Introductory Paragraphs A Basic Structure

Purpose  Serves to hook your reader’s attention  Offers an overview of your paper  Establishes your thesis statement/claim (what you will argue and support in your paper)  Sets the tone for what is to come

Basic Structure for the Introductory Paragraph  Hook/Attention Grabber  Information Adding Sentence  Pivot Sentence  Set-Up Sentence  Thesis Statement/Claim  TIP: HIPS Claim  (H=Hook, I=Info adding, P=Pivot, S=Set-up)

The Hook (the first sentence)  Grabs the reader’s attention  Needs to be GENERAL  Introduces the topic without referring to it directly  Ideas:  A question (tends to be overused)  A striking quote  An anecdote  A wake-up call or startling detail/fact  Humor/a joke

Hook Example  According to the Humane Society, “…in % of American households included at least one pet.”

Information Adding Sentence (the second sentence)  Still GENERAL  Adds information or expands on the hook  Does not specifically refer to the thesis

Info-Adding Example  The same survey also shared that, “Pet ownership has more than tripled since the 1970s.”

Pivot Sentence (the third sentence)  This sentence turns us toward the thesis  This is the first sentence that hints about our thesis  We can use a key word from our thesis here

Pivot Example  More than ever today, families understand the benefits of owning a pet, so the biggest decision is determining what kind of pet is best.

Set-Up Sentence (the fourth sentence)  Leads us directly to the thesis  Connects the topic or idea of the grabber to the thesis  Usually the best place to include the book title and author for a literary analysis

Set-Up Example  The debate of the cat versus the dog as the best family pet is long standing across the US.

Thesis/Claim (the fifth or final sentence in your introductory paragraph)  The controlling idea of the entire paper  Takes a distinct position on the topic  Is debatable (a reasonable person could argue an alternative position)  Allows your reader to anticipate the organization of your argument – a kind of “blueprint” for your essay

Thesis/Claim Example  Even though they can scratch and ruin furniture, cats make the best family pets because they are very clean, and they are easy to housebreak.

Putting it all together  According to the Humane Society, “…in % of American households included at least one pet.” The same survey also shared that, “Pet ownership has more than tripled since the 1970s.” More than ever today, families understand the benefits of owning a pet, so the biggest decision is determining what kind of pet is best. The debate of the cat versus the dog as best family pet is long standing across the US. Even though they can scratch and ruin furniture, cats make the best family pets because they are very clean, and they are easy to housebreak.

Review of the Introductory Paragraph  Hook/Attention Grabber  Information Adding Sentence  Pivot Sentence  Set-Up Sentence  Thesis Statement/Claim  TIP: HIPS Claim  (H=Hook, I=Info adding, P=Pivot, S=Set-up)