Writing Introductions

Parts of an introduction… + Thesis statement (purpose of your essay)

1. Begin with a surprising fact The pentagon has twice as many bathrooms as are necessary. The famous government building was constructed in the 1940s, when segregation laws required that separate bathrooms be installed for people of African descent. This building isn’t the only American icon that harkens back to this embarrassing and hurtful time in our history. Across the United States there are many examples of leftover laws and customs that reflect the racism that once permeated American society. (Grace Fleming, About.com Guide)

2. Begin with a quotation Hillary Rodham Clinton once said that “There cannot be true democracy unless women's voices are heard.” In 2006, when Nancy Pelosi became the nation’s first female Speaker of the House, one woman’s voice rang out clear. With this development, democracy grew to its truest level ever in terms of women’s equality. The historical event also paved the way for Senator Clinton as she warmed her own vocal chords in preparation for a presidential race. (Grace Fleming, About.com Guide)

3. Begin with a question How could a book now acknowledged as a masterpiece not only of fiction but also of English prose have been banned when it was published? Why would a society so mindful of free speech as America ban any book in the first place? It is precisely the themes of love and art that were thought inappropriate at the time of its publication which make Lolita an effective novel today. (http://writing.mit.edu)

4. Begin by stating effects without stating the cause It caused howls of protest from the guardians of public morality in the 1950s. Indirectly it helped bring about both artistic and personal freedom in the 1960s. Today it is a recognized classic of art and thought -- Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita. (http://writing.mit.edu)

5. Begin with an analogy (a comparison) Like a hurricane that brings fear and panic along with its powerful winds, uprooting trees and disrupting belief in an all-merciful God, so the novel Lolita swept across America in the 1950s, bringing fear and panic that perversion would be loosed on the land. Instead, the novel, like a hurricane, blew over trees of thought that were not deeply rooted in American experience, exposing their gnarled premises while helping to clear the way for the artistic freedom of the 1960s. (http://writing.mit.edu)

6. Begin with a short story After having his first official picture taken as an aspiring politician, Abraham Lincoln recalled that the picture was sold all over the country. In Springfield, he saw a boy selling his picture who told prospective customers, “Only two shillings! He’ll look a lot better once he gets his hair combed!” (Abraham Lincoln Page) Abraham Lincoln, though he never claimed to be a fashion consultant, used great wisdom to lead the United States through one of the most trying points of its history.

Introduction Starters: Begin with a surprising fact Begin with a quotation Begin with a question Begin by stating effects without stating the cause Begin with an analogy (a comparison) Begin with a short story

WRITE

DO NOT make an announcement! Don’t say, “I am going to tell you…” Don’t say, “This essay is about…” or “This paper is on…”

Don’t ramble on and on! Introduction should not go beyond one paragraph (or two paragraphs for a LONG paper) Hook your audience’s attention, hit them with the thesis, and move into your body paragraphs!

Keep it professional Don’t use exclamation points in a formal essay or paper Don’t use personal pronouns (I, me, mine, you, yours, we, us, our, ours)

Writing a Thesis

Writing a Thesis Thesis = Writer’s opinion about topic + Reason 1 + Reason 2 + Reason 3 Thesis is the last sentence of the introduction paragraph Example: If the prompt was, “Which makes a better house pet, a real duck or a rubber duck?” A thesis statement could say, “Rubber ducks make better house pets than real ducks because they require less clean up and are less expensive to manage but they still squeak adorably.” If the prompt was, “Should the NSA have access to personal phone conversations?” A thesis statement could say, “The NSA should not have access to personal phone conversations because the database could be hacked, it is an invasion of privacy, and citizens don’t directly vote on the leadership of the NSA.”