1. Introductions and Conclusions
Writing Workshops
Introductions and Conclusions

2. Review: Types of Writing
Your introduction and conclusion will differ slightly depending on the type of essay you are writing.
Argumentative: any prompt that asks for you to pick a side of an issue and defend your position
Informative: ANY prompt that is NOT argumentative. Example: Literary Analysis, Synthesis, Analytical, Non-fiction Informative

3. Which type is this?
Write an essay in which you take a position on whether or not high schools should have a later start time.
Argumentative
Read the following articles and write an essay on the relationship between clothing styles and developments in clothing creation.
Analytical

4. Which type is this?
Write an essay in which you take a position on whether or not restrictions should be placed on marketing that targets children. 
Argumentative
Read the following three articles and synthesize the authors’ arguments regarding religious freedom in schools.
Synthesis

5. Which type is this?
Write an essay in which you take a position on whether or not mistakes are a key part of discovery. 
Argumentative
Read the poem, “The Charge of the Light Brigade” and the excerpt from The Red Badge of Courage and discuss the author’s portrayal of war.
Literary Analysis

6. Introductions: The Basics
Every great introduction should begin with a hook, an attention grabber for your audience.
Memorable quotes are a great go-to. Memorize a few that can be used for almost any prompt.
Make sure to qualify the quote! Example: Dr. Martin Luther King famously said “I have a dream”… or As FDR once reminded the country, “We have nothing to fear but fear itself”
In order for a quote to work, you must explain how it connects to your topic!

7. Introductions: The Basics
No matter what type of essay you are writing, you must address the prompt.
Like written responses in class, you should restate the prompt or at the very least, include key words from the prompt.
Example Prompt: Write an argumentative essay in which you take a position on whether or not the U.S. should open protected lands to tap into natural resources.
Example Response: Lately, the U.S. has begun to debate whether or not some protected lands should be made available for the purpose of harvesting natural resources…

8. Introductions: The Basics
ALL introductions should end in a solid Thesis Statement.
A thesis is your paper’s controlling ideas.
A thesis should be a complete thought and grammatically be able to stand alone.
It is the last sentence in your introduction.
It should be written in the order you plan to mention the ideas.

9. Thesis Statements: 1 Sentence
Example: The government of the U.S. needs to stay out of this country’s protected lands because they are pivotal to the survival of many wildlife species, the plants and tress that call these parks home are key to the planet’s survival, and without these pristine landscapes, many states will lose a considerable amount of funds as a result of a reduction in tourist revenue.

10. Thesis Statements: 2 Sentences
Example: The government of the U.S. needs to stay out of this country’s protected lands. These lands are pivotal to the survival of many wildlife species, the plants and trees that call these parks home are key to the planet’s survival, and without these pristine landscapes, many states will lose a considerable amount of funds as a result of a reduction in tourist revenue.

11. Introductions: Getting Specific
Some types of essays require additional information to be truly effective.
Literary Analysis
Argumentative
Synthesis
Analytical, or Non-Fiction Informative

12. Introductions: Literary Analysis
It is important that you focus on LITERARY ELEMENTS used in the works given to you when responding to a literary analysis prompt.
Since your essay is focused on the piece or pieces provided, T.A.G. should be employed in the introduction.
Example Prompt: Explore the author’s portrayal of war in “The Charge of the Light Brigade” and The Red Badge of Courage.
Example T.A.G. In Alfred Lord Tennyson’s poem “The Charge of the Light Brigade”, and Stephen Crane’s excerpt from The Red Badge of Courage, both authors portray war utilizing various and contrasting literary elements such as…

13. Introductions: Argumentative
Your hook should be an introduction to the topic and why it should be important to your reader.
Unlike a literary analysis, an argumentative prompt is asking for you to pick a side and then use the articles or works provided purely as a source of inspiration and SUPPORT for your own ideas.
You would then T.A.G. these pieces only as they are introduced within the BODY of your essay.

14. Introductions: Synthesis
A synthesis is asking you to COMBINE two or more pieces together and discuss. While the focus is on the work provided, it is not an analysis of the pieces individually.
A synthesis introduction should include a brief summary of the works provided and the topic they share.
T.A.G. would be required in the introduction since the works are included in the introduction.

15. Introductions: Analytical or Non-fiction Informative
In these type of prompts, they are asking for you to provide your own essay on a topic using two or more pieces as inspiration and SUPPORT.
Since the focus is not on the works provided, T.A.G. would be done in the body of the essay once each piece is initially used.

16. Conclusions: The Basics
A conclusion is NOT a repeat of your introduction.
All conclusion begin with a great transition: As one can see, Finally, In conclusion, etc.
Transitions should precede a re-wording of the topic to remind the reader what it is you were trying to achieve.

17. Conclusions: Literary Analysis
A literary analysis discusses how different authors contrast with regards to style and language.
The conclusion is an excellent place to compare or synthesize similarities between the works.
A lit analysis conclusion should end with a declarative statement regarding the overall impression of both works.

18. Conclusions: Literary Analysis Example
In conclusion, both Crane’s and Tennyson’s works focus on each author’s intense experiences with war; both authors use various literary elements to convey these experiences with detail and great emotion. While Crane relies on imagery and dialogue to portray his protagonist’s struggles, Tennyson employs a heavy reliance on sensory details to put the reader on the battlefield. With this being said, both authors share an affinity for the use of metaphors to convey the intense conflict felt by a soldier on the field…

19. Conclusions: Argumentative
An argumentative conclusion contains the basics plus a discussion of the topic in light of the evidence provided.
Example: As one can see, while the United State’s reliance on foreign natural resources is a serious economic and foreign policy issue, any idea to open up this county’s valued national and state parks to exploitation would be damaging on many levels. Cheap gas is not worth the price paid by endangered species and an abundance of American sourced lumbar may create jobs but only at the loss of an entire industry’s downfall.
Don’t forget a Call to Action! Demand your reader take action; assume you have convinced them, now tell them what you want them to do!

20. Conclusions: Synthesis, Analytical or Non-fiction Informative
How do you avoid being repetitive? Remember that hook?
The easiest way to make your essay sound “finished” means leaving your reader with original thought.
Try tying back into the hook you used in your intro.
Example for an essay started with MLK’s famous “I have a Dream” quote: …while Dr. King believed in a dream he never got to see come to fruition, many Americans can still live this “dream” through affirmative action…

21. Conclusions
Remember, a great conclusion does not need to be lengthy, just finished…make sure you have included what is needed for the type of essay you are writing!