How to write Introductory paragraphs

Adapted from presentations by José J. González, Jr. and Catherine Wishart 1

2

The Parts of the Introductory Paragraph

The Hook - Designed to grab attention immediately and give some indication about the essay’s topic

3

The Parts of the Introductory Paragraph

The Transition - Moves the reader from the hook to the driving force of the essay….

4

The Parts of the Introductory Paragraph

The Thesis - Makes the contract with the reader about what will be discussed. Includes: prompt, position & support.

When you write an introductory paragraph, keep in mind that . . . Writing an introductory paragraph is like

greeting someone. The paragraph should be short and to the point like saying, “How you doin’!”

Also, you don’t want to get into the meat of the essay. Simply give the audience a concise idea of your essay’s purpose.

5

Remember that the introductory paragraph . . .

Is the most important paragraph of the essay

Needs to be 3-5 sentences minimum Needs to do three things

Briefly introduce the topicClearly state your position Give an overview of your support for your

thesis

6

How to write the Introductory paragraph…

7

Create the thesis statement first!!! This will allow you to know where you

are headed in your essay. Do this as part of your plan.

Write a hook that will grab the reader’s attention.

Transition to the thesis. Write your thesis statement as the last line

of the introduction.

Example Today smoking is an issue

which is on everybody’s mind.

8

The whole country is divided on this issue. Some people believe that smoking should be banned everywhere while others are not so harsh. The school board is considering a smoking ban at all school events.

In order to keep students safe, tobacco should be outlawed on campus because smoking endangers everyone’s health, pollutes the environment, and encourages students to smoke.

Even though there are several ways to begin an essay, I recommended that you choose one particular method and perfect it.

9

Creating your hook…

Let us consider different types of hooks…

Personal examples

Facts or statistics

Current events

Contrast to the thesis statement

10

Personal Example

Provides strong, dramatic incidents to use. Honesty in expressing thoughts and feelings will ring true with the reader.

You can make up the personal experience, but make sure it sounds credible.

Must directly relate to your thesis

11

Personal Example 1 On Friday, February 19, 2000, life changed for an

eighteen-year-old young man. He became very ill from a bacterial infection. His body could not fight the infection. Why? After a week of tests and examinations by several specialists, the diagnosis was made. He had leukemia, a cancer of the bone marrow. I am that young man. When a person finds out that he has cancer, just as I did, his whole world changes. A cancer patient is affected physically, psychologically, and socially by the impact of cancer.

12

This is the thesis

Personal Example 2 One morning a young mother had her seven-month old

son in his stroller under the peach tree near the family pool. She walked to the kitchen to get a knife so she could peel the peach for him. Ten seconds later, she found him facedown with the stroller at the bottom of the pool. She immediately pulled him out and administered CPR to her son. If she had been gone any longer, he might have been one of the statistics that plague our country every year. These child drownings could be greatly reduced if parents never left their children unattended around water, if pools were properly fenced, and if other safety devices were installed in or by the pool.

13This is the thesis

14

Facts or Statistics

Must be startling or unusual Must be from a credible source (or sound like

they are) Must directly relate to your thesis

15

Facts or Statistics Example According to an article in Family Safety & First Aid,

published by Berkley Books, “… every 45 seconds a fire breaks out in an American home – 700,000 residences aflame each year. And 16 times a day somebody dies in one of these burning homes.” These statistics are frightening and should not be taken lightly. The best way to deal with the possibility of loss from fire is to plan ahead before it happens. Otherwise, it is too late. In order not to become one of these statistics, Americans need to equip their homes with safety devices, set and adhere to safety rules, and practice a family escape plan.

16

Using Current Events Must be fairly recent Must be important Should be made public by newspapers,

television, radio, internet, etc. Must directly relate to your thesis

Current Events Example

17

This morning’s newspaper reported a man who had shot his twenty-three-year-old girlfriend and her nine-month-old child because he believed his girlfriend had transmitted AIDS to him. In 1984, a nurse in Kokomo, Indiana, refused to go into thirteen-year old Ryan White’s hospital room because he had just been diagnosed with AIDS, and in 1987, a bullet shattered his home’s picture window, forcing Ryan and his family to move to Cicero, Indiana, a community twenty miles south. Though these incidents seem bizarre in civilized America, many people fear AIDS because of the consequences of the disease, the misinformation concerning the disease, and the increasing number of cases of the disease.

Current Events Example

18

Recently Americans have witnessed several mass shootings The shootings in Columbine, Virginia Tech, and a Colorado movie theater have made many people cry for stricter laws across the country. As a response to these crimes, the school board should act to make schools as safe as possible for students and teachers. In order to increase safety, the school should put metal detectors at every entrance, hire police officers to be on campus, and search lockers and students frequently.

19

Using Contrast to the Thesis Statement In direct contrast to the thesis statement you are

going to use Use the prompt to guide you. Must Directly relate to thesis

Contrast Thesis Example

20

The school board believes that implementing a school uniform policy will reduce violence and bullying in schools. However, more fights in schools are caused by personal relationship conflicts and people’s attitudes than what they wear. Making students wear uniforms will not decrease violence and bullying, but it will take away students’ individual rights and create more discipline referrals.

Assignment: Write an introductory

paragraph for the following topic. Many high school seniors have many

financial obligations and need some form of income. Do you think that seniors should be allowed to go half a day to school and work half a day?

21

22

Thesis: High school seniors should be allowed to go to school for half a day and work half a day because they need money for themselves, to help support their families, and real work experience.

Hook ideas: Many people remember a time when a working father

could support his family alone. Those times have changed. Now, both parents are forced to work, and sometimes this is not enough. (Personal example)

Currently there is an unemployment rate of over 8% in the United States. (Facts)

This year’s presidential election is focused around job creation and education. Schools now have the chance to help improve these conditions for high school seniors. (Current Event)

Some people believe that allowing students to work would take away from their educational experience because it takes them out of the classroom. However, students can learn more at a job than they can sitting in a desk. (Contrast)

23

Final reminders !!!!

Be concise and to the point! Do not go into too much detail! At least 3-5 sentences minimum! You must do three things . . .

introduce topic

state position

provide reasons

24

People are always looking for ways to improve schools, and some of the best ideas come from students. Think of ONE change you could propose that would make your school better. Write an essay that would CONVINCE other students and teachers in your school to agree with you.

25

People are always looking for ways to improve schools, and some of the best ideas come from students. Think of ONE change you could propose that would make your school better. Write an essay that would CONVINCE other students and teachers in your school to agree with you.

26

People are always looking for ways to improve schools, and some of the best ideas come from students. Think of ONE change you could propose that would make your school better. Write an essay that would CONVINCE other students and teachers in your school to agree with you.

27