on a speech. In this section, we’re going to examine the three steps in building an effective conclusion.

Restatement of the Thesis

Restating a thesis statement is the first step in a powerful conclusion. As we explained in  Chapter 6.1 “Introductions Matter: How to Begin a Speech Effectively” , a thesis statement is a short, declarative sentence that states the purpose, intent, or main idea of a speech. When we restate the thesis statement at the conclusion of our speech, we’re attempting to reemphasize what the overarching main idea of the speech has been. Suppose your thesis statement was, “I will analyze Barack Obama’s use of lyricism in his July 2008 speech, ‘A World That Stands as One.’” You could restate the thesis in this fashion at the conclusion of your speech: “In the past few minutes, I have analyzed Barack Obama’s use of lyricism in his July 2008 speech, ‘A World That Stands as One.’” Notice the shift in tense: the statement has gone from the future tense (this is what I will speak about) to the past tense (this is what I have spoken about). Restating the thesis in your conclusion reminds the audience of the major purpose or goal of your speech, helping them remember it better.

Review of Main Points

After restating the speech’s thesis, the second step in a powerful conclusion is to review the main points from your speech. One of the biggest differences between written and oral communication is the necessity of repetition in oral communication. When we preview our main points in the introduction, effectively discuss and make transitions to our main points during the body of the speech, and finally, review the main points in the conclusion, we increase the likelihood that the audience will retain our main points after the speech is over.

In the introduction of a speech, we deliver a  preview  of our main body points, and in the conclusion we deliver a  review . Let’s look at a sample preview:

In order to understand the field of gender and communication, I will first differentiate between the terms biological sex and gender. I will then explain the history of gender research in communication. Lastly, I will examine a series of important findings related to gender and communication.

In this preview, we have three clear main points. Let’s see how we can review them at the conclusion of our speech:

Today, we have differentiated between the terms biological sex and gender, examined the history of gender research in communication, and analyzed a series of research findings on the topic.

In the past few minutes, I have explained the difference between the terms “biological sex” and “gender,” discussed the rise of gender research in the field of communication, and examined a series of groundbreaking studies in the field.

Notice that both of these conclusions review the main points originally set forth. Both variations are equally effective reviews of the main points, but you might like the linguistic turn of one over the other. Remember, while there is a lot of science to help us understand public speaking, there’s also a lot of art as well, so you are always encouraged to choose the wording that you think will be most effective for your audience.

Concluding Device

The final part of a powerful conclusion is the concluding device. A  concluding device  is essentially the final thought you want your audience members to have when you stop speaking. It also provides a definitive sense of closure to your speech. One of the authors of this text often makes an analogy between a gymnastics dismount and the concluding device in a speech. Just as a gymnast dismounting the parallel bars or balance beam wants to stick the landing and avoid taking two or three steps, a speaker wants to “stick” the ending of the presentation by ending with a concluding device instead of with, “Well, umm, I guess I’m done.” Miller observed that speakers tend to use one of ten concluding devices when ending a speech (Miller, 1946). The rest of this section is going to examine these ten concluding devices.

Conclude with a Challenge

The first way that Miller found that some speakers end their speeches is with a challenge. A  challenge  is a call to engage in some kind of activity that requires a contest or special effort. In a speech on the necessity of fund-raising, a speaker could conclude by challenging the audience to raise 10 percent more than their original projections. In a speech on eating more vegetables, you could challenge your audience to increase their current intake of vegetables by two portions daily. In both of these challenges, audience members are being asked to go out of their way to do something different that involves effort on their part.

Conclude with a Quotation

A second way you can conclude a speech is by reciting a quotation relevant to the speech topic. When using a quotation, you need to think about whether your goal is to end on a persuasive note or an informative note. Some quotations will have a clear call to action, while other quotations summarize or provoke thought. For example, let’s say you are delivering an informative speech about dissident writers in the former Soviet Union. You could end by citing this quotation from Alexander Solzhenitsyn: “A great writer is, so to speak, a second government in his country. And for that reason no regime has ever loved great writers” (Solzhenitsyn, 1964). Notice that this quotation underscores the idea of writers as dissidents, but it doesn’t ask listeners to put forth effort to engage in any specific thought process or behavior. If, on the other hand, you were delivering a persuasive speech urging your audience to participate in a very risky political demonstration, you might use this quotation from Martin Luther King Jr.: “If a man hasn’t discovered something that he will die for, he isn’t fit to live” (King, 1963). In this case, the quotation leaves the audience with the message that great risks are worth taking, that they make our lives worthwhile, and that the right thing to do is to go ahead and take that great risk.

Conclude with a Summary

When a speaker ends with a summary, he or she is simply elongating the review of the main points. While this may not be the most exciting concluding device, it can be useful for information that was highly technical or complex or for speeches lasting longer than thirty minutes. Typically, for short speeches (like those in your class), this summary device should be avoided.

Conclude by Visualizing the Future

The purpose of a conclusion that refers to the future is to help your audience imagine the future you believe can occur. If you are giving a speech on the development of video games for learning, you could conclude by depicting the classroom of the future where video games are perceived as true learning tools and how those tools could be utilized. More often, speakers use visualization of the future to depict how society would be, or how individual listeners’ lives would be different, if the speaker’s persuasive attempt worked. For example, if a speaker proposes that a solution to illiteracy is hiring more reading specialists in public schools, the speaker could ask her or his audience to imagine a world without illiteracy. In this use of visualization, the goal is to persuade people to adopt the speaker’s point of view. By showing that the speaker’s vision of the future is a positive one, the conclusion should help to persuade the audience to help create this future.

Conclude with an Appeal for Action

Probably the most common persuasive concluding device is the appeal for action or the call to action. In essence, the  appeal for action  occurs when a speaker asks her or his audience to engage in a specific behavior or change in thinking. When a speaker concludes by asking the audience “to do” or “to think” in a specific manner, the speaker wants to see an actual change. Whether the speaker appeals for people to eat more fruit, buy a car, vote for a candidate, oppose the death penalty, or sing more in the shower, the speaker is asking the audience to engage in action.

One specific type of appeal for action is the  immediate call to action . Whereas some appeals ask for people to engage in behavior in the future, the immediate call to action asks people to engage in behavior right now. If a speaker wants to see a new traffic light placed at a dangerous intersection, he or she may conclude by asking all the audience members to sign a digital petition right then and there, using a computer the speaker has made available ( http://www.petitiononline.com ). Here are some more examples of immediate calls to action:

• In a speech on eating more vegetables, pass out raw veggies and dip at the conclusion of the speech.
• In a speech on petitioning a lawmaker for a new law, provide audience members with a prewritten e-mail they can send to the lawmaker.
• In a speech on the importance of using hand sanitizer, hand out little bottles of hand sanitizer and show audience members how to correctly apply the sanitizer.
• In a speech asking for donations for a charity, send a box around the room asking for donations.

These are just a handful of different examples we’ve actually seen students use in our classrooms to elicit an immediate change in behavior. These immediate calls to action may not lead to long-term change, but they can be very effective at increasing the likelihood that an audience will change behavior in the short term.

Conclude by Inspiration

By definition, the word  inspire  means to affect or arouse someone. Both affect and arouse have strong emotional connotations. The ultimate goal of an inspiration concluding device is similar to an “appeal for action” but the ultimate goal is more lofty or ambiguous; the goal is to stir someone’s emotions in a specific manner. Maybe a speaker is giving an informative speech on the prevalence of domestic violence in our society today. That speaker could end the speech by reading Paulette Kelly’s powerful poem “I Got Flowers Today.” “I Got Flowers Today” is a poem that evokes strong emotions because it’s about an abuse victim who received flowers from her abuser every time she was victimized. The poem ends by saying, “I got flowers today… / Today was a special day—it was the day of my funeral / Last night he killed me” (Kelly, 1994).

Conclude with Advice

The next concluding device is one that should be used primarily by speakers who are recognized as expert authorities on a given subject.  Advice  is essentially a speaker’s opinion about what should or should not be done. The problem with opinions is that everyone has one, and one person’s opinion is not necessarily any more correct than another’s. There needs to be a really good reason your opinion—and therefore your advice—should matter to your audience. If, for example, you are an expert in nuclear physics, you might conclude a speech on energy by giving advice about the benefits of nuclear energy.

Conclude by Proposing a Solution

Another way a speaker can conclude a speech powerfully is to offer a solution to the problem discussed within a speech. For example, perhaps a speaker has been discussing the problems associated with the disappearance of art education in the United States. The speaker could then propose a solution of creating more community-based art experiences for school children as a way to fill this gap. Although this can be an effective conclusion, a speaker must ask herself or himself whether the solution should be discussed in more depth as a stand-alone main point within the body of the speech so that audience concerns about the proposed solution may be addressed.

Conclude with a Question

Another way you can end a speech is to ask a rhetorical question that forces the audience to ponder an idea. Maybe you are giving a speech on the importance of the environment, so you end the speech by saying, “Think about your children’s future. What kind of world do you want them raised in? A world that is clean, vibrant, and beautiful—or one that is filled with smog, pollution, filth, and disease?” Notice that you aren’t actually asking the audience to verbally or nonverbally answer the question; the goal of this question is to force the audience into thinking about what kind of world they want for their children.

Conclude with a Reference to Audience

The last concluding device discussed by Miller (1946) was a reference to one’s audience. This concluding device is when a speaker attempts to answer the basic audience question, “What’s in it for me?” The goal of this concluding device is to spell out the direct benefits a behavior or thought change has for audience members. For example, a speaker talking about stress reduction techniques could conclude by clearly listing all the physical health benefits stress reduction offers (e.g., improved reflexes, improved immune system, improved hearing, reduction in blood pressure). In this case, the speaker is clearly spelling out why audience members should care—what’s in it for them!

Informative versus Persuasive Conclusions

As you read through the ten possible ways to conclude a speech, hopefully you noticed that some of the methods are more appropriate for persuasive speeches and others are more appropriate for informative speeches. To help you choose appropriate conclusions for informative, persuasive, or entertaining speeches, we’ve created a table ( Table 6.3.2 “Your Speech Purpose and Concluding Devices” ) to help you quickly identify appropriate concluding devices.

Table 6.3.2 Your Speech Purpose and Concluding Devices

Key Takeaways

• An effective conclusion contains three basic parts: a restatement of the speech’s thesis; a review of the main points discussed within the speech; and a concluding device that helps create a lasting image in audiences’ minds.
• Miller (1946) found that speakers tend to use one of ten concluding devices. All of these devices are not appropriate for all speeches, so speakers need to determine which concluding device would have the strongest, most powerful effect for a given audience, purpose, and occasion.
• Take the last speech you gave in class and rework the speech’s conclusion to reflect the three parts of a conclusion. Now do the same thing with the speech you are currently working on for class.
• Think about the speech you are currently working on in class. Write out concluding statements using three of the devices discussed in this chapter. Which of the devices would be most useful for your speech? Why?

Kelly, P. (1994). I got flowers today. In C. J. Palmer & J. Palmer,  Fire from within . Painted Post, NY: Creative Arts & Science Enterprises.

King, M. L. (1963, June 23). Speech in Detroit. Cited in Bartlett, J., & Kaplan, J. (Eds.),  Bartlett’s familiar quotations  (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Little, Brown & Co., p. 760.

Miller, E. (1946). Speech introductions and conclusions.  Quarterly Journal of Speech, 32 , 181–183.

Solzhenitsyn, A. (1964).  The first circle.  New York: Harper & Row. Cited in Bartlett, J., & Kaplan, J. (Eds.),  Bartlett’s familiar quotations  (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Little, Brown & Co., p. 746.

• The Writing Process
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• Writing Skill: Development
• Originality
• Timed Writing (Expectations)
• Integrated Writing (Writing Process)
• Introduction to Academic Essays
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• Introduction Paragraphs
• Body Paragraphs

Conclusion Paragraphs

• Example Essay 1
• Example Essay 2
• Timed Writing (The Prompt)
• Integrated Writing (TOEFL Task 1)
• Process Essays
• Process Essay Example 1
• Process Essay Example 2
• Writing Skill: Unity
• Revise A Process Essay
• Timed Writing (Choose a Position)
• Integrated Writing (TOEFL Task 2)
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• Comparison Essay Example 1
• Comparison Essay Example 2
• Writing Skill: Cohesion
• Revise A Comparison Essay
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• Problem/Solution Essay Example 1
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• Writing Skill: Summary
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• Timed Writing (Revising)
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• Complex Sentences Part 1
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Your conclusion paragraph should logically conclude your essay, just like your concluding sentences logically conclude your body paragraphs. The conclusion paragraph should begin by restating your thesis, and then you should broaden back out to a general topic. End with a closing statement. This paragraph looks like the reverse of your introduction paragraph, going from specific to general.

Restate your thesis

The first sentence of your conclusion paragraph should restate your thesis. A restated thesis expresses the same idea, but the words are different. Remember that the meaning of your thesis should not change. Compare the thesis with the restatement below.

Thesis: Exercise is essential because it improves overall physical and mental health. Restated: Due to the mental and physical health benefits of exercise, it is absolutely crucial for our bodies.

You can restate your thesis by

• changing the order of the phrases
• using synonyms (e.g., essential > crucial)
• stating main points direcly instead of implying them (or vice versa)
• using different word forms (e.g., adjective > noun)

Apply your thesis to general contexts

Connect your thesis back to the general topics you mentioned in your introduction.

Give a closing statement

Your closing statement is very similar to the concluding sentence of a body paragraph except that you will not restate your main idea at the very end of your paper. Your last sentences can be a prediction, suggestion, opinion, or question. 

Exercise 1: Identify effective restated thesis statements

Read the thesis statement. Choose the best restated thesis from the options below.  

Thesis: Apartment complexes should provide quiet study rooms for residents so they can study without distractions.  

• Study rooms are important for students to study in.  
• Apartment managers should build quiet places to study for residents.  
• Now we can see that study rooms are valuable for students who live in apartments.  
• It is important for apartments to provide their residents with quiet study areas.

Exercise 2: Restate a thesis

On a piece of paper, rewrite each thesis statement as you would at the beginning of a conclusion paragraph.

• In order for students to manage stress better, they need to prioritize their tasks, eat well, and get enough sleep.
• Even though Salt Lake City and Madrid may seem similar based on climate, their major religions, language, and food are distinct.
• Business owners need to make decisions that satisfy employees, customers, and investors.
• Increasing your vocabulary is easy if you try to notice new words in context, review them often, and use them as much as you can.

Exercise 3: Write a conclusion paragraph

Read the introduction paragraph and then finish writing the conclusion paragraph on a piece of paper.

Prompt: Describe how to write an essay.

Introduction:

         Many writers feel overwhelmed when they write an essay. They are unsure of where to start or how to be successful. However, the process is very basic. There are simple steps that can simplify the process and make writing a good essay possible for anyone. In order to write an impactful essay, it is essential that writers plan, draft, and share their writing.

Exercise 4: Identify types of paragraphs.

Identify whether each paragraph is an introduction, body, or conclusion paragraph.  

1. T ype of paragraph: __________________________  

Touchscreen technology, wireless charging, and a better camera are the best features on the new iPhone. These qualities all encourage customers to consider buying this phone because it is easier to use, more convenient, and more useful than other models. When you start looking for your upgrade, you should ask yourself if your new phone should have these features. The new iPhone does. What are you waiting for? You won’t regret upgrading to the new iPhone.

2. Type of paragraph: __________________________  

A successful restaurant requires many workers, each with specific jobs that help things run smoothly. Cooks in the kitchen skillfully prepare the food. Servers take orders, deliver meals, and ensure the customers are satisfied. The hostess greets the customers as they enter the restaurant and sets the tone for the customer’s experience. All of these people are necessary to make a restaurant successful.  

3. Type of paragraph: __________________________

All year long, the scenery in Utah Valley is amazing. In the winter, the valley is covered with a blanket of snow. In the spring, the trees blossom with flowers. The summer weather beckons hikers to discover the stunning vistas in the canyons. The Rocky Mountains then take on beautiful shades of red, orange, and yellow in the fall. As each season changes, the beauty of the area is evident. While all of the seasons are stunning, the most beautiful season in Utah is the autumn. 

Exercise 5: Analyze an essay

Read one of the following example essays on the following pages to complete this exercise.

• Label the introduction paragraph, the body paragraphs, and the conclusion paragraph.
• Circle the hook.
• What is the general topic of the essay?
• Underline the thesis.
• Underline each of the topic sentences.
• Do each of the topic sentences support the thesis?
• Does the conclusion paragraph start by restating the thesis?

This content is provided to you freely by BYU Open Learning Network.

Access it online or download it at https://open.byu.edu/academic_a_writing/conclusion_paragraph .

Module 7: Refining your Speech

Writing and revising the conclusion, learning objectives.

Outline strategies to write and revise a strong conclusion.

The next step is now to ensure that your conclusion is as strong as it can be by carefully writing and revising it.

Question #1: How long is my conclusion?  Begin by ensuring that your conclusion is no longer than 5–10% of your total speech. That means that in a five-minute speech, your conclusion will last between 15 and 30 seconds. In a ten-minute speech, your conclusion will last between 30 and 60 seconds.

Question #2: Have I included any new ideas in my conclusion?  This is NOT the place for new ideas. If you have an important idea that was not discussed in your speech, decide which main point it supports and put it there.

Question #3: How easy is it to recall my review?  Review in the same order that each main point was presented and use the same names introduced in your introduction.

Question #4: Is the thesis of the speech clearly articulated?  Since time has passed since the audience first heard it, it is helpful to use the exact same language you used for your thesis in the introduction.

Question #5: Have I linked back to my attention-getting device?  A good speaker will leverage the power of the primary recency phenomenon by referencing the attention getting device in the conclusion. For example, the speaker could reference the protagonist from an anecdote, revisit the hypothetical scenario or current event, ask the rhetorical question again, and suggest how to view it in light of what the audience has learned from the speech. These links can reinforce a sense of familiarity in your audience for both the speaker and the speech.

Question #6: How effective is my lasting thought?  While a lower order concluding device may be sufficient, using a higher order device like a call to action or visualizing the future will relate more to your audience, and thus have a stronger impact.

Question #7: How well can I deliver my conclusion?  Since your conclusion is the shortest part of your speech, yet a very important one, it may be helpful to memorize it. You will want to ensure that you are maintaining eye contact and speaking emphatically, which means that you will want to avoid reading or glancing at your notecards.

• Muzoon Almellehan. Provided by : DFID - UK Department for International Development. Located at : https://flic.kr/p/JQx1dL . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
• Writing and Revising the Conclusion. Authored by : Anne Fleischer with Lumen Learning. License : CC BY: Attribution