The Introductory Paragraph

• Make sure you give both titles and both authors.

• Give your reader some background on both pieces.

• Don’t assume the person reading your paper is familiar with the literature you are writing about.

The Introductory Paragraph

• Example

In “To Build a Fire” by Jack London, a newbie to the Yukon sets out in seventy-five below zero temperatures to meet his friends at their encampment. This situation is one of many like those analyzed by Laurence Gonzales in his article “Deep Survival.”

Writing a Claim Statement

• Use the prompt!– For example, if the prompt is

Use the information from “Deep Survival” to determine the mistakes made by the man in “To Build a Fire”

then your claim should be something like

When reading Gonzales’ article, it is clear to see that the man in “To Build a Fire made many mistakes; he failed to think/analyze/plan during his journey and he gave up and let the circumstances break his spirit.

Putting it all Together - Introduction

In “To Build a Fire” by Jack London, a newbie to the Yukon sets out in seventy-five below zero temperatures to meet his friends at their encampment. This situation is one of many like those analyzed by Laurence Gonzales in his article “Deep Survival.” When reading Gonzales’ article, it is clear to see that the man in “To Build a Fire made many mistakes; he failed to think/analyze/plan during his journey and he gave up and let the circumstances break his spirit.

The Body Paragraphs

Structure your body paragraphs based off your claim.

1. Failed to think/analyze/plan2. Gave up

The Body Paragraphs

• Start with a topic sentence– Ex: One way the man in “To Build a Fire” failed is by

failing to think/analyze/plan during his journey.• Next, set up your evidence– Ex: In the story, the man got into trouble when he got his

feet wet in the creek. The man knew he had to build a fire to survive, but when he built it, he built it under a tree, and as a result, snow fell from the tree and put the fire out. The man “should have built it in the open. But it had been easier to pull the twigs from the brush and drop them directly on the fire”

The Body Paragraphs

• Use a warrant from the non-fiction source.– Ex: According to Gonzales, a key to surviving in harsh

conditions is to “think/analyze/plan (get organized; set up small, manageable tasks).”

• Draw a conclusion based on your evidence and the warrant– Ex: In this case, the man did not think or plan when

he got into trouble. The man did attempt to build a fire, but he did not plan, analyze, or think about the best way to ensure success, and ended up failing.

The Conclusion

• Recap your argument– Ex: According to the principals of effective survival

discussed by Laurence Gonzales, the man in “To Build a Fire” made many mistakes that led to his eventual death. If the man would have been more thoughtful and would have maintained hope without giving up, he would have more likely survived.