2. The Introductory Paragraph © 2001 by Ruth Luman The Paragraph that Hooks Your Reader Introduction ---------------- --------------

3. Definition and Purpose An introduction is the first paragraph in your essay and contains the thesis statement. The main purposes of an introduction is to…  catch your reader’s attention so that he/she will become interested in reading your essay.  present the focus of your essay and give your reader some general information about your subject.

4. First, simply introduce your topic with a general statement about your subject. Next, introduce your source and/or focus the direction of your topic to your more specific thesis. The last sentence is your thesis statement. This is a specific statement about your position and the main points you will be covering in your essay. Notice how the introduction on the next slide begins with general information and becomes more specific. General Information and Focus

5. EXAMPLE #1 Specific focus of essay and thesis statement. General statements provide background information on the focus of health care for homeless people with HIV. There are a number of frightening disease epidemics occurring in the United States today, but one of the most frightening is the epidemic spread of sexually transmitted diseases. Among the most serious of these sexually transmitted diseases is HIV which leads to AIDS, a fatal disease. HIV is especially problematic among homeless people. This particular population is difficult to treat due to a number of barriers such as, limited access to health care, mistrust of health care professionals, and a lack of awareness of the disease, itself.

6. A Closer Look Let’s look at that introduction again and see how the sentences become more and more specific leading to the thesis statement. There are a number of frightening disease epidemics occurring in the United States today, but one of the most frightening is the epidemic spread of sexually transmitted diseases. Among the most serious of these sexually transmitted diseases is HIV which leads to AIDS, a fatal disease. HIV is especially problematic among homeless people. This particular population is difficult to treat due to a number of barriers such as limited access to health care, mistrust of health care professionals, and a lack of awareness of the disease itself. General Statements More Specific Very Specific: Thesis Statement

7. EXAMPLE #2 Specific focus of essay and thesis statement. General statements provide background information on the steps the Indian government is taking to reduce population. Overpopulation and finding ways to reduce it are big concerns of many developing nations today. One nation that is concerned about this issue is India. One of the biggest causes of overpopulation in India is the high infant mortality rate. Parents often have more children because they are fearful that if some children die, there won’t be enough children to take care of them in their old age. India is taking some important steps in dealing with this problem. Some of the steps the Indian government is taking are providing birth control for women, improving pre-natal care, and educating women on the benefits of having fewer children.

8. A Closer Look Look at the example below to see how the sentences in the introduction become more and more specific leading to the thesis statement. Overpopulation and finding ways to reduce it are big concerns of many developing nations today. One nation that is concerned about this issue is India. One of the biggest causes of overpopulation in India is the high infant mortality rate. Parents often have more children because they are fearful that if some children die, there won’t be enough children to take care of them in their old age. India is taking some important steps in dealing with this problem. Some of the steps the Indian government is taking are providing birth control for women, improving pre-natal care, and educating women on the benefits of having fewer children. General Statements More Specific Very Specific: Thesis Statement

9. What’s a Hook? In addition to stating the thesis and providing some general information on your subject, an introduction also needs to catch a reader’s attention and cause him/her to become interested in reading your essay. There are several ways you can introduce your subject and catch your reader’s attention.  Surprise the reader with a statement or fact.  Appeal to the reader with a personal story.  Try to sound smart by using a quote or official source.

10. General Statements or Facts (These are three different examples of how you can begin your paragraph by using a simple statement or fact.) Almost every time that you turn on the television, you will find a number of shows which are extremely violent. Nearly 95% of the public schools in Louisiana have adopted a uniform dress code policy. Public flag burning in the United States has become more common in the twentieth century.

11. Personal Experience or Story (You can also begin your essay by making a personal connection to your topic. Be sure not to give too much away yet.) My little brother is always pretending like he is a sniper. He walks around like he has a gun and is looking for someone to shoot. About two years ago, our school decided to adopt a uniform dress code. The parents were concerned that our education was being compromised by our attention to fashion. I was watching the news one evening and saw where some guy was burning the American flag in protest of the war.

12. Quote or Official Source (Finally, you can begin an essay by providing some information from a magazine or newspaper you might have read. This introduction is a bit more difficult to write, but just as effective as the other ones.) A recent article in Time magazine states that the viewing of extremely violent television shows is the number one cause of violence in our inner cities. The Monitor recently conducted a study and concluded that students in public schools where uniforms are mandatory have less problems and perform better academically. A recent article in The Austin Statesman states that most Americans are very much against flag burning in public and are in favor of passing a law banning this activity.

13. Let’s look at some examples…

14. General Statement Introduction Today smoking is an issue which is on everybody’s mind. Some people believe that smoking should be banned everywhere while others are not so harsh. Tobacco should be outlawed because smoking endangers everyone’s health, pollutes the environment, and drains us of valuable energy. HOOK LEAD IN THESIS

15. Personal Experience Introduction My uncle was recently diagnosed with lung cancer, but he never smoked a day in his life. It isn’t uncommon in today’s society to hear of people suffering from health issues normally caused by smoking even though they do not smoke themselves. Tobacco should be outlawed because smoking endangers everyone’s health, pollutes the environment, and drains us of valuable energy. HOOK LEAD IN THESIS

16. Quotation or Source Introduction In the Monitor, it was recently stated that “smoking is the greatest threat to our health.” Today, it seems that whole country is divided on the issues of using tobacco products. Tobacco should be outlawed because smoking endangers everyone’s health, pollutes the environment, and drains us of valuable energy. HOOK LEAD IN THESIS

17. Let’s Review

18. When you write an introductory paragraph, keep in mind that… Writing an introductory paragraph is like greeting someone. The paragraph should be short and to the point like saying, “Hello!” Also, you don’t want to get into the meat of the essay. Simply give the audience an idea of your essay’s purpose.

19. Remember that the introductory paragraph… Must be at least 3-4 sentences Needs to do three things Briefly introduce the topic Cleary state your position Specifically state the main topics of your essay

20. Practice Exercise Now, you are ready to practice what you’ve learned.

21. Write an Introductory Paragraph Directions: Choose one of the thesis statements below, and write an introductory paragraph for that thesis statement using one of the methods you learned. Coming to the United States as an immigrant has been difficult, but through this experience, I have learned some very important lessons. Cell phones should be illegal for people to use when driving. If I won the lottery, the first three things I would do with the money would be…