Argumentative Introductions

Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved. What makes an effective introduction? It grabs the reader’s attention. It clearly implies an organizational structure of the paper. It effectively includes one or more of the following strategies:  anecdote or scenario  interesting fact or statistic  question Its choice of support is specific and relevant, and provides a clear, connected lead-in to the paper’s claim. Claim/position is clearly stated or implied.

Ineffective Argumentative Introduction Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved. Dear Mr. Fernando, I’m going to tell you three reasons why it is not good to turn in late homework. Does this introduction do the following?  Grab the reader’s attention  Imply an organizational structure of the paper  Include one or more of the following strategies:  anecdote or scenario  question  interesting fact or statistic  Give support that is specific and relevant, and provide a clear, connected lead-in to paper’s main idea  State or imply a clear position

Argumentative Introductions Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved. Some persuasive strategies used in introductions: Anecdote/ Scenario  The writer provides a personal experience or made-up situation to introduce the position. Questioning  The writer asks thought-provoking questions to capture the reader’s interest. Interesting fact or statistic  The writer gives an interesting piece of information to grab the reader’s attention.

Anecdote/Scenario Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved. “Extra! Extra! Read all about it! New rule has kids scared.” Those are the headlines from The Seattle Times. The new rule is an epidemic, spreading around the country and making children cry. “No late work has a devastating effect and needs to be stopped now before it reaches other countries,” says Bill Warren, a noted authority.

Questioning Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved. Dear Principal, “Three strikes and you’re out!” Yes, that is baseball, but really everybody deserves a second chance at things, right? In baseball you get three chances at batting, why can’t you get just two at school? I mean think of it this way. What if you just had to go visit your grandpa in the hospital because you just found out he has cancer? Shouldn’t you get a second chance if you didn’t get to your homework because it was too late by the time you got home? I think that teachers should accept late work because at least you tried and turned it in.

Interesting Fact or Statistic Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved. Dear Mr. Johnson, Did you know that a recent district survey showed that four out of five school kids do not have passing grades because they do not turn their work in on time? This could be changed by no longer allowing late work. Late work should no longer be accepted at Grant Middle School.

Your turn! Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved. Look at your parent letter. Did you include all of the components of an effective introduction?  It grabs the reader’s attention.  It clearly implies an organizational structure of the paper.  It effectively includes one or more of the following strategies:  anecdote or scenario  interesting fact or statistic  question  Its choice of support is specific and relevant, and provides a clear, connected lead-in to the paper’s claim.  Claim/position is clearly stated.