1. Introductions Thesis Statements Attention Grabbers Counter Arguments

2. Introduction Use an attention grabber – a strong lead in sets the tone for keeping your reader’s attention. Start with an unusual detail Make a strong statement Quote a famous person Introduce a short and to-the-point anecdote Use a statistic or fact Start with an emphatic rhetorical question Open with an exaggeration or outrageous statement

3. Introduction Use a variety of techniques Logical arguments Appeal to basic values integrity freedom justice honesty truthfulness responsibility compassion

4. Introduction Appeal to emotions Repetition and parallelism Charged words Address the counter argument A good introduction should be brief and end with a closing sentence that will be a transition to the next paragraph.

5. Thesis statement Your thesis statement should State your opinion Use supporting facts and points you have gathered to support your argument.

6. Example [GRABBER-OPENING WITH A STRONG STATEMENT] Of all the problems facing the environment today, the one that bothers me the most is global warming. Some scientists say that the earth is getting warmer because of the greenhouse effect. [THESIS STATEMENT] In this paper I will describe the greenhouse effect and whether the earth's atmosphere is actually getting warmer. http://www.orangeusd.k12.ca.us/yorba/persuasive_writing.htm

7. Essential Question Why is a good introduction important to a persuasive essay?