conclusions

🔚 Prepare Audience for the End

• End smoothly; don’t stop abruptly.

• Use cues:

  • Language: verbal transitions to closing

  • Movement: return to starting position

  • Paralinguistic: slower pace, pauses

• Signals final remarks and closure.

🎯 Final Appeals

• Ask for action, attitude change, or understanding.

• Leave audience positively motivated.

• Use recency effect (people remember last info best).

✍ Structure & Composition

• Conclusion must match/refer to introduction for completeness.

• Often uses same techniques as intro.

• Combine multiple conclusion forms if needed.

🛠 Preparation Rules

• Prepare last, with the introduction.

• Only one clear ending; avoid false or abrupt endings.

• Length ≈ ≤10% of speech time.

• Write word-for-word for control and impact.

🚫 Avoid

• No new information or arguments.

• New ideas disrupt flow and lack support.

🔄 Structural Techniques

• Revisit intro elements:

  • Quotes

  • Questions

  • Startling statistics

• Reinforce main message with new meaning.