INTRODUCTION PARAGRAPH

The purpose of your introduction paragraph is: To creatively grab your reader’s attention, making her interested, wanting to read the rest of the paper. To outline what your paper will be about.

INTRODUCTION PARAGRAPH There are three main parts: Hook Transition Thesis Statement

INTRODUCTION Broad Specific

HOOK Purpose: Grab the reader’s attention Make the reader want to keep reading Options for hooks: Quotes from historical or well-known figures Startling facts (NOT a piece of your evidence!) Connections between the theme and everyday life/ our society NO Questions!! No “what-if’s”

HOOK Example: German physician Paracelsus once said, “The art of healing comes from nature, not from the physician. Therefore the physician must start from nature, with an open mind.”

HOOK Example: According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), about 90% of children who died from the flu in 2013 were unvaccinated (CDC).

HOOK Example: Today in America, the individual is generally seen as more important than the collective group.

TRANSITION Purpose: Guide the reader from the hook to the thesis statement. Introduce the issue Here, you should provide background information about your topic. What is the core of the debate that is happening around your topic? Comment on your hook in a way that will lead to your claim

TRANSITION Example: Today in America, the individual is generally seen as more important than the collective group. Often, the needs of one are placed above the needs of the community, and this can affect everything from schools to the justice system to health care. As a result, there are greater numbers of unvaccinated children today than ever before. The effects of this can be seen not only in the unvaccinated population, but also among those children who have chosen to receive their vaccinations.

THESIS Purpose: Outline what you will talk about in your paper Create the structure your paper will follow Include: Claim statement Reasons

THESIS Example: All school-aged children should be required to receive vaccinations because not only will they protect the child from potentially fatal diseases, but they will also help protect the community from outbreaks of such diseases. Claim Reason #1 Reason #2

THESIS A strong thesis statement may also acknowledge the counterargument, in what we call the “Although Statement.” The Although Statement is effective because it acknowledges the other side of the argument, and then seeks to prove why that’s wrong An argument that disproves the other side is always more effective than one that ignores it.

THESIS Example thesis with Although Statement: Although some may say that vaccinations put children at risk, all school-aged children should be required to receive vaccinations because not only will they protect the child from potentially fatal diseases, but they will also help protect the community from outbreaks of such diseases. Claim Reason #1 Reason #2 Counterargument

Today in America, the individual is generally seen as more important than the collective group. Often, the needs of one are placed above the needs of the community, and this can affect everything from schools to the justice system to health care. As a result, there are greater numbers of unvaccinated children today than ever before. The effects of this can be seen not only in the unvaccinated population, but also among those children who have chosen to receive their vaccinations. Although some may say that vaccinations put children at risk, all school-aged children should be required to receive vaccinations because not only will they protect the child from potentially fatal diseases, but they will also help protect the community from outbreaks of such diseases.

CONCLUSION PARAGRAPH

CONCLUSION Purpose: To wrap up all the ideas in your paper To leave the reader with something to think about.

CONCLUSION Three main parts: Restate thesis Summary of main points Concluding thoughts

RESTATE THESIS Purpose: Bring the body of your paper back to your thesis statement MUST be a restatement: DO NOT copy and paste the same sentence from your introduction.

RESTATE THESIS Example: Because of the benefits vaccinations bring not only to the individual, but also to the larger community, all school-aged children should be mandated to receive vaccinations.

Although some may say that vaccinations put children at risk, all school-aged children should be required to receive vaccinations because not only will they protect the child from potentially fatal diseases, but they will also help protect the community from outbreaks of such diseases. Because of the benefits vaccinations bring not only to the individual, but also to the larger community, all school- aged children should be mandated to receive vaccinations.

SUMMARY OF MAIN POINTS Purpose: Briefly show how the body of your paper proved your thesis Summarize each reason presented in one sentence.

SUMMARY OF MAIN POINTS Example: First, children who receive vaccinations are far less likely to be infected with diseases, some of which can be potentially fatal, than those children who are unvaccinated. Also, communities with larger proportions of unvaccinated children are more likely to fall prey to disease outbreaks because of the infections that unvaccinated children bring.

FINAL THOUGHTS Purpose: Apply your paper to a more universal context Give the reader something to think about after they’re finished reading your paper This can also be a call to action: what do you want your reader to do? Hint: It may be a good idea to tie back into your hook, as it will bring your paper full circle – a good way to give closure.

FINAL THOUGHTS Example: It is clear that vaccinating our children protects not only individual children, but larger communities as well. We all have an obligation to protect our own families and those around us. Contrary to what some individualists might believe, when the community is safer, that safety carries over to the individual.

CONCLUSION Because of the benefits vaccinations bring not only to the individual, but also to the larger community, all school-aged children should be mandated to receive vaccinations. First, children who receive vaccinations are far less likely to be infected with diseases, some of which can be potentially fatal, than those children who are unvaccinated. Also, communities with larger proportions of unvaccinated children are more likely to fall prey to disease outbreaks because of the infections that unvaccinated children bring. It is clear that vaccinating our children protects not only individual children, but larger communities as well. We all have an obligation to protect our own families and those around us as well. On the contrary to what some individualists might believe, when the community is safer, that safety carries over the individual as well.

NOTES! Your paper SHOULD include: At least 1 transitional words/phrase in each paragraph. A variety of sentence structure Diction that is precise and appropriate A typed works cited page Anything else?

NOTES! Your paper SHOULD NOT include: First person pronouns (I, me, my, mine, we, us, our/s) Second person pronouns (you, your, you’re yours) Contractions (can’t, shouldn’t, would’ve) Any phrase that says “what this paper will be about” or what “I (or we) will discuss” Vague pronoun references