The introduction Hook bridgethesis
1. The hook To hook a fish, you have to use bait. To hook a reader, you have to use a hook! When you meet someone new, you want to make a good impression—same with writing. Use one of the many types of hooks to seize the reader’s attention and make them want to keep reading.
Types of hooks: Statistics Philosophical musing Humorous musing Rhetorical Question Quotation (from source or literature) Dialogue Anecdotal/ scenario Onomatopoeia imagery Statistics Philosophical musing Humorous musing startling statement Analogy
Which would you rather walk over? 2. The bridge What is a bridge? A bridge is a group of sentences that smoothly shifts the focus of the writing from the hook to the main topic of the essay. An effective bridge is perhaps the trickiest component of an engaging introduction, as there is not one clear way to accomplish this transition. Which would you rather walk over?
A bridge’s job is to get you from one side to the other safely and smoothly!
3. The thesis (your pitchfork) What is a thesis statement? It is usually a single sentence at the end of your first paragraph that presents your argument to the reader. The thesis statement is the “road map” of your paper, directing you as you write it and guiding the reader through it.
For your thesis, do: Know your essay’s type. Make a statement. Make a debatable claim. Be specific.
For your thesis, do not: Announce the thesis, like, “this paper will discuss…” Announce yourself, like, “I am going to prove that…” Ask a question that isn’t clearly rhetorical or that you don’t answer in your essay. Leave your reader asking “how?” or “why?”
The pitchfork strategy Reason #1, (Whatever you are arguing) because… Reason #2, Reason #3. When writing your thesis, draw the pitchfork to remind yourself what you need to include, and to keep it short and sweet to nail it! BULLSEYE!
Now…. We are going to practice identifying these pieces of an introduction before you work on writing them yourselves so you have models to work with. Grab your colors! Yellow: The Hook Blue: The Bridge Green: Your thesis