1. Drafting: Writing Introductions and Conclusions
Writing an introduction
Set the right tone
Capture your audience’s attention
Present your thesis
Writing a conclusion
Your Turn 1: Write introductions
Your Turn 2: Write a conclusion

2. Introduction
"Where shall I begin, please your Majesty?” he asked.
“Begin at the beginning,” the King said, gravely, “and go on till you come to the end: then stop.”
—Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
The king’s advice in Alice in Wonderland could have been meant for writers.

3. Introduction
The beginning of your writing is the introduction—where your readers start their journey with you.
The ending, or conclusion, is where you and your reader part ways.
When you write, you want to make sure that your introductions and conclusions make an impression on your readers.

4. Writing an introduction
The introduction is an important part of any piece of writing. As the name suggests, this is where your readers are introduced to your ideas.
The introduction to a piece of writing should
establish the right tone
capture your audience’s attention
state or suggest your thesis

5. Writing Tip: Introductions
Do you find introductions difficult to write? Here’s a solution: Don’t write your introduction first. Focus on the body of your paper and then go back to write the introduction last.
You might also start by writing a very basic introduction to present your thesis. Then go back to the introduction and make it more engaging after you draft the body of your paper.

6. Writing an introduction Capture your audience’s attention
Have you ever heard someone described as “nice— once you get to know him”? First impressions are important. What first impressions do these people give?

7. Writing an introduction Capture your audience’s attention
Your writing must also make a good first impression. The introduction is your chance to capture your audience’s attention and make them want to continue reading. Your introduction should therefore be as fresh, interesting, and compelling as possible.

8. Writing an introduction Capture your audience’s attention
To draw your readers in immediately, try beginning your introduction with one of the following attention-getting techniques:
Address the reader directly. When readers think about their own connection to the topic, they are more likely to continue reading.
Remember the first time you drove a car by yourself? That feeling of freedom—that you could go anywhere and do anything? Well, multiply that times ten and you’ll understand how I felt leaving for Europe on my own this summer.

9. Writing an introduction Capture your audience’s attention
Tell an anecdote (a short, personal story). Readers are often more interested in a topic when they can see the human side of it.
I had never been in a plane before and was nervous about what might go wrong—both mechanically and, you know, from the hijacking standpoint. Once we were in the air, though, I forgot all that and was thrilled to be in the skies heading for Italy.

10. Writing an introduction Capture your audience’s attention
Ask an intriguing question. Readers will stick around to see how you answer the question you’ve posed.
What is nearly 200 feet tall, 60 feet around, took almost 200 years to build, and is over 800 years old? (Here’s a hint: it’s in Italy and it leans, but there’s very little chance of it ever falling down.)

11. Writing an introduction Capture your audience’s attention
Define a key word that is important to understanding your topic. Some readers respond well to being logically—rather than emotionally—engaged by the topic.
A bell tower is a tower containing one or more bells and is most typically attached to a church. It’s often rung to announce events such as weddings and funerals. The Tower of Pisa, with its eight stories and seven bells, is the bell tower for the Cathedral of Pisa.

12. Writing an introduction Capture your audience’s attention
Start with an interesting quotation. You’ll likely find quotes that relate to your topic from people such as writers, actors, athletes, artists, scientists, and political leaders.
Travel writer Tim Cahill once remarked, “A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles.” My fondest memories of my trip to Italy are of the friends I made. I can’t tell you how far I traveled, but I can still remember the people I met.

13. Writing an introduction Capture your audience’s attention
Kira, a student writing about her trip to Italy, decided to start her paper with a quotation.
The author James Baldwin once wrote, “I met a lot of people in Europe. I even encountered myself.” I know exactly what he means. On my trip to Italy this summer I made many new friends, but the one person I was most surprised to meet was me.

14. Writing an introduction Set the right tone
Tone is the attitude toward your subject that is revealed in your writing.
As you craft your introduction, make sure you establish a tone that is right for both your audience and the purpose of your writing.
For example, your tone might be
wry
critical
objective
logical
cynical
impassioned
detached
formal
humorous

15. Writing an introduction Set the right tone
Kira is writing an article for her school newspaper, and she decided that she should use an informal tone. She’ll use simple, ordinary language, including
contractions
colloquial, or informal, speech
slang
shorter, simpler sentence structures

16. Writing an introduction Present your thesis
A writer often ends an introduction by presenting his or her thesis to the reader.
Whether you have an explicit thesis statement or an implied thesis, presenting your thesis just before the body of your paper is like telling your reader, “Now that I’ve got your attention, here’s an idea of what you’re going to be reading about.”

17. Writing an introduction Present your thesis
A thesis statement is a sentence or two that directly states your topic and what you will say about it.
In some kinds of writing—for example, short stories or other narratives—you will imply, or hint at, your thesis through the details you present in your essay.

18. Writing Tip: Thesis statements
If you want to use an explicit thesis statement but didn’t write one during prewriting, you might try the following formula:
Topic:
The benefits of travel
+ Main Idea About Topic:
Travel is a broadening
educational experience.
Thesis:
Travel isn’t just fun. Traveling helps you
understand other people and other
places. Perhaps more importantly,
travel helps you learn about yourself.

19. Writing an introduction Present your thesis
Here is Kira’s thesis statement:
If you want to find out who you are, go out in the world and meet people—they’re the ones who can tell you.

20. Writing an introduction
Note that Kira’s tone, attention-getting technique, and thesis work together to make an effective introduction.
American author Mark Twain wrote, “I have found out that there ain't no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them than to travel with them.“ Recent travel experiences have convinced me that Twain was correct. If you want to find out who you are, go out in the world and meet people—they’re the ones who can tell you who you are.
informal tone
interesting quotation
thesis statement

21. Writing a conclusion
The conclusion of a piece of writing is just as important as the introduction. Your conclusion is your last chance to influence and make an impression on your readers.
Your conclusion should
tie your ideas together
make a strong impression
give your reader a sense of completion

22. Writing a conclusion
One way to tie all of your ideas together is to restate your thesis and summarize your main points. Don’t repeat the same words and sentences; find new ways to express your ideas.
Traveling introduces you to new cultures, new sights, and new faces. It also introduces you to a new you—a little wiser, a little more tolerant, and a lot more grown-up.

23. Writing a conclusion
Answer the question “So what?” To make an impression on your readers, show them that the topic is important by relating it to their lives.
Why is travel worth your time and energy? Regardless of your age, race, religion, or gender, travel is one of the best ways to improve yourself while having the time of your life.

24. Writing a conclusion
End with a final thought. Give your readers a thoughtful comment, a personal reaction, or an insight that ties your ideas both to the readers’ experience and to the world in general.
So get out there, out of your house, your town—your comfort zone. Travel with family, with friends, or just by yourself. See what this world is all about. Then come back with photographs, tales to tell—and a smile on your face.

25. Writing a conclusion
Kira has written a strong conclusion to her essay on traveling. What strategy did she use?
If you make the effort to plan a great trip and really try to meet the local people, you will be well rewarded for your efforts. The experiences you have while traveling abroad will stay with you for a lifetime. So what are you waiting for? Get traveling!
restate thesis
end with final thought

26. Test Tip: Writing conclusions
When planning your response on an essay test, allow time to write a conclusion. If you are pressed for time, remember that a one- or two-sentence conclusion is better than none at all.
An effective way to conclude a test response is to
restate your thesis in different words from those in the introduction
briefly summarize your essay’s main points
Then, if time allows,
leave readers with some way to connect with the ideas in your essay

27. Your Turn 1: Write introductions
Write two short introductions to a composition about a place you’d like to visit. In each, use a different attention-getting technique from the list below. Be sure to set an appropriate tone and to introduce your thesis.
address the reader directly
tell an anecdote
ask an intriguing question
give a quotation that relates to your topic
define a key word that is important to understanding your thesis

28. Your Turn 1: Possible responses
Address the reader directly
Do you have a favorite vacation spot? Is it near the water or in the mountains? Do you drive there or do you fly? My favorite place to go has got to be California. This winter, my parents and I flew to “the Golden State” and spent a week in the surf and sun.
Tell an anecdote
I learned to surf in California. That may not be as improbable as it sounds, because California has some of the best surfing teachers in the world. I was riding the long board by the end of my third day!

29. Your Turn 1: Possible responses
Ask an intriguing question
Can you go on vacation and do something good at the same time? Believe it or not, you can. Last summer, my family and I spent two weeks in Mexico helping the people of a poor mountain village. I never worked so hard—or felt so needed—in all my life.
Give a quotation that relates to your topic
“The World is a book those who do not travel read, and only a page.” The great thinker St. Augustine said that. How many pages of the World have you read? Add a few more pages to your total by planning a trip soon to learn more about the planet.

30. Your Turn 1: Possible responses
Define a key word Dictionary.com defines travel as “to go from one place to another, as by car, train, plane, or ship; to proceed or advance in any way.” You advance in the outer physical world when you travel, but you also advance internally. When you travel you improve yourself—your heart and mind—by learning about other people and places.

31. Your Turn 2: Write a conclusion
Write a conclusion to a composition about your favorite place or some place you’d like to visit. Use at least one of the strategies below.
Restate the thesis and summarize the main points.
Answer the question “So what?”
Leave readers with a final thought.

32. Your Turn 2: Possible response
Why should you leave the comforts of your home to travel, putting up with long waits, difficult conditions, and unfamiliar languages and customs? Let me put it this way: because of a family vacation to California I have now tried surfing, water-skiing, and bungee jumping. These are skills I never could have acquired where I live. More importantly, I made friends in California with people whom I never would have met had I stayed home with my game system, my TV remote, and my familiar surroundings.

33. The End