Introductions

Purpose

· Interest the reader

· Provide focus for the paper by letting the reader know what the topic is

· Ice-breaker

Most introductions include a thesis statement.

Thesis: A statement that provides the focus of the paper. It is what the writer intends to prove in the paper. Traditional essay writing requires a three-point thesis.

Effective Ways to Begin Introductions

· Quotation

· Anecdote or other short narrative

· An interesting fact

· Definition of an important term but not just the dictionary meaning

· Contradict the thesis and then state the paper’s thesis

· Provide background information

· A glance at the opposition (persuasive writing)

· Other possibilities_______________

Never address the reader in a formal piece of writing.

· Today I’m going to tell you about…

· In my paper I will be talking about…

· Do not use the word you or your unless it is part of a quote.