1. Introductions, Conclusions, and Works Cited- a how to guide

2. Introductions and Conclusions What to do and avoid!

3. 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 written instead of what writer intended.  This ties the introduction more effectively to the conclusion by writing them both at the same time.

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

5. Effective introductions “can stop traffic” “can stop traffic”

6. 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”

7. 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.)

8. 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.

9. What goes in the introduction  Essential background about your topic and preparation for your major thesis.  Road maps for the rest of the essay, previewing major ideas and posing important questions that you will consider in your paper.

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

11. Ending the essay

12. 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.  Effective conclusions therefore often refer back to ideas presented in a paper’s introduction.

13. 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.

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

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

16. Even more about effective conclusions  Connect back to introduction, esp. if writer used a metaphor, anecdote, or vivid image  Give a personal statement about the topic

17. Conclusions to avoid:  Beginning with “In conclusion …”  Restating thesis and main points without adding anything new  Bringing up a new topic  Adding irrelevant details (esp. just to make a paper longer) (esp. just to make a paper longer)

18. Paraphrase!!!

19. Plagiarism v. Paraphrasing Samples Direct quote from research: “Japan’s beautiful Mount Fuji last erupted in 1707 and is now classified as dormant. Dormant volcanoes show no signs of activity, but they may erupt in the future.” Non-plagiarized paraphrase: Mount Fuji, the highest mountain in Japan, is actually a dormant volcano. Dormant means that it is not active. The last time Mount Fuji erupted was in 1707, and there is always the possibility of a future eruption. Direct quote from research: “Three weeks after Katrina, warnings of the arrival of Hurricane Rita sent residents of cities such as Houston, Texas, rushing to evacuate, fearing for their lives. Fortunately, Hurricane Rita turned out to be much less severe than Katrina. However, mass evacuations like this bring hazards of their own, as panicking drivers may cause accidents on the jammed roads.” Non-plagiarized paraphrase: Shortly after Hurricane Katrina devastated the city of Houston, Texas, a warning for a new hurricane named Rita was broadcast, which caused many people to panic and flee the city. However, the mass departure of people leaving Houston at the same time could have caused many car accidents, even though the hurricane turned out to be not as dangerous as Katrina.

20. “How do I QUOTE an author?”  If you quote an author, insert “quotation marks” around the text you are using.  At the end of the quotation, parenthetical notations are needed.  Simply write the quote and then put the author’s name and page number:  (Williamson, 148)  You will cite the entire source when you get to the bibliography page of your paper. “I WILL NOT PLAGIARIZE I WILL PUT MY PAPER INTO MY OWN WORDS.”

21. Bibliography or Works Cited Page 1. At the end of your paper you will include a bibliography or works cited page. 2.This gives the authors of your sources credit for their work. 3.In your packet you will find sample bibliography entries for various sources. 4.If you have any questions you can refer to: http://www.aresearchguide.com/12biblio.html or the information in the packet. http://www.aresearchguide.com/12biblio.html 5.Sources should be in alphabetical order and double spaced. 6.You can also use the following website to input your source information for your bibliography or works cited page: www.noodletools.com/quickcite/ or http://correctclick.com/biblio/ www.noodletools.com/quickcite/ http://correctclick.com/biblio/

22. Works Cited "Battery." Encyclopedia Britannica. 1990. "Best Batteries." Consumer Reports Magazine 32 Dec. 1994: 71-72. Booth, Steven A. "High-Drain Alkaline AA-Batteries." Popular Electronics 62 Jan. 1999: 58. Brain, Marshall. "How Batteries Work." howstuffworks. 1 Aug. 2006. "Cells and Batteries." The DK Science Encyclopedia. 1993. Dell, R. M., and D. A. J. Rand. Understanding Batteries. Cambridge, UK: The Royal Society of Chemistry, 2001. "Learning Center." Energizer. Eveready Battery Company, Inc. 1 Aug. 2006. "Learning Centre." Duracell. The Gillette Company. 31 July 2006.

23. Proofread, Proofread, & Proofread !!! 1.Are all words spelled correctly? (Use a paper or online dictionary is unsure!) 2.Did I capitalize the beginning of each sentence and all proper nouns? 3.Did I punctuate correctly? 4.Do I use grammar correctly? 5.Did I answer all of the topic questions, and fulfill all of the requirements on my rubric. 6.Did I include an introduction and conclusion? 7.Did I type the paper using the correct font type, size, line spacing and margin requirements? 8.Did I paraphrase all content? 9.Did I use parenthetical notations for quotes? 10.Do my sentences make sense when read aloud? 11.Have I had my paper peer edited? 12.Does my paper flow well? 13.Did I include a bibliography page?