Constructing Introductory Paragraphs

General Outline Hook your reader with a thought-provoking statement. Use four, well-written sentences that address the following: Hook your reader with a thought-provoking statement. Introduce the theme or big-picture idea that is guiding your essay. Introduce the focus text(s) for your essay and how it/they relate to your theme or big picture. Depending on the kind of essay you’re writing, you may not need this step. State your thesis or position on the topic. *Be sure to incorporate appropriate transitions!

Step 1: Hook Open with a thought-provoking statement. Consider the following angles: Pop culture reference Related interesting fact Reference to film or music Historical reference DO NOT… Open with a rhetorical question Address your reader directly State your opinion or a personal experience (this might work for a personal narrative)

Step 2: Big Picture Idea Once you’ve established your opening line, introduce the theme or big-picture idea that is guiding your essay. Be sure to incorporate a transition that blends your opening sentence into the overarching idea.

Step 3: Focus Text (if applicable) Now that you have captured your reader’s attention and mentioned your theme, introduce the focus text(s) that you will be exploring. Include a transition word or phrase that connects it to the previous sentence. Within this sentence, specify the following: Title – correctly punctuated and capitalized Genre – use a specific term other than book or story Author This sentence should also briefly identify how this text relates to the theme or big picture idea.

Step 4: Thesis Statement Conclude your introductory paragraph by stating your position on the topic. This statement should be clear and concise; after reading your introductory paragraph, there should be no doubt in your reader’s mind what your argument is.

Reminders about Quotations Quotations cannot stand alone as their own sentences. You’ll need some sort of phrase before or after the quotation anchoring it to your paper. You must give credit to the author, either in the text of the paper or in a parenthetical citation. Examples: According to Winston Churchill, “A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.” In most cases, “A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on” (Churchill).