Matakuliah
Tahun
Versi
: G1222, Writing IV
: 2006
: v 1.0 rev 1
Module 12
Composing an Introduction
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What’s inside
• The function of an introduction
• The Structure Of An Introduction
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What is an introduction?
"You tell 'em what you're gonna tell
'em you tell 'em, and then you tell 'em
what you told 'em."
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What is Introduction?
The introduction of a paper can be understood
as a type of transition.
… At the beginning of a paper, the
introduction serves as a transition by
moving the reader from the world outside
of your paper to the world within. At the
end of the paper, the conclusion works in
the opposite direction by moving readers
from the world of your paper back to their
own world . . .(151)
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Purposes
Introductions have two primary purposes:
•
•
They establish a frame of reference for the reader
The introduction should inform the reader of your paper's general
topic, the interdisciplinary perspective you have adopted (whether
you are writing as a student, a reporter, etc.) and the type of
terminology, evidence and logic he or she can expect throughout
the paper.
They invite the reader to continue reading the rest of the paper. The
introduction should provide necessary background information and
grab his or her attention in order to direct it towards the thesis and
the entire paper.
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How am I supposed to do that?
1. Reveal your topic to your reader, and be sure that he or she will be
able to anticipate your use of language, evidence and logic.
2. Use the introduction to provide necessary background information,
which might include defining terms, giving a historical overview or
informing the reader of a controversy.
3. If it is not necessary to provide background information on your
subject, focus more on the introduction as a means of stimulating
your reader's interest in the paper.
4. Once you have provided the necessary hints and background
information and have gained the interest of your reader, manipulate
his or her interest towards your thesis, generally the last sentence of
the introductory paragraph.
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The Structure Of An Introduction
In an introduction, you lay
out a plan for what will follow.
However, there is more to
writing an introduction than
merely summarizing the
points of your essay; you
must find a way to open
discussion of the topic. There
are several ways to do this,
but a simple and effective
method uses the analogy of
a triangle.
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The Structure Of An Introduction
In this model, your introduction begins with the general
and moves toward the specific, as the sides of the
triangle narrow toward a point. Ask yourself how the
specific question you are addressing in the essay relates
to a greater issue or field.
The question you take up in your essay does not exist in
a vacuum; it arises out of a greater set of concerns. Your
introduction can provide this background so that the
reader is not coming to the discussion cold: ask yourself
what your audience knows already, and what it needs to
know in order to understand the context for your thesis.
• By the time you reach the end of your introductory
paragraph, you should be ready to state the thesis of
your essay. The introduction need not give away all your
opinions and conclusions, but you should give your
reader a clear idea of what you will be discussing.
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The Length Of An Introduction
The introduction should be brief relative to the rest of the
essay. If the opening is inappropriately lengthy, the
reader will lose interest, annoyed that you have failed to
get started. Do not include unnecessary background
information, especially if the audience is already
conversant with the material on which you are writing.
Try not to be too self-referential in your introduction, or
elsewhere for that matter. When you talk to someone
you do not continually remind that person that you are
having a conversation. Avoid sentences like "It is this
problem that my essay will focus upon."
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The length Of An Introduction
1. An introduction should generally be four to five sentences
long.
Begin your introduction with a general statement, and with
each sentence that follows get more and more specific until
you get to the last sentence, which is a clearly stated
thesis. This thesis states the point of your paper. The thesis
should be like an umbrella which spans your essay, including
all major points found in the essay.
2. After you have brainstormed your topic, answer the following
questions: "Who," "What," "When," "Where," "Why," and
"How."
Although it is not always necessary or possible to answer all
of these, you should be able to answer some of them, and
the questions not only give you a starting point, but provide
your reader the needed background to put your essay into
context.
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STEPS
STEPS IN WRITING AN INTRODUCTION
1. Write a definition of the field you are interested in.
2. Write 2-3 general facts about the field.
3. Write 1-3 questions about the field that you are
interested in and think important to the readers.
4. Write a statement of purpose for your paper.
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Examples
Who
Robert Frost
What
The poems "Birches" and "Acquainted with the Night"
When
Does not apply
Where
Does not apply
Why
The same poet can portray both the darker and lighter sides of life
How
Through tone of the poetry using setting, imagery, and structure
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Examples
General sentence
Dealing with emotional issues can be both complicated and
perplexing.
Less general
sentence
Now and then, a poet is willing to expose two very distinct facets of
his or her emotional nature.
Even less general
(more specific)
Such a poet is courageous enough to look back on sadder times,
as well as to recollect a fond memory--a writer honest enough to
know that life includes both the swing of birches and the darker
moments of the soul.
Even more
specific
Robert Frost is such a poet.
Specific thesis
The difference in the tone of his poems "Birches" and "Acquainted
With the Night" reveals a poet equally adept at portraying both the
lighter and darker sides in life through his use of setting, imagery
and structure.
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Example 1
The ad for Maybelline’s moisture whip gloss stick for lips is kept brief
enough not to strain anyone’s attention, but does provide enough
visual stimulation and verbal precision for the viewer to understand
the message Maybelline wants to get across to you. The ad has a
picture of a big tube of the moisture whip gloss stick in the bottom
right hand corner and a picture of the model Christy’s face located at
the bottom left hand corner with a close up of her lips wearing the
moisture whip gloss in the shade of Bearly Wine. At the top of the
ad, in the left hand corner, there is a picture of Christy, the model,
and a guy with just a waist and up view. Christy has her hands on
his shirt, and her lips are puckered up ready to be kissed.
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Example 2
"I’d walk a mile for a camel."
"Come to Malboro Country."
"You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby."
Practically every consumer, including those who do not smoke and
would never even consider taking up the habit, can easily identify
each of the above slogans as an advertisement for cigarettes.
Advertising is all around us, bombarding us on every level. It is so
widespread and pervasive that we rarely give it a second thought.
However, the images presented in these advertisements are etched
in our minds whether we choose to admit it or not. Even children in
our culture are not immune to the effects of advertising. In fact,
children and adolescents are now targeted in Cigarette campaigns
as potential purchasers of tobacco products. Our children are
potential victims of unscrupulous individuals who would use a
cartoon character such as Joe Camel to sell cigarettes to
adolescents. Cigarette advertisers use all their wiles to deliberately
seduce the buying public, including children, to purchase deadly
products. Since their only real concern is their bottom line they
clearly do not act in the best interest of the consumer.
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