AWA Crafting Effective Conclusions 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A writer realizes she has only two minutes left before the AWA timer expires. Which conclusion strategy is most practical?
- Skip the conclusion entirely and expand the last body paragraph
- Write two to three focused sentences that restate the thesis and note the key implication (Correct answer)
- Write a lengthy conclusion to impress raters
- Copy the introduction verbatim as the conclusion
Correct answer: Write two to three focused sentences that restate the thesis and note the key implication
A tight, focused two-to-three sentence conclusion is far better than no conclusion and demonstrates structural completeness under time pressure.
Question 2: What role does 'concession' play in an Issue essay conclusion?
- It signals that the writer has changed their position
- It shows awareness of opposing views while reaffirming the writer's overall stance (Correct answer)
- It weakens the essay by admitting the argument is flawed
- It is only appropriate if the introduction included a counterargument
Correct answer: It shows awareness of opposing views while reaffirming the writer's overall stance
A concession in the conclusion demonstrates intellectual honesty and nuance, which are hallmarks of high-scoring AWA essays.
Question 3: Which sentence best exemplifies the 'broader significance' move in an AWA conclusion?
- Therefore, the three points above prove my thesis.
- The logical fallacies in this argument make it unpersuasive.
- Ultimately, how societies choose to balance innovation and regulation will shape the quality of life for decades to come. (Correct answer)
- In summary, I have analyzed the argument and found several flaws.
Correct answer: Ultimately, how societies choose to balance innovation and regulation will shape the quality of life for decades to come.
This sentence widens the lens from the specific essay topic to a larger societal consequence, a hallmark of sophisticated concluding writing.
Question 4: Why is it ineffective to end an AWA essay with a question?
- Questions are grammatically incorrect in formal writing
- Ending with a question leaves the argument unresolved and may signal the writer lacks a firm position (Correct answer)
- Questions are too informal for academic writing
- Raters are specifically instructed to penalize questions
Correct answer: Ending with a question leaves the argument unresolved and may signal the writer lacks a firm position
A concluding question can undermine the impression that the writer has confidently argued and resolved the issue.
Question 5: Which element is MOST important in a high-scoring AWA Argument essay conclusion?
- Restating every piece of evidence from the body paragraphs
- Synthesizing the essay's critique and noting what the argument needs to be more persuasive (Correct answer)
- Introducing the writer's own personal opinion on the topic
- Providing a comprehensive definition of all key terms
Correct answer: Synthesizing the essay's critique and noting what the argument needs to be more persuasive
High-scoring conclusions for the Argument task crystallize the critique and suggest remedies, demonstrating analytic depth.
Question 6: A conclusion that contradicts the thesis stated in the introduction will most likely result in:
- A higher score due to showing evolving thinking
- A lower score due to incoherence and lack of logical unity (Correct answer)
- No score penalty if the body paragraphs are strong
- A request from raters for clarification
Correct answer: A lower score due to incoherence and lack of logical unity
Contradicting the thesis in the conclusion destroys the essay's logical cohesion, which is a core scoring criterion.
Question 7: In the context of AWA scoring, 'closure' in a conclusion refers to:
- Using the word 'conclusion' or 'in summary' explicitly
- Giving the reader a sense that the essay's central argument is fully addressed and resolved (Correct answer)
- Ending with a positive or optimistic statement
- Keeping the conclusion shorter than the introduction
Correct answer: Giving the reader a sense that the essay's central argument is fully addressed and resolved
Closure means the reader feels the essay is complete and that the writer's analytical purpose has been fulfilled.
AWA Crafting Effective Conclusions 4
A writer realizes she has only two minutes left before the AWA timer expires.
Which conclusion strategy is most practical?