Constructing an Effective Introduction Paragraph

You can think of the progression of ideas in an introduction paragraph as an upside down triangle.

Your ideas should move/develop BROAD  SPECIFIC UNIVERSAL  TEXT

An effective introduction contains three important components.

Attention-Getter (1-2 sentences) Introduces a universal idea that relates to the text. Objective is to draw in as many readers as possible. Preview the big ideas the paper will discuss.

A hero is a person who displays courage in the face of adversity. Example A hero is a person who displays courage in the face of adversity.

Bridge Sentence (1 sentence) Gives some minimal background on the plot of the text. Provides readers with a context for the paper.

Example Kurt Vonnegut’s iconic short story about a dystopic future world of perpetual “equality” includes many examples of heroism.

Three-Prong Thesis Statement (1 sentence) You already know how to rock this! I mean, see previous notes…

For Tuesday… Take home yesterday’s in-class writing Produce… Complete introduction paragraph One POLISHED body paragraph Typed, MLA Format Worth 15 writing points – also turn in original Turn in Wanderings Chart – 10 in-class points