Purposes for Introductions The introduction grabs the reader’s attention. clearly implies an organizational structure of the paper. includes support that is specific and relevant and provides a clear, connected lead-in to a paper’s main idea or thesis. includes a thesis that is stated or implied..

Ineffective Introductions I hope you enjoy… Hi, my name is… You are going to learn about… This essay/letter is about… I am going to tell you about… There are three reasons… Copyright 2006 Washington OSPI. All rights reserved.

INTRO SENTENCE 1. A HOOK ▫an anecdote or scenario ▫a quotation or dialogue ▫a brief history or overview ▫an interesting fact ▫a description ▫a question ▫taking a stand or making an announcement ▫Ex: What is community? ▫Addiction is a very serious condition. ▫The 1960s were a turbulent time for African-Americans. ▫Leaving home may be the hardest thing for a person to do. ▫What happens if a person is torn between two homes? Copyright 2006 Washington OSPI. All rights reserved.

INTRO SENTENCE 2. A SUMMARY ▫In one brief sentence summarize the poem/story/play/topic you are writing about. ▫Ex: Community is a group of people living together. ▫In Sonny’s Blues, the protagonist struggles with a drug addiction. ▫Nikki Giovanni describes growing up black in this time period in her poem Nikki-Rosa. ▫Joan Didion explains her struggles letting go of family after her marriage in her essay On Going Home. ▫NOTE: YOU CAN HAVE 2 OR 3 SENTENCES OF SUMMARY, BUT KEEP IT BRIEF!!!

INTRO SENTENCE 3. THESIS STATEMENT!! The most important sentence in your entire essay. Review thesis statement guidelines if you are still unsure about them. Remember the fill-in-the-blank formula! Ex: In James Baldwin’s short story Sonny’s Blues, Sonny’s drug addiction demonstrates his desire to escape reality. In Nikki Giovanni’s poem Nikki-Rosa, the speaker illustrates that happiness can be found in hardship through the rose imagery in the title, the descriptions of facilities, and the emphasis on personal feelings. In Joan Didion’s essay On Going Home, the author’s inner struggle demonstrates her fear of change and how she is stuck in the past. Copyright 2006 Washington OSPI. All rights reserved.

Purposes for Conclusions The ending/conclusion clearly connects introduction and body of the paper with insightful comments or analysis. Restates thesis wraps up the writing and gives the reader something to think about..

Ineffective Conclusions I hope you enjoyed reading my… In this essay/letter you have learned… In conclusion,… As you can see/tell… I just told you about (exact thesis)… Copyright 2006 Washington OSPI. All rights reserved.

Conclusion Strategies A writer may end with ▫an echo from the introduction ▫a quotation or dialogue ▫an anecdote or scenario ▫an interesting fact ▫a prediction ▫a question ▫a call to action ▫a generalization from given information ▫a self-reflection ▫a response to a “so what?” question ▫a combination from this list

CONCLUSION SENT 1: Restate thesis in different words. CONCLUSION SENT 2: Summarize your argument in one sentence. CONCLUSION SENT 3: Leave reader with an interesting idea/statement/generalization Copyright 2006 Washington OSPI. All rights reserved.

Sonny deals with addiction to run away from his problems. The story shows this through POINT 1, POINT 2, POINT 3. Baldwin leaves the reader with a happy ending though; Sonny is fighting his addiction and focusing instead on his music. Compare sent 1 with thesis: In James Baldwin’s short story Sonny’s Blues, Sonny’s drug addiction demonstrates his desire to escape reality. Copyright 2006 Washington OSPI. All rights reserved.

Intro goes from BROAD to SPECIFIC Conclusion goes from SPECIFIC to BROAD Intro - Broad Intro – specific - THESIS Conclusion – specific – RESTATE THESIS Conclusion - Broad