Writing the Essay
Introductions
Roles of the Introduction
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Catch the reader’s attention
Introduce reader to topic
Start out general and get more
specific with each sentence
Includes thesis statement
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The one sentence that states position
of essay
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must be the last sentence of intro
Types of Attention Getting Devices
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Incident or Example
Anecdote
Quotation (remember to cite
source)
Startling statement
Analogy
Definition--- BORING
Description
Thesis Statement
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Explains purpose of essay and clearly
defines topics to be discussed in body
paragraphs
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Traits and relationships
One sentence- make opinion clear
Ex: A healthy enemy relationship is
equally matched and challenging.
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1st body paragraph- Equally matched
2nd body paragraph- challenging
Important note- Attention-getter
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You absolutely may NOT use a
question as an attention-getter.
That was okay in middle school, but
is informal and immature now.
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Introduction Example
The famous philosopher Ovid once said that “We can learn, even from
our enemies.” In fact, it is often one’s enemies that force a person to
overcome a difficult challenge. Sometimes, only because a person
faces an enemy does he/she realize his/her fullest potential. For
example, if Harry Potter had never been challenged by Lord
Voledemort, Potter would have never realized how talented of a
wizard he really is. This stimulating aspect of a relationship between
enemies is what makes their relationship important. Likewise, in the
short story, “The Most Dangerous Game,” the characters Rainsford
and Zaroff are good enemies for each other, since they each push the
other to perfect their hunting skills. In “The Most Dangerous Game,”
Rainsford, a well-known hunter, is put to the test by Zaroff, a man of
more years of experience than Rainsford. After telling Rainsford that
he will be the quarry, Zaroff arms Rainsford with only a knife as a
weapon, and gives him three days in the jungle to fend off his
attacks. Rainsford’s intellect, shrewdness, and composure are tested
through their three-day battle of wits. In the end, Zaroff’s challenge is
lost as Rainsford outwits his opponent and wins the battle. Through
the short story “The Most Dangerous Game,” Richard Connell
illustrates that a healthy enemy relationship is both challenging and
equally matched.
What that introduction does right
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Attention-getter
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Flows from attention getter into
novel (TRANSITION)
Plot summary
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Discusses attention getter for a few
sentences
Only what is going to be discussed in
essay
Thesis is last sentence
Misc. Tips
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NEVER say “In this essay…” or “This
essay will be about…”
Write thesis first- work backward
Write one body paragraph first- then
go back to introduction
Think of how you will make the
conclusion relate back to the
introduction- stories, quotes, etc. must
also relate to conclusion if used.
The Essay
Conclusion
The Effective Conclusion
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Restate thesis in topic sentence
Summarize main points of each
body paragraph
Discuss topics importance in
general terms
Hook back to attention-getting
technique
Stylistic Devices
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A conclusion should come “full
circle” and return to the method
used in the introduction
Habits to Avoid
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“To sum up…”
“In conclusion…”
“As this paper has shown…”
These words are stale and lifeless;
they should be avoided at all costs!
Conclusion Sample
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Through the healthy enemy relationship in “The Most Dangerous
Game,” Richard Connell portrays that enemies should be both
equally matched and challenging. Because Rainsford and Zaroff were
both hunters at equal skill levels, when they met each other on the
hunting grounds, they were forced to remember and use techniques.
Zaroff needed to remember how to find traps that lesser-skilled
hunters would not have been able to set for him, and Rainsford
needed to use his wits to remember tricks that he learned from
natives in order to keep Zaroff and his hunting party at bay.
Furthermore, each competitor needed the other to challenge each
other to reach new levels. Rainsford needed Zaroff to challenge his
ideas regarding the emotions that a quarry feels while being hunted,
since prior to meeting his enemy, Rainsford felt little compassion for
his own prey. On the other hand, Zaroff needed Rainsford to teach
him modesty and morals. Zaroff needed to learn that just because
he was bored, he could not harm other people. Just like Harry Potter
and Lord Voledemort, Rainsford and Zaroff were good enemies for
one another. They certainly did help one another face new
challenges and pushed each other to overcome them. The famous
philosopher Ovid was right: Rainsford learned a lot from his enemy.
What that Conclusion Does Right:
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Restatement of thesis is 1st
sentence
Each body paragraph is summarized
in about two-three sentences
General discussion about topic
follows
Hooks back to attention-getter.