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How to write an excellent thesis conclusion [with examples]

Restate the thesis

Review or reiterate key points of your work, explain why your work is relevant, a take-away for the reader, more resources on writing thesis conclusions, frequently asked questions about writing an excellent thesis conclusion, related articles.

At this point in your writing, you have most likely finished your introduction and the body of your thesis, dissertation, or research paper . While this is a reason to celebrate, you should not underestimate the importance of your conclusion. The conclusion is the last thing that your reader will see, so it should be memorable.

A good conclusion will review the key points of the thesis and explain to the reader why the information is relevant, applicable, or related to the world as a whole. Make sure to dedicate enough of your writing time to the conclusion and do not put it off until the very last minute.

This article provides an effective technique for writing a conclusion adapted from Erika Eby’s The College Student's Guide to Writing a Good Research Paper: 101 Easy Tips & Tricks to Make Your Work Stand Out .

While the thesis introduction starts out with broad statements about the topic, and then narrows it down to the thesis statement , a thesis conclusion does the same in the opposite order.

• Restate the thesis.
• Review or reiterate key points of your work.
• Explain why your work is relevant.
• Include a core take-away message for the reader.

Tip: Don’t just copy and paste your thesis into your conclusion. Restate it in different words.

The best way to start a conclusion is simply by restating the thesis statement. That does not mean just copying and pasting it from the introduction, but putting it into different words.

You will need to change the structure and wording of it to avoid sounding repetitive. Also, be firm in your conclusion just as you were in the introduction. Try to avoid sounding apologetic by using phrases like "This paper has tried to show..."

The conclusion should address all the same parts as the thesis while making it clear that the reader has reached the end. You are telling the reader that your research is finished and what your findings are.

I have argued throughout this work that the point of critical mass for biopolitical immunity occurred during the Romantic period because of that era's unique combination of post-revolutionary politics and innovations in smallpox prevention. In particular, I demonstrated that the French Revolution and the discovery of vaccination in the 1790s triggered a reconsideration of the relationship between bodies and the state.

Tip: Try to reiterate points from your introduction in your thesis conclusion.

The next step is to review the main points of the thesis as a whole. Look back at the body of of your project and make a note of the key ideas. You can reword these ideas the same way you reworded your thesis statement and then incorporate that into the conclusion.

You can also repeat striking quotations or statistics, but do not use more than two. As the conclusion represents your own closing thoughts on the topic , it should mainly consist of your own words.

In addition, conclusions can contain recommendations to the reader or relevant questions that further the thesis. You should ask yourself:

• What you would ideally like to see your readers do in reaction to your paper?
• Do you want them to take a certain action or investigate further?
• Is there a bigger issue that your paper wants to draw attention to?

Also, try to reference your introduction in your conclusion. You have already taken a first step by restating your thesis. Now, check whether there are other key words, phrases or ideas that are mentioned in your introduction that fit into your conclusion. Connecting the introduction to the conclusion in this way will help readers feel satisfied.

I explored how Mary Wollstonecraft, in both her fiction and political writings, envisions an ideal medico-political state, and how other writers like William Wordsworth and Mary Shelley increasingly imagined the body politic literally, as an incorporated political collective made up of bodies whose immunity to political and medical ills was essential to a healthy state.

Tip: Make sure to explain why your thesis is relevant to your field of research.

Although you can encourage readers to question their opinions and reflect on your topic, do not leave loose ends. You should provide a sense of resolution and make sure your conclusion wraps up your argument. Make sure you explain why your thesis is relevant to your field of research and how your research intervenes within, or substantially revises, existing scholarly debates.

This project challenged conventional ideas about the relationship among Romanticism, medicine, and politics by reading the unfolding of Romantic literature and biopolitical immunity as mutual, co-productive processes. In doing so, this thesis revises the ways in which biopolitics has been theorized by insisting on the inherent connections between Romantic literature and the forms of biopower that characterize early modernity.

Tip: If you began your thesis with an anecdote or historical example, you may want to return to that in your conclusion.

End your conclusion with something memorable, such as:

• a call to action
• a recommendation
• a gesture towards future research
• a brief explanation of how the problem or idea you covered remains relevant

Ultimately, you want readers to feel more informed, or ready to act, as they read your conclusion.

Yet, the Romantic period is only the beginning of modern thought on immunity and biopolitics. Victorian writers, doctors, and politicians upheld the Romantic idea that a "healthy state" was a literal condition that could be achieved by combining politics and medicine, but augmented that idea through legislation and widespread public health measures. While many nineteenth-century efforts to improve citizens' health were successful, the fight against disease ultimately changed course in the twentieth century as global immunological threats such as SARS occupied public consciousness. Indeed, as subsequent public health events make apparent, biopolitical immunity persists as a viable concept for thinking about the relationship between medicine and politics in modernity.

Need more advice? Read our 5 additional tips on how to write a good thesis conclusion.

The conclusion is the last thing that your reader will see, so it should be memorable. To write a great thesis conclusion you should:

The basic content of a conclusion is to review the main points from the paper. This part represents your own closing thoughts on the topic. It should mainly consist of the outcome of the research in your own words.

The length of the conclusion will depend on the length of the whole thesis. Usually, a conclusion should be around 5-7% of the overall word count.

End your conclusion with something memorable, such as a question, warning, or call to action. Depending on the topic, you can also end with a recommendation.

In Open Access: Theses and Dissertations you can find thousands of completed works. Take a look at any of the theses or dissertations for real-life examples of conclusions that were already approved.

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Words that end in thesis

Found 82 words that end in thesis . Check our Scrabble Word Finder , Wordle solver , Words With Friends cheat dictionary , and WordHub word solver to find words that end with thesis. Or use our Unscramble word solver to find your best possible play! Related: Words containing thesis

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22-letter words that end in thesis

• retrospondylolis thesis

20-letter words that end in thesis

• prespondylolis thesis

19-letter words that end in thesis

• epikeratopros thesis

17-letter words that end in thesis

• spondylolis thesis
• spondylolys thesis
• counterhypo thesis

16-letter words that end in thesis

• amorphosyn thesis
• perineosyn thesis
• electrosyn thesis
• keratopros thesis
• mechanosyn thesis

15-letter words that end in thesis

• nucleosyn thesis
• psychosyn thesis
• morphosyn thesis
• orthopros thesis
• anterolis thesis
• thermosyn thesis

14-letter words that end in thesis

• photosyn thesis
• chemosyn thesis
• narcosyn thesis
• osteosyn thesis
• antimeta thesis
• somataes thesis
• synovior thesis
• sacrolis thesis
• hierolis thesis
• retrolis thesis
• endopros thesis

13-letter words that end in thesis

• parasyn thesis
• polysyn thesis
• biopros thesis
• exopros thesis
• autosyn thesis
• metasyn thesis
• tomosyn thesis
• velosyn thesis

12-letter words that end in thesis

• biosyn thesis
• synaes thesis
• kinaes thesis
• somaes thesis
• coenes thesis
• isosyn thesis
• parere thesis
• ecosyn thesis
• chemes thesis
• amyoes thesis

11-letter words that end in thesis

• paren thesis
• resyn thesis
• kines thesis
• somes thesis
• cenes thesis
• anaes thesis
• synan thesis
• allen thesis
• apopa thesis
• alges thesis
• myoes thesis

10-letter words that end in thesis

• hypo thesis
• anti thesis
• pros thesis
• meta thesis
• epen thesis
• para thesis
• exan thesis
• anes thesis
• apos thesis
• cyto thesis
• enan thesis
• tele thesis

9-letter words that end in thesis

8-letter words that end in thesis, 6-letter words that end in thesis.

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• Writing Tips

5 Examples of Concluding Words for Essays

4-minute read

• 19th September 2022

If you’re a student writing an essay or research paper, it’s important to make sure your points flow together well. You’ll want to use connecting words (known formally as transition signals) to do this. Transition signals like thus , also , and furthermore link different ideas, and when you get to the end of your work, you need to use these to mark your conclusion. Read on to learn more about transition signals and how to use them to conclude your essays.

Transition Signals

Transition signals link sentences together cohesively, enabling easy reading and comprehension. They are usually placed at the beginning of a sentence and separated from the remaining words with a comma. There are several types of transition signals, including those to:

●  show the order of a sequence of events (e.g., first, then, next)

●  introduce an example (e.g., specifically, for instance)

●  indicate a contrasting idea (e.g., but, however, although)

●  present an additional idea (e.g., also, in addition, plus)

●  indicate time (e.g., beforehand, meanwhile, later)

●  compare (e.g., likewise, similarly)

●  show cause and effect (e.g., thus, as a result)

●  mark the conclusion – which we’ll focus on in this guide.

When you reach the end of an essay, you should start the concluding paragraph with a transition signal that acts as a bridge to the summary of your key points. Check out some concluding transition signals below and learn how you can use them in your writing.

To Conclude…

This is a particularly versatile closing statement that can be used for almost any kind of essay, including both formal and informal academic writing. It signals to the reader that you will briefly restate the main idea. As an alternative, you can begin the summary with “to close” or “in conclusion.” In an argumentative piece, you can use this phrase to indicate a call to action or opinion:

To conclude, Abraham Lincoln was the best president because he abolished slavery.

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As Has Been Demonstrated…

To describe how the evidence presented in your essay supports your argument or main idea, begin the concluding paragraph with “as has been demonstrated.” This phrase is best used for research papers or articles with heavy empirical or statistical evidence.

As has been demonstrated by the study presented above, human activities are negatively altering the climate system.

The Above Points Illustrate…

As another transitional phrase for formal or academic work, “the above points illustrate” indicates that you are reiterating your argument and that the conclusion will include an assessment of the evidence you’ve presented.

The above points illustrate that children prefer chocolate over broccoli.

In a Nutshell…

A simple and informal metaphor to begin a conclusion, “in a nutshell” prepares the reader for a summary of your paper. It can work in narratives and speeches but should be avoided in formal situations.

In a nutshell, the Beatles had an impact on musicians for generations to come.

Overall, It Can Be Said…

To recap an idea at the end of a critical or descriptive essay, you can use this phrase at the beginning of the concluding paragraph. “Overall” means “taking everything into account,” and it sums up your essay in a formal way. You can use “overall” on its own as a transition signal, or you can use it as part of a phrase.

Overall, it can be said that art has had a positive impact on humanity.

Proofreading and Editing

Transition signals are crucial to crafting a well-written and cohesive essay. For your next writing assignment, make sure you include plenty of transition signals, and check out this post for more tips on how to improve your writing. And before you turn in your paper, don’t forget to have someone proofread your work. Our expert editors will make sure your essay includes all the transition signals necessary for your writing to flow seamlessly. Send in a free 500-word sample today!

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How to Conclude an Essay (with Examples)

Last Updated: July 22, 2024 Fact Checked

Writing a Strong Conclusion

What to avoid, brainstorming tricks.

This article was co-authored by Jake Adams and by wikiHow staff writer, Aly Rusciano . Jake Adams is an academic tutor and the owner of Simplifi EDU, a Santa Monica, California based online tutoring business offering learning resources and online tutors for academic subjects K-College, SAT & ACT prep, and college admissions applications. With over 14 years of professional tutoring experience, Jake is dedicated to providing his clients the very best online tutoring experience and access to a network of excellent undergraduate and graduate-level tutors from top colleges all over the nation. Jake holds a BS in International Business and Marketing from Pepperdine University. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. 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 3,217,975 times.

So, you’ve written an outstanding essay and couldn’t be more proud. But now you have to write the final paragraph. The conclusion simply summarizes what you’ve already written, right? Well, not exactly. Your essay’s conclusion should be a bit more finessed than that. Luckily, you’ve come to the perfect place to learn how to write a conclusion. We’ve put together this guide to fill you in on everything you should and shouldn’t do when ending an essay. Follow our advice, and you’ll have a stellar conclusion worthy of an A+ in no time.

Tips for Ending an Essay

• Rephrase your thesis to include in your final paragraph to bring the essay full circle.
• End your essay with a call to action, warning, or image to make your argument meaningful.
• Keep your conclusion concise and to the point, so you don’t lose a reader’s attention.
• Do your best to avoid adding new information to your conclusion and only emphasize points you’ve already made in your essay.

• “All in all”
• “Ultimately”
• “Furthermore”
• “As a consequence”
• “As a result”

• Make sure to write your main points in a new and unique way to avoid repetition.

• Let’s say this is your original thesis statement: “Allowing students to visit the library during lunch improves campus life and supports academic achievement.”
• Restating your thesis for your conclusion could look like this: “Evidence shows students who have access to their school’s library during lunch check out more books and are more likely to complete their homework.”
• The restated thesis has the same sentiment as the original while also summarizing other points of the essay.

• “When you use plastic water bottles, you pollute the ocean. Switch to using a glass or metal water bottle instead. The planet and sea turtles will thank you.”
• “The average person spends roughly 7 hours on their phone a day, so there’s no wonder cybersickness is plaguing all generations.”
• “Imagine walking on the beach, except the soft sand is made up of cigarette butts. They burn your feet but keep washing in with the tide. If we don’t clean up the ocean, this will be our reality.”
• “ Lost is not only a show that changed the course of television, but it’s also a reflection of humanity as a whole.”
• “If action isn’t taken to end climate change today, the global temperature will dangerously rise from 4.5 to 8 °F (−15.3 to −13.3 °C) by 2100.”

• Focus on your essay's most prevalent or important parts. What key points do you want readers to take away or remember about your essay?

• For instance, instead of writing, “That’s why I think that Abraham Lincoln was the best American President,” write, “That’s why Abraham Lincoln was the best American President.”
• There’s no room for ifs, ands, or buts—your opinion matters and doesn’t need to be apologized for!

• For instance, words like “firstly,” “secondly,” and “thirdly” may be great transition statements for body paragraphs but are unnecessary in a conclusion.

• For instance, say you began your essay with the idea that humanity’s small sense of sense stems from space’s vast size. Try returning to this idea in the conclusion by emphasizing that as human knowledge grows, space becomes smaller.

• For example, you could extend an essay on the television show Orange is the New Black by bringing up the culture of imprisonment in America.

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• ↑ https://www.uts.edu.au/current-students/support/helps/self-help-resources/grammar/transition-signals
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/common_writing_assignments/argument_papers/conclusions.html
• ↑ http://writing2.richmond.edu/writing/wweb/conclude.html
• ↑ https://writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu/pages/ending-essay-conclusions
• ↑ https://www.pittsfordschools.org/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=542&dataid=4677&FileName=conclusions1.pdf
• ↑ https://www.cuyamaca.edu/student-support/tutoring-center/files/student-resources/how-to-write-a-good-conclusion.pdf
• ↑ https://library.sacredheart.edu/c.php?g=29803&p=185935

About This Article

To end an essay, start your conclusion with a phrase that makes it clear your essay is coming to a close, like "In summary," or "All things considered." Then, use a few sentences to briefly summarize the main points of your essay by rephrasing the topic sentences of your body paragraphs. Finally, end your conclusion with a call to action that encourages your readers to do something or learn more about your topic. In general, try to keep your conclusion between 5 and 7 sentences long. For more tips from our English co-author, like how to avoid common pitfalls when writing an essay conclusion, scroll down! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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In academic writing, a well-crafted conclusion can provide the final word on the value of your analysis, research, or paper. Complete your conclusions with conviction!

Conclusions show readers the value of your completely developed argument or thoroughly answered question. Consider the conclusion from the reader’s perspective. At the end of a paper, a reader wants to know how to benefit from the work you accomplished in your paper. Here are ways to think about the purpose of a conclusion:

• To connect the paper’s findings to a larger context, such as the wider conversation about an issue as it is presented in a course or in other published writing.
• To suggest the implications of your findings or the importance of the topic.
• To ask questions or suggest ideas for further research.
• To revisit your main idea or research question with new insight.

Should you summarize?

Consider what readers can keep track of in their heads. If your paper is long or complex, some summary of your key points will remind readers of the ground you’ve covered. If your paper is short, your readers may not need a summary. In any paper, you’ll want to push beyond mere summary to suggest the implications or applications of your work.

How do you start drafting a conclusion?

Effective conclusions take the paper beyond summary and demonstrate a further appreciation of the paper’s argument and its significance: why it works, why it is meaningful, and why it is valuable. To get started, you might ask yourself these questions:

• How do the ideas in your paper connect to what you have discussed in class, or to what scholars have written in their treatment of your topic?
• What new ideas have you added to the conversation? What ideas do you critique?
• What are the limitations of your data, methods, or results?
• What are the consequences of the strongest idea that comes out of your paper?
• How can you return to the question or situation you describe in your introduction?

Mechanical engineering

From Mounting methodologies to measure EUV reticle nonflatness (SPIE Proceedings 7470, 2009), by UW–Madison Professor Roxanne L. Engelstad’s lab. Notice how Battula et al. explain the limitations of their findings, and identify specific future developments that would make their proposal more accurately testable.

The horizontal whiffle tree mount should have performed the best considering the kinematics of the 16 support points, as well as theoretically displaying the least amount of gravitational distortions. However, due to possible friction at the pivoted joints and the current tolerances on the whiffle tree system, there were difficulties in using this mount. At this time, the process of averaging the measurements taken at four vertical orientations appears to be the best approach.

Gender and Women’s Studies

From Examining Millie and Christine McKoy: Where Enslavement and Enfreakment Meet (Signs 37, 2011), by UW–Madison Professor Ellen Samuels. Notice how Samuels’s conclusion briefly summarizes her article’s main claims before turning to the consequences of her strongest claims.

While there are still many questions left unanswered about the McKoys, and many possible truths to be drawn from their lives, I have aimed in this article to establish that at least two things are not true: the tale of the beneficent and beloved slaveowners and the resigned, downcast expression on Millie’s face in the altered picture. Moreover, I contend that turning away from historical legacies as complex and dangerous as those of enslavement and enfreakment keeps us from being able to understand them and to imagine different futures. We need to develop paradigms of analysis that allow us to perceive and interpret both the radical empowerment of the McKoys’ lives and the oppressions that are no less fundamental to their story. Such an analysis must allow for dissonance, contradictions, and even discomfort in its gaze. Only then can we move forward with the work of shaping new representations and new possibilities for extraordinary bodily experience.

Legal writing

From UW–Madison Law Professor Andrew B. Coan’s Judicial Capacity and the Substance of Constitutional Law (2012). Notice how this conclusion emphasizes the significance of the topic under consideration.

Judicial capacity has been too long misunderstood and too long neglected. It is a central institutional characteristic of the judiciary, which has significant predictive power in important constitutional domains and also significant normative implications. It deserves consideration from constitutional theorists on par with that accorded to judicial competence and judicial independence. Indeed, it is crucial to a full understanding of both of these much-discussed institutional features of the judiciary.

Writing Process and Structure

This is an accordion element with a series of buttons that open and close related content panels.

Getting Started with Your Paper

Interpreting Writing Assignments from Your Courses

Generating Ideas for Your Paper

Creating an Argument

Thesis vs. Purpose Statements

Developing a Thesis Statement

Architecture of Arguments

Working with Sources

Quoting and Paraphrasing Sources

Using Literary Quotations

Citing Sources in Your Paper

Drafting Your Paper

Introductions

Paragraphing

Developing Strategic Transitions

Conclusions

Revising Your Paper

Peer Reviews

Reverse Outlines

Revising an Argumentative Paper

Revision Strategies for Longer Projects

Finishing Your Paper

Twelve Common Errors: An Editing Checklist

How to Proofread your Paper

Writing Collaboratively

Collaborative and Group Writing

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Learn about the elements of a successful essay conclusion.

The conclusion is a very important part of your essay. Although it is sometimes treated as a roundup of all of the bits that didn’t fit into the paper earlier, it deserves better treatment than that! It's the last thing the reader will see, so it tends to stick in the reader's memory. It's also a great place to remind the reader exactly why your topic is important. A conclusion is more than just "the last paragraph"—it's a working part of the paper. This is the place to push your reader to think about the consequences of your topic for the wider world or for the reader's own life!

A good conclusion should do a few things:

Restate your thesis

Synthesize or summarize your major points

Make the context of your argument clear

Restating Your Thesis

You've already spent time and energy crafting a solid thesis statement for your introduction, and if you've done your job right, your whole paper focuses on that thesis statement. That's why it's so important to address the thesis in your conclusion! Many writers choose to begin the conclusion by restating the thesis, but you can put your thesis into the conclusion anywhere—the first sentence of the paragraph, the last sentence, or in between. Here are a few tips for rephrasing your thesis:

Remind the reader that you've proven this thesis over the course of your paper. For example, if you're arguing that your readers should get their pets from animal shelters rather than pet stores, you might say, "If you were considering that puppy in the pet-shop window, remember that your purchase will support 'puppy mills' instead of rescuing a needy dog, and consider selecting your new friend at your local animal shelter." This example gives the reader not only the thesis of the paper, but a reminder of the most powerful point in the argument!

Revise the thesis statement so that it reflects the relationship you've developed with the reader during the paper. For example, if you've written a paper that targets parents of young children, you can find a way to phrase your thesis to capitalize on that—maybe by beginning your thesis statement with, "As a parent of a young child…"

Don’t repeat your thesis word for word—make sure that your new statement is an independent, fresh sentence!

Summary or Synthesis

This section of the conclusion might come before the thesis statement or after it. Your conclusion should remind the reader of what your paper actually says! The best conclusion will include a synthesis, not just a summary—instead of a mere list of your major points, the best conclusion will draw those points together and relate them to one another so that your reader can apply the information given in the essay. Here are a couple of ways to do that:

Give a list of the major arguments for your thesis (usually, these are the topic sentences of the parts of your essay).

Explain how these parts are connected. For example, in the animal-shelter essay, you might point out that adopting a shelter dog helps more animals because your adoption fee supports the shelter, which makes your choice more socially responsible.

One of the most important functions of the conclusion is to provide context for your argument. Your reader may finish your essay without a problem and understand your argument without understanding why that argument is important. Your introduction might point out the reason your topic matters, but your conclusion should also tackle this questions. Here are some strategies for making your reader see why the topic is important:

Tell the reader what you want him or her to do. Is your essay a call to action? If so, remind the reader of what he/she should do. If not, remember that asking the reader to think a certain way is an action in itself. (In the above examples, the essay asks the reader to adopt a shelter dog—a specific action.)

Explain why this topic is timely or important. For example, the animal-shelter essay might end with a statistic about the number of pets in shelters waiting for adoption.

Remind the readers of why the topic matters to them personally. For example, it doesn’t matter much if you believe in the mission of animal shelters, if you're not planning to get a dog; however, once you're looking for a dog, it is much more important. The conclusion of this essay might say, "Since you’re in the market for a dog, you have a major decision to make: where to get one." This will remind the reader that the argument is personally important!

Conclusion paragraphs

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Think of yourself as a member of a jury, listening to a lawyer who is presenting an opening argument. You'll want to know very soon whether the lawyer believes the accused to be guilty or not guilty, and how the lawyer plans to convince you. Readers of academic essays are like jury members: before they have read too far, they want to know what the essay argues as well as how the writer plans to make the argument. After reading your thesis statement, the reader should think, "This essay is going to try to convince me of something. I'm not convinced yet, but I'm interested to see how I might be."

An effective thesis cannot be answered with a simple "yes" or "no." A thesis is not a topic; nor is it a fact; nor is it an opinion. "Reasons for the fall of communism" is a topic. "Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe" is a fact known by educated people. "The fall of communism is the best thing that ever happened in Europe" is an opinion. (Superlatives like "the best" almost always lead to trouble. It's impossible to weigh every "thing" that ever happened in Europe. And what about the fall of Hitler? Couldn't that be "the best thing"?)

A good thesis has two parts. It should tell what you plan to argue, and it should "telegraph" how you plan to argue—that is, what particular support for your claim is going where in your essay.

Steps in Constructing a Thesis

First, analyze your primary sources.  Look for tension, interest, ambiguity, controversy, and/or complication. Does the author contradict himself or herself? Is a point made and later reversed? What are the deeper implications of the author's argument? Figuring out the why to one or more of these questions, or to related questions, will put you on the path to developing a working thesis. (Without the why, you probably have only come up with an observation—that there are, for instance, many different metaphors in such-and-such a poem—which is not a thesis.)

Once you have a working thesis, write it down.  There is nothing as frustrating as hitting on a great idea for a thesis, then forgetting it when you lose concentration. And by writing down your thesis you will be forced to think of it clearly, logically, and concisely. You probably will not be able to write out a final-draft version of your thesis the first time you try, but you'll get yourself on the right track by writing down what you have.

Keep your thesis prominent in your introduction.  A good, standard place for your thesis statement is at the end of an introductory paragraph, especially in shorter (5-15 page) essays. Readers are used to finding theses there, so they automatically pay more attention when they read the last sentence of your introduction. Although this is not required in all academic essays, it is a good rule of thumb.

Anticipate the counterarguments.  Once you have a working thesis, you should think about what might be said against it. This will help you to refine your thesis, and it will also make you think of the arguments that you'll need to refute later on in your essay. (Every argument has a counterargument. If yours doesn't, then it's not an argument—it may be a fact, or an opinion, but it is not an argument.)

This statement is on its way to being a thesis. However, it is too easy to imagine possible counterarguments. For example, a political observer might believe that Dukakis lost because he suffered from a "soft-on-crime" image. If you complicate your thesis by anticipating the counterargument, you'll strengthen your argument, as shown in the sentence below.

Some Caveats and Some Examples

A thesis is never a question.  Readers of academic essays expect to have questions discussed, explored, or even answered. A question ("Why did communism collapse in Eastern Europe?") is not an argument, and without an argument, a thesis is dead in the water.

A thesis is never a list.  "For political, economic, social and cultural reasons, communism collapsed in Eastern Europe" does a good job of "telegraphing" the reader what to expect in the essay—a section about political reasons, a section about economic reasons, a section about social reasons, and a section about cultural reasons. However, political, economic, social and cultural reasons are pretty much the only possible reasons why communism could collapse. This sentence lacks tension and doesn't advance an argument. Everyone knows that politics, economics, and culture are important.

A thesis should never be vague, combative or confrontational.  An ineffective thesis would be, "Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe because communism is evil." This is hard to argue (evil from whose perspective? what does evil mean?) and it is likely to mark you as moralistic and judgmental rather than rational and thorough. It also may spark a defensive reaction from readers sympathetic to communism. If readers strongly disagree with you right off the bat, they may stop reading.

An effective thesis has a definable, arguable claim.  "While cultural forces contributed to the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe, the disintegration of economies played the key role in driving its decline" is an effective thesis sentence that "telegraphs," so that the reader expects the essay to have a section about cultural forces and another about the disintegration of economies. This thesis makes a definite, arguable claim: that the disintegration of economies played a more important role than cultural forces in defeating communism in Eastern Europe. The reader would react to this statement by thinking, "Perhaps what the author says is true, but I am not convinced. I want to read further to see how the author argues this claim."

A thesis should be as clear and specific as possible.  Avoid overused, general terms and abstractions. For example, "Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe because of the ruling elite's inability to address the economic concerns of the people" is more powerful than "Communism collapsed due to societal discontent."

Copyright 1999, Maxine Rodburg and The Tutors of the Writing Center at Harvard University

Thesis Statements

What this handout is about.

This handout describes what a thesis statement is, how thesis statements work in your writing, and how you can craft or refine one for your draft.

Introduction

Writing in college often takes the form of persuasion—convincing others that you have an interesting, logical point of view on the subject you are studying. Persuasion is a skill you practice regularly in your daily life. You persuade your roommate to clean up, your parents to let you borrow the car, your friend to vote for your favorite candidate or policy. In college, course assignments often ask you to make a persuasive case in writing. You are asked to convince your reader of your point of view. This form of persuasion, often called academic argument, follows a predictable pattern in writing. After a brief introduction of your topic, you state your point of view on the topic directly and often in one sentence. This sentence is the thesis statement, and it serves as a summary of the argument you’ll make in the rest of your paper.

What is a thesis statement?

A thesis statement:

• tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion.
• is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper.
• directly answers the question asked of you. A thesis is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself. The subject, or topic, of an essay might be World War II or Moby Dick; a thesis must then offer a way to understand the war or the novel.
• makes a claim that others might dispute.
• is usually a single sentence near the beginning of your paper (most often, at the end of the first paragraph) that presents your argument to the reader. The rest of the paper, the body of the essay, gathers and organizes evidence that will persuade the reader of the logic of your interpretation.

If your assignment asks you to take a position or develop a claim about a subject, you may need to convey that position or claim in a thesis statement near the beginning of your draft. The assignment may not explicitly state that you need a thesis statement because your instructor may assume you will include one. When in doubt, ask your instructor if the assignment requires a thesis statement. When an assignment asks you to analyze, to interpret, to compare and contrast, to demonstrate cause and effect, or to take a stand on an issue, it is likely that you are being asked to develop a thesis and to support it persuasively. (Check out our handout on understanding assignments for more information.)

How do I create a thesis?

A thesis is the result of a lengthy thinking process. Formulating a thesis is not the first thing you do after reading an essay assignment. Before you develop an argument on any topic, you have to collect and organize evidence, look for possible relationships between known facts (such as surprising contrasts or similarities), and think about the significance of these relationships. Once you do this thinking, you will probably have a “working thesis” that presents a basic or main idea and an argument that you think you can support with evidence. Both the argument and your thesis are likely to need adjustment along the way.

Writers use all kinds of techniques to stimulate their thinking and to help them clarify relationships or comprehend the broader significance of a topic and arrive at a thesis statement. For more ideas on how to get started, see our handout on brainstorming .

How do I know if my thesis is strong?

If there’s time, run it by your instructor or make an appointment at the Writing Center to get some feedback. Even if you do not have time to get advice elsewhere, you can do some thesis evaluation of your own. When reviewing your first draft and its working thesis, ask yourself the following :

• Do I answer the question? Re-reading the question prompt after constructing a working thesis can help you fix an argument that misses the focus of the question. If the prompt isn’t phrased as a question, try to rephrase it. For example, “Discuss the effect of X on Y” can be rephrased as “What is the effect of X on Y?”
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? If your thesis simply states facts that no one would, or even could, disagree with, it’s possible that you are simply providing a summary, rather than making an argument.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? Thesis statements that are too vague often do not have a strong argument. If your thesis contains words like “good” or “successful,” see if you could be more specific: why is something “good”; what specifically makes something “successful”?
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? If a reader’s first response is likely to  be “So what?” then you need to clarify, to forge a relationship, or to connect to a larger issue.
• Does my essay support my thesis specifically and without wandering? If your thesis and the body of your essay do not seem to go together, one of them has to change. It’s okay to change your working thesis to reflect things you have figured out in the course of writing your paper. Remember, always reassess and revise your writing as necessary.
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? If a reader’s first response is “how?” or “why?” your thesis may be too open-ended and lack guidance for the reader. See what you can add to give the reader a better take on your position right from the beginning.

Suppose you are taking a course on contemporary communication, and the instructor hands out the following essay assignment: “Discuss the impact of social media on public awareness.” Looking back at your notes, you might start with this working thesis:

Social media impacts public awareness in both positive and negative ways.

You can use the questions above to help you revise this general statement into a stronger thesis.

• Do I answer the question? You can analyze this if you rephrase “discuss the impact” as “what is the impact?” This way, you can see that you’ve answered the question only very generally with the vague “positive and negative ways.”
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? Not likely. Only people who maintain that social media has a solely positive or solely negative impact could disagree.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? No. What are the positive effects? What are the negative effects?
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? No. Why are they positive? How are they positive? What are their causes? Why are they negative? How are they negative? What are their causes?
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? No. Why should anyone care about the positive and/or negative impact of social media?

After thinking about your answers to these questions, you decide to focus on the one impact you feel strongly about and have strong evidence for:

Because not every voice on social media is reliable, people have become much more critical consumers of information, and thus, more informed voters.

This version is a much stronger thesis! It answers the question, takes a specific position that others can challenge, and it gives a sense of why it matters.

Let’s try another. Suppose your literature professor hands out the following assignment in a class on the American novel: Write an analysis of some aspect of Mark Twain’s novel Huckleberry Finn. “This will be easy,” you think. “I loved Huckleberry Finn!” You grab a pad of paper and write:

Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn is a great American novel.

You begin to analyze your thesis:

• Do I answer the question? No. The prompt asks you to analyze some aspect of the novel. Your working thesis is a statement of general appreciation for the entire novel.

Think about aspects of the novel that are important to its structure or meaning—for example, the role of storytelling, the contrasting scenes between the shore and the river, or the relationships between adults and children. Now you write:

In Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain develops a contrast between life on the river and life on the shore.

• Do I answer the question? Yes!
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? Not really. This contrast is well-known and accepted.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? It’s getting there–you have highlighted an important aspect of the novel for investigation. However, it’s still not clear what your analysis will reveal.
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? Not yet. Compare scenes from the book and see what you discover. Free write, make lists, jot down Huck’s actions and reactions and anything else that seems interesting.
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? What’s the point of this contrast? What does it signify?”

After examining the evidence and considering your own insights, you write:

Through its contrasting river and shore scenes, Twain’s Huckleberry Finn suggests that to find the true expression of American democratic ideals, one must leave “civilized” society and go back to nature.

This final thesis statement presents an interpretation of a literary work based on an analysis of its content. Of course, for the essay itself to be successful, you must now present evidence from the novel that will convince the reader of your interpretation.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Anson, Chris M., and Robert A. Schwegler. 2010. The Longman Handbook for Writers and Readers , 6th ed. New York: Longman.

Lunsford, Andrea A. 2015. The St. Martin’s Handbook , 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St Martin’s.

Ramage, John D., John C. Bean, and June Johnson. 2018. The Allyn & Bacon Guide to Writing , 8th ed. New York: Pearson.

Ruszkiewicz, John J., Christy Friend, Daniel Seward, and Maxine Hairston. 2010. The Scott, Foresman Handbook for Writers , 9th ed. Boston: Pearson Education.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Words that End in THESIS

Words that end with THESIS are commonly used for word games like Scrabble and Words with Friends. This list will help you to find the top scoring words to beat the opponent. You can also find a list of all words that start with THESIS and words with THESIS . Try our five letter words ending with THESIS page if you’re playing Wordle-like games or use the New York Times Wordle Solver to quickly find the NYT Wordle daily answer.

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Posted on 19th June 2019

Ending Your Essay With a Strong Conclusion

By Cite This For Me

Conclusions aren’t easy—but they’re very important. And contrary to popular belief, they’re not simply a place to restate what you’ve said before in the same way. They’re an opportunity to cast all the arguments you’ve made in a new light.

Conclusions give you a chance to summarize and organize your main points, reminding the reader how effectively you’ve proven your thesis. It’s also your final opportunity to make a lasting impression on your reader.

Simple conclusion formula

• Proper, relevant restatement of thesis statement and strongest evidence

Relevant final thought

As an example, let’s create a conclusion following our two-step process.

Let’s say your thesis statement is:

College athletes should not be paid because many receive compensation in the form of scholarships and benefit from more visibility to potential professional recruiters.

Now we’ll follow our formula to write an effective conclusion.

Restatement of thesis and strongest evidence

The first step in writing our conclusion is to restate the thesis statement.

It’s important not to simply copy your thesis statement word for word. You can also briefly include evidence or other points that were mentioned in your paper .

You could write something like:

College athletes don’t need financial compensation because they receive numerous benefits including scholarships, additional experience and coaching, and exposure to professional teams.

This sentence reminds the reader of our original thesis statement without copying it exactly.

At this point, you could also synthesize 1-2 of the strongest pieces of supporting evidence already mentioned in your essay, such as:

With four years of tuition costing up to hundreds of thousands and salaries in potential professional sports careers averaging millions, these benefits already amount to significant compensation.

Notice that we didn’t start with a transition like, “In conclusion,” or, “In summary.” These transitions aren’t necessary and are often overused.

You want to end your conclusion with a strong final thought. It should provide your reader with closure and give your essay a memorable or thought-provoking ending.

The last sentence of your conclusion can point to broader implications, like the impact the topic of your essay has had on history, society, or culture.

Another good rule of thumb is to allow your final sentence to answer the question, “So what?” Your reader has spent time reading your paper, but why does any of this matter? Why should your reader—or anyone else—care?

For our sample conclusion, for example, you could write:

Providing still more compensation to college athletes would send the message that they are employees, not students. If we don’t want education to be sidelined, college athletes should not be paid.

This concluding sentence answers the, “So what?” question by explaining the potential repercussions of paying college athletes. It gives the reader a reason to be more invested in your essay and ideas.

Some of the most powerful words in your paper may have been written or said by someone else. Selecting a quote from a well known public figure or an expert in the field of your topic allows you to finish strong with a credible source.

Example quote ending:

“The case for recycling is strong. The bottom line is clear. Recycling requires a trivial amount of our time. Recycling saves money and reduces pollution. Recycling creates more jobs than landfilling or incineration. And a largely ignored but very important consideration, recycling reduces our need to dump our garbage in someone else’s backyard.” – David Morris, co-founder of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance

If you have a bibliography, add a citation for your quote source. It doesn’t matter if it is in MLA format or another style, it’s a good practice to always create citations for information you’ve used.

Ending your paper with a smart and relevant question allows your readers to think for themselves and make your topic their own. The best type of question leads your reader to the same conclusion you have presented in your paper.

Example question ending:

Recycling reduces pollution, saves energy and makes us feel good about ourselves; why wouldn’t we make it a part of our everyday lives?

Call to Action

Most popular in advertising, a call to action asks your reader to execute a specific task after reading your paper. A call to action can contain phrases like: Think about it, See for yourself, Consider, Try, or Remember.

Example call to action ending:

Now that you have read about the benefits of recycling, consider the awesome impact it could have on your local community.

Prediction statements often begin with the words “when” or “if.” In this type of ending, the writer makes an educated guess based on the factual information presented in the paper.

Example prediction ending:

If recycling is adopted by all major cities, we can expect its benefits to spread to smaller cities and towns. That means a significant reduction in landfill use, less pollution and more job creation across the entire country.  

A perspective change can help you end your paper in a way that is creative and interesting. One method is to zoom out and present your subject in a greater context. This ending allows you to take your reader beyond the specifics and provide a more global understanding of your topic. When working with this type of ending, be sure that your statement remains on subject and does not present entirely new information.    

Example zoom out ending:

Recycling is more than a solution for waste management. Treating our environment with respect and protecting our natural resources will benefit our society for generations to come.

Putting it all together

The conclusion reads:

College athletes don’t need financial compensation because they receive numerous benefits including scholarships, additional experience and coaching, and exposure to professional teams. With four years of tuition costing up to hundreds of thousands and salaries in potential professional sports careers averaging millions, these benefits already amount to significant compensation. Providing still more compensation to college athletes would send the message that they are employees, not students. If we don’t want education to be sidelined, college athletes should not be paid.

To create effective conclusions of your own, remember to follow these guidelines :

• Don’t feel the need to start with overused transitions such as, “In conclusion,” or, “In summary.”
• Restate your thesis statement in a new way.
• You can also restate 1-2 of your strongest pieces of supporting evidence.
• Don’t mention anything in your conclusion that wasn’t mentioned in the body of your essay.
• End with a strong final thought, preferably one that answers the question, “So what?”

By following these simple steps, you’ll craft a conclusion that leaves a powerful final impression on your readers.

When you mention or quote evidence from other sources, be sure to cite them. There are helpful resources at CiteThisForMe.com such as a Harvard referencing tool , an MLA formatting guide, an APA citation generator , and more!

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Conclusions

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Conclusions wrap up what you have been discussing in your paper. After moving from general to specific information in the introduction and body paragraphs, your conclusion should begin pulling back into more general information that restates the main points of your argument. Conclusions may also call for action or overview future possible research. The following outline may help you conclude your paper:

In a general way,

• Restate your topic and why it is important,
• Restate your thesis/claim,
• Address opposing viewpoints and explain why readers should align with your position,
• Call for action or overview future research possibilities.

Remember that once you accomplish these tasks, unless otherwise directed by your instructor, you are finished. Done. Complete. Don't try to bring in new points or end with a whiz bang(!) conclusion or try to solve world hunger in the final sentence of your conclusion. Simplicity is best for a clear, convincing message.

The preacher's maxim is one of the most effective formulas to follow for argument papers:

Tell what you're going to tell them (introduction).

Tell them (body).

Tell them what you told them (conclusion).

Check out a new word game called Word Grid . Play Word Grid

36 words ending in THESIS

Words ending in thesis.

A complete list of words that ends with THESIS .

6 Letter Words

• T H E S I S

8 Letter Words

• E S T H E S I S
• M A T H E S I S
• A N T H E S I S

9 Letter Words

• A E S T H E S I S
• D I A T H E S I S
• E P I T H E S I S
• P R O T H E S I S
• S Y N T H E S I S

10 Letter Words

• P A R A T H E S I S
• P R O S T H E S I S
• A N T I T H E S I S
• M E T A T H E S I S
• H Y P O T H E S I S
• E P E N T H E S I S

11 Letter Words

• S Y N A N T H E S I S
• S O M E S T H E S I S
• R E S Y N T H E S I S
• P A R E N T H E S I S
• K I N E S T H E S I S
• A N A E S T H E S I S
• C E N E S T H E S I S

12 Letter Words

• B I O S Y N T H E S I S
• C O E N E S T H E S I S
• K I N A E S T H E S I S
• S O M A E S T H E S I S
• S Y N A E S T H E S I S

13 Letter Words

• P O L Y S Y N T H E S I S
• C O E N A E S T H E S I S
• P A R A S Y N T H E S I S

14 Letter Words

• A N T I M E T A T H E S I S
• C H E M O S Y N T H E S I S
• N A R C O S Y N T H E S I S
• P H O T O S Y N T H E S I S

15 Letter Words

• N U C L E O S Y N T H E S I S
• P S Y C H O S Y N T H E S I S

Top Word Lists

Here is a list of the top word lists

Welcome to our ‘Words Ending with With…’ specific letters! Our tool can help you find all the words which end with a specific letter or sequence of letters. Read on to learn more about our word list and how to use it.

How to Use the ‘Words Ending With….’

• Enter your letters into the box and hit return. You can enter between 1 and 12 letters. These letters are the letters that will end your word.
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• Pay attention to the colors of the words, to check they’re included in the right dictionary. Our tool displays words from a variety of gaming dictionaries. If you’re looking for words to play in a specific game, make sure you select a word that is actually legal in your chosen dictionary! All words in green exist in both the SOWPODS and TWL Scrabble dictionaries. Words in red are found in SOWPODS only; words in purple in TWL only; and words in blue are only found in the WWF dictionary.

Here are a few examples of how our word lists work.

If you enter a single letter, like ‘Y’, you might get words like:

• Abnormality

If you enter the letters ‘ED’ you might get words like:

If you enter a long string of letters, like ‘SLED’ you might get words like:

Keep in mind that entering two or more letters does not mean that you will get a list of words ending with one of those letters! For instance, if you enter ‘ED,’ our tool will generate words ending with ‘ED,’ like stunned, overfed, and united. You will not be generated a list of words that edit with either E or D, like sneeze or sad.

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Sports. Honestly. Since 2011

The yankees have a future starting pitcher brewing in double-a.

• August 13, 2024

Nick Prasad

One of the most refreshing parts of the MLB draft is to see how a team’s selections flourish down the road. The New York Yankees have had some phenomenal draft selections over the years. One subject of long-term focus in the Yankees farm system is the 24-year-old right-hander Zach Messinger , who is showing plenty of promise at Double-A Somerset. 

Messinger was a 2021 MLB draft pick by the Yankees. He was selected in the 13th round (393rd overall), which makes his current success all the more intriguing. Messenger was selected out of the University of Virginia in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

He was immediately assigned to A-ball where his quest for success began. The nature of his low draft position led to neglected attention and expectations for the righty. However, so far in his third organizational year, Messenger is turning heads and stating a case for the future of his career. The Yankees struck the right chord in not dealing the righty at the deadline .

Progress and Key Notes on Yankees Double-A Prospect Zach Messinger

Right-hander Zach Messinger has showcased really well in 2024. From 2022 to the present day, he has shown constant improvements in his craft. Command and approach have both been impeccable within the righty’s pitch selections and count management. 

Messinger pounds the zone and is aggressive in all counts. He continues to attack early in the count, staying ahead and keeping his opposing hitters in vulnerable spots. All of his options are generally worked within the strike zone. 

The downside to aggressively working the zone leaves room for more mistakes to be made. As he advances further up the chain toward the big leagues, he’ll need to occasionally work more off the plate to stay out of danger zones. 

Messinger has been very reliant on his slider, which breaks quickly and dips below its linear plane. It looks juicy and flat on release, but it quickly moves, forcing a ton of ground-outs on contact. His fastball still works with life and bite. 

Messinger’s Numbers Make a Strong Case for Promotion

Messinger Masterclass @Yankees No. 18 prospect Zach Messinger was dealing. 7 IP | 3 H | 0 R | 1 BB | 4 K pic.twitter.com/YKueI5PPKO — Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) August 8, 2024

The right-hander has been on a quest this season to eventually earn his spot on the Bronx staff. He has been competing in arguably the hardest level in minor league baseball, in Double-A. Messinger recorded a 3.40 ERA this season.

He put up a 4.66 RA/9 and struck out 114 batters while only walking 39. He’s at an 8.4 in SO/9 and a 2.9 BB/9. It is clear that he’s a strikeout machine with a repertoire that competes during all counts. Free bases are a rare thing for Messinger. 

Evaluators seem to think that Messinger will be a starter, and that couldn’t be more clear at this point. He’s thrown 121 2/3 innings this year. He has longevity in his outings, averaging five innings a game. The Yankees can expect to have Messinger considered for a starting spot by 2025. Spring training will determine his status and where he’ll fit in. 

Photo Credit: © Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports

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After reuniting with the Boston Red Sox at the trade deadline, left-hander James Paxton has been diagnosed with a potentially season-ending calf injury. On Sunday, Paxton

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John and the hole ending explained: why john trapped his family.

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10 Ambiguous Movie Endings Whose True Meanings Will Never Be Settled

30 best thrillers on netflix, 10 movies that were clearly inspired by the evil dead.

• John and the Hole is a compelling coming-of-age film with dark elements and thought-provoking themes on wealth and maturity.
• The movie raises questions about adulthood as young John, played by Charlie Shotwell, takes extreme measures to explore independence.
• The film's ending left audiences divided, with some praising its unsettling nature and others feeling the conclusion lacked insight.

John and the Hole is the 2021 debut feature film from Spanish director Pascual Sisto, and its statements on wealth, maturity, and evil make for an intriguing deep dive. A coming-of-age movie with a dark angle, John and the Hole 's title tells the audience exactly what the film is about . Unsurprisingly, the movie is centered around 13-year-old John (Charlie Shotwell), the youngest child of the affluent Shay family, and it's also very much about a hole in the ground, one John stumbles across in the woods behind his home.

The film also stars Michael C. Hall in a post- Dexter role as Brad, John's father; Jennifer Ehle as Anna, his mother; and Taissa Farmiga as Laurie, his older sister. After John discovers a deep hole, the disaffected and nigh-emotionless youth goes about drugging his family and placing them at the bottom of the hole, interested in seeing what life is like as an adult, that is, without anyone in his life able to tell him "no." Along with being a coming-of-age movie, John and the Hole is a psychological thriller that questions why someone with everything still wants more.

Some movie endings are so perplexing that they can spark debates which last for years. Fans can love the movie, but fail to agree on its meaning.

John And The Hole Is Not About Mental Illness

The movie has other concerns than john's mental state.

From John's introduction in John and the Hole , it's clear that there is something odd about him. He speaks with a stilted affectation, stares icily at people whether they are looking at him or not, and is generally quiet, content to say only a few words to others, including his family. It's never explicitly mentioned in the film if John has a personality disorder, and the only real reference to something being wrong is John's family making jokes about his "weird" questions.

Once John drugs his family and wheelbarrows them to the hole in the woods, it's clear he's made the jump from "aloof" to something much darker and troubling. What that something is, is not expanded on, but Pascual Sisto answered a question regarding intentional allusions between John and the stereotype of school shooters being the "quiet kid", saying (via Mel Magazine ),

"I mean, of course, we all see these terrible [news stories] everywhere. And we did talk about them with Charlie [Shotwell]. We always said that, sure, John could be a potential shooter. He could end up in some crazy [news story] like that — of course, it’s still crazy what he did, but it could have led to a darker, more potential wrong. But we always wanted to say, 'What if this is a story of a character that doesn’t [do something terrible], but has the same issues and the same problems that you see in all these [other] kids?'"

Sisto is not interested in diagnosing his film's protagonist. Instead, John and the Hole is concerned with the specific whys of what John is doing. Why did he abduct his family? Why is John so intrigued by the idea of being an adult? Why is John unsatisfied with his seemingly perfect life? It's not important "what" is "wrong" with John; John and the Hole is about something more abstract.

John Trapped His Family To Experience Adulthood

The shays are in the way of john maturing.

Throughout the beginning of John and the Hole , John asks strange and complex questions that his parents don't have the answers to. He often inquires about what it is like to be an adult , a question his parents aren't able to answer because they don't know exactly why their son is asking it, and they may not know themselves. It's hard to describe an age or feeling while still in the midst of it. His parents clearly don't understand how interested their son is in the question, and one morning, they unexpectedly wake up in the hole.

John's life has been filled with the ennui of growing up wealthy. He's never had to experience struggle and, at the same time, has never experienced true freedom since he is a teenager, under the careful watch of his parents. He places his family in the hole because he wants the opportunity to experience life with all the freedoms that, theoretically, come with being an adult. John drinks wine, eats unhealthy amounts of junk food, drives the family car, has friends over, and spends his family's money on expensive gifts, but none of it's enough.

It's the simplicity of John's wish that makes it so ominous.

After he plays the role of adult, John realizes he prefers his life as it was previously. He's alone and, having tasted what it's like to be grown up, he's ready to go back to being a child. It's the simplicity of John's wish that makes it so ominous. Fantasizing about being an adult is something most adolescents have wondered about, but going to the extent John did to experience the feeling is far removed from innocent childhood daydreaming.

Netflix is home to some of the most unique, tense, and incredible thrillers in cinema history but what are the best ones on the platform?

The Shays' Unwillingness To Punish John Is A Symptom Of The Family's Issues

John never receives any comeuppance for his actions.

At the end of the film, just as John's family is beginning to hallucinate from hunger and the psychological torture of realizing they may be trapped in the hole forever, a ladder abruptly slides down into the hole. John has had enough of his experiment and rescues his parents and sister — which is strange. If John is the type of person to leave his family stuck in a hole while he goes about his life as if nothing is wrong, it would follow that he would also be the type of person to let his family perish.

Instead, the Shays are released and climb up the ladder to find John floating face down in the pool in an obvious ruse. Brad, putting everything he's been through out of his mind, immediately jumps in the water to save him. John and the Hole then cuts to everyone silently having dinner together in a funhouse mirror version of the movie's opening scene . The message is clear: John will not be punished for his horrendous actions.

It's an unfortunate reality of society, but having money often allows for someone to be above the normal rules and consequences those with less must contend with. The term "affluenza" first came to popularity in 2013 when it was used in the defense of a wealthy Texas teen who killed four people in a drunk driving accident and received only probation from the courts (via Forbes ). Since then, the word has been used to describe how the wealthy, and in particular, their children, don't face the same consequences as others.

It's not just John who is corrupt, but the whole Shay family, who have allowed their toxicity to fester, and continue to do so.

Despite drugging his family and trapping them in a hole underground, John receives no punishment at the end of John and the Hole . His parents don't even yell at him. He's behaved horribly and endangered those who are supposed to be closest to him, and he receives no consequences of any kind for it. It's not just John who is corrupt, but the whole Shay family, who have allowed their toxicity to fester, and continue to do so.

John And The Hole Is A Fairy Tale

The plot of the film is nested in a fable told from a mother to her daughter.

A fascinating aspect of John and the Hole is the wrap-around segment that features a young girl, Lily (Samantha LeBretton) in bed, as her mother, Gloria (Georgia Lyman), tells her a bedtime story. These sequences never connect to the main story of John and the Shays, but about 30 minutes into the film, the scene cuts to Georgia walking into Lily's room, offering to tell her a story about "the hole" and a late title card appears that says, John and the Hole .

John wanted to grow up so badly he was willing to endanger his family.

The implication is that the film is actually a fairy tale told by a mother to her daughter, who has been refusing to leave her room. Towards the movie's end, Gloria tells her 12-year-old daughter that she will be abandoning her and says she has left Lily enough money to survive for a year, but she's on her own after that. It's here that the themes of the stories converge. John wanted to grow up so badly he was willing to endanger his family. Lily, on the other hand, is being thrust into adulthood unwillingly.

Gloria has used this story of John as a cautionary fable for her daughter, telling her that if she were to coddle Lily too much, Lily would never learn. Of course, this swing in the other direction is not healthy either, and Gloria's parenting style is just as problematic as the Shays'. This fable storyline helps to explain some of the inconsistencies in the film, like the mechanics of the abduction, why the police are easily turned away from John's home, and why everything goes back to normal in the end.

The Real Meaning Of John And The Hole's Ending

John and lily are both confronted with the volatile nature of growing up.

Both the main story of John and the Hole and the wrap-around segment serve to depict the dangers of growing up and how sheltering a child, or the opposite, and more obviously cruel, abandoning them, can have disastrous reverberations. Growing up is a dangerous proposition for anyone, be they wealthy, poor, a daughter of a single mother, or a son in a nuclear family. John and the Hole is not just a cautionary tale for Lily but also for the audience, a reminder that if children are not safely and positively ushered into adulthood, consequences can be dire.

How The John And The Hole Ending Was Received

Most critics & audiences were bewildered by the end.

Critics were not in love with John and the Hole , and it only has a 60% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The audience was harsher, with a 27% rotten score on Rotten Tomatoes. The audience reviews were full of people who said the ending made no sense and didn't pay off anything, with even average reviews complaining that the ending lacked " insight ." Critics were kinder, and not all reviews were bad, and A.A. Dowd of AV Club appreciated what the ending revealed about life itself.

"By the time Sisto and Giacobone introduce a metatextual element that drives home the disquieting thesis of Anna's talk with her son, John And The Hole has revealed itself to be a film about the impossibility of that transition, whether it's gradual or harshly sudden. We're all just kids playing at adulthood."

Peter Debruge of Variety agrees that the ending is what really makes the movie special. "It's calculated and precise and meticulously constructed in a way that will be of considerable interest to audiences who appreciate stories that unsettle, and those who recognize the precision of Sisto's approach ... Now that the movie has put the idea out into the world, what's to stop any kid from overthrowing his or her parents? "

As noted though, not everyone loved the John and the Hole ending. Brian Tallerico from RogerEbert.com wrote, " The result is an experiment in blank affect and fractured domesticity that drags itself to a disappointing ending, one that only confirms it never really had anything on its mind ." While some appreciated the message that John and the Hole was trying to tell, others never seemed to connect all the dots.

John and the Hole

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John and the Hole is a psychological thriller directed by Pascual Sisto. The film follows a young boy named John, portrayed by Charlie Shotwell, who discovers an unused bunker near his family home. John traps his family inside the bunker as he attempts to understand newfound feelings of independence and control. The film also stars Michael C. Hall, Taissa Farmiga, and Jennifer Ehle.

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Texas A&M Hit with Significant Injury Ahead of Opener vs. Notre Dame

Nick shepkowski | aug 11, 2024.

• Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Texas A&M will be without a scholarship running back when the Aggies open the season against Notre Dame on Aug. 31. Sophomore Rueben Owens, who totaled 494 scrimmage yards for Texas A&M last year, suffered a lower body injury over the weekend and is expected to miss the entire 2024 season. On Sunday night, Carter Karels of Gig 'Em 247 mentioned the impact the injury will have on the Texas A&M backfield for 2024.

Without Owens, Texas A&M suddenly has a thin RB group heading into the season. Three scholarship guys in Moss, Smith and Daniels. Will be important for Smith to remain healthy this season. Injuries have been an issue for him in the past, but he played in all 12 games last season. — Carter Karels (@CarterKarels) August 11, 2024

In ten games against FBS competition last year, Owens only averaged four or more yards per carry in one of them. That came against Mississippi State in mid-November. Notre Dame and Texas A&M are set to play at Kyle Field in College Station on the evening of August 31.

—Enjoy free coverage of the Irish from Notre Dame Fighting Irish on SI—

Notre Dame Football: 5 News and Notes for August 11, 2024 5 Thoughts on Notre Dame Quarterback Riley Leonard Ahead of 2024 Season How former Notre Dame quarterback Sam Hartman fared in NFL preseason debut

Notre Dame football lands two-sport, in-state athlete on Saturday: What it means for Fighting Irish See Audric Estime score his first NFL preseason touchdown for Broncos against Colts

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• Dissertation & Thesis Outline | Example & Free Templates

Dissertation & Thesis Outline | Example & Free Templates

Published on June 7, 2022 by Tegan George . Revised on November 21, 2023.

A thesis or dissertation outline is one of the most critical early steps in your writing process . It helps you to lay out and organize your ideas and can provide you with a roadmap for deciding the specifics of your dissertation topic and showcasing its relevance to your field.

Generally, an outline contains information on the different sections included in your thesis or dissertation , such as:

• Your anticipated title
• Your abstract
• Your chapters (sometimes subdivided into further topics like literature review, research methods, avenues for future research, etc.)

In the final product, you can also provide a chapter outline for your readers. This is a short paragraph at the end of your introduction to inform readers about the organizational structure of your thesis or dissertation. This chapter outline is also known as a reading guide or summary outline.

Table of contents

How to outline your thesis or dissertation, dissertation and thesis outline templates, chapter outline example, sample sentences for your chapter outline, sample verbs for variation in your chapter outline, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about thesis and dissertation outlines.

While there are some inter-institutional differences, many outlines proceed in a fairly similar fashion.

• Working Title
• “Elevator pitch” of your work (often written last).
• Introduce your area of study, sharing details about your research question, problem statement , and hypotheses . Situate your research within an existing paradigm or conceptual or theoretical framework .
• Subdivide as you see fit into main topics and sub-topics.
• Describe your research methods (e.g., your scope , population , and data collection ).
• Present your research findings and share about your data analysis methods.
• Answer the research question in a concise way.
• Interpret your findings, discuss potential limitations of your own research and speculate about future implications or related opportunities.

For a more detailed overview of chapters and other elements, be sure to check out our article on the structure of a dissertation or download our template .

To help you get started, we’ve created a full thesis or dissertation template in Word or Google Docs format. It’s easy adapt it to your own requirements.

 Download Word template    Download Google Docs template

It can be easy to fall into a pattern of overusing the same words or sentence constructions, which can make your work monotonous and repetitive for your readers. Consider utilizing some of the alternative constructions presented below.

Example 1: Passive construction

The passive voice is a common choice for outlines and overviews because the context makes it clear who is carrying out the action (e.g., you are conducting the research ). However, overuse of the passive voice can make your text vague and imprecise.

Example 2: IS-AV construction

You can also present your information using the “IS-AV” (inanimate subject with an active verb ) construction.

A chapter is an inanimate object, so it is not capable of taking an action itself (e.g., presenting or discussing). However, the meaning of the sentence is still easily understandable, so the IS-AV construction can be a good way to add variety to your text.

Example 3: The “I” construction

Another option is to use the “I” construction, which is often recommended by style manuals (e.g., APA Style and Chicago style ). However, depending on your field of study, this construction is not always considered professional or academic. Ask your supervisor if you’re not sure.

Example 4: Mix-and-match

To truly make the most of these options, consider mixing and matching the passive voice , IS-AV construction , and “I” construction .This can help the flow of your argument and improve the readability of your text.

As you draft the chapter outline, you may also find yourself frequently repeating the same words, such as “discuss,” “present,” “prove,” or “show.” Consider branching out to add richness and nuance to your writing. Here are some examples of synonyms you can use.

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When you mention different chapters within your text, it’s considered best to use Roman numerals for most citation styles. However, the most important thing here is to remain consistent whenever using numbers in your dissertation .

The title page of your thesis or dissertation goes first, before all other content or lists that you may choose to include.

A thesis or dissertation outline is one of the most critical first steps in your writing process. It helps you to lay out and organize your ideas and can provide you with a roadmap for deciding what kind of research you’d like to undertake.

• Your chapters (sometimes subdivided into further topics like literature review , research methods , avenues for future research, etc.)

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

George, T. (2023, November 21). Dissertation & Thesis Outline | Example & Free Templates. Scribbr. Retrieved August 12, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/dissertation/dissertation-thesis-outline/

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