1. The PoP Introduction
Humanities 8

2. What Makes for a Great Intro?
Establish Purpose
Provide Background
Strong Lead that will Engage the Reader

3. Establishing Purpose
What is the point of this paper? What are you trying to say?
Why should a reader care? Why does it matter?
Practice writing a thesis statement (1-2 sentences) that shows this purpose.

4. Providing Background
What information does the reader need to know to be oriented to your topic?
If you are writing about the Yamuna Action Plan, doesn’t the reader need to know a little about pollution of the river?
If you are writing about high school suicides, doesn’t the reader need to know a little bit about the Indian government education system?
If you are writing about increasing polio rates in India, doesn’t the reader need to know a little about what polio is and how is spreads?

5. What background info?
Make a list of facts or information the reader will need to know before they can understand your purpose (thesis statement)

6. Strong Leads A strong opening will engage the reader in your topic.
Examples of strong leads:
Anecdote: A brief story that captures the essence of the issue or situation
Metaphor: a symbol or object that somehow represents the problem or issue in your paper.
Shocking fact: what is something so amazing about your topic that readers will want more?

7. Leads to avoid A dictionary definition A question to the reader
A cliché
A lead that is not focused

8. Experiment! Try a couple of leads Try them out on your friends
What works best?
What do you prefer?

9. Strong Lead + Background + Thesis Statement = Introduction
Pull it all together
Work backwards:
Write the thesis statement (establish purpose)
Provide background (orient the reader)
Write a strong lead (engage the reader)
Now write it forwards:
Strong Lead + Background + Thesis Statement = Introduction