Introductions and conclusions

Starting and stopping your paper

PurposeIntroduction:

o To make your audience want to read your paper

o to inform the reader what the paper is about.

Conclusion: o Gives your paper a definite end, closure

Drop the Mic

Introductions

Format of an Introduction

1. Hook/Attention getter/Grabber: 1. to “hook” your reader’s attention ( multiple sentences)

2. Background/Context: 1. To give the reader the pertinent information they

need to understand the topic. ( multiple sentences2. To make a smooth transition between hook and thesis.

3. Thesis statement: It clearly states the topic of the essay, expresses what you’re going to prove in the paper (lens), and indicates the structure of the essay

1. Thesis is the ONLY part of the intro that is one sentence

Types of Hooks/Attention

Getters Anecdotes-Short Stories or narrativeso Writing about teen suicide, tell a story about a girl who

tried to kill herself. Quotes-Word-for-word statements that will lead

the reader to a point you are making Facts- Statistical statements

o 85% of teenagers in Las Vegas have no idea how to apply for college. ( Jones 7)

Descriptive details- Concrete images that appeal to the senses/paint a picture in the reader’s head.

WEAK HOOKS. YOU MAY NOT USE THESE!!!

o Rhetorical question: Asking a question that you want your audience to think about, but give you an answer for.• Do you like staying up late every night doing your

homework?o Define a key term:

• According to Webster’s Dictionary, suicide is defined as……

The Background… Explains the context of the paper. Gives the whatever information about the topic

that the reader must know to understand what you are trying to prove.

Answers the questions: Who, what, where, when and why.

5 or 6 sentences

Thesis statement ONE SENTENCE ONLY! States your position/focus and lists

your arguments/points. Provides an outline for the essay to

follow LAST SENTENCE IN THE

INTRODUCTION Answers the question how or why

Basic Formula for Thesis

TAG+ Main argument + connector of result + 3 pieces of support

_________ ______ is _________________________________because TAG(topic) (what you want to prove/lens)

____________, ___________, __________. ( your reasons/claims)  In Shakespeare’s play, “Othello”, Othello is the tragic hero

because________, _________, and ________.

DON’Ts for Introductions

NEVER, never, never …1. Write in first person2. Begin your introduction with an apology!

• “I’m sorry that my essay is bad…”3. Suggest you don’t know what you’re talking about or that

you haven’t spent very much time and effort in researching your topic! • “I’m not really sure, but I think...” or “In my humble

opinion...” 4. Begin a paper by announcing what you’re doing

• “In this paper I will be talking about...” or “The purpose of this essay is to ...” or “This essay will discuss...” or ANY variation of these boring, lame and redundant beginnings.

Conclusions

Conclusion Formula Formula for conclusion

1. Restate your thesis2. Summarize your ideas3. End with a lasting thought

• the vivid image/story you started in the introduction• a quote, especially if you started with one. • Call to action: Urging your reader to do whatever you were

persuading them to do in your paper.

Mirrored structure Introductions start broad and become specific

Conclusions start very specific and become broad

“Conclusion ” Do…

o Restate your thesis but in different wordso Use the same specific words in the clusion that you used

in the introductiono Leave your reader with a strong image that will stay with

the reader long after they are done reading your paper. ( call to action/final thought)

o Connect your topic to a bigger picture ( “so what”)

“Conclusion” Do NOT…

o repeat your thesis exactly.o add any new points that you haven’t addressed in your

paper. o apologize for your paper, thank the reader for reading

your paper, or say that you hope the reader liked the paper.

o Don’t use “In conclusion”

Connecting the intro and conclusion ( voice)

1. Write a strong introduction with specific details, strong action verbs, and adjectives.

2. Underline some of the images, specific details.3. Use those exact words in your conclusion.

The order of essay writing.

1. Write a “Working thesis” first2. Write your body/ccdw/ anyalytical paragraphs

next based on your prewriting ( data collections/ annoations/outlines)

3. Write your introduction using strong showing details

4. Underline those details and use those details in your conclusion.

Teenagers in many American cities have been involved in more gangs in the last five years than ever before. These gangs of teens have been committing a lot of violent crimes. The victims of these crimes are both gang members and people outside of gangs. Many people do not want to travel to areas in our cities because of the danger from this problem.  For this terrible situation of teenage gangs to stop, it is going to take a combined effort on the part of many people including excellent, supervised after-school programs, more jobs available for teens, and healthy family relationships which will all go a long way towards ending this crisis in our society.

With a combined effort of schools, business and family, the teenage gang crisis can be stopped. People will be able to travel in the cities again without the fear of being a victim of a violent crime due to the gang activity. Together, as a community, the city and society can be reclaimed