Introductions and Conclusions Writing the Essay ENG 10

Save the first for last Save the first for last  Have at least a working version of major thesis before drafting but save the introduction for later.  Then it will truly introduce what’s actually written instead of what writer intended. (So be willing to rework if needed)  This ties the introduction more effectively to the conclusion by writing them both at the same time.

Attention-getting openings  A startling fact or bit of information  A meaningful quotation  A universal idea related to your thesis  A thought-provoking question  An interesting anecdote, story, or dramatic episode  A rich, vivid description or image  A fresh analogy or metaphor

Let’s try: Attention-getting openings  A rich, vivid description or image  A fresh analogy or metaphor

Effective introductions “can stop traffic” “can stop traffic”

Openings to avoid  Dictionary definitions of words your reader should know.  “Did you know?” or “Have you ever wondered?” rhetorical questions  “This paper will be about …” “In this paper I will prove”

More opening mistakes to avoid  Beginning too far away from your actual topic (“There are many novels, all of which have characters. Some characters are heroes, and some are not.”)  A “book report” list of irrelevant facts (William Shakespeare lived in the Elizabethan era in England. He wrote many plays. One of these plays was Hamlet.)

Hint about openings  When previewing main topics in your introduction, make sure you list them in the order in which they appear in your paper.

What goes in the introduction  Preparation for your reader so that he/she will be “warmed up” and ready for the points you are going to make. Essential background about your topic and preparation for your major thesis. Essential background about your topic and preparation for your major thesis. Road maps for the rest of the essay, posing important ideas or questions you will consider in your paper Road maps for the rest of the essay, posing important ideas or questions you will consider in your paper

The intro & the thesis sentence  Introduction ends with your major thesis.  Make special attempts to link the TS to the sentence that precedes it by building on a key word or idea.

Ending the essay

The conclusion  Your conclusion wraps up your argument and leaves the reader with some final things to think about.  Your conclusion should stem from what you have already written. Transition here is really important – think about how you used the sentence before your thesis statement and see if you can do the same thing before the beginning of your conclusion! Transition here is really important – think about how you used the sentence before your thesis statement and see if you can do the same thing before the beginning of your conclusion!

Purpose of the conclusion  Should echo the major thesis without repeating words verbatim.  Should move beyond TS to reflect on significance of ideas just presented.  Should indicate why these ideas are important.

Effective conclusions  Reflect on how topic relates to larger issues (in the lit, in society, in history, in writer’s life)  Show how topic affects the reader’s life  Evaluate the concepts presented  Issue a call for action on the part of the audience

More about effective conclusions  Ask questions generated by essay’s findings  Make predictions  Recommend a solution

Even more about effective conclusions  Connect back to introduction, esp. if writer used a metaphor, anecdote, or vivid image

Conclusions to avoid:  Beginning with “In conclusion …”  Restating thesis and main points without adding anything new – it is NOT a summary!  Bringing up a new topic (different from personal example being added)  Adding irrelevant details (esp. just to make a paper longer) (esp. just to make a paper longer)

The information in this presentation comes from the following source  Writing with Style: Conversations on the Art of Writing by John Trimble