That won’t put your reader to sleep Writing an Intro That won’t put your reader to sleep

Why bother writing a good intro? You never get a second chance at an intro. A good or bad intro sets the tone for your entire paper! Your introduction guides the rest of your paper. Think of it like a map, that not only lets the reader know where you’re going, but you as well! In an ideal world, this intro will make your reader want to continue reading the paper, as opposed to feeling bored or refusing to read it.

Elements of an Introduction Hook/Topic Sentence Thesis Supporting Arguments

Hook/Topic Sentence I like to combine the concepts of a hook and topic sentence together because, in an excellent introduction, they will be the same thing. A topic sentence introduces what the subject of your paper will be, generally. It does not include the paper’s argument, or thesis, yet. A hook intrigues the reader, and can be constructs in many, many, many, many different ways. When your reader reads the opening sentences of your paper, they should know your subject and be interested as soon as possible!

Hooks – Do’s 1) An intriguing example – “When Thor snapped the spine of his brother’s innocent lovers, he didn’t think twice about it. This cavalier attitude towards woman symbolizes…” 2) A proactive question – “Do you ever wish, in your greatest moments of despair, to be saved by a superhero? You’re not alone. Cultures all around the world…” 3) A vivid anecdote (small story) – “A small village sits quietly on the shores of Normandy. Suddenly, on the horizon, arrows of flame. Out of the fog come roaring, shirtless, bearded men, shouting loudly in Norse. Over the screams and clash of steel, the name Thor rings louder than anything…”

Hooks - Don’ts 1) Restating the question – “Are Hermes and the Flash similar or different? I think they are. Here’s why…” 2) The ‘beginning of time’ intro – “Since the dawn of time, man has worshipped the sun…” 3) The boring introduction – “Hermes and the Flash are similar yet different. One is an ancient god, the other is a modern version. If we read…” 4) The boring/vague question – “Have you ever been scared,” or “What is the meaning of life?” 5) The compliment – “Thor was a great god. He was very strong. The modern Superhero Thor is strong too, and they both…”

Try writing your own now! Hook Try writing your own now!

Thesis We’ve gone over the thesis extensively. In the introductory paragraph or so of your paper you MUST include your thesis. If your reader does not know what the point of your paper is, they will not want to read it. After you have written your hook and let the reader know your topic, launch straight into your argument. Here’s an example below… “When Thor snapped the spine of his brother’s innocent lovers, he didn’t think twice about it. This cavalier attitude towards woman symbolizes the role women played in Norse culture, or rather, the roles they didn’t play. As they were depicted in Norse mythology, woman were seen as lesser than men, impossible to truly understand or trust, and potentially dangerous.” Do you see how the bold thesis hits the reader right away, and lets them know what the rest of the paper will be about?

Supporting Arguments If the thesis is the roof your paper’s house, the supporting arguments are the columns that support it. Every thesis must have supporting arguments – these are what the meat and potatoes of your paper, the body paragraph, will consist of. These arguments MUST be based on evidence for a research paper. Here’s an example below. This cavalier attitude towards woman symbolizes the role women played in Norse culture, or rather, the roles they didn’t play. As they were depicted in Norse mythology, woman were seen as lesser than men, impossible to truly understand or trust, and potentially dangerous. The myth of Tyr and his seduction at the end of Vera best captures this Norse construction of a woman as an untrustworthy and dangerous figure, yet still weak and ultimately beholden to men. An examination of daily Nordic village life reveals similar relationships in Nordic marriages.

Supporting Arguments For this paper, you must have 2-3 supporting arguments. Any less is insufficient, and any more will require a longer paper than we are writing (750 words). You don’t need to go into extensive detail in the intro paragraph, and you shouldn’t – that’s what body paragraphs are for. On your sheets of paper, try drafting this now. Write down numbers one to three, and jot down an idea for an argument that supports your thesis. It should also be based on evidence – list the source you will use next to the argument as well.

Intro Assignments Write the intro paragraph for your research paper. Highlight your hook, thesis, and supporting arguments in different colors, to make it obvious to yourself what you have included and how you organized your ideas. After writing the paragraph, include the sources you will be using again. Cite them correctly, using MLA format, as you should have done with the Thesis assignment.