EXAMPLES FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA WRITING LAB ( AND THE PURDUE OWL ( WRITING INTRODUCTIONS AND CONCLUSIONS

INTRODUCTIONS

GETTING STUCK ON INTRODUCTIONS Introductions are, for many people, the most difficult part of a paper to write. When I was in school, my teachers would explain the importance of needing a “hook” and say things like, “remember, if you don’t have a good introduction, no one will want to read the rest of your paper!” This made me so nervous about writing introductions that I would spend hours agonizing over them, and then have to rush to finish the rest of the paper, which I had almost forgotten about! The reality is that while introductions are important, they are not MORE important than any other part of the paper, and really only need to accomplish a few things.

WHAT INTRODUCTIONS SHOULD DO Introductions need to accomplish the following: 1.Introduce the Topic 2.Create Interest 3.Provide Necessary Background Information 4.Identify Your Main Idea/Preview the Rest of Your Essay (Thesis Statement)

1. INTRODUCE THE TOPIC Introduce the Topic. If you are writing an essay about why Muhammad Ali is a hero, you will want to mention both the idea of heroism, and the subject of the paper (Ali) right away, and quickly establish how the two are linked.

2. CREATE INTEREST Create interest. You might include a detail or an anecdote that helps show why Ali is a hero, something that invests your reader in the essay and learning about Ali. The key is finding some detail that will make the reader care about Ali, about the idea of heroism, or about whatever topic you are discussing. Here are some other things to try: An especially significant example A quote A thought-provoking question

3. PROVIDE NECESSARY BACKGROUND INFORMATION Provide necessary background information. Don’t go overboard: I don’t need to know when and where Ali was born, or how many siblings and children he has. I do need to know that he is famous for being a boxer, and that he has fought for increased awareness of Parkinson’s Disease, as these are the things he is most famous for.

4. IDENTIFY YOUR MAIN IDEA/PREVIEW THE REST OF YOUR ESSAY Identify your main idea/Preview the rest of your essay. This is your THESIS. Usually it comes at the end of the paragraph, but I have also seen them placed at the beginning of the introduction. Go with what feels right; I’ll let you know if it doesn’t quite work.

SAMPLE INTRODUCTION Muhammad Ali famously declared that he could “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.” The American public was first exposed to his phenomenal skill as a boxer in the 1960 Olympics, when he won a gold medal. Thirty-six years later, Ali provided another iconic Olympic moment when, his once impressive body shaking uncontrollably (the result of his battle with Parkinson’s Disease), he lit the Olympic Flame. These two moments demonstrate why Ali has become such an iconic figure for so many: the first was a demonstration of the natural talent which would win him three world heavyweight championships, while the second shows his determination to endure in the face of the adversity. Muhammad Ali is a hero because he excelled in his chosen field, becoming perhaps “The Greatest” boxer ever to live, but also because he has stood firm and spoken openly of his beliefs, even when this has had great personal consequences. Finally, Ali is a hero because he continues to function as an example of hope and positivity to millions, even as he struggles with a debilitating disease.

OVERUSED INTRODUCTIONS

THE PLACE HOLDER INTRODUCTION “The Place Holder Introduction” Example: Slavery was one of the greatest tragedies in American history. There were many different aspects of slavery. Each created different kinds of problems for enslaved people.

THE RESTATED QUESTION INTRODUCTION The Restated Question Introduction Example: Indeed, education has long been considered a major force for American social change, righting the wrongs of our society. The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass discusses the relationship between education and slavery in 19th century America, showing how white control of education reinforced slavery and how Douglass and other enslaved African Americans viewed education while they endured. Moreover, the book discusses the role that education played in the acquisition of freedom. Education was a major force for social change with regard to slavery.

THE WEBSTER’S DICTIONARY INTRODUCTION The Webster’s Dictionary Introduction Example: Webster’s dictionary defines slavery as “the state of being a slave,” as “the practice of owning slaves,” and as “a condition of hard work and subjection.”

THE BOOK REPORT INTRODUCTION The Book Report Introduction Example: Frederick Douglass wrote his autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, in the 1840s. It was published in 1986 by Penguin Books. In it, he tells the story of his life.

CONCLUSIONS

WHAT TO INCLUDE IN A CONCLUSION A conclusion should do the following: Remind the reader why your topic, and particularly your thesis statement, are important and worth discussing. Leave the reader feeling that the topic has been fully addressed by tying up any loose ends and quickly summarizing your main ideas. That’s it!!!

CONCLUSION WRITING TIPS Don’t use the exact language you used in your introduction. The ideas should be the same, but the language and sentence structure should vary. Hint at the implications of your topic. If you are writing about a specific problem, consider what might be done to help resolve this problem. When writing about a hero, you might explain why your hero is important to the specific context of their struggle. Thus, if you are writing about Nelson Mandela and why he is a hero, you might want to discuss how the future of South African might benefit from his story and example. Or, if you are writing about someone who has combated a debilitating disease, you might comment on what can be done to make sure that their suffering was not in vain. Sometimes like to echo directly things I said earlier in my paper, to give the paper a “full circle” quality. I do this in the example below by referring back to a quote by Muhammad Ali where he called himself “The Greatest.” But you needed use a quote; you can simply refer to an idea you used earlier, or perhaps make an additional comment on an important anecdote or example.

SAMPLE CONCLUSION Muhammad Ali initially won the public’s affection because he possessed a once in a lifetime talent, a natural aptitude for his sport that has rarely been matched, and because of his brash confidence and wit. But this is not what makes him a hero. Rather, Ali is a hero because he was willing to give up his fame and his fortune to do what he felt was right, and because he has shown continual bravery and dignity in fighting a disease that stripped him of the very things which most defined him: his ability to box, and his ability to speak. It is possible that Ali is, as he so famously claimed “The Greatest” boxer to ever live. But his legacy extends far beyond any ring.