Organizing Your Writing PART 2 - Introduction

There are 3 main parts to an introduction, what are they?

Introduction 1.Attention Grabber 2.Background information 3.Thesis Statement Remember: although you need at least 3 sentences in a paragraph, a good paragraph is 6 – 10 sentences!

Thesis Statement Usually comes at the end of the introductory paragraph Is one or two sentences in length States what the reader will find in the paper States the reason the paper is being written [the argument] –You are persuading someone to see your side, and potentially change their mind about something –You want to show that you see both sides, but yours is better Shows the organization of the paper – what you will discuss first, second, etc.

Prepare to Write Your Thesis To do this you will have to know what you are going to talk about in your paper. Write down a number of points you could make to support your argument Have a combination of at least 3 [you can do more] Your argument point 1 Your argument point 2 Support the other side point 3 DO NOT WRITE DOWN NUMBERS, WRITE THE ACTUAL CONTENT!

Examples Judy Syfer's essay, "I Want a Wife," exaggerates the marital expectations facing women in our society today. Those expectations include managing a household, maintaining a career, and having a good relationship with a spouse.

Examples Young people in the Middle Ages, who were considered young but responsible adults by the age of sixteen, had fewer social choices when compared to modern American teenagers. Unless they followed a religious calling, medieval teenagers had to contend with an arranged marriage and bearing children while living without what we would consider personal privacy or freedom.

Examples Pepper's and Amante both offer a greater variety of ingredients than other Chapel Hill/Carrboro pizza places (and than any of the national chains), but the funky, lively atmosphere at Pepper's makes it a better place to give visiting friends and family a taste of local culture.

Your thesis should look like this! Argument [. Or ;] support 1, support 2, sympathy.

NOW DO IT Write Your Thesis Write your Argument Then your list of points toward and against to prove your thesis! Leave I, Me, My out of it! I know it is your opinion, YOU are writing the paper.

Attention Grabber also known as a hook This usually comes at the beginning of your introduction and can be one of the following:

1.Opening with an unusual detail: Manitoba, because of its cold climate, is not thought of as a great place to be a reptile. Actually, it has the largest seasonal congregation of garter snakes in the world!

2. Opening with a strong statement: Cigarettes are the number one cause of lighter sales in Canada!

3. Opening with a Quotation: Elbert Hubbard once said, "Truth is stronger than fiction."

4. Opening with a Statistic or Fact: Sometimes a statistic or fact will add emphasis or interest to your topic. It may be wise to include the item's source. 1 in 8 women die during child birth in Sierra Leon [Amnesty International].

5. Opening with a Question. Have you ever considered how many books we'd read if it were not for television?

6. Opening with an Exaggeration or Outrageous Statement. The whole world watched as the comet flew overhead.

Now Your Turn Create 3 different grabber/hook sentences. WELL…..What are you waiting for?

Now you have the first and last sentence of your introduction – what else do you need?

THE MIDDLE! Background information. What is the reader going to need to know about your topic. Make a list of what basic information your reader is going to need to know to understand your paper. Now write that list into complete sentences.