 Please take out a piece of paper and label it with the following: ◦ Name, Date, English, Period ◦ Title: Quiz R2.7 Make an Assertion ◦ #1-5

 Writing Consistency ◦ Review ◦ Practice  Partner Puzzle  Measuring Up!  How to write an Introduction for your Research Paper!!

 Who can remind me what consistency means?? ◦ When writing is consistent, it means that all the ideas must go together and transition from one idea to the next.  Think about it this way: Consistency is how well the author stays on topic and proves their thesis statement, or MAIN POINT.  All of the examples, support, evidence, and writing in the story needs to support the main idea.

 To identify consistency in the story you need to find the main idea.  After finding the main idea check to make sure all the examples and evidence supports the main idea  If it does, the story is consistent or has consistency in a story.

 Today, Ms. Turner has quite a few errands to run. She has to pick up her dry cleaning, go grocery shopping, and stop for gas. She loves dogs. After her errands, Ms. Turner has to make dinner with the groceries she bought. ◦ Which sentence doesn’t fit?  She loves dogs. This sentence doesn’t agree with the rest of the paragraph.

Lemon Brown is a homeless person; he could not have been a good blues player. I once knew someone who played the harmonica really well. He had red hair and was on my baseball team. I think homeless people should be given a place to stay so that they all don’t have to sleep on the sidewalk. Lemon Brown should get a job so he could get an apartment.  What is wrong with the above paragraph? ◦ The writer jumps from one idea to another without connecting them. (He starts talking about baseball?) ◦ It is inconsistent…sentences are unrelated to one another and do not focus on one idea  Harmonica? Baseball? Homeless? Apartment?

 You are going to receive a handout, in which there are six paragraphs.  Each paragraph has all of the sentences out of order.  Your job is to put the sentences in order, based on what seems consistent. ◦ After you put them in order, on a separate piece of paper, please write out the whole paragraph. This way, you will see if the paragraph really is consistent.  I will pass out the paper, and we will go over an example together!!

 To finish our practice of writing consistency, we will do one example from the workbook together.  Once you receive your workbook, please turn to page B195 (right after page 194) ◦ We will answer the questions on page B196- B197 (#1, 2, 4, and 5).

 Now that you know what your research paper is about and what will be expected of you, it is important to know how to write a good introduction.  The introduction has to “hook” the reader and make the reader interested in your paper.  If the introduction is not amazing, the reader will not want to read the rest!!

 Your introduction and conclusion act as bridges that transport your readers from their own lives into the "place" of your analysis. ◦ For example, if your readers pick up your paper about education in the autobiography of Frederick Douglass, they need a transition to help them leave behind the world of television, , and work, to help them temporarily enter the world of nineteenth-century American slavery.  You need to give your readers the tools they need to get into your topic and care about what you are saying.

 Like we talked about before, the introduction has to “hook” the reader.  There are three main reasons to write a good introduction- 1.) You never get a second chance to make a first impression. The opening paragraph of your paper will provide your readers with their initial impressions of your argument, your writing style, and the overall quality of your work. 2.) Your introduction is an important road map for the rest of your paper. Your introduction conveys a lot of information to your readers. You can let them know what your topic is, why it is important, and how you plan to proceed with your discussion. 3.) Ideally, your introduction will make your readers want to read your paper. The introduction should capture your readers' interest, making them want to read the rest of your paper.

 I will pass out a sheet that gives clear directions on how to write a good introduction.  We will go over it together, once everyone has one.

 What are some of the key points that we must remember when writing an introduction?? ◦ The opening sentence must introduce your topic and be thoughtful enough to raise interest to your reader. BE INTERESTING!! ◦ Do not be corny with your introduction. ◦ Provide background on your topic and explain why your god is important to read about. ◦ Write a well-written THESIS!! This is a sentence or two that gives your brief analysis of the topic and summarizes the main idea of your paper. Answer the questions in the prompt in a short, specific manner.  Make sure the reader knows where you are going in your paper. Your introduction should guide your reader!!

 A Michigan museum recently paid $492,000 for an old, rundown bus from Montgomery, Alabama. The old yellow bus was reported to be the very one that sparked the civil rights movement, when a young woman named Rosa Parks. In refusing to surrender her seat to a white man, during a time when blacks and whites were separated in almost every aspect of life, Rosa Parks inspired a courageous freedom movement that lives on, even today. First sentence: Sparks the reader’s interest. Makes you want to know why a museum paid this money for a bus. Gives some brief background information. Thesis: Summarizes the main idea and gives you an image of what the paper will be about.

 In this essay I will explain why Rosa Parks was an important figure. She was courageous and would not give up her seat to a white man. She is still important today. This introduction does not hook the reader and it does not give much background information. The reader does not know what the rest of the paper will be about. It is not interesting!! Do not write this in your essay!!!!

 Now that we have a good understanding of how to write an introduction, let’s try one together.  Make sure we hook the reader, give important background information, and provide a strong thesis to guide our readers into the rest of the paper!!

 Due Thursday: ◦ Have a fully developed introduction!!