In a short writing conclusion, how should supporting points be treated?

• A. Summarize the supporting points along with restating the main idea.
• B. Introduce new, unrelated points.
• C. List all details in the order they appeared.
• D. Ignore the main idea to surprise the reader.

Answer: (C)

In a short conclusion, the goal is to wrap up by reinforcing what was argued and reminding the reader of the main idea. The best approach is to briefly restate the main idea and synthesize the supporting points, showing how they connect to support that idea. A conclusion should be concise and cohesive, not a full recap of every detail. It shouldn’t bring in new information or examples, because that would pull the reader away from closure. It also shouldn’t simply list details in the order they appeared, which would read more like a longer version of the body. And it shouldn’t ignore the main idea in favor of a surprising ending, since the closing paragraph should reinforce the piece’s purpose and leave a clear, final impression.