How to Write an Article: Title, Introduction, Body, and Conclusion

22 December 2023

last updated

An article contains information on a topic intended for a real publication in a newspaper, magazine, or journal. Authors of articles target a more extensive range of audiences, which makes it essential for them to attract the reader’s attention. They may include amusing stories or descriptions in their articles and give opinions, thoughts, and facts on a specific topic. This guideline on how to write an article outlines essential details and critical tips that students must grasp to produce a high-quality, intellectually stimulating text. The guideline begins by defining what an article is, outlining possible topics students can choose from, and a sample outline and example of writing a good article as a practical guide on how its content should appear. Moreover, the guideline highlights the technical details of starting and writing an article, following formatting styles students can adopt. In turn, potential article writers should avoid making mistakes, including essential tips for producing a high-value document. Reading this guideline is valuable to college students and others who find writing an interesting exercise for social discourse and intellectual development. As a result, writing articles involves selecting an eye-catching title, an informative introduction, detailed body paragraphs, and an ending paragraph that gives the author’s reflection on the topic under discussion.

General Aspects of How to Write an Outstanding Article & Example

Reading guidelines on how to write different types of papers is recommendable for college students because it increases knowledge on what to do to produce a high-standard article. Writing is an academic and intellectual exercise because it allows students to apply what they have learned by carefully examining the literature and logically documenting evidence. In this sense, students should not view recommendations for writing various types of essays as an assessment protocol but as an opportunity to develop intellectually. The basis of this guideline is the understanding that academic texts have standards students should demonstrate, such as outline, thesis statement , evidence, citations, and formal language. Therefore, by reading this guideline, students should grasp critical details about how to write an article that allows them to apply course content to produce persuasive information.

How to Write an Article: Title, Introduction, Body, and Conclusion

Definition of What Is an Article and Its Meaning

From a simple definition, an article is a piece of writing in a newspaper, journal, magazine, or website. In this respect, it can be print or digital, with the digital format having the widest reach because of the ubiquitous Internet and smart devices. Articles differ from essays, research papers, and reports, which means they disseminate information about political, economic, social, cultural, technological, and legal issues to specific audiences. For example, media houses use their online platforms to publish articles about contemporary issues of great public concern, including costly healthcare, homelessness, and uncontrolled immigration. Therefore, college students may write articles as an exercise to demonstrate their understanding of key issues. The product must convince the audience why the matter deserves intellectual discourse, such as explaining its causes and implications. When writing articles, students should approach them with intellectual vigor, assuming that it is publishable.

Key Structure Features of Writing an Article

Developing a title for an article.

The first structure feature of writing an article is to select an attractive and informative essay title . For instance, a good article should have an eye-catching heading. Along these lines, the title of any article should attract readers’ attention, covering the main theme of its content. In this case, readers should enjoy the content of an article by starting to read through the title. Moreover, the title should summarize a key idea of an article. Therefore, when writing articles, authors should select a specific title that catches the reader’s attention and summarizes its key message.

Introduction of an Article

The introduction paragraph of an article should provide a clear description of the content. For instance, an article should start by defining the topic clearly, including the choice of writing strategies and writing styles . Besides, readers should understand the subject and the content of an article after reading the introductory paragraph, retaining the reader’s attention. As a result, an article should have a clear and detailed opening paragraph.

Article’s Body Paragraphs

An article should have a body that expands the information about the topic. For instance, authors should write several body paragraphs that explain the main issue under analysis. In this case, body paragraphs should explain the main idea of an article in more detail, expounding on its introduction. In turn, people must start each body paragraph with a clear topic sentence since they need to explain a single idea in every section to make their articles clear and relevant. Thus, writing a good article should have clear body paragraphs that include more details on the title and opening paragraph.

Conclusion of an Article

The last part of writing an article is a conclusion paragraph, which provides a summary of the information discussed in body paragraphs and provides the author’s final thoughts about a specific topic. For example, authors need to summarize the entire article in a single paragraph, restating the main points. Besides, a good article should have the author’s understanding of the topic. In this case, people should provide their reflections or views on the subject in the closing paragraph. Some conclusion examples may provide recommendations or opinions toward the assigned topic. Therefore, when writing the closing paragraph of an article, it must contain a concise summary and author’s reflection.

Receive a high-quality paper without plagiarism from Wr1ter Team.

Topic Examples for Starting and Writing an Article

Writing an article aims to inform or educate people about an issue of great concern or implication to a group or society. Such an issue can be political, economic, social, cultural, technological, legal, or environmental. Therefore, students in higher learning institutions must know that writing an article requires one to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of issues across the above dimensions through historical, present, and future lenses. The following are possible easy article topics because they require writers to use what they know to investigate the matter so that they can inform readers about its genesis, evolution, and potential.

  • What to Do If You Can’t Find a Job After College
  • 10 Hardest College Classes
  • 10 Reasons Why Everyone Should Go to College
  • How to Get a Girlfriend in College
  • Creation of Memes
  • Global Warming and Its Relation to Climate Change
  • Mental Health Effects of Internet Addiction
  • Substance Use as Evidence of Societal Dysfunction
  • Smart Boards in Enhancing Education Access
  • How Accommodations Benefit Students in Special Education?

Sample Outline Template for Writing a Good Article

  • Write a title of an article.
  • Provide a short author’s biography .
  • Include a date when this article is posted.

I. Introduction

  • Start with a hook .
  • Introduce the topic by establishing a background.
  • Tell readers something that grabs their attention.
  • Structure an article into 2, 3, or more paragraphs, each addressing a single aspect of the topic.

III. Conclusion

  • Close writing an article by stating recommendations, anticipations, views, appeals, or any information that helps the audience to appreciate an article.

Example of Writing an Article

Topic: Mental Health Effects of Internet Addiction

Andrew Thompson, a correspondent with New York Tribune on social issues.

August 02, 2023

I. Example of Article’s Introduction

The ubiquitous Internet, coupled with a high penetration of smart devices in personal spaces, including homes, has increased young people’s interaction with platforms that trigger Internet addiction. Common platforms include social media and video games. While many people see this interaction as educational, there are growing concerns among psychologists that it is a potential ground for developing mental health problems.

II. Sample of Article’s Body Paragraph 1

One of the effects of prolonged use of social media and video games is addiction, where a person develops a penchant for checking their status every passing minute. In this sense, people affected by Internet addiction always check their smartphones or sleep on their computers most of their idle time and write many messages daily. Psychologists are concerned that Internet addiction is no longer evident when people are idle. Furthermore, there are concerns among educators and parents that young individuals with symptoms of the problem can barely concentrate in class or family events like sharing dinner.

III. Sample of Article’s Body Paragraph 2

From a psychological perspective, Internet addiction leads to mental health disorders, including low self-esteem, depression, impulsiveness, mood disorders, suicide, and poor writing habits. According to Dr. Margaret Spencer, a psychologist working at the Hemper Medical Group, prolonged Internet use denies people an opportunity to develop critical relations that enhance psychological wellness. Low self-esteem develops in young individuals who are constantly playing video games or hooked on social media platforms because such activities expose them to abusive encounters that leave them vulnerable. Since they lack relationships that can help to deal with such aggression, most victims blame themselves for their awful experiences. Evidence of low self-esteem includes a lack of confidence in communication and a constant feeling of inadequacy.

IV. Sample of Article’s Body Paragraph 3

According to Dr. Spencer, Internet addiction is a powerful instinct that makes many vulnerable to severe psychological effects. Unlike moderate use of social media sites, addiction to them is dangerous because it becomes where people find solutions to their problems. For example, someone who does not like a bodily feature like the color of their eyes may seek the opinion of others in the same social media space. However, most users of these sites are not friendly and see others’ problems as an opportunity for sadism. Therefore, rather than getting help, a person may experience humiliation on social media, and psychologists identify humiliation as a powerful inducer of suicidal thoughts.

V. Sample of Article’s Body Paragraph 4

Indeed, there is overwhelming evidence of how Internet addiction has affected many young people across the United States. Official data indicate that four out of every ten adolescents with a mental disorder present with Internet addiction symptoms. In other words, 40 percent of young individuals with a mental health disorder diagnosis, such as mood disorders, are addicted to the Internet. This statistic is a reason for worry for parents, educators, and mental health professionals because emerging trends indicate youth will continue consuming the Internet at increased rates.

VI. Example of Article’s Conclusion

Internet addiction is a potential and proven mental health disorders risk factor for young individuals. While the penetration of the Internet and the availability of smart devices are good for an enlightened community, they are dangerous without regulation. Parents, educators, and various stakeholders must realize that the young population’s future is at risk if they do not work together to institute measures regulating the youth’s time on the Internet. Arguably, adolescents’ Internet use and online writing are the only space where censorship makes sense.

4 Easy Steps for Writing a Great Article

While academic writing may sound simple, it is a complex process that demands intense intellectual focus and involvement. Every academic text requires students to demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the rules guiding such work. These rules include choosing a specific topic, developing an outline, finding credible sources , and avoiding grammatical, formatting, and logical flaws. Therefore, when writing an article, one should focus on the technical details essential to producing high-quality products. These details include preparation, developing the necessary attitude and mindset; stage set-up, making necessary arrangements to write an article; actual writing, producing an initial draft; and wrapping-up, perfecting a final draft. In practice, every technical step involves several tasks that students must accomplish to make their article meet standard expectations.

Step 1: Preparation

The first task in writing any article is preparation. Ideally, students should define a specific topic under their interest in this stage because it helps to shape their attitude and mindset for the rest of the article’s content. People should select a topic they are familiar with if the instructor has not specified one. The second task is to generate ideas by analyzing documents and brainstorming sessions with colleagues and peers. Students must understand that different topics they choose must align with the course content, meaning they must recognize what they have learned when deciding what to write about. Moreover, authors should consider the audience because it determines the language used when writing an article. Essentially, those who read articles are instructors for assessment purposes and fellow students and others seeking to be knowledgeable in the topical area.

Step 2: Stage Set-Up

The second step of writing an article is to set the stage. In this case, students should find reliable sources that help to generate ideas about the topic. As stated, reviewing course content and other literature is critical in developing knowledge about the topic. Typically, researching articles online, particularly journal article databases, helps writers to find verifiable information usable in defending arguments or making observations. When conducting research, people should make notes to sustain a scholarly tone because they must cite the source of the information they use, such as professionals, leaders, and credible organizations. The next task is to create a clear outline for their article comprising four main sections: a heading followed by a byline and date, introduction, body, and conclusion.

Step 3: Actual Writing

The third step of article writing is actual writing, which focuses on producing an initial draft. The writer aims to combine all ideas to create a logical paper without worrying about quality. When writing the paper, students should assess if the ideas are sufficient. If they are, they should focus on making them logically coherent. However, if they are not, they add more academic sources to generate new ideas, and if they exceed the paper’s length requirement, one should delete some sources. Students may need to alter the outline to accommodate the final draft when adding or deleting sources. The most important task for the writer is to create a thesis because it guides the rest of the work. In short, a thesis statement summarizes the writer’s aim in writing the article.

Writing an Article’s Introduction

This part of an article follows the byline and is where authors mention the purpose for writing this document. Ideally, students begin actual writing by telling readers background information that enables them to understand the article’s context. In most instances, authors begin by pointing at the evidence and then creating a narrative highlighting the need to address the issue. In principle, while topics are often several words, they focus on one issue, such as homelessness, drug abuse, internet addiction, and its causes or effects. The last part of the paragraph outlines an article’s thesis, where this sentence tells the audience why they should read it.

Writing Article’s Body Paragraphs

This section is the most comprehensive part of an article because it is where writers concentrate their energy on telling readers about the issue in the topic. Because it is only possible to exhaust some information in a single paragraph, people use several paragraphs in the body section. Each paragraph addresses a single aspect of the topic without breaking a logical flow of ideas and thoughts. In this case, addressing the thesis when writing every paragraph is essential in making a local and intellectually solid document. The most important detail that students must demonstrate in writing article’s body paragraphs is the evidence, mentioning what scholars, credible organizations, and governmental entities say about the issue. Evidence allows authors to demonstrate evidence-based writing, meaning one can use the work as a scholarly text.

Writing an Article’s Conclusion

This section is the last part of an article, where students need to make final remarks about the topic. Essentially, writers aim to make the audience appreciate the importance of the topic. As such, when writing this part, students should focus on making recommendations, suggesting anticipations, constructing popular views, making appeals, or emphasizing truths to alert the audience about the topic and the relevance of the issue it addresses.

Step 4: Wrapping-Up

The final step of writing an article is to wrap up the work by perfecting the final document. At this stage, students should read articles themselves and even request their colleagues to do the same to identify mistakes. As such, the first task is to revise a first draft of an article to correct grammatical mistakes, missing punctuation, formatting errors, and wrong citations. The next task is to edit an article to correct logical inconsistencies. Typically, this task involves adding or deleting words and sentences to create a clearer sense for readers. In turn, writers should confirm that the body of an article has topic sentences, evidence used, some explanations, and concluding sentences with transitions to abide by academic writing conventions. Finally, for formatting articles properly, authors should incorporate citations to give credit to scholars who provide incredible information to strengthen the intellectual and logical focus of the text.

Stand out in your academic journey with papers that showcase your unique ideas, free from any plagiarism.

10 Tips for Writing an Article Faster

While considering technical and structural details above, students should learn how to write an article as quickly as possible. The benefit of finishing an article faster is having sufficient time for other activities. More importantly, it helps students to meet deadlines without worrying about quality. Therefore, people should learn 10 tips for writing a great article faster, not losing quality.

1️⃣ Develop a list of possible topics

Students should create a list of possible topics and continuously populate it throughout the course. When the lecturer issues instructions about writing an article, one would easily choose the topic from the list. However, people should ensure the list aligns with the course to avoid irrelevancy.

2️⃣ Incubate ideas

Incubating ideas makes generating them easier when beginning to write an article. Students should continuously read course content and research what scholars say about different issues or topics in the course material. Idea incubation allows learners to develop an intellectual perspective necessary to produce a logical discourse. Therefore, when the time to write an article arrives, one can easily know what to tell readers.

3️⃣ Edit ideas before writing

When learners receive instructions to write an article, they should begin by choosing a specific topic and editing ideas they have incubated over time. Ideally, one should review each idea and drop those misaligning the main theme. Doing so saves time in completing an article because there would be fewer revisions.

4️⃣ Use paragraphs to organize ideas

Students need to organize ideas in paragraphs because they may have several ideas that cannot fit in one paragraph. A single idea should inform the content when writing one paragraph. Typically, topic sentences are ideal for introducing ideas in each paragraph. When authors have a clear idea as the basis of what they say in one paragraph, it is easier to find evidence to back up their claims.

5️⃣ Keep an article short

Unless the professor instructs otherwise, students should always keep their articles short. However, learners must ensure the body has at least one to two paragraphs to make their work scholarly and intellectually valid. At a minimum, a short article must allow writers to point out two ideas and defend them through scholarly material by other authors. The important thing students should note is that a college essay length is different from its quality.

6️⃣ Avoid distraction

Distractions are the biggest and most common events that undermine one’s ability to accomplish a task. In writing, they make students lose focus. Therefore, when writing an article, learners should set time to concentrate on their work with minimal distractions. These distractions come in various forms, including unnecessary brainstorming sessions, constant reference to sources, and multitasking.

7️⃣ Pre-determine writing time intervals

Because assignment writing accompanies other academic tasks and critical personal activities, students must organize their article writing. In this case, writing in time intervals is the most effective approach that helps to avoid distractions. For example, one can write a college essay introduction in the evening, the body early in the morning of the next, and the conclusion in the afternoon. While this technique does not translate into finishing an article in one sitting, it ultimately helps students to complete the text in under one hour when taking all the time spent. An advantage of this approach is it helps students to think over their ideas and drop those that do not make logical sense.

8️⃣ Avoid overthinking

Students tend to overthink when the task requires an in-depth demonstration of knowledge. While doing so is ideal for writing an analytical essay , it does not work for articles. The focus of an article is to address an issue without complicating details for the audience. As such, writers should only spend a little time thinking about ideas and their implications. The earlier task of idea incubation is vital at this stage because one can identify ideas that align with an article faster. More importantly, it prevents one from second-guessing ideas because they have already validated them.

9️⃣ Learn to save writing for later

Sometimes, one does not want to write for various reasons, including mental fatigue. In such instances, students should not force themselves to write. Instead, they should save what they have already written as a Word document on their computer and resume writing once refreshed and alert. In short, sobriety is critical when writing because it determines if one is vulnerable to distractions.

🔟 Do not save a good idea for later

Because of the list of possible topics and incubated ideas, students may look over good themes, trying to get better ones. While this feature is essential for enthusiasm in writing, it wastes time. Since writers have verified and validated these details over time, they should choose the topic and ideas they come across first to save time. The writer’s focus should not be to write an exciting article but an informative text.

10 Typical Mistakes in Article Writing

  • Selecting a complex topic.
  • Writing an unnecessarily long introduction.
  • Adding explanations without evidence to back them up.
  • Using the passive voice.
  • Covering too many words to explain a single idea.
  • Providing a conclusion that does not conclude an article.
  • Failing to conclude an article and leaving the audience hanging or with questions.
  • Including too many grammatical errors, missing punctuation, confusion between colons and semicolons, and misunderstanding of double and single quotations.
  • Misusing words that have similar meanings but with different spellings.
  • Having too many repetitions where the same ideas or words are evident in different paragraphs.

5 Common Formatting Styles & Other Aspects

All academic texts must reflect a formatting style out of the five common: APA , MLA , Harvard , Chicago/Turabian , and IEEE . Therefore, when writing a professional article, students should identify the applicable format the professor often specifies in assignment instructions. Each style is unique because it requires writers to incorporate certain features, even though some aspects have a certain similarity in the format or essay outline of these features.

📕 APA Style

When using APA style, article writers should pay attention to the essential features and how they should appear. Essentially, citations are in two forms: in-text and references. Writers incorporate the former in the body paragraphs by indicating the author’s surname, the source’s year of publication, and the page or paragraph number. In the References page, students should capture the following details for a book: the author’s surname, first and second names, the source’s publication year, the italicized title in the sentence case, and the publisher.

📕 MLA Style

When writing an article in MLA, one should consider in-text citations and the Works Cited page. All in-text citations should indicate the author’s surname and the page number from where they got the information they are citing. In the Works Cited page, students should indicate the following details for a book: author’s surname, first and second names, the italicized title in the title case, the publisher, and the year of publication.

📕 Harvard Style

The Harvard style is similar to APA in some aspects. When using this style, article writers should focus on in-text citations and the Reference List page. In-text citations should capture the author’s surname, the year of publication, and the page or paragraph number. In the References List page, the following information should appear for a book: author’s surname, first and second names, the year of publication, the italicized title in the sentence case, the publisher, and the publisher’s location.

📕 Chicago/Turabian Style

The Chicago/Turabian format has some similarities with MLA. Article writers should consider in-text citations and the Bibliography page when following this format. In-text citations appear as footnotes and capture full details as the Bibliography, the only difference being that the author’s name begins with the first name and ends with the surname in the footnotes. The footnote entry should capture the author’s first, second, and last name, the italicized title in the title case, the publisher’s location, name, date of publication in brackets, and the page from where writers have lifted the information they are citing. The information on the Bibliography page should read as follows for a book: the author’s surname, first and second names, the italicized title in the title case, the publisher’s location, the publisher, and the publication year.

📕 Writing a Scientific Article in the IEEE Format

Besides the above common formatting styles, students should familiarize themselves with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) format most applicable to scientific and engineering documents. While the outline of an article does not differ between an IEEE and a paper after the four styles above, citations are not similar. When writing an article as a scientific paper, students should follow the IEEE format, where they number in-text citations in square brackets, capturing all the details as on the References List page. In the end, writers should adopt a numerical and not an alphabetical organization as is in the four formats above.

📕 Writing and Formatting Blog Articles

Blogs are now common platforms, like newspapers and magazines, for discussing political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental issues. Therefore, it is essential for students to know how to write and format blog articles. The major difference between blogs and other platforms is that the language need not be formal. As such, students can be informal and use visuals when writing blog articles but ensure clear and precise communication. While they can use passive voice, they cannot use slang to communicate ideas. Some unique aspects of blog articles include headings and subheadings, extra lines between paragraphs, an abstract to capture attention, and a byline with the author’s credentials. Other features are citations and headings. Instead of in-text citations, as in the other platforms, blogs only need writers to use hyperlinks to indicate the source of information.

Crucial Information to Grasp for Article Writing

  • Know the audience to determine the kind of content they consume and the language to use.
  • Choose a specific topic that triggers interest and keep it short and simple.
  • Write a short but precise introduction.
  • Structure the body into paragraphs to enhance a logical order of ideas.
  • Ensure there is a conclusion that sums up an article.
  • Follow the right format and incorporate all its essential features.

Summing Up on How to Write a Perfect Article

Writing an article has four significant parts that include a title, introduction, body, and conclusion. Students start the work by developing the title as an attention-getter, which helps to catch the attention of readers. The first paragraph should give a clear description of the article’s topic. In this case, people should understand the content of an article after reading through the first paragraph. Moreover, the body of an article should provide more details about the theme under discussion, while the last section must include a summary of the content and the author’s opinion on the subject. Based on the preceding sections, article writing is intellectually demanding, and writers should grasp important tips:

  • Create an interesting title that triggers interest in the target audience.
  • Write a compelling introduction by contextualizing the topic and using a hook, such as a question, to capture the readers’ attention.
  • Adopt a well-organized outline that allows the use of bullet points or paragraphs for easy use and support of ideas.
  • Research the topic by reading documents on the main theme to incubate ideas.
  • Adopt simplistic writing by avoiding complex language, technical words, and long sentences.
  • Consider the target audience’s perspective when writing an article.
  • Read and reread a first draft of an article to identify and eliminate grammatical and formatting errors and illogical sentences.
  • Proofread a final draft before presentation for assessment or publication.

To Learn More, Read Relevant Articles

Research paper outline template, apa reference format.

  • Departments and Units
  • Majors and Minors
  • LSA Course Guide
  • LSA Gateway

Search: {{$root.lsaSearchQuery.q}}, Page {{$root.page}}

  • Accessibility
  • Undergraduates
  • Instructors
  • Alums & Friends

Sweetland Center for Writing

  • ★ Writing Support
  • Minor in Writing
  • First-Year Writing Requirement
  • Transfer Students
  • Writing Guides
  • Peer Writing Consultant Program
  • Upper-Level Writing Requirement
  • Writing Prizes
  • International Students
  • ★ The Writing Workshop
  • Dissertation ECoach
  • Fellows Seminar
  • Dissertation Writing Groups
  • Rackham / Sweetland Workshops
  • Dissertation Writing Institute
  • Guides to Teaching Writing
  • Teaching Support and Services
  • Support for FYWR Courses
  • Support for ULWR Courses
  • Writing Prize Nominating
  • Alums Gallery
  • Commencement Archive
  • Giving Opportunities
  • How Do I Write an Intro, Conclusion, & Body Paragraph?
  • How Do I Make Sure I Understand an Assignment?
  • How Do I Decide What I Should Argue?
  • How Can I Create Stronger Analysis?
  • How Do I Effectively Integrate Textual Evidence?
  • How Do I Write a Great Title?
  • What Exactly is an Abstract?
  • How Do I Present Findings From My Experiment in a Report?
  • What is a Run-on Sentence & How Do I Fix It?
  • How Do I Check the Structure of My Argument?
  • How Do I Incorporate Quotes?
  • How Can I Create a More Successful Powerpoint?
  • How Can I Create a Strong Thesis?
  • How Can I Write More Descriptively?
  • How Do I Incorporate a Counterargument?
  • How Do I Check My Citations?

See the bottom of the main Writing Guides page for licensing information.

Traditional Academic Essays In Three Parts

Part i: the introduction.

An introduction is usually the first paragraph of your academic essay. If you’re writing a long essay, you might need 2 or 3 paragraphs to introduce your topic to your reader. A good introduction does 2 things:

  • Gets the reader’s attention. You can get a reader’s attention by telling a story, providing a statistic, pointing out something strange or interesting, providing and discussing an interesting quote, etc. Be interesting and find some original angle via which to engage others in your topic.
  • Provides a specific and debatable thesis statement. The thesis statement is usually just one sentence long, but it might be longer—even a whole paragraph—if the essay you’re writing is long. A good thesis statement makes a debatable point, meaning a point someone might disagree with and argue against. It also serves as a roadmap for what you argue in your paper.

Part II: The Body Paragraphs

Body paragraphs help you prove your thesis and move you along a compelling trajectory from your introduction to your conclusion. If your thesis is a simple one, you might not need a lot of body paragraphs to prove it. If it’s more complicated, you’ll need more body paragraphs. An easy way to remember the parts of a body paragraph is to think of them as the MEAT of your essay:

Main Idea. The part of a topic sentence that states the main idea of the body paragraph. All of the sentences in the paragraph connect to it. Keep in mind that main ideas are…

  • like labels. They appear in the first sentence of the paragraph and tell your reader what’s inside the paragraph.
  • arguable. They’re not statements of fact; they’re debatable points that you prove with evidence.
  • focused. Make a specific point in each paragraph and then prove that point.

Evidence. The parts of a paragraph that prove the main idea. You might include different types of evidence in different sentences. Keep in mind that different disciplines have different ideas about what counts as evidence and they adhere to different citation styles. Examples of evidence include…

  • quotations and/or paraphrases from sources.
  • facts , e.g. statistics or findings from studies you’ve conducted.
  • narratives and/or descriptions , e.g. of your own experiences.

Analysis. The parts of a paragraph that explain the evidence. Make sure you tie the evidence you provide back to the paragraph’s main idea. In other words, discuss the evidence.

Transition. The part of a paragraph that helps you move fluidly from the last paragraph. Transitions appear in topic sentences along with main ideas, and they look both backward and forward in order to help you connect your ideas for your reader. Don’t end paragraphs with transitions; start with them.

Keep in mind that MEAT does not occur in that order. The “ T ransition” and the “ M ain Idea” often combine to form the first sentence—the topic sentence—and then paragraphs contain multiple sentences of evidence and analysis. For example, a paragraph might look like this: TM. E. E. A. E. E. A. A.

Part III: The Conclusion

A conclusion is the last paragraph of your essay, or, if you’re writing a really long essay, you might need 2 or 3 paragraphs to conclude. A conclusion typically does one of two things—or, of course, it can do both:

  • Summarizes the argument. Some instructors expect you not to say anything new in your conclusion. They just want you to restate your main points. Especially if you’ve made a long and complicated argument, it’s useful to restate your main points for your reader by the time you’ve gotten to your conclusion. If you opt to do so, keep in mind that you should use different language than you used in your introduction and your body paragraphs. The introduction and conclusion shouldn’t be the same.
  • For example, your argument might be significant to studies of a certain time period .
  • Alternately, it might be significant to a certain geographical region .
  • Alternately still, it might influence how your readers think about the future . You might even opt to speculate about the future and/or call your readers to action in your conclusion.

Handout by Dr. Liliana Naydan. Do not reproduce without permission.

LSA - College of Literature, Science, and The Arts - University of Michigan

  • Information For
  • Prospective Students
  • Current Students
  • Faculty and Staff
  • Alumni and Friends
  • More about LSA
  • How Do I Apply?
  • LSA Opportunity Hub
  • LSA Magazine
  • Student Resources
  • Academic Advising
  • Global Studies
  • Social Media
  • Update Contact Info
  • Privacy Statement
  • Report Feedback

HCCS Learning Web

  • Houston Community College
  • Eagle Online

HCCS Learning Web

  • Judy Bouvier

Purdue OWL - Introductions, Body Paragraphs, and Conclusions for an Expository/Persuasive Essay

Introductions, Body Paragraphs, and Conclusions for an Expository/Persuasive Essay

Introduction

The introduction is the broad beginning of the paper that answers three important questions:

  • What is this?
  • Why am I reading it?
  • What do you want me to do?

You should answer these questions by doing the following:

  • Set the context – provide general information about the main idea, explaining the situation so the reader can make sense of the topic and the claims you make and support
  • State why the main idea is important – tell the reader why s/he should care and keep reading. Your goal is to create a compelling, clear, and convincing essay people will want to read and act upon
  • State your thesis/claim – compose a sentence or two stating the position you will support with logos (sound reasoning: induction, deduction), pathos (balanced emotional appeal), and ethos (author credibility).

Thesis Checklist

Your thesis is more than a general statement about your main idea. It needs to establish a clear position you will support with balanced proofs (logos, pathos, ethos). Use the checklist below to help you create a thesis.

This section is adapted from Writing with a Thesis: A Rhetoric Reader by David Skwire and Sarah Skwire:

Make sure you avoid the following when creating your thesis:

  • A thesis is not a title: Homes and schools (title) vs. Parents ought to participate more in the education of their children (good thesis).
  • A thesis is not an announcement of the subject: My subject is the incompetence of the Supreme Court vs. The Supreme Court made a mistake when it ruled in favor of George W. Bush in the 2000 election.
  • A thesis is not a statement of absolute fact: Jane Austen is the author of Pride and Prejudice.
  • A thesis is not the whole essay: A thesis is your main idea/claim/refutation/problem-solution expressed in a single sentence or a combination of sentences.
  • Please note that according to the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers , Sixth Edition, "A thesis statement is a single sentence that formulates both your topic and your point of view" (Gibaldi 56). However, if your paper is more complex and requires a thesis statement, your thesis may require a combination of sentences .

Make sure you follow these guidelines when creating your thesis:

  • A good thesis is unified: Detective stories are not a high form of literature, but people have always been fascinated by them, and many fine writers have experimented with them (floppy). vs. Detective stories appeal to the basic human desire for thrills (concise).
  • A good thesis is specific: James Joyce’s Ulysses is very good. vs. James Joyce’s Ulysses helped create a new way for writers to deal with the unconscious.
  • Try to be as specific as possible (without providing too much detail) when creating your thesis: James Joyce’s Ulysses helped create a new way for writers to deal with the unconscious. vs. James Joyce’s Ulysses helped create a new way for writers to deal with the unconscious by utilizing the findings of Freudian psychology and introducing the techniques of literary stream-of-consciousness.

Quick Checklist:

_____ The thesis/claim follows the guidelines outlined above

_____ The thesis/claim matches the requirements and goals of the assignment

_____ The thesis/claim is clear and easily recognizable

_____ The thesis/claim seems supportable by good reasoning/data, emotional appeal

Body Paragraphs

Summary: This resource outlines the generally accepted structure for introductions, body paragraphs, and conclusions in an academic argument paper. Keep in mind that this resource contains guidelines and not strict rules about organization. Your structure needs to be flexible enough to meet the requirements of your purpose and audience.

Body Paragraphs: Moving from General to Specific Information

Your paper should be organized in a manner that moves from general to specific information. Every time you begin a new subject, think of an inverted pyramid - the broadest range of information sits at the top, and as the paragraph or paper progresses, the author becomes more and more focused on the argument ending with specific, detailed evidence supporting a claim. Lastly, the author explains how and why the information she has just provided connects to and supports her thesis (a brief wrap up or warrant).

  The four elements of a good paragraph (TTEB)

A good paragraph should contain at least the following four elements: T ransition, T opic sentence, specific E vidence and analysis, and a B rief wrap-up sentence (also known as a warrant) – TTEB!

  • A T ransition sentence leading in from a previous paragraph to assure smooth reading. This acts as a hand off from one idea to the next.
  • A T opic sentence that tells the reader what you will be discussing in the paragraph.
  • Specific E vidence and analysis that supports one of your claims and that provides a deeper level of detail than your topic sentence.
  • A B rief wrap-up sentence that tells the reader how and why this information supports the paper’s thesis. The brief wrap-up is also known as the warrant. The warrant is important to your argument because it connects your reasoning and support to your thesis, and it shows that the information in the paragraph is related to your thesis and helps defend it.

Rebuttal Sections

In order to present a fair and convincing message, you may need to anticipate, research, and outline some of the common positions (arguments) that dispute your thesis. If the situation (purpose) calls for you to do this, you will present and then refute these other positions in the rebuttal section of your essay.

It is important to consider other positions because in most cases, your primary audience will be fence-sitters. Fence-sitters are people who have not decided which side of the argument to support.

People who are on your side of the argument will not need a lot of information to align with your position. People who are completely against your argument - perhaps for ethical or religious reasons - will probably never align with your position no matter how much information you provide. Therefore, the audience you should consider most important are those people who haven't decided which side of the argument they will support - the fence-sitters.

In many cases, these fence-sitters have not decided which side to align with because they see value in both positions. Therefore, to not consider opposing positions to your own in a fair manner may alienate fence-sitters when they see that you are not addressing their concerns or discussion opposing positions at all.

Organizing your rebuttal section

Following the TTEB method outlined in the Body Paragraph section, forecast all the information that will follow in the rebuttal section and then move point by point through the other positions addressing each one as you go. The outline below, adapted from Seyler's Understanding Argument , is an example of a rebuttal section from a thesis essay.

When you rebut or refute an opposing position, use the following three-part organization:

The opponent’s argument – Usually, you should not assume that your reader has read or remembered the argument you are refuting. Thus at the beginning of your paragraph, you need to state, accurately and fairly, the main points of the argument you will refute.

Your position – Next, make clear the nature of your disagreement with the argument or position you are refuting. Your position might assert, for example, that a writer has not proved his assertion because he has provided evidence that is outdated, or that the argument is filled with fallacies.

Your refutation – The specifics of your counterargument will depend upon the nature of your disagreement. If you challenge the writer’s evidence, then you must present the more recent evidence. If you challenge assumptions, then you must explain why they do not hold up. If your position is that the piece is filled with fallacies, then you must present and explain each fallacy.

Conclusions

Conclusions wrap up what you have been discussing in your paper. After moving from general to specific information in the introduction and body paragraphs, your conclusion should begin pulling back into more general information that restates the main points of your argument. Conclusions may also call for action or overview future possible research. The following outline may help you conclude your paper:

In a general way,

  • restate your topic and why it is important,
  • restate your thesis/claim,
  • address opposing viewpoints and explain why readers should align with your position,
  • call for action or overview future research possibilities.

Remember that once you accomplish these tasks, unless otherwise directed by your instructor, you are finished. Done. Complete. Don't try to bring in new points or end with a whiz bang(!) conclusion or try to solve world hunger in the final sentence of your conclusion. Simplicity is best for a clear, convincing message.

The preacher's maxim is one of the most effective formulas to follow for argument papers:

  • Tell what you're going to tell them (introduction).
  • Tell them (body).
  • Tell them what you told them (conclusion).

 Copyright Š1995-2011 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University .

  • Writing Home
  • Writing Advice Home

Introductions and Conclusions

  • Printable PDF Version
  • Fair-Use Policy

Introductions and conclusions play a special role in the academic essay, and they frequently demand much of your attention as a writer. A good introduction should identify your topic, provide essential context, and indicate your particular focus in the essay. It also needs to engage your readers’ interest. A strong conclusion will provide a sense of closure to the essay while again placing your concepts in a somewhat wider context. It will also, in some instances, add a stimulus to further thought. Since no two essays are the same, no single formula will automatically generate an introduction and conclusion for you. But the following guidelines will help you to construct a suitable beginning and end for your essay.

Some general advice about introductions

  • Some students cannot begin writing the body of the essay until they feel they have the perfect introduction. Be aware of the dangers of sinking too much time into the introduction. Some of that time can be more usefully channeled into planning and writing.
  • You may be the kind of writer who writes an introduction first in order to explore your own thinking on the topic. If so, remember that you may at a later stage need to compress your introduction.
  • It can be fine to leave the writing of the introduction for a later stage in the essay-writing process. Some people write their introduction only after they have completed the rest of the essay. Others write the introduction first but rewrite it significantly in light of what they end up saying in the body of their paper.
  • The introductions for most papers can be effectively written in one paragraph occupying half to three-quarters of the first page. Your introduction may be longer than that, and it may take more than one paragraph, but be sure you know why. The size of your introduction should bear some relationship to the length and complexity of your paper. A twenty page paper may call for a two-page introduction, but a five-page paper will not.
  • Get to the point as soon as possible. Generally, you want to raise your topic in your very first sentences. A common error is to begin too broadly or too far off topic. Avoid sweeping generalizations.
  • If your essay has a thesis, your thesis statement will typically appear at the end of your introduction, even though that is not a hard-and-fast rule. You may, for example, follow your thesis with a brief road map to your essay that sketches the basic structure of your argument. The longer the paper, the more useful a road map becomes.

How do I write an interesting, effective introduction?

Consider these strategies for capturing your readers’ attention and for fleshing out your introduction:

  • Find a startling statistic that illustrates the seriousness of the problem you will address.
  • Quote an expert (but be sure to introduce him or her first).
  • Mention a common misperception that your thesis will argue against .
  • Give some background information necessary for understanding the essay.
  • Use a brief narrative or anecdote that exemplifies your reason for choosing the topic. In an assignment that encourages personal reflection, you may draw on your own experiences; in a research essay, the narrative may illustrate a common real-world scenario.
  • In a science paper, explain key scientific concepts and refer to relevant literature. Lead up to your own contribution or intervention.
  • In a more technical paper, define a term that is possibly unfamiliar to your audience but is central to understanding the essay.

In fleshing out your introduction, you will want to avoid some common pitfalls:

  • Don’t provide dictionary definitions, especially of words your audience already knows.
  • Don’t repeat the assignment specifications using the professor’s wording.
  • Don’t give details and in-depth explanations that really belong in your body paragraphs. You can usually postpone background material to the body of the essay.

Some general advice about conclusions

  • A conclusion is not merely a summary of your points or a re-statement of your thesis. If you wish to summarize—and often you must—do so in fresh language. Remind the reader of how the evidence you’ve presented has contributed to your thesis.
  • The conclusion, like much of the rest of the paper, involves critical thinking. Reflect upon the significance of what you’ve written. Try to convey some closing thoughts about the larger implications of your argument.
  • Broaden your focus a bit at the end of the essay. A good last sentence leaves your reader with something to think about, a concept in some way illuminated by what you’ve written in the paper.
  • For most essays, one well-developed paragraph is sufficient for a conclusion. In some cases, a two-or-three paragraph conclusion may be appropriate. As with introductions, the length of the conclusion should reflect the length of the essay.

How do I write an interesting, effective conclusion?

The following strategies may help you move beyond merely summarizing the key points of your essay:

  • If your essay deals with a contemporary problem, warn readers of the possible consequences of not attending to the problem.
  • Recommend a specific course of action.
  • Use an apt quotation or expert opinion to lend authority to the conclusion you have reached.
  • Give a startling statistic, fact, or visual image to drive home the ultimate point of your paper.
  • If your discipline encourages personal reflection, illustrate your concluding point with a relevant narrative drawn from your own life experiences.
  • Return to an anecdote, example, or quotation that you introduced in your introduction, but add further insight that derives from the body of your essay.
  • In a science or social science paper, mention worthwhile avenues for future research on your topic.

How does genre affect my introduction or conclusion?

Most of the advice in this handout pertains to argumentative or exploratory academic essays. Be aware, however, that different genres have their own special expectations about beginnings and endings. Some academic genres may not even require an introduction or conclusion. An annotated bibliography, for example, typically provides neither. A book review may begin with a summary of the book and conclude with an overall assessment of it. A policy briefing usually includes an introduction but may conclude with a series of recommendations. Check your assignment carefully for any directions about what to include in your introduction or conclusion.

Logo for M Libraries Publishing

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

9.4 Writing Introductory and Concluding Paragraphs

Learning objectives.

  • Recognize the importance of strong introductory and concluding paragraphs.
  • Learn to engage the reader immediately with the introductory paragraph.
  • Practice concluding your essays in a more memorable way.

Picture your introduction as a storefront window: You have a certain amount of space to attract your customers (readers) to your goods (subject) and bring them inside your store (discussion). Once you have enticed them with something intriguing, you then point them in a specific direction and try to make the sale (convince them to accept your thesis).

Your introduction is an invitation to your readers to consider what you have to say and then to follow your train of thought as you expand upon your thesis statement.

An introduction serves the following purposes:

  • Establishes your voice and tone, or your attitude, toward the subject
  • Introduces the general topic of the essay
  • States the thesis that will be supported in the body paragraphs

First impressions are crucial and can leave lasting effects in your reader’s mind, which is why the introduction is so important to your essay. If your introductory paragraph is dull or disjointed, your reader probably will not have much interest in continuing with the essay.

Attracting Interest in Your Introductory Paragraph

Your introduction should begin with an engaging statement devised to provoke your readers’ interest. In the next few sentences, introduce them to your topic by stating general facts or ideas about the subject. As you move deeper into your introduction, you gradually narrow the focus, moving closer to your thesis. Moving smoothly and logically from your introductory remarks to your thesis statement can be achieved using a funnel technique , as illustrated in the diagram in Figure 9.1 “Funnel Technique” .

Figure 9.1 Funnel Technique

image

On a separate sheet of paper, jot down a few general remarks that you can make about the topic for which you formed a thesis in Section 9.1 “Developing a Strong, Clear Thesis Statement” .

Immediately capturing your readers’ interest increases the chances of having them read what you are about to discuss. You can garner curiosity for your essay in a number of ways. Try to get your readers personally involved by doing any of the following:

  • Appealing to their emotions
  • Using logic
  • Beginning with a provocative question or opinion
  • Opening with a startling statistic or surprising fact
  • Raising a question or series of questions
  • Presenting an explanation or rationalization for your essay
  • Opening with a relevant quotation or incident
  • Opening with a striking image
  • Including a personal anecdote

Remember that your diction, or word choice, while always important, is most crucial in your introductory paragraph. Boring diction could extinguish any desire a person might have to read through your discussion. Choose words that create images or express action. For more information on diction, see Chapter 4 “Working with Words: Which Word Is Right?” .

In Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?” , you followed Mariah as she moved through the writing process. In this chapter, Mariah writes her introduction and conclusion for the same essay. Mariah incorporates some of the introductory elements into her introductory paragraph, which she previously outlined in Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?” . Her thesis statement is underlined.

If you have trouble coming up with a provocative statement for your opening, it is a good idea to use a relevant, attention-grabbing quote about your topic. Use a search engine to find statements made by historical or significant figures about your subject.

Writing at Work

In your job field, you may be required to write a speech for an event, such as an awards banquet or a dedication ceremony. The introduction of a speech is similar to an essay because you have a limited amount of space to attract your audience’s attention. Using the same techniques, such as a provocative quote or an interesting statistic, is an effective way to engage your listeners. Using the funnel approach also introduces your audience to your topic and then presents your main idea in a logical manner.

Reread each sentence in Mariah’s introductory paragraph. Indicate which techniques she used and comment on how each sentence is designed to attract her readers’ interest.

Writing a Conclusion

It is not unusual to want to rush when you approach your conclusion, and even experienced writers may fade. But what good writers remember is that it is vital to put just as much attention into the conclusion as in the rest of the essay. After all, a hasty ending can undermine an otherwise strong essay.

A conclusion that does not correspond to the rest of your essay, has loose ends, or is unorganized can unsettle your readers and raise doubts about the entire essay. However, if you have worked hard to write the introduction and body, your conclusion can often be the most logical part to compose.

The Anatomy of a Strong Conclusion

Keep in mind that the ideas in your conclusion must conform to the rest of your essay. In order to tie these components together, restate your thesis at the beginning of your conclusion. This helps you assemble, in an orderly fashion, all the information you have explained in the body. Repeating your thesis reminds your readers of the major arguments you have been trying to prove and also indicates that your essay is drawing to a close. A strong conclusion also reviews your main points and emphasizes the importance of the topic.

The construction of the conclusion is similar to the introduction, in which you make general introductory statements and then present your thesis. The difference is that in the conclusion you first paraphrase , or state in different words, your thesis and then follow up with general concluding remarks. These sentences should progressively broaden the focus of your thesis and maneuver your readers out of the essay.

Many writers like to end their essays with a final emphatic statement. This strong closing statement will cause your readers to continue thinking about the implications of your essay; it will make your conclusion, and thus your essay, more memorable. Another powerful technique is to challenge your readers to make a change in either their thoughts or their actions. Challenging your readers to see the subject through new eyes is a powerful way to ease yourself and your readers out of the essay.

When closing your essay, do not expressly state that you are drawing to a close. Relying on statements such as in conclusion , it is clear that , as you can see , or in summation is unnecessary and can be considered trite.

It is wise to avoid doing any of the following in your conclusion:

  • Introducing new material
  • Contradicting your thesis
  • Changing your thesis
  • Using apologies or disclaimers

Introducing new material in your conclusion has an unsettling effect on your reader. When you raise new points, you make your reader want more information, which you could not possibly provide in the limited space of your final paragraph.

Contradicting or changing your thesis statement causes your readers to think that you do not actually have a conviction about your topic. After all, you have spent several paragraphs adhering to a singular point of view. When you change sides or open up your point of view in the conclusion, your reader becomes less inclined to believe your original argument.

By apologizing for your opinion or stating that you know it is tough to digest, you are in fact admitting that even you know what you have discussed is irrelevant or unconvincing. You do not want your readers to feel this way. Effective writers stand by their thesis statement and do not stray from it.

On a separate sheet of a paper, restate your thesis from Note 9.52 “Exercise 2” of this section and then make some general concluding remarks. Next, compose a final emphatic statement. Finally, incorporate what you have written into a strong conclusion paragraph for your essay.

Collaboration

Please share with a classmate and compare your answers

Mariah incorporates some of these pointers into her conclusion. She has paraphrased her thesis statement in the first sentence.

Make sure your essay is balanced by not having an excessively long or short introduction or conclusion. Check that they match each other in length as closely as possible, and try to mirror the formula you used in each. Parallelism strengthens the message of your essay.

On the job you will sometimes give oral presentations based on research you have conducted. A concluding statement to an oral report contains the same elements as a written conclusion. You should wrap up your presentation by restating the purpose of the presentation, reviewing its main points, and emphasizing the importance of the material you presented. A strong conclusion will leave a lasting impression on your audience.

Key Takeaways

  • A strong opening captures your readers’ interest and introduces them to your topic before you present your thesis statement.
  • An introduction should restate your thesis, review your main points, and emphasize the importance of the topic.
  • The funnel technique to writing the introduction begins with generalities and gradually narrows your focus until you present your thesis.
  • A good introduction engages people’s emotions or logic, questions or explains the subject, or provides a striking image or quotation.
  • Carefully chosen diction in both the introduction and conclusion prevents any confusing or boring ideas.
  • A conclusion that does not connect to the rest of the essay can diminish the effect of your paper.
  • The conclusion should remain true to your thesis statement. It is best to avoid changing your tone or your main idea and avoid introducing any new material.
  • Closing with a final emphatic statement provides closure for your readers and makes your essay more memorable.

Writing for Success Copyright © 2015 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

  • Clerc Center | PK-12 & Outreach
  • KDES | PK-8th Grade School (D.C. Metro Area)
  • MSSD | 9th-12th Grade School (Nationwide)
  • Gallaudet University Regional Centers
  • Parent Advocacy App
  • K-12 ASL Content Standards
  • National Resources
  • Youth Programs
  • Academic Bowl
  • Battle Of The Books
  • National Literary Competition
  • Youth Debate Bowl
  • Bison Sports Camp
  • Discover College and Careers (DC²)
  • Financial Wizards
  • Immerse Into ASL
  • Alumni Relations
  • Alumni Association
  • Homecoming Weekend
  • Class Giving
  • Get Tickets / BisonPass
  • Sport Calendars
  • Cross Country
  • Swimming & Diving
  • Track & Field
  • Indoor Track & Field
  • Cheerleading
  • Winter Cheerleading
  • Human Resources
  • Plan a Visit
  • Request Info

article with introduction body and conclusion

  • Areas of Study
  • Accessible Human-Centered Computing
  • American Sign Language
  • Art and Media Design
  • Communication Studies
  • Data Science
  • Deaf Studies
  • Early Intervention Studies Graduate Programs
  • Educational Neuroscience
  • Hearing, Speech, and Language Sciences
  • Information Technology
  • International Development
  • Interpretation and Translation
  • Linguistics
  • Mathematics
  • Philosophy and Religion
  • Physical Education & Recreation
  • Public Affairs
  • Public Health
  • Sexuality and Gender Studies
  • Social Work
  • Theatre and Dance
  • World Languages and Cultures
  • B.A. in American Sign Language
  • B.A. in Art and Media Design
  • B.A. in Biology
  • B.A. in Communication Studies
  • B.A. in Communication Studies for Online Degree Completion Program
  • B.A. in Deaf Studies
  • B.A. in Deaf Studies for Online Degree Completion Program
  • B.A. in Education with a Specialization in Early Childhood Education
  • B.A. in Education with a Specialization in Elementary Education
  • B.A. in English
  • B.A. in Government
  • B.A. in Government with a Specialization in Law
  • B.A. in History
  • B.A. in Interdisciplinary Spanish
  • B.A. in International Studies
  • B.A. in Interpretation
  • B.A. in Mathematics
  • B.A. in Philosophy
  • B.A. in Psychology
  • B.A. in Psychology for Online Degree Completion Program
  • B.A. in Social Work (BSW)
  • B.A. in Sociology
  • B.A. in Sociology with a concentration in Criminology
  • B.A. in Theatre Arts: Production/Performance
  • B.A. or B.S. in Education with a Specialization in Secondary Education: Science, English, Mathematics or Social Studies
  • B.S in Risk Management and Insurance
  • B.S. in Accounting
  • B.S. in Biology
  • B.S. in Business Administration
  • B.S. in Information Technology
  • B.S. in Mathematics
  • B.S. in Physical Education and Recreation
  • B.S. In Public Health
  • General Education
  • Honors Program
  • Peace Corps Prep program
  • Self-Directed Major
  • M.A. in Counseling: Clinical Mental Health Counseling
  • M.A. in Counseling: School Counseling
  • M.A. in Deaf Education
  • M.A. in Deaf Education Studies
  • M.A. in Deaf Studies: Cultural Studies
  • M.A. in Deaf Studies: Language and Human Rights
  • M.A. in Early Childhood Education and Deaf Education
  • M.A. in Early Intervention Studies
  • M.A. in Elementary Education and Deaf Education
  • M.A. in International Development
  • M.A. in Interpretation: Combined Interpreting Practice and Research
  • M.A. in Interpretation: Interpreting Research
  • M.A. in Linguistics
  • M.A. in Secondary Education and Deaf Education
  • M.A. in Sign Language Education
  • M.S. in Accessible Human-Centered Computing
  • M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology
  • Master of Social Work (MSW)
  • Au.D. in Audiology
  • Ed.D. in Transformational Leadership and Administration in Deaf Education
  • Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology
  • Ph.D. in Critical Studies in the Education of Deaf Learners
  • Ph.D. in Hearing, Speech, and Language Sciences
  • Ph.D. in Linguistics
  • Ph.D. in Translation and Interpreting Studies
  • Ph.D. Program in Educational Neuroscience (PEN)
  • Individual Courses and Training
  • Certificates
  • Certificate in Sexuality and Gender Studies
  • Educating Deaf Students with Disabilities (online, post-bachelor’s)
  • American Sign Language and English Bilingual Early Childhood Deaf Education: Birth to 5 (online, post-bachelor’s)
  • Peer Mentor Training (low-residency/hybrid, post-bachelor’s)
  • Early Intervention Studies Graduate Certificate
  • Online Degree Programs
  • ODCP Minor in Communication Studies
  • ODCP Minor in Deaf Studies
  • ODCP Minor in Psychology
  • ODCP Minor in Writing
  • Online Degree Program General Education Curriculum
  • University Capstone Honors for Online Degree Completion Program

Quick Links

  • PK-12 & Outreach
  • NSO Schedule

Wavy Decoration

Guide to Writing Introductions and Conclusions

202.448-7036

First and last impressions are important in any part of life, especially in writing. This is why the introduction and conclusion of any paper – whether it be a simple essay or a long research paper – are essential. Introductions and conclusions are just as important as the body of your paper. The introduction is what makes the reader want to continue reading your paper. The conclusion is what makes your paper stick in the reader’s mind.

Introductions

Your introductory paragraph should include:

1) Hook:  Description, illustration, narration or dialogue that pulls the reader into your paper topic. This should be interesting and specific.

2) Transition: Sentence that connects the hook with the thesis.

3) Thesis: Sentence (or two) that summarizes the overall main point of the paper. The thesis should answer the prompt question.

The examples below show are several ways to write a good introduction or opening to your paper. One example shows you how to paraphrase in your introduction. This will help you understand the idea of writing sequences using a hook, transition, and thesis statement.

Âť Thesis Statement Opening

This is the traditional style of opening a paper. This is a “mini-summary” of your paper.

For example:

Âť Opening with a Story (Anecdote)

A good way of catching your reader’s attention is by sharing a story that sets up your paper. Sharing a story gives a paper a more personal feel and helps make your reader comfortable.

This example was borrowed from Jack Gannon’s The Week the World Heard Gallaudet (1989):

Astrid Goodstein, a Gallaudet faculty member, entered the beauty salon for her regular appointment, proudly wearing her DPN button. (“I was married to that button that week!” she later confided.) When Sandy, her regular hairdresser, saw the button, he spoke and gestured, “Never! Never! Never!” Offended, Astrid turned around and headed for the door but stopped short of leaving. She decided to keep her appointment, confessing later that at that moment, her sense of principles had lost out to her vanity. Later she realized that her hairdresser had thought she was pushing for a deaf U.S. President. Hook: a specific example or story that interests the reader and introduces the topic.

Transition: connects the hook to the thesis statement

Thesis: summarizes the overall claim of the paper

Âť Specific Detail Opening

Giving specific details about your subject appeals to your reader’s curiosity and helps establish a visual picture of what your paper is about.

Âť Open with a Quotation

Another method of writing an introduction is to open with a quotation. This method makes your introduction more interactive and more appealing to your reader.

Âť Open with an Interesting Statistic

Statistics that grab the reader help to make an effective introduction.

Âť Question Openings

Possibly the easiest opening is one that presents one or more questions to be answered in the paper. This is effective because questions are usually what the reader has in mind when he or she sees your topic.

Source : *Writing an Introduction for a More Formal Essay. (2012). Retrieved April 25, 2012, from http://flightline.highline.edu/wswyt/Writing91/handouts/hook_trans_thesis.htm

Conclusions

The conclusion to any paper is the final impression that can be made. It is the last opportunity to get your point across to the reader and leave the reader feeling as if they learned something. Leaving a paper “dangling” without a proper conclusion can seriously devalue what was said in the body itself. Here are a few effective ways to conclude or close your paper. Âť Summary Closing Many times conclusions are simple re-statements of the thesis. Many times these conclusions are much like their introductions (see Thesis Statement Opening).

Âť Close with a Logical Conclusion

This is a good closing for argumentative or opinion papers that present two or more sides of an issue. The conclusion drawn as a result of the research is presented here in the final paragraphs.

Âť Real or Rhetorical Question Closings

This method of concluding a paper is one step short of giving a logical conclusion. Rather than handing the conclusion over, you can leave the reader with a question that causes him or her to draw his own conclusions.

Âť Close with a Speculation or Opinion This is a good style for instances when the writer was unable to come up with an answer or a clear decision about whatever it was he or she was researching. For example:

Âť Close with a Recommendation

A good conclusion is when the writer suggests that the reader do something in the way of support for a cause or a plea for them to take action.

202-448-7036

At a Glance

  • Quick Facts
  • University Leadership
  • History & Traditions
  • Accreditation
  • Consumer Information
  • Our 10-Year Vision: The Gallaudet Promise
  • Annual Report of Achievements (ARA)
  • The Signing Ecosystem
  • Not Your Average University

Our Community

  • Library & Archives
  • Technology Support
  • Interpreting Requests
  • Ombuds Support
  • Health and Wellness Programs
  • Profile & Web Edits

Visit Gallaudet

  • Explore Our Campus
  • Virtual Tour
  • Maps & Directions
  • Shuttle Bus Schedule
  • Kellogg Conference Hotel
  • Welcome Center
  • National Deaf Life Museum
  • Apple Guide Maps

Engage Today

  • Work at Gallaudet / Clerc Center
  • Social Media Channels
  • University Wide Events
  • Sponsorship Requests
  • Data Requests
  • Media Inquiries
  • Gallaudet Today Magazine
  • Giving at Gallaudet
  • Financial Aid
  • Registrar’s Office
  • Residence Life & Housing
  • Safety & Security
  • Undergraduate Admissions
  • Graduate Admissions
  • University Communications
  • Clerc Center

Gallaudet Logo

Gallaudet University, chartered in 1864, is a private university for deaf and hard of hearing students.

Copyright Š 2024 Gallaudet University. All rights reserved.

  • Accessibility
  • Cookie Consent Notice
  • Privacy Policy
  • File a Report

800 Florida Avenue NE, Washington, D.C. 20002

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

Titles, Introductions, and Conclusions

Titles should be specific and clear, and the quickest path to this is composing a title that states your exact subject. If you can also hint at your thesis in the title, it becomes that much more effective. Examples:

  • The Extinction of Bees
  • Peer Review in Writing Classes
  • Why We Need Fantasy Literature
  • Video Games and Art
  • Video Games Can Never Be Art

In academic writing, it is also common to have a two-part title that consists of (1) a vivid or curious glimpse of some aspect of the subject and (2) a straightforward statement of the subject. This is generally used for longer essays, such as those comprising more than 2,000 words.  Examples:

  • Hashtag I’m Fired: Employment in the Era of Social Media
  • Sanity in the Eye of the Beholder: The Dynamics of the Unreliable Narrator in “The Tell-Tale Heart”

Remember that titles are an opportunity to control interpretation of your essay. Consider how the titles of films do this: What is the film Forrest Gump about? Most would agree it’s about the life of Forrest Gump. But what would the common answers be if the title had been Me and Jenny ? It would probably be called a love story, which it kind of is given that title. Or what if it had been titled Me and Lieutenant Dan ? Then it would probably be a buddy picture about friendship, which it would be given that title. Use this quality of titles to guide your readers’ interpretations.

Introductions

Audiences want a clear idea of what they’re about to get into, what to expect, and what is so interesting about it, so use the introduction to give all of this to them. Brief introductions are typically the best, which means the first paragraph will often be the shortest in the essay.

The most common strategy in an introduction is to move from the general context to a specific point. This often feels natural for writers and readers, so much so that we even see this kind of strategy in movies and shows: visuals of the whole city first, then of the one building, then of the specific room with the focal characters. In an essay, this works by first stating general facts or ideas about the subject. Then, as you move deeper into your introduction, you gradually narrow the focus, moving closer to your thesis. Moving smoothly and logically from your introductory remarks to your thesis statement can be visualized as a funnel-like structure, as illustrated in the diagram below:

image

Watch closely for the excellent use of this strategy in this example:

J. R. R. Tolkien’s  The Lord of the Rings  has sold around 150 million copies worldwide, which makes it one of the bestselling fiction novels of all time. Some even claim it is the greatest book of the twentieth century. While Tolkien’s Middle-earth novels continue to grow in popularity, many scholars still refuse to take them seriously. Most critics not only disregard, but despise them with a fiery passion. Critics of the younger generation focus on the supposed social problems in Middle-earth, such as racism or sexism. But the most astounding criticisms come mostly from the older generation of literary critics, who claim that Tolkien’s writing is just awful. Edmund Wilson argues in “Oo, Those Awful Orcs” that  The Lord of the Rings  is nothing but “juvenile trash.” In the introduction to  Bloom’s Critical Modern Interpretations: J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings,  Harold Bloom claims that Tolkien’s writing style is “stiff, false archaic, and overwrought.” Bloom is “not able to understand how a skilled and mature reader can absorb about fifteen hundred pages of this quaint stuff.” These criticisms are as absurd are they are comical. If anything,  The Lord of the Rings  is anti-racist and anti-sexist and beautifully written. Of course, the merit of any work is, in essence, subjective and tastes differ. But what is the cause of both the contemptuous criticisms and unwarranted indifference toward  The Lord of the Rings ?

–Lauren Stengel, “Why We Need Fantasy Literature”

Notice that the first sentence isn’t about Stengel’s point directly but is instead a way to generally contextualize what she is about to say. Then each sentence gets more and more specific until we are left with an exact notion of what her position is and what she plans to explore about it.

Another strategy is to add something of specific and immediate interest right before this general context. This is done by employing the Classical advice of beginning i n medias res , which means to start in the middle of things. Immediately offer a glimpse at a specific idea, example, or scenario that delves deep into a fascinating aspect of your subject, even if the meaning of it is not yet clear. In choosing this glimpse, consider that which is surprising, counter-intuitive, or vivid. This is often called “the attention grabber,” but that phrase is often misunderstood, for multitudes of student writers have written statements and questions that they find extremely boring yet have told themselves they are doing so for the benefit of readers in order to “grab their attention.” The problem stems from assuming that readers are boring. They aren’t; they’re interesting, and they want to read interesting ideas. So bring up the ideas that are actually interesting. Don’t use false questions, such as those about the reader’s personal experience, those that have obvious answers, and those for which you won’t attempt specific or compelling answers.

Bad Example:

This brings up a point that demands more explanation, which means it demands the continued interest of the audience. Most audiences would like to hear what is not in the Bible that they had thought was in there. And the follow-up sentence offers some clear expectations of points to come.

After that beginning (whether or not you added the glimpse of beginning in medias res  before your general context), s tate the main claim of your entire essay in a single sentence, which is also called your thesis . Your claim should take a position or make a point about the subject, often by confirming or denying a proposition. Remember not to use a question or a fragment as a thesis, for those do not state points. Also make sure to state your exact position on the subject, which is what a claim or thesis is, rather than simply stating the subject. See the section Thesis for more information.

After you have made your claim or thesis clear, offer an essay map . This is the strategy of briefly naming the main points of the paragraphs to come, stating them in the same order that they will use in the body of the essay. Avoid referencing your own essay or your own assignment, as with phrases such as, “in this essay,” or, “for my assignment,” or, “I will discuss.” Instead, state your main points by discussing the subject itself rather than by discussing yourself writing it or the essay that contains it. Remember not to get detailed here either; save the details for the body paragraphs.

Conclusions

Conclusions can be just as vital as any other part of an essay, and often the most vital part, so avoid the natural temptations to short-cut at the end. Two common short-cuts to avoid are mere stopping, and merely repeating. The conclusion that simply stops discussing the ideas at some point has failed to conclude them, as has the conclusion that simply re-states what has already been said in the essay.

The best way to conclude is through emphasis : find a new way to encapsulate the most important ideas that have been conveyed in the essay. This does not mean introducing new ideas, which would add confusion, but instead to help readers see what is most important in all that has been discussed, or what is the most important way to understand it all.

One good strategy for this is to use a brief and poignant phrase or quotation. Another good strategy is to use a metaphor: description of an interesting image that stands for an important idea.

As you work through your conclusion, note that this is the best place for humility . Be honest in admitting short-comings in your ideas, explanations, or comprehensiveness. This approach in an introduction can leave the impression of an unsure or unfocused writer, but after a succession of clear ideas throughout an essay, humility in the conclusion shows a writer who is honest and thoughtful. This is not to be confused with contradiction, false humility, self-deprecation, or un-rebutted opposition. Instead, the humility of honesty is the aim here.

Finally, try using the tone of elevation: hint at higher, nobler possibilities relating to your subject. Some of the greatest writers and speakers in history have used this strategy in their conclusions, as can be seen in many of the readings in this textbook and beyond. For some technical information on how to achieve this tone, see the section Rhythm of Threes.

Common errors in conclusions include the following:

  • Ending on a minor point or detail
  • Introducing new material
  • Contradicting your thesis
  • Changing your thesis
  • Issuing commands, getting aggressive, or sounding exclamatory

Ending on a minor point or detail drives the entire essay off-topic because it suggests something other than the main idea as the most important. Move minor points and details to the appropriate body paragraph.

Introducing new material in your conclusion has an unsettling effect on your reader. When you raise new points, you make your reader want more information, which you could not possibly provide in the limited space of your final paragraph.

Contradicting or changing your thesis statement causes your readers to think that you do not actually have a conviction about your subject. After all, you have spent several paragraphs adhering to a singular point of view. When you change sides or open up your point of view in the conclusion, your reader becomes less inclined to believe your original argument.

Issuing commands, getting aggressive, or sounding exclamatory works against the aims and expectations of academic argument, for it shows the writer’s failure to trust the points and support the essay has offered, as well as the failure to trust in the capability of the audience to use their own minds appropriately.

The Writing Textbook Copyright © 2021 by Josh Woods, editor and contributor, as well as an unnamed author (by request from the original publisher), and other authors named separately is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book

article with introduction body and conclusion

The Plagiarism Checker Online For Your Academic Work

Start Plagiarism Check

Editing & Proofreading for Your Research Paper

Get it proofread now

Online Printing & Binding with Free Express Delivery

Configure binding now

  • Academic essay overview
  • The writing process
  • Structuring academic essays
  • Types of academic essays
  • Academic writing overview
  • Sentence structure
  • Academic writing process
  • Improving your academic writing
  • Titles and headings
  • APA style overview
  • APA citation & referencing
  • APA structure & sections
  • Citation & referencing
  • Structure and sections
  • APA examples overview
  • Commonly used citations
  • Other examples
  • British English vs. American English
  • Chicago style overview
  • Chicago citation & referencing
  • Chicago structure & sections
  • Chicago style examples
  • Citing sources overview
  • Citation format
  • Citation examples
  • College essay overview
  • Application
  • How to write a college essay
  • Types of college essays
  • Commonly confused words
  • Definitions
  • Dissertation overview
  • Dissertation structure & sections
  • Dissertation writing process
  • Graduate school overview
  • Application & admission
  • Study abroad
  • Master degree
  • Harvard referencing overview
  • Language rules overview
  • Grammatical rules & structures
  • Parts of speech
  • Punctuation
  • Methodology overview
  • Analyzing data
  • Experiments
  • Observations
  • Inductive vs. Deductive
  • Qualitative vs. Quantitative
  • Types of validity
  • Types of reliability
  • Sampling methods
  • Theories & Concepts
  • Types of research studies
  • Types of variables
  • MLA style overview
  • MLA examples
  • MLA citation & referencing
  • MLA structure & sections
  • Plagiarism overview
  • Plagiarism checker
  • Types of plagiarism
  • Printing production overview
  • Research bias overview
  • Types of research bias
  • Example sections
  • Types of research papers
  • Research process overview
  • Problem statement
  • Research proposal
  • Research topic
  • Statistics overview
  • Levels of measurment
  • Frequency distribution
  • Measures of central tendency
  • Measures of variability
  • Hypothesis testing
  • Parameters & test statistics
  • Types of distributions
  • Correlation
  • Effect size
  • Hypothesis testing assumptions
  • Types of ANOVAs
  • Types of chi-square
  • Statistical data
  • Statistical models
  • Spelling mistakes
  • Tips overview
  • Academic writing tips
  • Dissertation tips
  • Sources tips
  • Working with sources overview
  • Evaluating sources
  • Finding sources
  • Including sources
  • Types of sources

Your Step to Success

Plagiarism Check within 10min

Printing & Binding with 3D Live Preview

How To Write An Essay – Introduction, Body & Conclusion

How do you like this article cancel reply.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

How-to-write-an-essay-01

An essay is a structured piece of writing that presents an argument, tells a story, or explores a topic in depth. In academic writing , the term academic essay is frequently used. This denotes a carefully crafted piece of writing that adheres to certain standards and conventions, aiming to contribute to existing discourse or to provide a fresh perspective. With this article, we will help you understand the basics of how to write an essay, so you can receive good grades on your next work.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

  • 1 How to write an essay in a nutshell
  • 2 Definition: How to write an essay
  • 3 Different types of how to write an essay
  • 4 Step-by-step guide on how to write an essay
  • 5 Structuring the paragraphs
  • 6 Essay examples
  • 7 Dos and don‘ts of how to write an essay

How to write an essay in a nutshell

Before you start on how to write an essay, you should read the essay question or topic carefully. Know what’s being asked of you. In the next step, you gather information and ideas about the topic. Use books, articles, or other reputable sources. Afterward, outline your main points and decide on a thesis (your main argument or stance) and supporting arguments.

An essay is typically made up of three parts :

Introduction

After you finish writing your essay, review your writing by paying attention to errors, clarity, and flow. Make sure your arguments are logical and well-presented. Check format, and citations (if any), and ensure it adheres to any guidelines given.

Definition: How to write an essay

How to write an essay refers to the systematic process of creating a structured written piece that presents and supports a specific idea or argument. This process typically involves selecting a topic, conducting research, planning and organizing one’s thoughts, drafting the content, and revising for clarity and coherence. The final product, an essay, is often a combination of an introduction that presents the main idea (thesis), body paragraphs that provide evidence or examples supporting the thesis, and a conclusion that summarizes and reinforces the main points.

Ireland

Different types of how to write an essay

If you are eager to learn how to write an essay, keep these five types in mind:

  • Narrative essay
  • Descriptive essay
  • Persuasive essay
  • Compare-and-contrast essay
  • Expository essay

Note: It is important to know what type of academic essay you have to write for your assignment. The type helps you to decide on a topic to write about as well as how to structure your essay outline.

Essay at university and high school

When you are given a typical five-paragraph expository essay , you would simply spend most of your time writing in high school. However, if you are at university, a college-level argumentative essay is bound to be a more complex piece of writing. It demands extensive independent research from varied sources, has stricter guidelines, and often requires deeper critical thinking compared to the more straightforward or surface-level student papers in high school. Depending on where you are in your academic journey, there is a vast difference when it comes to how to write an essay.

Step-by-step guide on how to write an essay

The process of how to write an essay can be broadly distilled into three main points or stages: Pre-writing and planning, drafting, and revising and editing.

For the planning, you should:

  • Understand the essay question or prompt
  • Conduct preliminary research to gather relevant sources
  • Work on your essay outline

During the drafting, you:

  • Craft a compelling introduction
  • Develop the body of the essay
  • Construct a conclusion

In the last step, you revise and edit your text. For this, you:

  • Review for coherence, consistency, and logical flow
  • Proofread for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors
  • Ensure the essay follows the required format or style guide (e.g., APA Style , MLA )
  • Seek feedback from peers, tutors, or mentors and make necessary adjustments

Below you find the steps on how to write an entire essay.

Finishing touches

How to write an essay introduction is not difficult if you know what you should do. You have to lead into the topic and essay question, attract the reader’s attention, and give them a good idea of the focus of the essay. Use attention grabbers, also called hooks , like startling information, an anecdote, a dialogue, a strong statement, or a summary of the topic in general. Add a few more sentences to link the hook to your thesis statement, also called the topic sentence, that marks the end of the essay introduction .

From a child’s first taste of honey to the blooms in our gardens, honeybees touch our lives in unseen, myriad ways. These tiny workers, buzzing from flower to flower, play a crucial role in pollination, ensuring the reproduction of many of our favorite plants. However, the mysterious decline in honeybee populations poses a significant threat to our ecosystem. This essay will explore the significance of honeybees in our ecosystem, delve into the potential reasons behind their alarming decline, and propose solutions to address this growing crisis.

  • Thesis statement
  • Structure overview

Each of the main ideas in your outline will become one paragraph. Each of those paragraphs follows the same basic structure. First, you have to write down your main ideas. Then you add your supporting points as well as an elaboration (description, explanation, etc.) for each point. Lastly, round it up with a closing sentence. Make sure to use connections between sentences with the help of transition words , so the change in topic does not come abruptly.

Honeybees are not merely producers of honey; they are pivotal players in the world’s food chain. According to a report by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), over 75% of the world’s food crops rely to some extent on animal pollination, with honeybees being among the most effective pollinators. This means that fruits such as apples, nuts like almonds, and even the coffee beans that make our morning brew, owe their existence in large part to the tireless work of these bees. The evidence underscores the gravity of the situation: a world with a declining bee population is one that risks significant disruption in its food supply chain. Such a decline doesn’t only spell trouble for the plants directly dependent on bees, but also for the animals and humans that consume those plants, creating a cascading effect on the larger ecosystem.

  • Topic sentence

You have to summarize your main points as well as give a final perspective on the topic. Help your reader to draw a logical conclusion from what they just read. Repack your thesis statement in your conclusion so that the reader can remember the individual steps taken to come to this conclusion. Moreover, you should answer questions like: What are the implications of your topic sentence being true? What comes next? What questions remained unanswered?

The waning number of honeybees in our environment is not just a matter of ecological concern, but a looming crisis that touches every facet of our lives. As we’ve explored, these industrious insects are instrumental in the pollination of a vast majority of our food crops, a process vital to our global food supply chain. The evidence from reputable sources, such as the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, affirms the profound role honeybees play in sustaining our diets and of countless species. But beyond the tangible effects on food, the decline of honeybees serves as a potent reminder of the intricate, interconnected web of life and our role within it. If such a small creature can have such a vast impact on our world, it behooves us to take their decline as a clarion call. The broader implication is clear: preserving and nurturing our environment is not just an ethical duty; it’s a matter of survival, urging us to act with purpose.

  • Return to the thesis
  • Review of the key points
  • Stating the broader implications

Come up with an intriguing title that arouses the reader’s interest. Furthermore, take your time to do the formatting of your paper. You also might want to put the paragraphs in a different order. Check the instructions again because you might have to include other information (name, date, etc.). Handing in a well-formatted academic essay makes a good impression on your instructor.

When it comes to how to write an essay, revision is the key to success. You have to analyze your writing to figure out if it makes logical sense and if there is a natural flow that makes it easy to read. Is every main idea supported by enough evidence, did you make clear how ideas are linked? Run a spelling and grammar checker to be on the safe side. Moreover, ask a friend to read your academic essay to give you feedback. Occasionally, you cannot see the mistakes when it comes to your writing. Having another opinion on your paper helps you with your revisions.

Structuring the paragraphs

Each paragraph should have an introductory, topic-based sentence as well as a concluding sentence that draws a link to the topic and critically summarizes your argument.

Follow with sentences that provide evidence or examples to back up the topic sentence. This can include data, quotations, anecdotes, or explanations. Delve deeper into the significance of the supporting details in relation to your main argument. Explain how the evidence supports the topic sentence and contributes to the overall thesis of the essay.

Furthermore, you should pay attention to coherence, consistency, flow, variety, and relevance.

  • Stay consistent in tense, perspective, and style.
  • Use transition sentences , a link between sentences, to guide the reader.
  • Vary sentence structure and length to keep the reader engaged.
  • Every paragraph should relate back to and support the essay’s overall thesis or argument.
  • Avoid digressions or unnecessary details.

Essay examples

In the following, you will find samples of how to write an essay. Here, you can read several essay types , whether to help you get started or if you’re simply unsure how to distinguish them.

Dos and don‘ts of how to write an essay

Below, you will find a list of the dos and don’ts of how to write an essay.

  • Signposting language
  • Stay focused
  • Write the body first
  • Revise your writing
  • Plain and clear writing style
  • Procrastination
  • Generalizations
  • Use of personal pronouns
  • Writing without an outline
  • Contractions

How do you structure an essay?

The typical essay structure is easier to understand than the structure of a dissertation or thesis. There are many types of essays, but the structure remains mostly unchanged. You start with the introduction, then the body paragraphs, and finally, the conclusion.

How do you start writing an essay?

To start your essay, you first need an appropriate research paper topic . Ensure that your topic fits within the guidelines set by your institution, and it’s not too broad or narrow. Then, formulate your thesis statement and begin outlining a plan for your academic essay. Once you’re finished, you can start on how to write an essay.

What is a good essay introduction?

A good essay introduction will begin with an opening statement that grabs the reader’s attention and draws them in. Then, you give a bit of background information and lay out the structure for the reader. The thesis statement should be placed towards the end of the introduction, as it provides one to two sentences of a summary of your essay and the main idea.

What are the five steps of writing an essay?

The five steps on how to write an essay are the following.

  • Planning: Understand the prompt and organize your ideas.
  • Research: Gather relevant information and evidence.
  • Drafting: Write the initial version of the essay.
  • Revising: Refine content for clarity and coherence.
  • Editing: Proofread for grammar, punctuation, and formatting errors.

What makes an essay good?

A good essay is clear, coherent, well-organized, presents strong arguments supported by relevant evidence, and is written with a consistent style and proper grammar. Furthermore, it starts with a bold statement and ends with an impactful conclusion.

We use cookies on our website. Some of them are essential, while others help us to improve this website and your experience.

  • External Media

Individual Privacy Preferences

Cookie Details Privacy Policy Imprint

Here you will find an overview of all cookies used. You can give your consent to whole categories or display further information and select certain cookies.

Accept all Save

Essential cookies enable basic functions and are necessary for the proper function of the website.

Show Cookie Information Hide Cookie Information

Statistics cookies collect information anonymously. This information helps us to understand how our visitors use our website.

Content from video platforms and social media platforms is blocked by default. If External Media cookies are accepted, access to those contents no longer requires manual consent.

Privacy Policy Imprint

  • Search Menu
  • Volume 2024, Issue 2, February 2024 (In Progress)
  • Volume 2024, Issue 1, January 2024
  • Bariatric Surgery
  • Breast Surgery
  • Cardiothoracic Surgery
  • Colorectal Surgery
  • Colorectal Surgery, Upper GI Surgery
  • Gynaecology
  • Hepatobiliary Surgery
  • Interventional Radiology
  • Neurosurgery
  • Ophthalmology
  • Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
  • Otorhinolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery
  • Paediatric Surgery
  • Plastic Surgery
  • Transplant Surgery
  • Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgery
  • Upper GI Surgery
  • Vascular Surgery
  • Author Guidelines
  • Submission Site
  • Open Access
  • Reasons to Submit
  • About Journal of Surgical Case Reports
  • Editorial Board
  • Advertising and Corporate Services
  • Journals Career Network
  • Self-Archiving Policy
  • Journals on Oxford Academic
  • Books on Oxford Academic

Issue Cover

Article Contents

Introduction, conflict of interest statement.

  • < Previous

Silver nitrate: a novel therapeutic approach for refractory Seroma following body malodor surgery

ORCID logo

  • Article contents
  • Figures & tables
  • Supplementary Data

Wen-Tsao Ho, Silver nitrate: a novel therapeutic approach for refractory Seroma following body malodor surgery, Journal of Surgical Case Reports , Volume 2024, Issue 2, February 2024, rjae067, https://doi.org/10.1093/jscr/rjae067

  • Permissions Icon Permissions

Seroma, a fluid collection that can develop after surgery, can be a challenging complication to manage. Conventional treatment options, such as quilting suture and drainage tubes, may not be effective in resolving refractory seromas. This article presents two cases of refractory seroma after axillary osmidrosis surgery that were successfully treated with silver nitrate. Silver nitrate, a topical agent with antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, and wound-healing properties, has been shown to be effective in treating perianal fistulas and persistent tracheocutaneous fistulas. In both cases presented here, silver nitrate resulted in complete seroma resolution within 7 and 14 days, respectively. This study suggests that silver nitrate may be a promising treatment option for refractory seroma after axillary osmidrosis surgery. Further research is warranted to validate these findings and establish optimal dosage and treatment protocols.

Osmidrosis, also known as body malodor, is a common condition characterized by the production of foul-smelling sweat. Surgery is the most effective treatment for osmidrosis, but it can be associated with complications, including hematoma and rarely, seroma [ 1 ]. Seroma is a fluid collection that can occur in the surgical wound. It is typically caused by disruption of the lymphatic drainage system. Seroma can usually resolve on its own within a few weeks, but larger or persistent seromas may require treatment.

Treatments for seroma include quilting suture, drainage, sclerotherapy, and surgical excision. Quilting suture is a simple and effective method, but it may not be sufficient for larger seromas. Drainage can be effective, but it can be uncomfortable and may increase the risk of infection. This study reports two cases of refractory seroma after osmidrosis surgery that were successfully treated with silver nitrate. These cases suggest that silver nitrate may be a useful treatment option for seroma after osmidrosis surgery.

Case report 1

A 24-year-old female patient underwent surgery for body odor. The healing process was uneventful, but one month postoperatively, she presented with a soft, 6 cm x 3 cm mass in her left axilla. Following local anesthesia, a small incision was made over the mass, and a clear exudate was drained. The seroma was then treated with quilting suture and Penrose drain placement ( Fig. 1 ). After two weeks of observation, the skin flap remained easily separable from the subcutaneous tissue. Based on our literature review, we found that silver nitrate has been used successfully to treat perianal fistula and persistent tracheocutaneous fistulas [ 2 , 3 ]. Therefore, we decided to try 20% silver nitrate to treat the patient’s seroma to the seroma cavity. The patient experienced immediate pain at the application site, which subsided completely the next day. The seroma continued to decrease in size over the next few days, and it was completely resolved within 7 days.

The seroma was treated with quilting suture and Penrose drain placement. The quilting suture approximated the skin flap to the underlying tissues to reduce dead space and promote fluid reabsorption, while the Penrose drain directly drained accumulated fluid from the seroma cavity.

The seroma was treated with quilting suture and Penrose drain placement. The quilting suture approximated the skin flap to the underlying tissues to reduce dead space and promote fluid reabsorption, while the Penrose drain directly drained accumulated fluid from the seroma cavity.

Case report 2

A 21-year-old male patient presented with a 3 cm x 3 cm seroma in his left axilla. The seroma was initially treated with a Penrose drain, which was removed after one week because the seroma had dried up. However, the seroma recurred two weeks later. The Penrose drain was reinserted, but the seroma recurred again after two weeks. This cycle repeated three times. We applied a 20% silver nitrate solution to the seroma cavity. The patient experienced immediate pain at the application site, which subsided within a few hours. The seroma continued to decrease in size in the next week and we reapplied silver nitrate again ( Fig. 2 ). It was completely resolved within 14 days.

The seroma responded to silver nitrate treatment. A second application of silver nitrate, applied using ENT cotton swab, resulted in complete seroma resolution within 14 days. This figure demonstrates the efficacy of silver nitrate in treating seroma.

The seroma responded to silver nitrate treatment. A second application of silver nitrate, applied using ENT cotton swab, resulted in complete seroma resolution within 14 days. This figure demonstrates the efficacy of silver nitrate in treating seroma.

In both cases, silver nitrate was effective in resolving seroma after surgery for body odor. Patients may experience a significant amount of clear exudate from the seroma cavity for the first few days after silver nitrate treatment. This is likely due to the irritation caused by the silver nitrate. The exudate typically decreases significantly within three days. Both patients were followed for six months after treatment, and no recurrence of seroma was observed.

Currently, most of the literature on seroma is related to breast cancer. According to one study, the risk of seroma after breast cancer surgery is approximately 12.8% [ 4 ]. The literature on osmidrosis surgery mentions seroma is 1.2% [ 5 ]. In my experience, the incidence of seroma after osmidrosis surgery is extremely rare.

Conventional treatment options for seroma, such as quilting suture and drainage tubes, proved ineffective in resolving the seromas in our patients. Quilting suture involves approximating the skin flap to the underlying tissues to reduce dead space and promote fluid reabsorption, but it is particularly effective for small seromas located close to the skin surface [ 6 ]. Drainage tubes, such as Penrose drains, are inserted into the seroma cavity to directly drain accumulated fluid, making them suitable for larger seromas and providing immediate relief from fluid pressure [ 7 ]. Sclerotherapy involves injecting sclerosing agents, such as tetracycline, into the seroma cavity, inducing inflammation and fibrosis within the seroma space to cause its collapse and obliteration [ 8–10 ]. However, our clinic lacks access to these medications, limiting their use as treatment options.

A comprehensive literature review on the successful use of silver nitrate in fistula treatment inspired us to consider its application for seroma. Silver nitrate is a strong antiseptic with anti-inflammatory and wound-healing properties, making it a promising candidate for seroma management [ 11 ].

This innovative approach yielded remarkable results. Both patients experienced complete seroma resolution following silver nitrate treatment. Our case series provides compelling evidence supporting the potential efficacy of silver nitrate in treating seroma, particularly in cases where conventional treatments have failed. Further research is warranted to validate these findings and establish optimal dosage and treatment protocols.

This study presents two cases of refractory seroma after axillary osmidrosis surgery that were successfully treated with silver nitrate. These findings suggest that silver nitrate may be a promising treatment option for refractory seroma after axillary osmidrosis surgery. Further research is warranted to validate these findings and establish optimal dosage and treatment protocols.

The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.

None declared.

Nomura M , Morioka D , Kojima Y , et al.    Open versus closed surgery for axillary Osmidrosis: a meta-analysis of articles published in four languages . Ann Dermatol   2020 ; 32 : 487 – 95 . https://doi.org/10.5021/ad.2020.32.6.487 .

Google Scholar

Attaallah W , Uprak TK , Kara B , et al.    Chemical ablation for treating anal fistulas without surgical intervention: long-term results . Surg Innov   2021 ; 28 : 731 – 7 . https://doi.org/10.1177/15533506211006080 .

Camargo L , Heiman AJ , Ricci JA . Closure of persistent Tracheocutaneous fistulas in Pediatric burn patients . J Burn Care Res   2020 ; 41 : 887 – 91 . https://doi.org/10.1093/jbcr/iraa035 .

Ozturk CN , Ozturk C , Magner WJ , et al.    Seroma after breast reconstruction with tissue expanders: outcomes and management . Ann Plast Surg   2023 ; 91 : 331 – 6 . https://doi.org/10.1097/SAP.0000000000003573 .

Qian JG , Wang XJ . Effectiveness and complications of subdermal excision of apocrine glands in 206 cases with axillary osmidrosis . J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg   2010 ; 63 : 1003 – 7 . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bjps.2009.05.004 .

Debry L , Luu J , Boulanger L , et al.    Reducing the seroma volume by quilting suture after breast reconstruction with a latissimus dorsi flap: single institutional experience . Bull Cancer   2020 ; 107 : 543 – 50 . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bulcan.2020.03.006 .

Demircin M , Doğan R , Ozkan M , et al.    Perigraft seroma complicating the modified Blalock-Taussig shunts: two consecutive instances with review of literature . Turk J Pediatr   2004 ; 46 : 275 – 8 .

Sanjeeviah RC , Bandimegal M , Patil V , et al.    Povidone iodine Sclerotherapy for the treatment of persistent Seromas after breast cancer surgery. Indian . J Surg Oncol   2023 ; 14 : 81 – 7 . https://doi.org/10.1007/s13193-022-01629-0 .

Choi JH , Choi SY , Hwang JH , et al.    Seroma prevention with topical Abnobaviscum sclerotherapy following excision of giant cervical lipoma . Arch Craniofac Surg   2023 ; 24 : 10 – 7 . https://doi.org/10.7181/acfs.2023.00017 .

Episalla NC , Orra S , Black CK , et al.    Sclerotherapy as an alternative treatment for complex, refractory seromas . J Surg Case Rep   2021 ; 2021 : rjab224 .

Rao BR , Kotcherlakota R , Nethi SK , et al.    Ag2[Fe(CN)5NO] nanoparticles exhibit antibacterial activity and wound healing properties . ACS Biomater Sci Eng   2018 ; 4 : 3434 – 49 . https://doi.org/10.1021/acsbiomaterials.8b00759 .

  • silver nitrate
  • surgical procedures, operative
  • wound seroma
  • bromhidrosis

Email alerts

Citing articles via, affiliations.

  • Online ISSN 2042-8812
  • Copyright © 2024 Oxford University Press and JSCR Publishing Ltd
  • About Oxford Academic
  • Publish journals with us
  • University press partners
  • What we publish
  • New features  
  • Open access
  • Institutional account management
  • Rights and permissions
  • Get help with access
  • Accessibility
  • Advertising
  • Media enquiries
  • Oxford University Press
  • Oxford Languages
  • University of Oxford

Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University's objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide

  • Copyright Š 2024 Oxford University Press
  • Cookie settings
  • Cookie policy
  • Privacy policy
  • Legal notice

This Feature Is Available To Subscribers Only

Sign In or Create an Account

This PDF is available to Subscribers Only

For full access to this pdf, sign in to an existing account, or purchase an annual subscription.

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • View all journals
  • My Account Login
  • Explore content
  • About the journal
  • Publish with us
  • Sign up for alerts
  • Open access
  • Published: 17 February 2024

Coupling vibration analysis of heat exchanger tube bundles under different stiffness conditions

  • Yifang Yin 1 ,
  • Zunce Wang 1 , 2 ,
  • Mingyue Ma 3 ,
  • Jinglong Zhang 1 , 2 ,
  • Yan Xu 1 , 2 ,
  • Lidong Li 1 &
  • Mingming Ge 3  

Scientific Reports volume  14 , Article number:  3953 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

Metrics details

  • Computational science
  • Fluid dynamics
  • Mechanical engineering

A two-dimensional tube bundles fluid–structure coupling model was developed using the CFD approach, with a rigid body motion equation and the Newmark integral method. The numerical simulations were performed to determine the vibration coupling properties between various tube bundles of stiffness. Take the corner square tube bundles with a pitch ratio of 1.28 as the research object. The influence of adjacent tubes with different stiffness on the vibration of the central target tube was analyzed. The research results show that the vibration characteristic of tube bundles is affected by the flow field dominant frequency and the inherent frequency of tube bundles. The vibration of adjacent tube bundles significantly impacts the amplitude and frequency of the central target tube. The equal stiffness and large stiffness tubes upstream or downstream inhibit the vibration displacement of the target tube to some extent. The low-stiffness tubes upstream or downstream significantly enhanced the amplitude of the target tube. The findings can be used to provide a basis for reasonable design and vibration suppression of shell-and-tube heat exchangers.

Introduction

Working as the most widely used heat exchange equipment, the Shell-and-tube heat exchanger has preferable characteristics such as good heat exchange performance and large heat transfer area 1 , 2 , 3 . It can work under high temperatures and pressure, with simple structure, low cost, convenient cleaning, and strong applicability. Heat exchangers occupy a large proportion of industrial investment, accounting for about 30% of the total investment in chemical equipment, 40% of the total investment in oil refining production equipment, and 20% of the total investment in nuclear power plant equipment. The shell-and-tube heat exchangers have the highest application rate in the industrial heat transfer field, accounting for about 70% of the current heat exchange equipment 4 , 5 .

For a shell-and-tube heat exchanger, the shell-side fluid scours the tube bundle laterally, leading to a flow-induced vibration, failing the heat exchange tube bundles 6 , 7 . Researchers have carried out much work in the past decades using theoretical, experimental, and numerical simulation methods. Their work has solved the problem of flow-induced vibration of heat exchanger tubes to a certain extent 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 . However, the failure problem caused by coupling vibration between bundles still occurs. Of the 128 heat exchanger tubes in a heat exchanger of Daqing Petrochemical Company, 15 failed and plugged (see Fig.  1 ). According to the detection and analysis of the failed tubes, the causes of tube failure are the touching abrasion and fatigue generated by the vibration of the tube bundle. The fluid-induced vibration in the heat exchanger is the main factor inducing the vibration, which causes severe economic and engineering losses. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the coupling vibration between bundles to reduce the harm caused by such problems.

figure 1

Profiles of failed tube bundles are shown in red rectangular (provided by Daqing Petrochemical Company). ( a ) Touching abrasion between tubes and baffle plate, ( b ) tube fatigue cracking.

To study the coupling vibration between tube bundles, Tang et al. used numerical simulation to learn the five primary vortex shedding modes of heat exchange tube bundles in two-dimensional unsteady flow under the action of saturated steam fluid, as well as the influence of shedding vortex on lift performance 12 , 13 , 14 , and coupled CFD method with computational structural dynamics (CSD) method. The fluid–structure coupling response can be predicted in the time domain. Tan 15 et al. established a fluid–structure coupling vibration model to study the critical flow velocity of square-arranged bundles, and the calculated results agree well with the experimental data. Tang et al. 13 proposed a high-precision, low-cost CFD/CSD high-order coupling algorithm. Fluent software was combined with the dynamic mesh method to systematically study the dynamic response of the structure of the tube bundles in the dense heat exchange tube bundles. Tube drag, lift, frequency, and amplitude were analyzed in the time and frequency domain.

In a typical shell-and-tube heat exchanger, the stiffness of tubes is different under different constraints. The tubes can be generally divided into A, B, and C types according to the different number of baffle plates. As shown in Fig.  2 , the failure shell and tube heat exchanger have five baffle plates. A heat exchange tube passes through three baffle plates and two baffle gap areas while the stiffness is centered. B type of heat exchange tube through all five baffle plates, the large stiffness. The C type of heat exchange tubes passes through two baffle plates and three baffle notched areas with small stiffness.

figure 2

Classification of heat exchange tubes.

The influences of coupling vibration of tube bundles on the central target tube are investigated when the stiffnesses of adjacent tubes are different, especially for the multiple flexibly-mounted tube bundles 16 , 17 . As shown in Fig.  1 , the location of failure heat exchange tubes is the interface area of the two types of tubes, illustrating that the stiffnesses of tube bundles in the transverse flow are quite different. It should be considered when the coupling vibration characteristics between tubes are analyzed.

Fluent software is adopted to calculate the flow between tube bundles numerically. According to the actual cases of tube bundle damage, the vibration behavior of adjacent multiple bundles and the interaction mechanism between tubes were studied considering the non-uniform bundle stiffness combination. The coupling vibration of the central target tube and adjacent tubes with different stiffness was analyzed from the aspects of the flow field, structural response, and the movement path of the tube bundles to reveal the coupling vibration mechanism between non-uniform bundle stiffness.

Numerical model for vibration of tube bundle under transverse flow

Calculation method of flow field between tube bundles.

Reynolds time-averaged method is used to calculate the transverse flow between bundles. The time-averaged continuity equation and momentum equation in the form of the tensor are as follows 18 :

It changes velocity and other variables into a time average, where the extra term is Reynolds stress, representing turbulence's influence. The turbulence model needs to be introduced to make the time-averaged equation closed.

Turbulence model

Due to the small gaps between tubes, the fluid velocity in the main flow area significantly differs from the velocity between the gaps. Meanwhile, the flow around produces a large number of vortex structures. Therefore, it is essential to select a suitable turbulence model to simulate the flowfield between dense tube bundles to describe the interaction between the fluid and structure honestly.

Researchers have used different turbulence models to numerically calculate the flow field induced by tube beam vibration. For example, Bao 19 used RNG k–ε to calculate the three-dimensional flow field between tube bundles with a pitch ratio 1.28. By comparing with the experimental data, Zhao 20 believed that the Transition SST model is more suitable for numerical simulation of turbulent flow field between close-packed tube arrays. Darwish 21 stated that the SST k–ω was more reliable in solving the flow between a rotated square tube array.

The turbulence model selected will be verified by comparing the computational results of different turbulence models with experimental data. Based on the velocity field experimental data of the staggered bundles of Balabani 22 , as shown in Fig.  3 , a two-dimensional calculation model was established. The calculation mesh is shown in Fig.  4 . There are 108 nodes on the tube bundle boundary. The number of encryption layers was 6, the initial height was 0.2 mm, and the mesh growth rate was 1.1. The RNG k–ε, SST k–ω, and Transition SST model were adapted for numerical simulation, and the velocity field distribution was obtained.

figure 3

The geometric model for turbulence model verification.

figure 4

Zoom on the numerical mesh with scales.

The comparison of x velocities calculated by different turbulence models is shown in Fig.  5 . Total of 4 positions, x/d = 0, 2.5, 4.2, and 6.7, are compared, respectively. Maximum relative error of different turbulence models are shown in Table 1 . At the initial position, all three models agree well with the measured results. The transition SST has the most significant calculation error, but the maximum relative error is only 6.3%. At x/d = 2.5, the overall trend of the calculated results of the three models is consistent with the experimental result. Still, in numerical terms, the SST k–ω model is the most compatible with the experiment results, with a maximum relative error of 13.8%. At the same time, the RNG k–ε and the transition SST have the maximum relative error of 27.6% and 38.7%, respectively. With flow development, the difference between different models is more significant. At x/d = 4.2, the maximum relative error of transition SST is 36.3%. The SST k–ω is also the closest to the actual measurement value, with a maximum error of 16.2%. At x/d = 6.7, the maximum error of SST k–ω is 9.3%. According to the above results, the error of the SST k–ω model is the smallest, and it is in the best agreement with the measured results. Therefore, the SST k–ω model is adopted in this work.

figure 5

Comparison between model calculation and experiment.

The SST k–ω model was proposed by Menter 23 . Compared to most RANS models, the SST k–ω model provides better prediction of flow separation and performs well at lower pressure gradients, with high accuracy and economy. Different from standard k–ω, the SST k–ω model modifies the model constants and takes into account the transfer of turbulent shear stress, which uses k–ω in the inner region of the boundary layer and switches to k–ε in the free shear flow 24 .

k equation:

ω equation:

where \(P = \tau_{ij} \frac{{\partial u_{j} }}{{\partial x_{j} }}\) , k is turbulence kinetic energy. ω is turbulence-specific dissipation rate. \(\mu_{t}\) is turbulence viscosity coefficient.

F 1 and F 2 are mixed functions.

According to Menter 23 , the coefficients for the model are shown in Table 2

Dynamics modeling of tube bundles vibration

The fluid-induced vibration of the tube bundles involves the interaction between the fluid and solid domain, which is challenging to calculate numerically 25 . Based on the computational fluid dynamics method, this paper establishes a simplified fluid-tube coupling vibration calculation model using the dynamic mesh method.

Simplification of vibration tube bundle structure model

Because the calculation model that directly considers the coupling of tube bundle deformation and flow field change requires a lot of calculation and many iterations, the accuracy is difficult to guarantee. As shown in Fig.  6 , the vibration model of the tube bundle is simplified into a two-dimensional spring-damp-mass system to improve the calculation efficiency 26 , 27 .

figure 6

Simplified vibration flexible tube model (m—mass of the tube; k—stiffness of spring; c—damping of the spring-damp-mass system).

The stiffness, damping, and mass of the simplified tube bundles were calculated by referring to references 15 , 28 , 29 , respectively, and the values are shown in Table 3 .

Solution of rigid body motion of bundle

The fluid force on the tube bundle is obtained by solving the fluid motion equation. Taking the fluid force as known, the rigid body motion equation on the tube bundle can be solved, and the fluid–structure coupling of the tube bundle system is realized. The rigid body's motion equation at the bundle's boundary is solved by the Newmark-β integral method 30 , 31 .

The vibration differential equation of the tube is

where m, c, k, and F are mass, damping, stiffness of the spring-damp-mass system, and fluid force applied to the tube bundles. \(x\) , \(\dot{x}\) , \(\ddot{x}\) are the displacement, velocity and acceleration of tube 32 , 33 .

According to the Newmark-β method,

where \(x_{t}\) , \(\dot{x}_{t}\) and \(\ddot{x}_{t}\) are the displacement, velocity, and acceleration at t. \(x_{t + \Delta t}\) , \(\dot{x}_{t + \Delta t}\) and \(\ddot{x}_{t + \Delta t}\) are the displacement, velocity and acceleration at t  + Δ t , \(\gamma\) and \(\beta\) are coefficient of Newmark-β method. Δ t is the time step.

According to Eqs. ( 9 ) and ( 10 ),

Then, the vibration differential equation of the system at time t + Δt is

\(x_{t + \Delta t}\) can be expressed as \(K^{*} x_{t + \Delta t} = F_{t + \Delta t}^{*}\) .

where \(K^{*}\) is effective stiffness. \(F_{t + \Delta t}^{*}\) is effective load.

When the mass, stiffness, and damping of the vibrating tube bundle are obtained, the dynamic response of the next time can be obtained by substituting the previous time's dynamic response into the system's initial state.

Calculation model for fluid-induced vibration of different stiffness tube

Calculation domain and model.

Due to the large number of tubes in the heat exchanger, the cost of numerical calculation is significant, making it unrealistic to model and study the vibration of all tubes. It makes sense to reduce the number of tubes through reasonable simplification 34 , 35 . The three-dimensional model of the tube bundle is simplified into a two-dimensional model. At the same time, only a dozen tubes in typical positions are selected for targeted research, and the calculation amount and time are reduced under the premise of accuracy.

The geometric structure of the numerical calculation model is shown in Fig.  7 . Take the corner square arrangement tube bundle as the research object. The heat exchange tube is simplified into a bundle with seven rows and columns. Fluid flows in from the left side and out from the right, and the top and bottom sides are symmetric. The distance from the inlet to the first tube bundle is ten times the tube bundle diameter, and from the last tube bundle to the outlet is 20 times the tube diameter. The tube bundle has a diameter of 25 mm and a pitch ratio of 1.28.

figure 7

Physical model of vibration of different stiffness tube bundles.

Figure  7 also gives the scheme of the tube bundle stiffness combination. Tube 0 is the target tube, and tubes 1–8 are flexible tubes, which have been marked in the dotted box. The calculation method is the same as the target tube, and self-excited vibration can occur. The unlabeled tubes outside the dotted box are rigid, assuming no vibration occurs in the flow field and no particular definition is required. Three kinds of stiffness were considered: large, normal, and small. Large stiffness was taken as two times the normal stiffness, and the small stiffness was 1/2 of the normal stiffness. In the calculation, only the influence of stiffness change is considered. Thus, the mass of the tube bundle remains unchanged, and the inherent frequency changes due to the stiffness change. The stiffness and corresponding inherent frequency are shown in Table 4 .

The stiffness of tube 0 is kept unchanged, and the tube bundles' stiffness is changed upstream or downstream of the target tube. The actual structure of the heat exchanger is referred to ensure that there are only two stiffnesses in the flexible tube bundle. The upstream and downstream are not repeated to determine the stiffness combination scheme.

Computational mesh and mesh independence study

Mesh independence study is very important for the numerical study authenticity. Based on the number of mesh cells, different mesh densities are used to find a compromise between computational cost and accuracy. Numerical calculations were performed on meshes of 140,000, 180,000, 250,000, 310,000 and 400,000 (corresponding to mesh spacings of 1 mm, 0.8 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.5 mm and 0.4 mm) with inlet velocity of 0.5 m/s. To simplify the calculations, all tube bundles are set to be rigid. The lift coefficients of the target tube (tube 0) are compared under different meshes to determine the appropriate mesh size. The results are shown in Fig.  8 . After the number of meshes reaches 310,000, as shown in Fig.  8 , the calculation results are almost unaffected by the sparsity of the grids. Relative error between number of 310,000 and 400,000 is just 2.7%. So this paper's research is conducted using 310,000 grid cells.

figure 8

Grid independence verification.

The computational mesh is shown in Fig.  9 . Due to the calculation requirements of the dynamic mesh, the combining structure and unstructured mesh is used, in which an unstructured mesh was used in the tube bundles gaps. The near tube wall zones were divided into a structure mesh. The wall surface of the bundle was encrypted. The number of encryption layers was 8, the initial height was 0.2 mm, and the mesh growth rate was 1.1. The bundle's front and rear flow areas adopt a quadrilateral mesh structure.

figure 9

Computational mesh.

Boundary condition and solution settings

Because of the need to simultaneously calculate the vibration characteristics of the tube bundle and realize coupling with the fluid, it is necessary to perform transient calculation 36 . The boundary condition and solution Settings are shown in Table 5 .

Experimental validation of computational models

Experimental facility.

A vibration experimental facility for a single flexible tube bundle is established to validate the fluid–structure interaction computational model based on dynamic mesh and linear solution methods. The experimental facility is shown in Fig.  10 . It consists of three parts: a water circulation system, a data acquisition and analysis system, and the tube bundle vibration unit. The water circulation system comprises a pump, a supply adjustment system, flow and pressure measuring devices, a water tank, and pipe. Within the tube bundle vibration testing unit, the internal space measures 130 mm × 130 mm in cross-section. The experimental tube bundle is arranged in a 3 × 3 square configuration, with a flexible tube at the center, while the other tubes are firmly connected to the tube plate. Springs are employed to constrain the middle tube bundle to the fixed tube plate. Eight springs are evenly distributed at four positions—horizontally and vertically—at both ends of the flexible tube. Sensors can be fixed and connected through bolts at the ends of the central flexible tube. The data acquisition and analysis system is the DH5981 data acquisition system, using the complementary DHDAS software for signal analysis and processing. The sensors utilized are IEPE underwater piezoelectric acceleration sensors, with their relevant parameters detailed in Table 6 .

figure 10

Experimental facility.

The comparison between numerical computational results and experimental data

In Figs.  11 and 12 , the acceleration time course curves and spectral diagrams for both experimental and numerical simulations are presented under the condition of an inlet flow velocity of 0.1 m/s. It can be observed that, overall, the trends of the two are quite similar, with the simulated values slightly lower in magnitude compared to the experimental values. In the frequency spectrum, the main frequencies of the two are also relatively close.

figure 11

Time course curve of acceleration.

figure 12

Spectrogram of acceleration.

Analysis of coupling vibration characteristics of tube bundles

Vorticity distribution between tube bundles.

Figure  13 shows the vorticity distribution between multiple flexibly-mounted tubes with different stiffness. SFM represents a single flexible mounted tube bundle with A target tube stiffness. The meanings of other labels are shown in Fig.  7 . The vorticity distribution shows the process of vortex formation, shedding, and adhesion between the tube bundles 37 . The first tube bundles generate the vortices, which shed, attach, and move downstream along the flow direction. Due to the interaction between the tightly packed tube bundles, the vortices between the bundles could not fully develop until the last row of tube bundles. The vortices with different shedding characteristics fell off and formed a complete Karman vortex street 38 .

figure 13

Vorticity of tube bundle with different stiffness combinations; ( a ) SFM; ( b ) AAA; ( c ) BAA; ( d ) AAB; ( e ) CAA; ( f ) AAC.

When the flexible tubes are added around the target tube, the vortex shape remains unchanged, the vortex separation point is more significant than 120°, and the vortex width is narrow. In general, the overall vortex strength of the multi-flexible tube bundles is lower than the single flexibly-mounted tube bundles, so the pressure fluctuation caused by the vortex shedding will also decrease. The vortex shedding patterns on the nine flexible mounted tubes are basically the same for AAA, BAA, and AAB. The influence of the upstream tube on vortex generation and shedding of the downstream tube is weakened, and the parallel vortex on the target tube is less than that on a single flexible mounted tube. When the upstream or downstream are large stiffness tubes, the vibration law of the target tube tends to a single flexible mounted tube because the vibration amplitude of a large stiffness tube decreases.

As a comparison, the upstream or dowstream are small stiffness for CAA and AAC. Under the same condition, the amplitude of the small stiffness tube is larger. The displacement of tube 1 in the lift direction is large, resulting in a certain distance between tube 1 and downstream tube 0 in the lift direction. When the red vortex at the lower part of tube 1 falls off and is attached to tube 0 again, it is already below the former freeze point of tube 0, and the pressure at the lower part of tube 0 increases. Meanwhile, the blue vortex at the upper part of tube 0 is in the shedding stage, and the upper pressure further decreases.

Combining the two causes a larger amplitude of the target tube 0. For AAC, when the low stiffness tube is added downstream, the large vibration of 4 or 6 tubes prevents the shedding of the vortex of 0 tubes to some extent, the pressure release is blocked, and the surface force of 0 tubes is increased. When the vortices above and below the central target tube finish shedding, it is a complete vortex-shedding cycle. It is obtained that the vortex shedding frequency between tubes is about 25 Hz, which is the dominant frequency of the flow field.

Time–frequency analysis of tube bundle vibration

The amplitude of target tube 0 is analyzed by time–frequency. The result is shown in Fig.  14 . From the amplitude time history curve, and it can be found that compared with the single flexible mounted tube, the amplitude of the target tube is smaller under the equal stiffness AAA, the upstream or downstream large stiffness BAA or AAB. The amplitude of the target tube is significantly suppressed. It should be noted that the upstream and downstream tube bundles are moderately stimulated under this working condition, and the vibration amplitude and phase of the upstream and downstream tubes are in a suitable range, which produces a good vibration suppression effect. For CAA and AAC, the amplitude of the target tube is equal to or larger than that of the single flexible tube, which can be considered to be caused by the flow block and vortex detachment deviation caused by the large motion of the low-stiffness tube. In conjunction with Table 7 , it can be seen that the amplitude of AAA is the smallest, and its root mean square amplitude is reduced by more than 50% compared with a single flexible tube. The amplitude of BAA and AAB is about 10% higher than AAA's. The amplitude of the target tube is larger for CAA and AAC, with small stiffness.

figure 14

Amplitude time–frequency analysis of target tube under different stiffness combinations; ( a ) time domain; ( b ) frequency domain.

From the spectrum diagram, we can find that the dominant frequency of the vibration of the target tube is about 25, which is the vortex-shedding frequency of the flow field. The addition of upstream and downstream flexible tubes complicates the target tube's amplitude frequency 39 . In addition to the primary frequency, there are multiple peaks, which should include the inherent frequency of the bundle and the exciting frequency of turbulence.

Trajectories of each flexible mounted tube under different stiffness combinations

The motion trajectories of all flexible tubes were analyzed, and the motion trajectories of tube bundles within 0.3 s were selected, as shown in Figs. 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 and 20 . For the equal stiffness AAA, each tube presents a typical eight or elliptic vibration trajectory 40 , and the amplitude of the tube bundle in the lift direction is slightly larger than that in the drag direction. The tube bundles move approximately periodically. Among them, the amplitudes of the upstream tube bundles 1, 2, 3, 7, and 8 are slightly larger than that of the downstream tube bundles 4, 5, and 6. The front of the upstream tube bundles are direct flow or fixed tubes, and the coupling characteristics between other tubes and a single flexible tube have similarities, so the amplitude is more prominent. The front flexible tubes affect the downstream tube bundles, and the vibration is suppressed.

figure 15

Tube vibration trajectories of SFM.

figure 16

Tube vibration trajectories of AAA.

figure 17

Tube vibration trajectories of BAA.

figure 18

Tube vibration trajectories of AAB.

figure 19

Tube vibration trajectories of CAA.

figure 20

Tube vibration trajectories of AAC.

For BAA, as shown in Fig.  17 , the upstream tubes 1, 2, and 8 are large stiffness tubes. Under the premise of no resonance, the amplitude of large stiffness tubes is significantly lower than that of small stiffness tubes, as reflected in the trajectory. The amplitude of large stiffness tubes is one order of magnitude smaller than that of normal stiffness tubes. According to the trajectory, the amplitude of the target tube and other normal stiffness tube bundles downstream did not decrease after adding the upstream large stiffness tube, and the amplitude of the lift direction was more significant than the resistance direction.

The downstream tubes 4, 5, and 6 for AAB are large stiffness tubes. As shown in Fig.  18 , the amplitude of the large stiffness tube is significantly lower than that of the normal stiffness tube, regardless of whether it is upstream or downstream. Adding the downstream tubes with large stiffness increases the amplitude of the target tube slightly. The influence of stiffness change of the downstream tube bundle on the target tube is more potent than that of the upstream tube bundle.

As shown in Fig.  19 , when small stiffness tubes are added upstream, all flexible tube bundles amplify. Among them, the displacement of small stiffness tubes 1, 2, and 8 in the lift direction is about an order of magnitude larger than that of normal stiffness tubes, and the maximum amplitude on one side is greater than 2 mm, that is, more than 0.08 days. The three tubes with this stiffness are already in resonance from the trajectory. Because of the fluid excitation force generated by the larger amplitude of the upstream small stiffness tubes, the vibration of the downstream normal stiffness tubes is also enhanced, and the increase of the 3 and 7 tubes is the largest.

The AAC is a downstream small stiffness tube bundle. As shown in Fig.  20 , under this condition, the small stiffness tubes 4, 5, and 6 have large amplitudes, and the maximum amplitude on one side is more significant than 2.3 mm, which is about 0.1 days. These tubes should be in a resonance state. The trajectories of the three small-stiffness tubes are also slightly different. Tube 5 shows noticeable vibration enhancement in the lift direction. However, the resistance direction is the same as that of the normal stiffness tubes, and the obstruction of the Tube 4 and the Tube 6 in the flow direction. Because of the influence of the small stiffness tube downstream, the vibration of the normal stiffness tube bundle upstream is enhanced.

Interactions between pipes at different flow rates.

The vibration response of the AAA combination is analyzed at different flow velocities, and the amplitude-time curves and frequency-domain curves are presented in Fig.  21 . The inlet velocity range is 0.1–0.4 m/s.

figure 21

As the flow velocity increases, the dominant frequency of the flow field also increases, showing a basic consistency with the single-flexible tube under the same flow conditions. At lower flow velocities, the vibration frequency of the target tube is relatively singular, exhibiting only one dominant frequency throughout the entire time domain, which is the dominant frequency of the flow field.

The amplitude and dominant frequency of the vibration of target tube 0 both increase with the increase in flow velocity. Additionally, non-dominant frequency components in the spectrum also increase, including both the inherent frequencies of the tube bundle and indistinct turbulent disturbance components. This suggests that the increase in flow velocity enhances the coupling vibration effects between the tube bundles and the degree of turbulence-induced vibration.

Figure  22 illustrates the maximum amplitude and root-mean-square amplitude of target tube 0 concerning various stiffness combinations at different incoming flow velocities. Under AAA, AAB or BAA, the target tube's amplitude notably decreases compared to configurations with lower stiffness in the upstream or downstream sections. Particularly, the upstream higher stiffness configuration consistently demonstrates a significant dampening effect on the downstream target tube across all flow velocities. Once the incoming flow velocity surpasses 0.2 m/s, there is a noticeable sharp increase in the amplitude of lower stiffness tube combinations, either upstream or downstream. This trend aligns with the characteristic behavior of fluid-elastic instability within tube bundles. The presence of lower stiffness tube combinations, whether upstream or downstream, to some extent, diminishes the critical velocity required for fluid-elastic instability, rendering the tube bundle more susceptible to instability.

figure 22

Maximum amplitude and root-mean-square amplitude of target tube 0; ( a ) maximum amplitude; ( b ) root-mean-square amplitude.

Conclusions

The numerical calculation of coupling vibration of heat exchange tube bundles was completed using dynamic grid technology with rigid body motion equation. The vortex and vibration characteristics of tube bundles were analyzed, and the following conclusions were obtained:

Vortices shedding on the tube bundles are the primary cause of flow field fluctuation, which is the root cause of tube bundle vibration. The vortex shedding frequency on the bundles is the dominant frequency of the flow field. The tube bundles take the flow field dominant frequency as the primary vibration frequency and include the tube bundle's inherent frequency.

The vibration of multi-flexible tube bundles changes the vortex shedding distribution between tube bundles, and the vibration of the target tube differs from that of the single flexible tube bundle. On the premise that no resonance occurs, the upstream and downstream flexible tubes can suppress the vibration of the target tube to a certain extent, resulting in lower amplitude and more complex vibration frequency. However, the dominant frequency is the vortex shedding frequency.

The stiffness changes of the upstream and downstream tube bundles will affect the vibration of the central target tube. On the other hand, within the calculated range, no matter whether increasing the stiffness or decreasing the stiffness, the vibration of the central target tube cannot be better suppressed, and the amplitude of the central target tube is the smallest when the stiffness of the upstream and downstream and the target tube is the same. Reducing the stiffness of the tube bundles upstream or downstream will, to some extent, decrease the critical flow velocity of the target tube, making it more prone to experiencing fluid-elastic instability. This work can be used for better design and vibration suppression of shell-and-tube heat exchangers.

Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Kumar, A. & Bhattacharya, M. Numerical analysis of aseptic processing of a non-newtonian liquid food in a tubular heat exchanger. Chem. Eng. Commun. 103 (1), 27–51 (2016).

Article   Google Scholar  

Zamzari, F. et al. Numerical investigation of entropy generation and heat transfer of pulsating flow in a horizontal channel with an open cavity. J. Hydrodyn. 29 (4), 632–646 (2017).

Article   ADS   Google Scholar  

Ji, J.-D., Ge, P.-q & Bi, W.-b. Numerical analysis of shell-side flow-induced vibration of elastic tube bundle in heat exchanger. J. Hydrodyn. 30 , 249–257 (2018).

Zhu, Y., Zeng, Q., Wan, L., Yang, Y. & Li, Z. Vibration response difference of caving mechanism under coal rock impact based on mechanical–hydraulic coupling. Sci. Rep. 13 (1), 13794 (2023).

Article   ADS   CAS   PubMed   PubMed Central   Google Scholar  

Bhutta, M. M. A. et al. CFD applications in various heat exchangers design: A review. Appl. Therm. Eng. 32 , 1–12 (2012).

Su, Y. et al. A study of the enhanced heat transfer of flow-induced vibration of a new type of heat transfer tube bundle—the planar bending elastic tube bundle. Nucl. Eng. Design 309 (dec), 294–302 (2016).

Article   CAS   Google Scholar  

Ji, J., Ge, P. & Bi, W. Numerical analysis on shell-side flow-induced vibration and heat transfer characteristics of elastic tube bundle in heat exchanger. Appl. Therm. Eng. Des. Processes Equip. Econ. 107 , 544–551 (2016).

Sadek, O., Mohany, A. & Hassan, M. Numerical investigation of the cross flow fluidelastic forces of two-phase flow in tube bundle. J. Fluids Struct. 79 , 171–186 (2018).

Ding, Z. et al. Influence of support gap on flow induced vibration of heat exchange tube. Ann. Nucl. Energy 180 , 109443 (2023).

Ricciardi, G., Pettigrew, M. J. & Mureithi, N. W. Fluidelastic instability in a normal triangular tube bundle subjected to air-water cross-flow. J. Pressure Vessel Technol.ogy 133 (6), 061301 (2011).

In-Cheol, C., Heung, J. C. & Seungtae, L. Flow-induced vibration of nuclear steam generator U-tubes in two-phase flow. Nucl. Eng. Design 241 (5), 1508–1515 (2011).

Tang, D. et al. Investigation of shedding patterns and its influences on lift performances of a cylinder bundle in cross flow. J. Mech. Sci. Technol. 33 (6), 2651–2663 (2019).

Tang, D. et al. A CFD/CSD coupled method with high order and its applications in flow induced vibrations of tube arrays in cross flow. Ann. Nucl. Energy 130 , 347–356 (2019).

Tang, D. et al. On the number of tubes required to study oscillating vortices and frequency spectrums of tube arrays in cross flow. Ann. Nucl. Energy 124 , 198–210 (2019).

Tan, W., Hao, Wu. & Zhu, G. Investigation of the vibration behavior of fluidelastic instability in closely packed square tube arrays. Trans. Tianjin Univ. 25 , 124–142 (2019).

Ai, S. et al. Numerical simulation of flow-induced vibration of three-dimensional elastic heat exchanger tube bundle based on fluid-structure coupling. Shock Vib. 25 , 1–17 (2022).

Google Scholar  

Ding, Z. et al. Numerical simulation research on the vibration of helical tube arrays under transverse flow. Energies 15 (23), 9082 (2022).

Ansys Inc. Ansys Fluent Theory Guide (Ansys Inc, 2011).

Bao, M., Wang, L., Li, W. & Gao, T. The vibration analysis of tube bundles induced by fluid elastic excitation in shell side of heat exchanger. IOP Conf. Ser. Mater. Sci. Eng. 239 , 012011 (2017).

Hai, Z., Puzhen, G., Ruifeng, T. & Xiaochang, L. A three-dimensional refined numerical simulation of cross-flow induced vibration mechanism in the tube bundle. Nucl. Eng. Design 405 , 112223 (2023).

Darwish, S. et al. Flow-induced vibrations of a rotated square tube array subjected to single-phase cross-flow. J. Pressure Vessel Technol. 4 , 144 (2022).

Balabani, S. & Yianneskis, M. An experimental study of the mean flow and turbulence structure of cross-flow over tube bundles. Proc. Inst. Mech. Eng. Part C J. Mech. Eng. Sci. 2 , 25 (2016).

Menter, F. R. Two-equation eddy-viscosity turbulence models for engineering applications. AIAA J. 32 (8), 1598–1605 (1994).

Stergiannis, N., van Beeck, J. & Runacres, M. C. Full HAWT rotor CFD simulations using different RANS turbulence models compared with actuator disk and experimental measurements. Wind Energy Sci. Discuss. 2017 , 1–20 (2017).

Upnere, S. Numerical study of flow-induced vibrations of multiple flexibly-mounted cylinders in triangular array. Latvian J. Phys. Tech. Sci. 55 (5), 43–53 (2018).

Su, W., Tao, K. & Liu, F. Numerical analysis of vibration response of elastic tube bundle of heat exchanger based on fluid structure coupling analysis. Nonlinear Eng. 12 (1), 235–239 (2023).

Shahzer, M. A. et al. A comprehensive investigation of vortex-induced vibrations and flow-induced rotation of an elliptic cylinder. Phys. Fluids 34 , 3 (2022).

GB, T 151–2014. Heat Exchanger (Standards Press of China, 2014).

Meirovitch, L. Fundamentals of Vibrations (Mcgraw-Hill Higher Education, 2001).

Book   Google Scholar  

Zheng, M. et al. Numerical investigation of bluff body for vortex induced vibration energy harvesting. Ocean Eng. 213 , 107624 (2020).

Sattari, A. S. et al. Study of wave propagation in discontinuous and heterogeneous media with the dynamic lattice method. Sci. Rep. 12 (1), 6343 (2022).

Tewari, A. Atmospheric and Space Flight Dynamics 507–529 (Birkhũser, 2007).

Zhang, J. P., & Pan, L. Three-dimensional modeling and aeroelastic coupling analysis for the wind turbine blade. In 2009 World Non-Grid-Connected Wind Power and Energy Conference , 1–4 (IEEE, 2009).

Hafeez, A. et al. Analysis of flow-induced vibrations in a heat exchanger tube bundle subjected to variable tube flow velocity. Adv. Sci. Technol. Res. J. 17 (2), 279–288 (2023).

Article   MathSciNet   Google Scholar  

De Pedro, B. et al. CFD modelling of the cross-flow through normal triangular tube arrays with one tube undergoing forced vibrations or fluidelastic instability. J. Fluids Struct. 64 , 67–86 (2016).

Tan, W. et al. Fluidelastic instability research of tube bundles by a two-way fluid-structure interaction simulation. Int. J. Pressure Vessels Piping 199 , 104705 (2022).

Joy, A., Joshi, V., Narendran, K. & Ghoshal, R. Piezoelectric energy extraction from a cylinder undergoing vortex-induced vibration using internal resonance. Sci. Rep. 13 (1), 6924 (2023).

Lee, Y. J. et al. Vortex-induced vibration wind energy harvesting by piezoelectric MEMS device in formation. Sci. Rep. 9 (1), 20404 (2019).

Article   ADS   MathSciNet   CAS   PubMed   PubMed Central   Google Scholar  

Qu, Y. et al. Numerical study on vortex-induced vibrations of a flexible cylinder subjected to multi-directional flows. Phys. Fluids 35 , 3 (2023).

Ozgoren, M. & Rockwell, D. Interaction of a deep-water wave with a vertical cylinder: Effect of self-excited vibrations on quantitative flow patterns. J. Fluid Mech. 572 , 189–217 (2007).

Download references

This research was funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 11402051), Natural Science Foundation of Heilongjiang (Grant No. LH2022A004), Natural Science Foundation of Heilongjiang (Grant No. LH2022E016), 'Macao Young Scholars Program' (Project code: AM2022003), and Priority Postdoctoral Projects in Zhejiang Province (ZJ2023023).

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

College of Mechanical Science and Engineering, Northeast Petroleum University, Daqing, 163318, Heilongjiang, China

Yifang Yin, Zunce Wang, Jinglong Zhang, Yan Xu & Lidong Li

Heilongjiang Key Laboratory of Petroleum and Petrochemical Multiphase Treatment and Pollution Prevention, Daqing, 163318, Heilongjiang, China

Zunce Wang, Jinglong Zhang & Yan Xu

National Observation and Research Station of Coastal Ecological Environments in Macao, Macao Environmental Research Institute, Faculty of Innovation Engineering, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao SAR, 999078, China

Mingyue Ma & Mingming Ge

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Contributions

Y.Y.: writing–original draft, investigation, formal analysis, validation. Z.W.: writing–review and editing, methodology, supervision, funding acquisition. M.M.: conceptualization, methodology. J.Z. and Y.X.: supervision, project administration. L.L.: investigation, validation. M.G.: data curation, visualization. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. The authors confirm that this work has not been published before, and its publication has been approved by all co-authors.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Jinglong Zhang , Yan Xu or Mingming Ge .

Ethics declarations

Competing interests.

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Publisher's note.

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ .

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article.

Yin, Y., Wang, Z., Ma, M. et al. Coupling vibration analysis of heat exchanger tube bundles under different stiffness conditions. Sci Rep 14 , 3953 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-53855-x

Download citation

Received : 29 August 2023

Accepted : 06 February 2024

Published : 17 February 2024

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-53855-x

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

  • Heat transfer tube bundles
  • Computational fluid dynamics
  • Fluid-induced vibration
  • Fluid–structure coupling

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines . If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Quick links

  • Explore articles by subject
  • Guide to authors
  • Editorial policies

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

article with introduction body and conclusion

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

  • Knowledge Base
  • Research paper

Writing a Research Paper Conclusion | Step-by-Step Guide

Published on October 30, 2022 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on April 13, 2023.

  • Restate the problem statement addressed in the paper
  • Summarize your overall arguments or findings
  • Suggest the key takeaways from your paper

Research paper conclusion

The content of the conclusion varies depending on whether your paper presents the results of original empirical research or constructs an argument through engagement with sources .

Instantly correct all language mistakes in your text

Be assured that you'll submit flawless writing. Upload your document to correct all your mistakes.

upload-your-document-ai-proofreader

Table of contents

Step 1: restate the problem, step 2: sum up the paper, step 3: discuss the implications, research paper conclusion examples, frequently asked questions about research paper conclusions.

The first task of your conclusion is to remind the reader of your research problem . You will have discussed this problem in depth throughout the body, but now the point is to zoom back out from the details to the bigger picture.

While you are restating a problem you’ve already introduced, you should avoid phrasing it identically to how it appeared in the introduction . Ideally, you’ll find a novel way to circle back to the problem from the more detailed ideas discussed in the body.

For example, an argumentative paper advocating new measures to reduce the environmental impact of agriculture might restate its problem as follows:

Meanwhile, an empirical paper studying the relationship of Instagram use with body image issues might present its problem like this:

“In conclusion …”

Avoid starting your conclusion with phrases like “In conclusion” or “To conclude,” as this can come across as too obvious and make your writing seem unsophisticated. The content and placement of your conclusion should make its function clear without the need for additional signposting.

Receive feedback on language, structure, and formatting

Professional editors proofread and edit your paper by focusing on:

  • Academic style
  • Vague sentences
  • Style consistency

See an example

article with introduction body and conclusion

Having zoomed back in on the problem, it’s time to summarize how the body of the paper went about addressing it, and what conclusions this approach led to.

Depending on the nature of your research paper, this might mean restating your thesis and arguments, or summarizing your overall findings.

Argumentative paper: Restate your thesis and arguments

In an argumentative paper, you will have presented a thesis statement in your introduction, expressing the overall claim your paper argues for. In the conclusion, you should restate the thesis and show how it has been developed through the body of the paper.

Briefly summarize the key arguments made in the body, showing how each of them contributes to proving your thesis. You may also mention any counterarguments you addressed, emphasizing why your thesis holds up against them, particularly if your argument is a controversial one.

Don’t go into the details of your evidence or present new ideas; focus on outlining in broad strokes the argument you have made.

Empirical paper: Summarize your findings

In an empirical paper, this is the time to summarize your key findings. Don’t go into great detail here (you will have presented your in-depth results and discussion already), but do clearly express the answers to the research questions you investigated.

Describe your main findings, even if they weren’t necessarily the ones you expected or hoped for, and explain the overall conclusion they led you to.

Having summed up your key arguments or findings, the conclusion ends by considering the broader implications of your research. This means expressing the key takeaways, practical or theoretical, from your paper—often in the form of a call for action or suggestions for future research.

Argumentative paper: Strong closing statement

An argumentative paper generally ends with a strong closing statement. In the case of a practical argument, make a call for action: What actions do you think should be taken by the people or organizations concerned in response to your argument?

If your topic is more theoretical and unsuitable for a call for action, your closing statement should express the significance of your argument—for example, in proposing a new understanding of a topic or laying the groundwork for future research.

Empirical paper: Future research directions

In a more empirical paper, you can close by either making recommendations for practice (for example, in clinical or policy papers), or suggesting directions for future research.

Whatever the scope of your own research, there will always be room for further investigation of related topics, and you’ll often discover new questions and problems during the research process .

Finish your paper on a forward-looking note by suggesting how you or other researchers might build on this topic in the future and address any limitations of the current paper.

Full examples of research paper conclusions are shown in the tabs below: one for an argumentative paper, the other for an empirical paper.

  • Argumentative paper
  • Empirical paper

While the role of cattle in climate change is by now common knowledge, countries like the Netherlands continually fail to confront this issue with the urgency it deserves. The evidence is clear: To create a truly futureproof agricultural sector, Dutch farmers must be incentivized to transition from livestock farming to sustainable vegetable farming. As well as dramatically lowering emissions, plant-based agriculture, if approached in the right way, can produce more food with less land, providing opportunities for nature regeneration areas that will themselves contribute to climate targets. Although this approach would have economic ramifications, from a long-term perspective, it would represent a significant step towards a more sustainable and resilient national economy. Transitioning to sustainable vegetable farming will make the Netherlands greener and healthier, setting an example for other European governments. Farmers, policymakers, and consumers must focus on the future, not just on their own short-term interests, and work to implement this transition now.

As social media becomes increasingly central to young people’s everyday lives, it is important to understand how different platforms affect their developing self-conception. By testing the effect of daily Instagram use among teenage girls, this study established that highly visual social media does indeed have a significant effect on body image concerns, with a strong correlation between the amount of time spent on the platform and participants’ self-reported dissatisfaction with their appearance. However, the strength of this effect was moderated by pre-test self-esteem ratings: Participants with higher self-esteem were less likely to experience an increase in body image concerns after using Instagram. This suggests that, while Instagram does impact body image, it is also important to consider the wider social and psychological context in which this usage occurs: Teenagers who are already predisposed to self-esteem issues may be at greater risk of experiencing negative effects. Future research into Instagram and other highly visual social media should focus on establishing a clearer picture of how self-esteem and related constructs influence young people’s experiences of these platforms. Furthermore, while this experiment measured Instagram usage in terms of time spent on the platform, observational studies are required to gain more insight into different patterns of usage—to investigate, for instance, whether active posting is associated with different effects than passive consumption of social media content.

If you’re unsure about the conclusion, it can be helpful to ask a friend or fellow student to read your conclusion and summarize the main takeaways.

  • Do they understand from your conclusion what your research was about?
  • Are they able to summarize the implications of your findings?
  • Can they answer your research question based on your conclusion?

You can also get an expert to proofread and feedback your paper with a paper editing service .

The only proofreading tool specialized in correcting academic writing - try for free!

The academic proofreading tool has been trained on 1000s of academic texts and by native English editors. Making it the most accurate and reliable proofreading tool for students.

article with introduction body and conclusion

Try for free

The conclusion of a research paper has several key elements you should make sure to include:

  • A restatement of the research problem
  • A summary of your key arguments and/or findings
  • A short discussion of the implications of your research

No, it’s not appropriate to present new arguments or evidence in the conclusion . While you might be tempted to save a striking argument for last, research papers follow a more formal structure than this.

All your findings and arguments should be presented in the body of the text (more specifically in the results and discussion sections if you are following a scientific structure). The conclusion is meant to summarize and reflect on the evidence and arguments you have already presented, not introduce new ones.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Caulfield, J. (2023, April 13). Writing a Research Paper Conclusion | Step-by-Step Guide. Scribbr. Retrieved February 16, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/research-paper/research-paper-conclusion/

Is this article helpful?

Jack Caulfield

Jack Caulfield

Other students also liked, writing a research paper introduction | step-by-step guide, how to create a structured research paper outline | example, checklist: writing a great research paper, what is your plagiarism score.

META NEX

ďťżM3 Mac Mini Release Date and Price - 2024 LAUNCH TIME!

Introduction:.

I n the fast-paced international generation, exciting information has surfaced approximately the approaching Mac Mini with the M3 chipset. This progressive release promises a huge overall performance boost in comparison to its predecessor, the M1-prepared Mac Mini. In this article, we're going to delve into the info on the M3 and M3 Pro models, the expected launch date, and the anticipated rate points.

Mac Mini's Journey:

Before we dive into the M3 specifics, permit's take a short look at where the Mac Mini stands. In 2023, the M2-prepared Mac Mini made waves, imparting a price range-friendly choice with magnificent overall performance. The M2 Pro version even catered to access-level Pro customers, making it a versatile desire for various duties, from net surfing to light video and picture editing.

As the M2 generation involves a close, we eagerly assume the M3's arrival. The M3 chipset, already featured in the contemporary iMac and MacBook Pro models, guarantees up to 2 instances of the velocity of the M1 chipset. Similarly, the M3 Pro is anticipated to deliver widespread speed increases, making it an exciting prospect for customers searching for superior overall performance.

Design Expectations:

While the inner enhancements are extensive, the outside design of the Mac Mini is likely to stay unchanged. Much like the latest MacBook Pro updates, the focus appears to be on upgrading the chipset even as maintaining the familiar and dependable aluminum unibody frame.

Release Date Speculations:

With the M3 already making its appearance in other Apple gadgets, it is logical to anticipate the Mac Mini's update in the spring of 2024. The Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in early June aligns with expectations for the Mac Mini's release, providing customers with modern chipset advancements.

Specs and Pricing:

Now, permit's delve into the specifications and pricing details. The Mac Mini with the M3 chipset will offer configurations ranging from an eight-core CPU to a 10-middle GPU. The M3 Pro, on the other hand, boasts even higher specifications, with alternatives for up to an 18-center GPU and 36 GB of RAM.

Storage alternatives range from 256 GB to a beneficiant four terabytes for those opting for the M3 Pro. Pricing starts off at $699 for the baseline M3 model, ensuring there may be a Mac Mini configuration to match various wishes and budgets.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the upcoming M3 Mac Mini promises to be every other powerhouse in Apple's lineup, catering to a vast audience with its diverse configurations. As we eagerly wait for its launch in mid-June 2024, tech fanatics can assume a computing device that mixes smooth design with present-day overall performance.

Stay tuned for extra updates at the present day in Apple's international, and remember to join live knowledgeable about the latest news, opinions, and comparisons. Until next time, take care and live tech-savvy!

This article was originally published on  META NEX  [  ďťż M3 Mac Mini Release Date and Price - 2024 LAUNCH TIME! ]

REFERENCE VIDEO

ďťżM3 Mac Mini Release Date and Price - 2024 LAUNCH TIME!

COMMENTS

  1. How to Write an Article: Title, Introduction, Body, and Conclusion

    🔚 Conclusion of an Article 📝 Topic Examples for Starting and Writing an Article 📋 Sample Outline Template for Writing a Good Article 📖 Example of Writing an Article 💡 I. Example of Article's Introduction 📄 II. Sample of Article's Body Paragraph 1 📄 III. Sample of Article's Body Paragraph 2 📄 IV.

  2. How Do I Write an Intro, Conclusion, & Body Paragraph?

    Body paragraphs help you prove your thesis and move you along a compelling trajectory from your introduction to your conclusion. If your thesis is a simple one, you might not need a lot of body paragraphs to prove it. If it's more complicated, you'll need more body paragraphs.

  3. Purdue OWL

    Introductions, Body Paragraphs, and Conclusions for an Expository/Persuasive Essay Introduction The introduction is the broad beginning of the paper that answers three important questions: What is this? Why am I reading it? What do you want me to do? You should answer these questions by doing the following:

  4. Writing a Research Paper Introduction

    Step 1: Introduce your topic Step 2: Describe the background Step 3: Establish your research problem Step 4: Specify your objective (s) Step 5: Map out your paper Research paper introduction examples Frequently asked questions about the research paper introduction Step 1: Introduce your topic

  5. Introductions & Conclusions

    Introductions and conclusions are important components of any academic paper. Introductions and conclusions should also be included in non-academic writing, such as emails, webpages, or business and technical documents. The following provides information on how to write introductions and conclusions in both academic and non-academic writing.

  6. PDF Writing Introductions, Body Paragraphs and Conclusions

    TIP SHEET: WRITING INTRODUCTIONS, BODY PARAGRAPHS AND CONCLUSIONS Whether your essay is one page long or twenty pages, it will follow the same basic structure, with an introduction, body, and conclusion. There is not one correct way to write an essay, so everyone is free to develop his or her own style.

  7. How to Structure an Essay

    The basic structure of an essay always consists of an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. But for many students, the most difficult part of structuring an essay is deciding how to organize information within the body.

  8. PDF Introductions & Conclusions

    Conclusion (about 10%) WRITING CENTRE Level 3 East, Hub Central North Terrace campus, The University of Adelaide ph +61 8 8313 3021 [email protected] www.adelaide.edu.au/writingcentre/ Introductions An introduction starts with general information and becomes more specific. It may include several of the following:

  9. Introductions and Conclusions

    Fair-Use Policy Introductions and conclusions play a special role in the academic essay, and they frequently demand much of your attention as a writer. A good introduction should identify your topic, provide essential context, and indicate your particular focus in the essay. It also needs to engage your readers' interest.

  10. 9.4 Writing Introductory and Concluding Paragraphs

    An introduction serves the following purposes: Establishes your voice and tone, or your attitude, toward the subject Introduces the general topic of the essay States the thesis that will be supported in the body paragraphs

  11. Guide to Writing Introductions and Conclusions

    Introductions and conclusions are just as important as the body of your paper. The introduction is what makes the reader want to continue reading your paper. The conclusion is what makes your paper stick in the reader's mind. Introductions Your introductory paragraph should include:

  12. How to Write an Essay Introduction

    Step 1: Hook your reader Step 2: Give background information Step 3: Present your thesis statement Step 4: Map your essay's structure Step 5: Check and revise More examples of essay introductions Other interesting articles Frequently asked questions about the essay introduction Step 1: Hook your reader

  13. Body Paragraphs: How to Write Perfect Ones

    A body paragraph is any paragraph in the middle of an essay, paper, or article that comes after the introduction but before the conclusion. Generally, body paragraphs support the work's thesis and shed new light on the main topic, whether through empirical data, logical deduction, deliberate persuasion, or anecdotal evidence.

  14. Essay Structure: The 3 Main Parts of an Essay

    Basic essay structure: the 3 main parts of an essay Almost every single essay that's ever been written follows the same basic structure: Introduction Body paragraphs Conclusion This structure has stood the test of time for one simple reason: It works.

  15. A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a Scientific Review Article

    The process involves selecting a topic about which the authors are knowledgeable and enthusiastic, conducting a literature search and critical analysis of the literature, and writing the article, which is composed of an abstract, introduction, body, and conclusion, with accompanying tables and figures.

  16. Paper Writing

    The body of the paper is where you build up your paper paragraph by paragraph according to the topics and sections that you have identified in your outline. Each paragraph needs to have a topic sentence that identifies what part of your argument the paragraph will support. In general, each paragraph should be at least three sentences.

  17. Titles, Introductions, and Conclusions

    Titles, Introductions, and Conclusions - The Writing Textbook Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices. Titles, Introductions, and Conclusions Titles Titles should be specific and clear, and the quickest path to this is composing a title that states your exact subject.

  18. How To Write An Essay ~ Introduction, Body & Conclusion

    Use books, articles, or other reputable sources. Afterward, outline your main points and decide on a thesis (your main argument or stance) and supporting arguments. An essay is typically made up of three parts: Introduction. Body. Conclusion. After you finish writing your essay, review your writing by paying attention to errors, clarity, and flow.

  19. How to Write an Argumentative Essay

    Regardless of which approach you take, your essay should always be structured using an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. Introducing your argument. Like other academic essays, an argumentative essay begins with an introduction. The introduction serves to capture the reader's interest, ...

  20. Introduction, Body, and Conclusion Tutorial

    Your introduction contains your thesis statement. Body: The paragraphs in between your introduction and conclusion. The body of your paper supports the main point of your paper. Topic Sentence: The sentence at the beginning of each body paragraph. It explains the main point that paragraph is going to make. Conclusion: The last paragraph of your ...

  21. Writing Magazine Articles

    An effective article is structured into three parts: the introduction, the body, and conclusion. The introduction hooks the reader with a strong quote or anecdote. The body develops the subject.

  22. Full article: Ensemble 3D CNN and U-Net-based brain tumour

    1. Introduction. Among the most essential and crucial organs in the human body is the brain, as it contains nerve cells and tissues that govern the most important processes of the entire body, such as breathing, muscular movement and our senses [Citation 1].Every cell has its unique capacities; some cells gain functionality as they mature, while others lose capability, resist and become aberrant.

  23. Silver nitrate: a novel therapeutic approach for refractory Seroma

    Introduction. Osmidrosis, also known as body malodor, is a common condition characterized by the production of foul-smelling sweat. Surgery is the most effective treatment for osmidrosis, but it can be associated with complications, including hematoma and rarely, seroma [].Seroma is a fluid collection that can occur in the surgical wound.

  24. An Introduction to Artificial Intelligence for Lawyers

    Conclusion. AI technology will continue to improve with time and will continue to change the way lawyers approach their practice, from intake to trial. Law firms and legal departments using this technology will likely see an increase in revenue, a decrease in costs, and an improvement in the quality of their work product.

  25. How to Conclude an Essay

    Step 1: Return to your thesis. To begin your conclusion, signal that the essay is coming to an end by returning to your overall argument. Don't just repeat your thesis statement —instead, try to rephrase your argument in a way that shows how it has been developed since the introduction. Example: Returning to the thesis.

  26. Takeaways from Fani Willis' stunning testimony in Georgia

    The Georgia election subversion case against Donald Trump and 14 of his allies took a stunning turn Thursday when two top prosecutors testified under oath about their romantic relationship at a ...

  27. Coupling vibration analysis of heat exchanger tube bundles under

    A two-dimensional tube bundles fluid-structure coupling model was developed using the CFD approach, with a rigid body motion equation and the Newmark integral method. The numerical simulations ...

  28. Writing a Research Paper Conclusion

    Step 1: Restate the problem. The first task of your conclusion is to remind the reader of your research problem. You will have discussed this problem in depth throughout the body, but now the point is to zoom back out from the details to the bigger picture. While you are restating a problem you've already introduced, you should avoid phrasing ...

  29. ďťżM3 Mac Mini Release Date and Price

    Introduction:In the fast-paced international generation, exciting information has surfaced approximately the approaching Mac Mini with the M3 chipset. This progressive release promises a huge ...