The content of the conclusion depends on the level of your writing.  In middle school, it may simply be a summary or a restatement of the thesis.  In senior high it should restate the thesis and then move to general commentary or analysis.  For example, a literary study of a novel should turn from analysis of the work to a discussion of the author’s accomplishments.  If the topic is more controversial, the conclusion might express your approval of one side of the topic, make a judgment, or offer suggestions for further research or actions.  Effective conclusions make a general statement.  Sometimes they compare past or present situations, offer directives or solutions, or end with a direct quotation.  Examples of each of these methods are presented in Writing Research Papers, Lester.
         Following are the two conclusions from the same high school papers as the sample introductions found on page III.B.
 
        Sample #1: During the late nineteenth century the Indian wars escalated, then came to a rapid finish as the Sioux Indians were lied to, mistreated, and ultimately murdered.  Two events, the Black Hills incident and the Battle at Wounded Knee, show this mistreatment suffered by the Sioux as whites expanded their territory westward.  Even though a friendly relationship originally existed between Indians and settlers, it was quickly destroyed by this desire for new land.  Thus, the nineteenth century relations between the American settlers and the Indians, which began so peacefully, ended sorrowfully in hostility and tragedy.

         Sample #2: These archetypes of the woman and the hero, as well as the imagery of color and number, contribute to the interpretations of character and theme in Ernest Hemingway’s short story, “The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber.” Certainly the variety of authors who have employed these universal symbols attests to their importance.  Understanding their use and meaning enables a reader to more deeply appreciate the scope of a literary work.  Also, since archetypes have been used through time and cultures, the reader easily sees their influence on fiction over time.  It is in the timeless and universal meanings of these symbols, first seen in ancient legends and myths, where the reader can find fascinating and almost limitless application to literature of today.