Ob jective: To construct an interesting, informative introduction and conclusive ending to your research
Writing an introduction
Introductions are important.
They arouse a reader's interest, introduce the subject, and tackle the So What? factor.
In short, they're your paper's "first impression."
But you don't have to write them first.
many students prefer launching right into the body of the essay before writing intros and conclusions.
However, other students prefer writing the introduction first to help "set up" what's to follow.
Begin with a quotation. Just make sure you explain its relevance. Ex: We have nothing to Fear but fear itself. FDR encouraged US citizens with this at the beginning of WWII.
Begin with a question Ex: What would have happened if the United States had not dropped the atomic bomb in Japan?
Begin with an acknowledgment of an opinion opposite to the one you plan to take. Ex: Many people believe that the1950’s were the Happy Days. However, for many people…
Ways to grab reader’s attention
Begin with an interesting fact Ex: Over 58,000 American soldiers lost their lives in Vietnam.
Begin with a definition or explanation of a term relevant to your paper. Ex: The Great Depression is a period in American history…
Ways to get the attention of the reader
Begin with irony or paradox. Ex: It is ironic that in order to save lives, the US dropped a bomb that actually took __________lives.
Begin with an analogy. Make sure it's original but not too farfetched. EX: Being a woman in the 1950’s was much like being a caged bird.
Begin with a very short narrative or anecdote that has a direct bearing on your paper.
Ex: A family of ten wakes up in a broken down tent, surrounded by hundreds of other families in Hooverville, a tent city named after Herbert Hoover, the Presidenbt often blamed for the Great Depression.
2. background information needed (When was the Great Depression; What is an interment camp; Which women in the 1950’s are you discussing—rich, middle-class, poor, What is the cold War, when did it take place
3. Thesis statement is the last sentence of the introduction.
What not to do
Do not use first person (I, me, my, mine)
Do not say “In this essay I will…
Do not say “ I’m going to tell you about…”
Do not get into detailed information—save this for the body of the paper
Do not use contractions
Do not use slang
Do not use lame adjectives—nice, big, little, a lot,
Thesis: The American dream of home ownership, although once believed a right, has in today’s economy become a privilege due to the cost of homes, the rate of mortgages, and the rise in taxes.
Restatement of thesis: Many Americans have concluded that in today’s market the dream of home ownership is beyond their reach.
What about the rest of it?
Demonstrate how the pieces of the essay fit together.
Synthesize your main ideas.
Do not merely repeat it
Explain how they fit together. What conclusions have you drawn?
Attn Getter: John and Joan Miller have saved for three years to buy a home in which they can comfortably raise their new baby. They meet with realtors, cruise the neighborhoods, and finally find a home to meet their needs. However, after lengthy meetings with banking officials, they find the home of their dreams is beyond their means.
Clincher
Despite the difficulties that they have faced, Joan and John Miller have continued to save and hope to find a home before their baby enters the kindergarten.
