1. The Introduction Paragraph
The platform your entire essay
stands on

2. The Intro Paragraph… is the first paragraph in your essay
grabs your reader’s attention
introduces your topic and sets up your opinion
ends with your thesis statement

3. An Intro Paragraph has…
a Hook
a Transition
a Thesis Statement

4. The Hook (1 – 4 sentences) The Hook grabs your reader’s attention
The Hook introduces your topic right away
A good Hook is a very short story, a startling fact or statistic or a quote from an expert —NOT a question.

5. 1. Very Short Story Example
(TOPIC: What it means to be a hero)
Smoke pours out from the third story window as people try to find water hoses. Neighbors hold the owners of the house back; their little girl was sleeping in that room! Just then the front door opens, flames visible behind, and a firefighter carries the little girl out, coughing but safe and sound. A hero saves the day again.

6. 2. Startling Fact/Statistic Example
(TOPIC: What it means to be a hero)
A survey of elementary school students living in inner city neighborhoods recently reported that young children no longer believe in having heroes (Lengtat 23).

7. 3. Quote from Expert Example
TOPIC: What it means to be a hero
The famous modern philosopher Joseph Campbell once defined a hero as a person “who has given their life to something bigger than” themselves (Campbell 29).

8. 4. Example of a BAD HOOK (TOPIC: What it means to be a hero)
What does it mean to be a hero?

9. 5. Another BAD HOOK Example
(TOPIC: What it means to be a hero)
When children are singing, the whole world is happy.

10. 6. Another BAD HOOK Example
(TOPIC: What it means to be a hero)
This guy I met at Taylor’s thinks that heroes are okay.

11. 7. Another BAD HOOK Example
(TOPIC: What it means to be a hero)
Odysseus tricks the cyclops and manages to escape the cave unharmed.

12. The Transition (2 – 3 sentences)
The Transition builds a bridge between the Hook and the Thesis Statement.
The Transition sets up all the parts of your Thesis Statement:
Topic and Opinion
Reasons in your Plan
(Only if necessary) Names of stories you’ll discuss and their authors

13. The Thesis Statement is the controlling idea of the paper
Is the road map for the organization for the paper
Has three parts:
Topic
Opinion
Plan

14. (1) Smoke pours out from the third story window as people try to find water hoses. (2) Neighbors hold the owners of the house back; their little girl was sleeping in that room! (3) Just then the front door opens, flames visible behind, and a firefighter carries the little girl out, coughing but safe and sound. (4) A hero saves the day again. (5) Heroes are people who put their lives on the line to protect us; moreover, heroes act decisively even in high pressure situations. (6) In the epic poem The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus is an example of a hero just like this. (7) Odysseus is a hero because he is calm under pressure and he risks his life to protect his friends.

15. (1) A survey by Poverty Anonymous of elementary school students living in inner city neighborhoods recently reported that young children no longer believe in having heroes (Lengtat 23). (2) This fact should disturb us. (3) For young children growing up, heroes provide inspiration and direction, an example of generosity and loyalty. (4) But so many inner city kids only see selfishness and betrayal. (5) In the epic poem The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus is just another example of a failed hero like this. (6) Odysseus is not a hero due to his persistent selfishness and his ultimate abandonment of his friends.