Section #6 - Parts of an Essay: Conclusions

Did you get it?

Test yourself on the concepts discussed in the video above by using the self-grading quiz questions below.

Analyze Some Examples

We want to give you examples of students’ writing processes, so you can see what they look like. Read the situation; then, read each example, and answer the questions that follow it.

The Situation

Dr. Downey asked students to write about the following topic. Like other U.S. cities, the city is considering raising the tax on sugared drinks, sweets, and other foods that are unhealthy in order to deter people from unhealthy eating habits. Do you agree or disagree with this idea?

Reba's Response to the Writing Situation from Dr. Downey

With the obesity epidemic getting so out of control, our government officials have to do all they can to try and prevent children from eating and drinking food and beverages with so many calories.  If we don’t intervene now, we will have a generation of adults with major health problems like diabetes and hypertension. This will lead to increased healthcare costs and decreased life spans for everyone.

Questions about Reba's Response to the Writing Situation from Dr. Downey

Juan's Response to the Writing Situation from Dr. Downey 

Although taxing sugared drinks and foods sounds like a good idea, it is not the best idea for the reasons I discussed earlier in this essay. Instead of relying on taxes to change people’s behavior, we should rely on things like educational programs. Sweets and sodas will never go away, so it would be more effective to teach people how to use them responsibly than to have people simple pay more for them.

Questions about Juan's Response to the Writing Situation from Dr. Downey