Chapter 7: Writing an Effective Ending

Chapter 7: Writing an Effective Ending — CampusJourn

📖 Introduction

Don't Just Stop. End.

Last time, you wrote the body of your article.

You've got a nut graf. You've got evidence. You've got quotes from experts and community members.

Your article is doing great.

But here's where a lot of beginning writers make one final mistake. They just... stop.

The last paragraph ends. The article cuts off. The reader looks at the page thinking: That's it? Really?

A good science article doesn't stop. It ends. And there's a big difference between the two.

📌 Key Term

An ending — also called a kicker — is the final paragraph of your article. A kicker is a journalism term for a closing that lands with impact, like the punchline of a joke, except for news.

🚪

Think of it this way: Your lead opened a door. Your body walked the reader through it. Your ending closes it — in a way they'll remember.

🎯 Section 7.1

The Purpose of an Ending

A good ending does three things.

Job 1

🔁 Reinforcing the Main Idea

Your ending brings the reader back to the heart of your story. Not by repeating the lead word for word — that's lazy. By echoing the main idea in a fresh, final way.

Echo it. Don't repeat it.

Job 2

🔒 Creating Closure

Closure means the reader feels like the story is complete — not cut off. A story without closure leaves your reader unsatisfied. Like a meal with no dessert.

Your ending gives the story a proper finish.

Job 3

💭 Leaving an Impression

The last thing your reader reads is the last thing they remember. Make it count. A strong ending sticks with the reader even after they've put it down.

Make the final sentence earn its place.

🖊️ Section 7.2

Types of Kickers

Just like leads, endings come in different types. Here are the five you need to know.

7.2.1 Quotation Kicker

The quotation kicker ends your article with a powerful quote from one of your sources. It works best when the quote captures the heart of your story in a way no summary paragraph could.

Structure: "[Powerful closing quote]," said [Name, identification].

✅

Strong Quotation Kicker

"'I just wanted clean water for my family,' said Daisy, now in Grade 6. 'I didn't know it would help the whole barangay too.'" Closes on a human note — brings the reader back to the person at the center of it all.

⚠️

Too General

"'Science is important,' said the teacher." A quotation kicker needs a quote that carries emotional weight or says something specific — not something generic.

7.2.2 Anecdotal Kicker

The anecdotal kicker closes with a brief, real-life moment or scene that echoes the story's main idea. It's like the anecdotal lead — but in reverse. Instead of opening with a moment to pull the reader in, you close with a moment that sends them off with something to think about.

Structure: [Short scene or moment that reflects the story's main idea — resolved or ongoing.]

✅

Strong Anecdotal Kicker

"Last Tuesday, three weeks after the solar lamp was installed, the lights in Room 4 were still on at six in the evening..." That scene closes the loop — we started with a problem, we end with it solved.

⚠️

Too Vague

"The students were happy. Science is useful in everyday life." An anecdotal kicker needs a specific, vivid moment — not a general statement about happiness and science.

7.2.3 Circular Kicker

The circular kicker brings your story back to something from your opening. It creates a loop — connecting your ending directly to your lead or your anecdotal opening. This one feels especially satisfying to readers. It's like the story folded neatly back into itself.

Structure: [Reference back to the opening scene, person, or detail — but now with new meaning because of everything the reader just learned.]

📰

The Lead

"Every morning before school, Daisy checks the small solar panel on her family's roof. She built it herself from scrap materials — and it's been powering their kitchen lights for three months."

🔁

The Circular Kicker

"This morning, like every morning, Daisy climbed up to check the panel before school. It was still working perfectly. But now three more families on her street have asked her to build one for them too."

See that? We're back with Daisy. We're back on the roof. But everything has changed since the opening. That loop is exactly what makes a circular kicker so effective.

7.2.4 Twist Kicker

The twist kicker closes with a surprising fact, detail, or turn that the reader didn't see coming. It leaves the reader slightly surprised — in a good way.

Structure: [Surprising final detail or fact that reframes or adds unexpected meaning to the story.]

✅

Strong Twist Kicker

"...She found out about the invitation during her Math class — in the middle of a long division quiz." The last detail is funny and human. The reader smiles. They remember Ziah.

⚠️

Essay Conclusion, Not a Twist

"In conclusion, science is very important and we should all support young scientists." Science journalism doesn't need "in conclusion." It needs a specific, surprising detail.

7.2.5 Call-to-Action Kicker

The call-to-action kicker closes by pointing the reader toward something they can do, watch for, or think about next. It works best for science stories about ongoing issues — problems that haven't been fully solved yet, or solutions that still need support.

Structure: [A forward-looking statement that connects the story to what readers can do or watch for next.]

✅

Strong Call-to-Action Kicker

"The barangay's water testing results are expected to be released next month. Residents are encouraged to contact the barangay health office if they notice changes..." Practical. Gives the reader something to do.

⚠️

Too Vague to Act On

"Everyone should care about water. Clean water is important for all of us." A call-to-action kicker needs a specific, real next step — not just a general reminder.

🧭 Section 7.3

Choosing the Best Kicker

So how do you pick the right one?

Matching the Story

Breaking science newsQuotation kicker or Call-to-action kicker

Human-interest science storyAnecdotal kicker or Circular kicker

Surprising discovery storyTwist kicker

Strengthening the Ending

Ask yourself: Does this ending leave my reader with something? Something to think about. Something to feel. Something to do. If the answer is no — try a different kicker type.

Common Mistakes

❌ Mistake 1

The summary ending. "In summary, this article discussed the student's invention, the dengue problem, and what experts said about it." Never summarize your own article. Your reader just read it.

❌ Mistake 2

The essay conclusion. "In conclusion, science is important and young people should be encouraged to pursue it." Science journalism doesn't use "in conclusion." Ever.

❌ Mistake 3

Just stopping. "The project will continue next year." [End] That last line has no weight, no resonance, no landing. Don't let your article fizzle out.

📝 Section 7.4

Let's Check Two Examples

Same story — a student who built a rainwater collector. Two different endings. Let's see why one works and one doesn't.

❌ Weak Ending

"In conclusion, rainwater collectors are useful. This student's project shows that science can solve everyday problems. We should all care about water conservation."

Reinforces the main idea? Barely.
Creates closure? No — feels like a school report.
Leaves an impression? No — too general to stick.

✅ Strong Ending (Circular Kicker)

"The rainy season starts next month. JM has already set up two more collectors — one for his neighbor's garden, one for the school's plant boxes. He says he's not done yet."

Reinforces the main idea? YES — water collection, real impact, ongoing story.
Creates closure? YES — feels complete but alive.
Leaves an impression? YES — JM isn't stopping. And neither is the story.

The 5 Kicker Types — Quick Recap

💬 Quotation · 👤 Anecdotal · 🔁 Circular · 🎭 Twist · 📣 Call-to-Action

= A kicker that reinforces, closes, and leaves an impression — never a summary or an essay conclusion.

✏️ Practice Time

Apply what you learned. Work through the activities below step by step.

Match the Kicker Type Read each ending below. Pick which type it is — Quotation, Anecdotal, Circular, Twist, or Call-to-Action.

📋 For each ending below, click the kicker type you think it is. Then see if you're right — and read why.

Endings matched:

Ending 1

"The Department of Health urges communities near affected waterways to boil drinking water until further testing is completed. Residents with questions can call the DOH hotline at 1555."

Ending 2

"'I just wanted to see if it would work,' said Alberta, still looking at the small solar panel she installed on the classroom roof. 'I didn't think anyone would notice.'"

Ending 3

"When Hanna first brought her water sample to school in a small plastic bottle, her classmates thought it was a joke. Today, that same bottle sits on the principal's desk — labeled, documented, and on its way to the provincial health office as official evidence."

Ending 4

"Edel spent three months building the flood sensor in her living room after school. She presented it at the regional science fair last Saturday. She won first place. She found out she was the youngest contestant in the competition's 12-year history."

Ending 5

"By seven in the evening, the barangay hall was quiet again. The solar panels on the roof were still absorbing the last of the daylight. Inside, the lights stayed on — the way they always do now, ever since the project began six months ago."

Writing Paragraph 6 (Ending) Use the story information below to write a closing paragraph. Choose any kicker type that fits, then identify which type you used and why.

📝 1. Pick a kicker type that fits the tone of Henry's story. 2. Write one to three sentences max. 3. Make it land — don't summarize, don't conclude like an essay. 4. Write your kicker type and why you chose it.

📚 Story Information

About Henry Henry is a Grade 5 student from Tarlac City who spent four months growing vegetables using a hydroponic system — a method of growing plants in water instead of soil. He built the system using recycled plastic bottles and pipes from a broken faucet. His family now harvests fresh vegetables three times a week without spending anything on soil or fertilizer. Henry's teacher, Mr. Santos, says the project is the most practical student experiment he's seen in 15 years of teaching. Henry says he got the idea from a YouTube video and just decided to try it.

✅ Sample Answer (to guide you)

Ending written:"Four months ago, the plastic bottles were in a garbage bag outside Henry's house. This week, they're full of kangkong, pechay, and lettuce. His mother says she hasn't bought vegetables from the market in three weeks."

Kicker type used:Circular Kicker — because it connects back to the beginning of Henry's project and shows how much has changed through a specific, vivid detail.

✍️ Write Your Ending

Write your ending (1–3 sentences)

Which kicker type did you use?

Why did you choose this kicker type?

🔍 Self-Check Guide

What to Check	Done ✅	Try Again 🔄
My ending does not summarize the article	☐	☐
My ending does not start with "In conclusion"	☐	☐
My ending is three sentences or less	☐	☐
My ending leaves the reader with something to think about	☐	☐
I identified my kicker type and explained my choice	☐	☐

📊 Simple Rubric

✅✅✅

All five checks passed — that ending lands. Your article is complete from lead to kicker.

✅✅

Three or four checks passed — almost there. Read your ending out loud and fix what feels unfinished.

✏️

One or two checks passed — go back to the five kicker types, find the one that fits Henry's story, and try again.

Answers for writing activities will be different for each student. Use the rubric above or ask your teacher for help.

🧠 Build a Sentence

Click the scrambled word groups in the right order to build a true statement about science article endings.

0/5

Score

Sentence 1 of 5

SENTENCE 1 OF 5

Click the word groups below in order...

out of 5

Up Next

Chapter 8: Writing Headlines

Your article now has a lead, a body, and an ending — a complete science article. Next, learn how to write a headline strong enough to make someone want to read it in the first place.

Chapter 8 →

Writing an Effective Ending