Introductions

Introductory Paragraph Do not start with the thesis. The introduction LEADS to the thesis, so the thesis comes last.

Parts of an Intro Paragraph Hook/Intro strategy. Transitioning Thesis Statement

Intro Strategy Question: Ask an interesting question. At what point should parents be expected to stop infringing on a child ’ s human rights? Would you confiscate a child ’ s voice simply because the cost to encourage it would affect your budget? Background: present background information to set up the topic. Since the days of oral story telling, authors have used their stories and characters to either present their views of love, or how love should be experienced.

Intro Strategy Correction: Tell your reader that you are going to correct a common misconception. Although many students believe they will never…they will realize eventually that… Fact: Start with a fact that relates to your subject. Despite popular belief, only one in five students has ever smoked pot.

Intro Strategy List: Use a list to lead into the subject of the thesis statement. Drugs. Alcohol. Homework. Teenagers have too much to worry about these days. Example: Give an example which ties to your thesis. As a teen, Wanda smoked because her friends did. Back then she could not imagine the consequences of her choice.

Intro Strategy Paradox: Start with a contradiction or puzzling idea. It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. (Dickens) Begin with the End: Use the conclusion as a jump point for the thesis. A happy student sat down at the cafeteria with a plate full of healthy and delicious food.

Transitioning to thesis This is just a couple of sentences that help you move from the hook to the thesis statement.

Example Introduction Since the days of oral story telling, authors have used their stories and characters to either present their views of love, or how love should be experienced. Early Victorian literature often portrayed the idyllic love and romance; Gothic literature often presented the darker views of love, while modern romance novels present the views of love through independence and strength. Each time period ’ s novels not only give information about that time period ’ s beliefs of love, it also inadvertently imparts information on how we should successfully love. A recently released series by Stephanie Meyer portrays an unusual love between a human teenage girl and a vampire. However, unlike many other love stories, the Twilight series portrays an unhealthy, and potentially dangerous view of romantic love.