1. Introductions: Laying a strong foundation
Argumentative Essays
Start with a hook
A quote
An anecdote
A statistic
A question
Emphatic statement “Texting while driving is equal to driving drunk.”
Know your audience. That will help determine what type of hook to start with
Move into background on the subject
This information provides context and history that can be crucial to explaining and arguing your point.
if you are arguing that there should never be a military draft in the United States, your introduction can include information about the history of the U.S. draft and the events that led to it being abolished.

2. Argumentative Introductions: Continued
State your thesis
Last sentence of the introduction
Clear, concise, and short
Cannot be stated as a fact, it needs to be something the reader can essentially argue against
The rest of your essay serves to explain and provide evidence in support of your thesis statement.
What NOT to do
A good introduction should NOT be describing arguments or providing analysis that belong in the body paragraphs
Your introduction should introduce and set up your point, rather than lay out evidence to support it
You shouldn't explicitly announce what and how you will be arguing: "I am going to prove to you that ..." This type of set up does not add any pertinent information and only serves as filler.

3. Sample Introductions Topic: Gun Control
Would the shooter at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas had been as deadly if he only had 1 or 2 guns with him? This murderer was allowed to legally buy gun after gun, without anybody raising any suspicion. The lack of gun control in the United States is silly, and while some people say we need to enforce more strict gun laws, others feel as though we have a right to those guns.
1 in every 6 gun owners own multiple semi-automatic, or automatic weapons. That’s over 2.4 million citizens. Gun control has been a highly debated topic since the Bill of Rights was first introduced in our country. With the currents trends in society, these laws are becoming more of a liability than a help to our nation. It is time the United States makes more restrictive gun laws.

4. Literary Analysis Introduction
Start with a hook of some sort
Include background information
Make it relevant to the thesis
Intro MUST reference the title of the work and the author
Have a strong thesis statement at the end of your paragraph
It’s a declarative statement that states the point you are trying to make in your essay
How to being crafting a strong thesis statement
Begin with the basics
Ask questions like the following when reading the piece:
Why did the author write this?
What is the theme?
What are some of the symbols?
How are the characters developed?
How is the style relevant to the content?
What do the characters learn?
What literary terms are addressed and why?

5. Lit. Analysis Intro: Crafting a thesis continued
Look for connections and patterns
Ask more questions such as:
How are the characters connected to the themes?
How are the themes, characters, and symbols connected?
What does the format and style suggest about the story?
What are my connections to the story
What is the historical context of the book?
Thesis statements are not questions
They are not just observations
Lena Cockley’s short story “Mirror Image”, uses a non-linear structure with frequent flashbacks.
They are meant to introduce the main idea that will be developed in the text of the essay and to often analyze/illuminate the text in terms of its literary elements

6. Lit. Analysis Intros: Final thesis tips
Use action verbs
John Steinbeck mirrors the depression of 1930’s America in his novel.
When applicable, use three examples to support your main idea
John Steinbeck mirrors the depression of 1930’s America in his novel, specifically through his use of characterization, setting, and symbolism.
Those 3 examples serve as the body paragraphs of your paper
They should be talked about in the order you introduce them in your introduction
Avoid 1st- person language
“I will show you in this essay . . .”
“You will be able to see . . .”
Don’t use any evidence in your intro that can be used later on in the paper
“ Specifically through his use of characterization, setting, and symbolism, like when the narrator describes the town as being, ‘as sad on the inside, as it looked on the outside.’”
Don’t use insignificant sentences in your intro
“Literature often contains characters that deal with many conflicts.”