Why do we need introductions? Transport your reader from their own lives into the “place” of your analysis From 2014 United States to the time, place or mood of your novel Make a good first impression Make your readers want to read your paper Serve as a roadmap for your paper

Good Introductions follow ANT Attention-getter or GRABBER should draw the reader in; the theme of the attention-getter should match the thesis Necessary information (BACKGROUND) should transport your reader to the world of your literature Thesis statement is the argument of the paper that needs to be supported by everything that follows

Attention-getters… Open your introduction with a GRABBER An intriguing example A provocative quote A thought provoking question An interesting fact A definition or explanation relevant to your topic

Necessary information… Every introduction must include: Title Author Genre

Thesis Statements… A thesis statement is an idea that can be argued. Getting an idea takes thinking about what you know about a topic and formulating an idea out of that knowledge, using your distinctive imagination and understanding.  The thesis that makes an argument is best when it establishes a relationship between an idea about the text and the significance of that idea (character, theme, symbol) in the text. The Thesis Statement should be at the very end of your introduction paragraph

Why do we need conclusions? Just as the introduction transports your reader from their own lives into the “place” of your analysis, the conclusion bridges the reader back to their daily lives From your novel back to Cohasset High School Make a good final impression Summarize your thoughts Demonstrate the importance of your ideas

Conclusion Strategies Include a brief summary of the essay’s main points and do one of the following: Play the “So What” and “Why Should Anybody Care” game Propose a solution or further action to be taken Make a warning Propose additional questions to be asked

Conclusion Don’ts DO NOT Copy your thesis word for word (verbatim) into your conclusion DO NOT Introduce a new idea or supporting reason in your conclusion DO NOT Make sentimental or emotional appeals DO NOT Include evidence (detailed examples or quotes) that should be in a body paragraph

“So What” in your Conclusion Can you connect this topic to events in the world today? In your school? In your community? In your state or country? Internationally? Did this literature give you any insights into human nature? What is the significance of the author’s suggestions? How might these reflect our world today?