Writing Effective Introductions Open-Ended Response Practice

Building your introduction Universal statements More specific statements that name title of work, author, and genre Thesis statement that lists major points to be covered in essay

Sample Introduction  Human memory is one of the greatest mysteries known to man. Some scientists claim that the human brain’s capacity to store and remember information is infinite. Despite modern technology and advances in brain research, our gift of memory is still one that baffles scientists, physicians, and psychiatrists alike. The mystery of memory intrigues writers, as well. In her award-winning novel Beloved, Toni Morrison explores the intensity of memory in the story of an antebellum family haunted by the past. The controlling theme of memory develops meaning throughout the novel as a narrative technique that weaves insight and emotion into the characters, plot, and symbols.

Sample Introduction  Human memory is one of the greatest mysteries known to man. Some scientists claim that the human brain’s capacity to store and remember information in infinite. Despite modern technology and advances in brain research, our gift of memory is still one that baffles scientists, physicians, and psychiatrists alike. The mystery of memory intrigues writers, as well. In her award-winning novel Beloved, Toni Morrison explores the intensity of memory in the story of an antebellum family haunted by the past. The controlling theme of memory develops meaning throughout the novel as a narrative technique that weaves insight and emotion into the characters, plot, and symbols. Thesis

Open-ended question practice #1  Choose a character from a novel or play of recognized literary merit and write an essay in which you (a) briefly describe the standards of the fictional society in which the character exists and (b) show how the character is affected by and responds to those standards. In your essay do not merely summarize the plot.

Get some feedback...  Read your introduction aloud to your group.  Get feedback on the following:  Did the introduction move from universal to more specific to specific? (Writer might use elements from the prompt.)  Did the writer include the title, author and genre in the middle of the introduction? (This is where the writer transitions from universal to a focus on the selected piece of literature.)  Did the thesis statement include the main points to be covered in the essay? (This is where you check to make sure all parts of the prompt are addressed.)