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Introductions

As you know from previous experience and class discussion, an introduction paragraph is the first paragraph of your essay. It is also usually the least developed by students (and that should not be the case). Your introduction paragraph should be of sufficient length to fulfill the characteristics listed below. You want to avoid leaving gaps in development that the reader has to “fill” for themselves. A solid introduction paragraph should be at least seven to ten sentences long and include your thesis as the last sentence. For class discussion you should be familiar with the information below.

Characteristics:

                    focuses readers' attention on your subject and arouses interest – you want to make your reader

want to continue reading

                    specifies your topic and implies your attitude

                    generally broad to specific (leads from topic to specific –thesis)

                    concludes with thesis statement to transition to body paragraphs—more to come on

writing thesis statements.

Strategies: (make sure that information you include is related to subject of thesis)

Each of these strategies will be discussed in class:

                    provide background

                    ask a question

                    general comments about subject leading to focus

                    relate an incident

                    use a vivid quotation

                    offer a surprising statistic or other fact

                    outline the argument your thesis refutes

                    state an opinion related to your thesis

                    create a visual image that represents your subject

                    make a historical comparison or contrast

                    outline a problem or dilemma

                    define a word central to your subject

                    discuss opposite ideas of your focus

What not to do:

                    don't reach back too far with vague generalities or truths "Throughout human

history…”; “In today’s world…” 

                    don't tell your readers what you will do “The purpose of this essay is…” of “In this

essay I will…”, show them (more on this is class).

                    don't refer to the title of the essay in the first sentence

                    don't start with "According to Webster.. ." or similar phrase leading to definition (it is

acceptable to use a definition if you incorporate it into your own ideas and cite

according to MLA).

                     don't apologize for your opinion or for inadequate knowledge “I’m not sure if

I’m right…”; “I don’t know much about this …”; etc.

· Many of you have, perhaps, been taught to outline / summarize your main points in your

introduction. DO NOT DO THIS IN ANY OF YOUR ESSAYS IN THIS CLASS!

Outlining or summarizing your essay in your introduction should only be used in certain instances (such as a business plan). For our purposes, outlining or summarizing your main points in your introduction would defeat the purpose of trying to gain your reader’s interest. If your reader already knows what your essay talks about, then why would he or she want to read it?

Hebert