1. Week 5 – Writing the Introductory Paragraph
Developing the Thesis Statement

2. Sample Introduction and Thesis
It’s a fat world! Statistics show that many Americans are overweight. It is not surprising that many people are preoccupied with physical fitness. People of all ages are focusing on improving their health through exercise, diet, and a positive attitude.

3. Writing the introductory paragraph:
The paragraph is written from general information to specific.
The paragraph begins with a general, eye-catching attention-getter.
The paragraph gradually narrows to the final sentence of the paragraph – the thesis sentence.

4. The thesis sentence:
The thesis sentence or statement is a sentence stating what you are going to specifically say about your subject.
Example: Subject: The salaries of professional athletes. 3-prong thesis:
The salaries of professional athletes have skyrocketed in the past decade, they are much too high, and they are unfair to other professions.

5. Sample Paragraph with a 3-prong thesis:
America is in trouble. The temperature in classrooms, homes, and office
buildings is being lowered. Farmers and transportation companies cannot
get adequate supplies of fuel to continue normal operations. Electric
companies predict serious power shortages in the near future. These are,
of course, serious problems, but only symptoms of the real problem of how
to make Americans aware that only they can avoid the disastrous petroleum
crisis. Indeed, unless the users of petroleum begin conserving fuel
immediately, America will experience shortages that will drastically alter
the American way of life. True, conservation means changing habits and
accepting inconveniences, but if everyone would make three small changes
in his or her driving, the impending ecological crisis would be postponed. By
eliminating engine warm-up time, by avoiding “jack-rabbit” starts, and
by traveling no faster than fifty-five miles per hour, individuals can help
conserve rapidly dwindling auto fuel supplies.

6. Summary:
The thesis sentence serves as a guide to you, the writer, and to the reader.
It keeps the writer organized and tells the reader what to expect.
It can help you organize a basic five-paragraph essay as follows:
Paragraph 1 – Introduction written from general to specific three-prong thesis.
Paragraph 2 – First prong of thesis
Paragraph 3 – Second prong of thesis
Paragraph 4 – Third prong of thesis
Paragraph 5 – Conclusion written from specific (a re-statement of the thesis) to a general statement leaving your reader with something to think about.