Research
Paper
Drafting
Take out your
Writer’s Notebook
& outline.
Today’s Objective
 Today,
I will be able to draft my
introduction paragraph. I’ll know
I’ve got it when I can write an
introduction paragraph that meets
all of the requirements & hooks my
reader.
Introduction Requirements
 Must
1.
2.
3.
4.
be in this order
Effective Hook
Transition into your idea
Give information about your event –
Background, Explanation, Impact
THESIS
*You may incorporate a quote in this paragraph
if the quote lends itself to an introduction.*
Introduction Techniques
**Be sophisticated & use familiar terms**
Begin
with a quote
Begin with a proverb
Tell a story/anecdote
Begin with a Quote
"At our first stop in Virginia . . . I was confronted with
what the Southern white called `separate but equal.' A
modern rest station with gleaming counters and picture
windows was labeled `White,' and a small wooden shack
beside it was tagged `Colored,'" stated William
Mahoney, just one of the thousands of Freedom Riders
striving to gain civil rights in 1961. Peaceful protests to
end injustice helped desegregate buses and raise
national awareness of the violence many Americans
dealt with on a daily basis. The Freedom Rides were
significant in the advancement of civil rights in the United
States and an essential component in the Civil Rights
Movement.
Tell a Story/Anecdote
The young man stepped away from the burning
bus, staring at the flames in disgust. His vehicle gave
way to the fiery inferno, as did his soul. Now alight with
passion and determination to end the senseless
segregation plaguing the southern cities, this Freedom
Rider braced for impact. He was just one of the many
Freedom Riders to challenge segregation and fight for
what was right – equal rights. Freedom Riders traveled
throughout the south to test desegregation policies and
often encountered tremendous injustice. In the end, they
helped bring forth better treatment of blacks. The
Freedom Rides were essential in the struggle for civil
rights in the United States.
Begin with a Proverb
An ancient Chinese proverb states, “A journey of a
thousand miles begins with a single step.” In 1955, the
citizens of Montgomery, Alabama took the first step in
what would be a year-long protest for civil rights.
Protests like the Montgomery Bus Boycott served as
statements that injustices based on race would no longer
be tolerated in southern cities and demonstrated that
nonviolence could prevail over violence. The citizens of
the boycott, both black and white, struggled for justice.
They journeyed for civil rights and, their boycott worked.
Their single step led to the better treatment of all citizens
– a triumphant success by anyone’s standards. The
Montgomery Bus Boycott was an extraordinary event in
the Civil Rights Movement which exemplified the strength
and determination of the citizens of Montgomery,
Alabama.
With Your Writing Partner…
•
•
Discuss which strategy you want to use for
your introduction & why.
Your options:
Begin with a quote
Tell a story/anecdote
Begin with a proverb
•
•
•
•
•
A short, popular saying that expresses some
commonplace truth or useful thought
A wise saying or precept
Today’s Task
 Work
independently to draft your
introduction.
Research Paper
Drafting
Background
Take out your Writer’s
Notebooks, Introduction
Paragraphs, Outlines, &
pen/pencil.
Today’s Objective
 Today,
I will be able to use my
outline to draft the background
paragraph of my research paper.
I’ll know I’ve got it when I can write
a paragraph which meets all of the
requirements and is well written and
organized.
Remember…
 The
purpose of the background
paragraph is to give your reader
information they need to know about the
Civil Rights Movement in order to
understand your event.
Remember…
 Good
paragraphs include topic & closing
sentences


These help set the paragraph up for the
reader & help the reader transition to the
next section of the paper.
For this paper, your work should flow like a
story.
 Good
paragraphs also include transitional
words/phrases when moving from one
fact to the next.
Let’s Read a
Sample Paragraph
Life in Montgomery, Alabama was difficult for African
Americans in the 1950’s. To begin, blacks were treated as secondclass citizens. In many ways, their civil rights were being denied on
a daily basis. When they needed to use public busses, black
citizens were required to board the bus in the front, pay the driver,
and finally, re-board and sit, at the back of the bus. On December
1, 1955, after a long day at work, a haggard Rosa Parks boarded a
crowded city bus and sat down in the front of the bus. When the
driver told her to move to give her seat to a white man, she refused
and was arrested. Her arrest motivated African Americans to start a
movement. JoAnn Robinson, a civil rights activist, started plans for
a one-day bus boycott. She made 35,000 copies of flyers
advertising and encouraging blacks to stay off city buses.
Reverend Ralph Abernathy helped Robinson distribute the flyers.
The one day boycott was successful and soon the Montgomery
Improvement Association was formed and headed by Dr. Martin
Luther King. The MIA rallied to keep the boycott going.
Today’s Task
 Work
independently to draft your
background paragraph.
 Remember!


Use the information from your outline.
Include a quote (if appropriate)
 You


need 3 for your project!
Include topic & closing sentences
Include transitions