Research Paper Introduction Paragraph

Learning Targets

By the end of today I will:

1. Be able to identify “attention getter” techniques.

2. Have written NINE attention getters of my own to choose from when writing my research paper.

3. Understand the outline process and have begun inputting my research information.

What goes in the Introduction?•Attention Getter—grab the readers’ attention

•Preview—let the reader know what the topics of the body paragraphs are

•Thesis Statement—the one sentence that focuses your entire paper

Attention Getters

•Question•Think of a question or two that requires

reflective thinking on the part of the reader.

•Here’s a sample about Mother Teresa:•How would you react if you heard a

mysterious voice calling you? What if that voice was telling you to go to one of the worst places on Earth?

Attention Getters

•Quote•Find a quote that fits in with your topic, or

a quote by your person that sums up what you want people to know about him/her.

•Here’s a sample about Mother Teresa:•Indira Gandhi, former Prime Minister

of India, said of Mother Teresa, “To meet her is to feel utterly humble, to sense the power of tenderness and the strength of love.”

Attention Getters

•Statistic•Use a statistic that helps make a point, or

a statistic that is unexpected or shocking, to get the reader’s attention.

•Here’s a sample about Mother Teresa:•There are over 13,000,000 people

living in Calcutta, India. Two-thirds of these people are profoundly poor, living in primitive slums or on the streets.

Attention Getters

•Little-known Fact•Surprise the reader with a little-known fact

about your topic. It may make the reader want to know more about the topic.

•Here’s a sample about Mother Teresa:•The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the

highest honors a person can receive. Mother Teresa received this honor in 1979 for her work with the poor of Calcutta, India.

Attention Getters

•List•Use list of descriptive words to focus the

reader’s attention on images or key words you want them to think about.

•Here’s a sample about Mother Teresa:•Compassionate, fearless, and strong

are words that describe Mother Teresa.

Attention Getters

•Set a Scene •Describe where the person was born,

their turning point moment, etc.•Here’s a sample about Mother Teresa:•Filthy streets are cluttered with

garbage, sacred cows wandering about, and the stench of poverty lingers. In the middle of all this misery walks a woman in a white gown, Mother Teresa.

Attention Getters

•Metaphor•Make a comparison between your person

and something with similar qualities.•Here’s a sample about Mother Teresa:•Mother Teresa was an angel walking

on the Earth.

Attention Getters

•Riddle•Give some clues that lead to an answer

that ties in to your person.•Here’s a sample about Mother Teresa:•She was called “mother” by millions,

though she had no children of her own. She was Mother Teresa.

Attention Getters

•Definition•State a definition in your own words that

ties to your topic.•Here’s a sample about Mother Teresa:•A saint is someone who sets aside his

or her own wants and needs to follow a higher calling.

Have you tried them all?

•Your attention getters sheet needs to be stamped today!

•We will come back to this presentation when we write our introduction paragraphs on Monday

Exit Task for Attention Getters

•Class Vote: Which attention getter strategy are you most likely going to use in your research paper?

•Please write it down in sentence form in your Research Paper Organizer.

•Turn to Thesis Statement Page▫This too needs to be stamped today!

•Transfer the rough draft of your thesis statement to your research paper organizer. Yes, you can revise later if needed!

Organization

Your introduction paragraph should go in this order:Attention Getter PreviewThesis Statement (Turning Point)This is my introduction paragraph for Mother Teresa…

Mother Teresa: Answering a Call

Compassionate. Fearless. Strong. These are words that describe

one of the most admired women in recent memory, Mother Teresa. She

was raised in a home that emphasized caring, but she left her home and

family to become one of the most inspirational figures of our time.

Mother Teresa, from a young age, seemed destined to do great things.

Today, her story is still an inspiration to people who care about the poor.

Mother Teresa is one person who answered a call and made a huge

difference in the lives of thousands of the poorest people in the world.

BLUE = Attention GetterPURPLE = Preview—What I’ll be telling you about in the paperRED = Thesis Statement