10.4: Conclusion: Last Words, Lasting Impact
Tiffany Petricini
A conclusion is not simply where a speech ends—it is where meaning lingers. By restating your thesis, reviewing your points, and choosing a powerful device, you shape how your audience remembers your message and how they carry it forward. To go beyond the podium is to recognize that endings are not just closures but civic openings—moments that invite reflection, trust, and action long after you finish speaking.
In the next chapter, we shift from how to close with power to how to structure your ideas effectively in the first place. Outlining will give you the framework that ensures your introduction, body, and conclusion flow together with clarity and purpose.
Key Takeaways
- Conclusions are more than endings; they shape memory, trust, and impact.
- The serial position effect shows audiences best remember what comes first and last—making conclusions crucial.
- An effective conclusion includes a restated thesis, a brief review of main points, and a memorable device.
- Miller’s ten strategies (challenge, quote, summary, visualization, etc.) give speakers tools to close with power.
- Ethical conclusions inspire or inform without manipulating emotion or bypassing reasoning.
- Beyond the podium, strong conclusions build ethos and open space for continued reflection or action.
References
Ebbinghaus, H. (1885). Memory: A contribution to experimental psychology. Leipzig: Duncker & Humblot. [English translation available online via York University.
Ehrensberger, R. (1945). An experimental study of the relative effectiveness of certain forms of emphasis in public speaking. Speech Monographs, 12(2), 94–111.
Miller, E. (1946). Speech introductions and conclusions. Quarterly Journal of Speech, 32(2), 181–183.
Walker, M. (2017). Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams. Scribner.
