The Introduction "The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one." (Mark Twain) Welcome to Unit 5

The Thesis Statement Let’s spend a few minutes reviewing to help you. A thesis statement is the single-most-important sentence of the entire essay. The thesis statement is a sentence that states the topic of the essay, your stance on the topic (or attitude), and helps develop the essay (highlight key points from body paragraphs).

Thesis Statement Examples!!! There are many wonderful careers in the world but none are more rewarding than the life of an educator. Notice- this statement introduces the idea of careers, then takes a stance on a career. It does not use first-person “I” or second person “you.” It is stated in third person. Can you tell what stance this statement is taking? If so, what do you think this biography will be about?

Practice Writing a Thesis Statement Practice Writing a thesis statement. Topic= I want you to take a minute to develop a thesis statement on the best restaurant. Do not use first-person or second-person. Make sure this thesis statement develops the topic for the essay and takes a side. The thesis statement should help lead the overall idea of the essay. Practice now and post your creation. Please take the time to comment on other students’ thesis statements (not about the restaurant they chose but the structure of the thesis.)

Any Questions on the Thesis Statement ? Ask your questions about the thesis statement now! After this slide, we will be moving to the Unit 5 topic of the introduction paragraph.

The writing process - The step-by-step process anyone can follow in order to complete a writing assignment, whether it's for a class or a workplace project. Introductory paragraph--The first paragraph of an essay. It starts with broad, general ideas and then works toward more specific ideas, ending with the thesis sentence.

Introduction Paragraph It presents your thesis A straightforward, dramatic thesis can capture interest It interests your reader in your topic There are a number of ways to do this with an introduction It provides any necessary background information Consider what information your reader needs to understand your essay You may need to define a term You may need to provide a brief history or overview

Ways to Interest your Reader Techniques & Examples Ask a provocative or controversial question How would you feel if the job you had counted on suddenly fell through? State a startling fact or statistic Last year, the U.S. government spent a billion dollars on the national debt. Begin with a story or an anecdote Use a quotation Robert Frost wrote, “Two roads diverged in the woods, and …” State a little-known fact, a myth, or a misconception

Remember!! Just because an introduction paragraph is the first paragraph of your essay does not mean it has to be written first. Sometimes it is best to write last, after you have developed your ideas, written your thesis, and drafted your essay. Other examples are included in the Unit Reading BUT keep in mind that a draft of your introduction is due this week!

HELP…I’m stuck! What do I do?I can do this Writer’s Block –mental block caused when students try to create/shape ideas and write the paper at the same time which leads them to too much criticism of their own writing Strategies - ways to overcome writer’s block including returning to the previous stage in the writing process.

Strategies Take a walk Deep breathing Dance Walk away from your writing Free write about something else and them come back to your topic Remove distractions Review your notes Use your imagination CONCENTRATE

Outrageous!! Gripping!! Wild!!! Sensationalism We Love it!! Read the Headlines This relates to the Discussion Board for this unit

Orlando News Hamilton-Led Pistons Eliminate Magic In Game 5 Orlando Barber Shop Owner Shot During Daytime Robbery Apparent Murder-Suicide In Upscale Ocoee Neighborhood Florida Church Pastor, Son Killed In NC Plane Crash 911 Dispatchers Swamped With Calls Reporting Wildfires Search For Arsonist In Palm Bay Generating Numerous Leads Sheriff: Mother, Two Children Were Mutilated, Dismembered Hurricane Committee Drops Dean, Felix, Noel From Storm List $10 Million In Damage As Fires Continue To Burn Wildfire Victim Cooks Breakfast For Others At Palm Bay Shelter more News Which article would you want to read first? Tell a news story or show that you watch with a sensational headline!!

Seminar Teaser- opening scene for a TV Show; similar in purpose to an introductory paragraph Which winter movie are you waiting to see? Lead- opening of an article or essay that encourages readers to keep reading. Trailer – advertisement for a movie; similar in purpose to an introductory paragraph

Review Your essay will include… Introduction/thesis Paragraph 1 st point Paragraph 2 nd point Paragraph 3 rd point Conclusion Make your writing juicy with tasty details!!

Where is my thesaurus? NounsAdjectives Nouns describe a person place of thing. So for your paper I’d like to you to use $ words. HUH? Instead of saying Good use fabulous Hard=difficult, challenging, arduous Aggressive, passive, courage, curious Adjective- describe the noun. Ex. Juicy, wicked, scorching, extraordinary, spontaneous, emotionally, bothersome, exhausting, gigantic

My Writing Lab and other reading Pages – Using Punctuation Correctly Chapter 8 – shows you who to add detail to your writing My Writing Lab – Commas and Final Punctuation ALL of these activities will help ensure your paper is written properly. Take your time and pay attention

Project This week, you will post a draft of the introduction paragraph for your autobiography so your instructor can offer suggestions, tips and comments. You will build on the brainstorming from Unit 3 and the thesis and outline from Unit 4. You will make the writing you use more formal than the informal approach you used in pre-writing. Project Description: Imagine that you have completed your program at Kaplan University and have been offered your dream job! The company or organization you will be working for wants to issue a press release announcing that you are joining them and in what capacity. In order to do so, they need a minimum 500 Word autobiographical statement from you. Your autobiography should include and introduction that identifies who you are, where you live, the company or organization that has hired you, and your new job title. It will end with the thesis statement and follow the outline that you submitted in Unit 4. Because your autobiography will appear in the company newsletter and in local newspapers, it should be written in third person (no I or you), include concrete nouns, descriptive adjectives, active verbs, effective transitions between paragraphs, and should be relatively error free.

3 rd person Make sure that you write your paper as the journalist in the 3 rd person. Correct example: Nicole grew up in New York City where she pursed her Bachelor of Arts Degree at Queens College. Incorrect Example: I grew up in New York City. I went to school……………..

Example of an Introduction Paragraph The average American spends 53% of their life at a job. Knowing that this much time is spent working, Americans should find a career they enjoy. A born-and-raised Floridian named Tammy Barclay happily moved to New York to be a top-notch professor of English at Kaplan University. According to Tammy Barclay, of all career options, the field of education surpasses any other. This is a rough draft and could be edited to be stronger- but it is a sample of what it should look like. Hope it helps.

Final Comments before Closing Any comments? Questions? Concerns? Overall, did this seminar help you? If not, give me some ideas to make seminars more beneficial to your success. Assignments are due by Tuesday night at 11:59 PM. Some students are not meeting deadlines. This is a Kaplan requirement. Contact me if you are having issues.