1. The 5 Paragraph Essay: Introduction
Section 2, Page
Title: Essay Structure
The 5 Paragraph Essay: Introduction
An essay has three parts.
Introduction
Body
Conclusion

3. The 5 Paragraph Essay: Introduction
Notes
An introduction tells readers what your topic is, lets them know how you plan to discuss your topic, and captures their attention so that they’ll want to read your composition.

5. The 5 Paragraph Essay: Introduction
An introduction has three parts.
H – Hook
I – Introduce topic
T – Thesis

6. The 5 Paragraph Essay: Introduction
3 Parts to an Introduction
Part 1: Catch the Reader’s Attention (Hook)
Capture your reader’s attention and imagination at the earliest opportunity. Use one of these attention-getting techniques in the first few sentences to grab the readers’ attention.
be unique
interesting fact
vivid description (scene, object, person, place)
thought-provoking question (careful!)
quotation
Compare and contrast
Analogy (metaphor, simile)
shocking statement or statistic
anecdote
Humor (careful!)

7. The 5 Paragraph Essay: Introduction
Introductions:
Set the scene.
Put them in the middle of the action.
Don’t tell everything.
Add dialogue.
Introduce a main character.
Describing thoughts or emotions.

8. The 5 Paragraph Essay: Introduction
3 Parts to an Introduction
Part 1: Catch the Reader’s Attention (Hook)

9. The 5 Paragraph Essay: Introduction
3 Parts to an Introduction
Part 2: Introduce topic
After the hook you should transition into introducing your topic. What, in general, is your paper going to be about? What is the necessary background information? What is the subject?

10. The 5 Paragraph Essay: Introduction
3 Parts to an Introduction
Part 3: Thesis Statement
Your introduction should always include a thesis statement. The thesis statement is ONE (maybe two) sentence that clearly presents your main idea and your purpose for writing.
Subject + claim = thesis statement

13. The 5 Paragraph Essay: Introduction
Part 3: Thesis Statement
Draft
Revision
I’m going to tell you about how battles were fought in the 1300s.
Warfare in medieval times was fairly simple and included unusual strategies.

14. The 5 Paragraph Essay: Introduction
Part 3: Thesis Statement
Have you ever seen a flying horse? Many soldiers in medieval times did. Attackers would sometimes catapult the rotting corpse of a horse over the castle wall in hopes of spreading disease among the enemy. In the heat of battle, any available object would do—rocks, branches, and of course, flaming arrows. Today, warfare is strategically planned and weapons are carefully crafted. Warfare in medieval times, however, was fairly simple and included many unusual strategies.

15. Sample Introduction Paragraph
[Attention-Getter] After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on New York's World Trade Towers and the Pentagon, the debate surrounding racial profiling in airports intensified. Many people believed that profiling was the best way to identify possible terrorists, but many others worried about violations of civil liberties. While some airports began to target passengers based solely on their Middle Eastern origins, others instituted random searches instead. [Introduce topic] Neither of these techniques seems likely to eliminate terrorism. Now many experts in the government and in airport security are recommending the use of a national ID card or Safe Traveler Card. [Thesis] If every US citizen had such a card, airlines could screen for terrorists more effectively than they do now and avoid procedures that single out individuals solely on the basis of race.