Introduction Paragraphs

Hooks Personal examples or Anecdotes Quotations Facts or statistics Provides strong, dramatic incidents to use. Honesty in expressing thoughts and feelings will ring true with the reader. While you can make up the personal experience, be careful that it sounds credible. Personal observation - different from a personal example, an observation is something you saw happening. Quotations Content of quote should be: Dramatic, Emotionally appealing, Surprising, Humorous Quote does not have to be from a famous person Must be relevant to thesis statement Facts or statistics Must be startling or unusual Must be from a credible source Use journal as a place to record both quotes and facts or statistics that might work for an introduction Rhetorical questions Must relate to thesis

Background Information Give the reader some general background or a brief overview of the topic. This might include: A brief history of the problem or controversy Some recent events which make the topic timely or urgent Some general facts or statistics that provide the readers with a base level of knowledge about the topic, so they can proceed with your analysis. Sentences must logically lead to thesis. Use an appropriate transition to achieve a smooth flow and avoid an abrupt shift to thesis.

Thesis Statement Rules A thesis statement makes an assertion; it is not a simple statement or observation. Fact or observation: More people are attending community colleges. Thesis: Community colleges are attracting more students because they offer job training programs as well as academic courses of study. A thesis takes a stand; it does not make an announcement. Announcement: The thesis of this paper is the difficulty of solving the environmental problems of the Indian River Lagoon. Thesis: Solving the environmental problems of the Indian River Lagoon will prove more difficult than many people believe because the challenges are extremely hard to overcome. A thesis is a main idea, not a title. Title: The effect of the Internet on society. Thesis: Continuing advances in the Internet are having a great impact upon communication in modern society because of how prolific its use is. A thesis statement narrows the topic. Broad: The American automobile industry has many problems. Narrow: The primary problem facing the American automobile industry is competition from foreign auto makers because of various improvements foreign automakers have made to their product. A thesis statement is specific. Vague: John D. MacDonald’s stories are very good. Specific: John D. MacDonald’s stories advanced the thriller genre by employing various cinematic qualities audiences crave.

Preview A few sentences that lay out how you are going let the reader in on how you will organize your argument to prove your thesis. This does two things: It forces you to organize your thoughts so that you can present them in a coherent manner. If you just throw a bunch of ideas at the reader, he/she may not understand them the same way that you intended them to. This gives the reader a criteria for evaluating your argument. He/she may disagree with you on your selection of issues, but he/she cannot disagree that you didn’t do what you said you would said you would do. This also helps the reader if your writing gets a bit muddled in the middle of the paper – they know the objectives you set at the outset, so he/she can link your ideas up with these objectives more easily.

Example: What does one think of when they are asked to think about amateur wrestling? Most think immediately about the negative aspects and stereotypes surrounding the sport. These negative aspects and stereotypes have had a enervating effect on the sport. Wrestling is one of the top ten armature sports for boys in America; however, participation in the sport has decreased because the level of commitment necessary to excel in the sport and the lack of excitement around competition. Although the number of participants in the sport of wrestling is on the decline, various actions can be taken to combat the decline because the sport has so much to offer athletes and their communities. By highlighting what the sport provides both the community and the individual participating, it makes it more attractive and relevant to parents and community stakeholders. Creating an atmosphere of excitement surrounding the completion builds community and interest. Both of these things combined with painting a more positive image of the sport all will have positive affects on the number of young athletes participating. Hook Background Information Thesis Preview