Openings, Transitions, and Closings Beyond Five Paragraphs: Advanced Essay Writing Skills

Writing Effective openings (introductory paragraph) Engage the reader Present your thesis Present your roadmap (optional) Goals to Consider Establish the “so-what” Set up the context

Engage the reader Ways to hook a reader: Use a quotation Ask a question or questions Provide an anecdote Define an important concept that will be explored Provide a surprising fact or statistic Start with a provocative claim Make an analogy

Present your thesis A thesis should appear in your opening Recall the characteristics of strong and effective thesis statements A thesis should appear in your opening The most logical place is the last sentence of your opening (introductory paragraph)

Set up the context What specifically is your essay about? Through what lens will you explore the topic? Individual? Societal? What essential background information is needed to explain the topic? Consider whether you have answered these questions in your opening (introductory paragraph).

Establish the “so-what” Why does my topic and what I have to say about it matter? How do my ideas link to relevant theme(s) in life? What does my topic reveal about human nature? What does the reader learn? Consider whether you have answered these questions in your opening (introductory paragraph).

Present your roadmap (optional) a roadmap tells the reader exactly how the essay will unfold It can be integrated into the thesis Or presented after the thesis to provide additional information In many cases, a roadmap is not necessary in shorter essays as the context alone will develop a clear idea of what the essay will cover In longer essays, a roadmap may be required to allow the reader to clearly see the order of specific information

Transitions For smooth movement from one idea to another. E.g. Politics may not be an interest for many in society. However, come election time, more people tend to develop an interest. Can be used to transition between sentences or between paragraphs. Use at the beginning, middle, or end of a paragraph.

Transitional words and Phrases Function or type of transition Sample transitional words and phrases To add moreover, in addition to, furthermore, besides, what’s more To clarify to be clear, another way to, that is (to say), so To concede at any rate, still, granted that, while it may be true To compare similarly, compared to, in comparison, likewise To contrast but, however, on the contrary, nevertheless, in spite of To show a consequence or result therefore, consequently, accordingly, so, as a result To provide details namely, especially, in particular, including To emphasize surely, above all, certainly, in fact To provide examples For instance, to illustrate, as an example To point to a person, object, or group this, that, these, it, their, they To qualify perhaps, maybe, nearly To indicate spatial relationship at the left, at the right, behind, opposite to To summarize or conclude accordingly, in brief, in conclusion, consequently To signal time afterward, then, next, at the same time, eventually

Writing effective closings (concluding paragraph) The purpose of a closing: an opportunity to provide your final insights a place to restate and confirm your message a chance to remind readers what they have learned an opportunity to plant into your readers’ mind the idea you want them to take from your paper a place to solidify why your message is important

Strategies for writing effective closings Conclude with a memorable statement or question (could be rhetorical) Bring the essay full circle (include memorable phrasing from your introduction to prove/ indicate how you’ve proven that initial idea) Finish with a personal thought (an anecdote or memory– creates a sense of imagery)

What to avoid in a closing A closing is NOT: a repetition of your thesis and roadmap points a recounting of all the points you made a place to apologize a place to acknowledge the validity of opposing views An opportunity to introduce new ideas or material