This is “Concluding with Power”, chapter 11 from the book Public Speaking: Practice and Ethics (v. 1.0). For details on it (including licensing), click here.

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Chapter 11 Concluding with Power

Almost to the Finish Line

When reading a great novel, many people just can’t wait to get to the end of the book. Some people will actually jump ahead hundreds of pages and read the last chapter just to see what happens. Humans have an innate desire to “get to the end.” Imagine reading a novel and finding that the author just stopped writing five or six chapters from the end—how satisfied would you be with that author? In the same way, when a speaker doesn’t think through her or his conclusion properly, audience members are often left just as dissatisfied. In other words, conclusions are really important!