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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/16486
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Consider a piece writing that makes three points, all prefaced by some type of heading:

> Multiple paragraphs of introduction
> 
> **Heading 1**  
> Multiple paragraphs explaining Argument 1
> 
> **Heading 2**  
> Multiple paragraphs explaining Argument 2
> 
> **Heading 3**  
> Multiple paragraphs explaining Argument 3
> 
> Multiple paragraphs of conclusion

Note that there is no heading above the conclusion.

How do you manage that transition? How do you let the reader know that "we're not continuing to support Argument 3 anymore; this is actually wrapping up the entire work"?

The introduction has a clear transition, because the reader hits Heading 1. But the transition from Argument 3 to the conclusion is vague and ill-defined. By that time, the reader has gotten used to seeing the headings as a transition to a new thought. How do you bring this same clear cognitive break to the transition into the conclusion?

How do you avoid the reader getting halfway into the conclusion and thinking, "wait a minute, is the author still talking about Argument 3...I'm confused."

Do you set it off with some formatting?

> **Heading 3**  
> Multiple paragraphs explaining Argument 3
> 
> * * *
> 
> Multiple paragraphs of conclusion

Or do you do some wording like:

> "In conclusion..."
> 
> "To sum up..."
> 
> "At the end of the day..."

Or do you just bite the bullet and stick a heading in there:

> **Heading 3**  
> Multiple paragraphs explaining Argument 3
> 
> **Conclusion**  
> Multiple paragraphs of conclusion

Original score: 3