Once Upon a Time....
AND
The End!
Introductions and
Conclusions
How to Make Them Work For YOU!
Purposes for Introductions
 The opening/introduction
 grabs the reader’s attention.
 clearly implies an organizational structure of the paper.
 is connected to the body of the writing and is a clear
 lead-in to the main idea or thesis.
 includes a thesis that is stated or implied.
Strategies for
Introductions/Leads
A writer may begin with
 anecdote or scenario (a brief story that captures the essence of the issue or
situation)
 A brief history/overview
 5 W’s of situation or issue and maybe an H
 an interesting fact
 an description
 taking a stand
 a contrasting situation
 a combination of the above list
Some Leads to Avoid
 Definition’s
 Question’s
 A cliché (e.g., We have all heard the expression, “Better safe
than sorry.” But is that true of today’s airline security
procedures? )
 A unfocused lead (“Adoption programs in this country have
some flaws. They are not completely bad, but they need to be
dealt with. There are a couple of things I am concerned about,
even though, overall, adoption is a good thing.”)
Do Not Start With...
 In my opinion...
 In this paper I will...
 The purpose of this essay is to...
Do not forget to add to the
introduction:
Opening Sentence
 Start your paper with a general statement about your topic that
catches the reader’s attention, a relevant quotation, anecdote,
fascinating fact, definition, the position opposing one you will
take, or a dilemma that needs a solution.
Context
 Provide the information the reader will need to understand the
topic.
Thesis Statement
 State your arguable position on the topic that you will support
with evidence in your body paragraphs.
Conclusions
Purposes of Conclusions
The ending/conclusion
 clearly connects introduction and body of the paper with
insightful comments or analysis.
 wraps up the writing and gives the reader something to
think about.
Conclusion Strategies
A writer may end with

a call to action

a generalization from

given information

a self-reflection

a response to a “so what?” question

a combination of the above list

an “echo” from the beginning of piece

a quotation

an anecdote

an interesting fact

a prediction
Concluding paragraph:
 This paragraph should include the following:
1. tell the reader what they can do about the issue or give a
prediction to what could happen
2. a restatement of the thesis statement, using some of the
original language or language that "echoes" the original
language. (The restatement, however, must not be a duplicate
thesis statement.)
3. a final statement that gives the reader signals that the
discussion has come to an end.