As mentioned previously, today's class is a review of sorts of items related to writing the white paper. After doing a quick read-through of your white papers (which I'll read more thoroughly this weekend), I've decided to focus today's "lecture notes" on writing effective conclusions.

For a document like the white paper -- which will run at least 10 pages by the time you submit Draft 4, and has a distinct persuasive bent to it -- conclusions need to be more focused and detailed than a one-paragraph "restate the introduction and sum it up" affair. They need to run two paragraphs at the absolute minimum, and three would be even better.

First, you'll need to tie together the 3-4 supporting points associated with your main argument. Remind your reader why the issues you've covered are significant, and why your argument is valid. Next, you'll need to make direct appeals to your audience: encouraging readers to do further research, suggesting ways that readers can apply information you've presented to daily tasks, and directing readers to formulate a plan of action that reflects your argument/recommendations. If needed, you'll also present financial/logistic details, a timetable for completion, and a discussion of ways that recommended actions can co-exist with current methods. Finally, you can present that final paragraph that revisits -- but doesn't repeat -- your introduction, and brings your white paper to a natural close.