Intro Paragraph Notes
Essay Writing
You’ll be writing your own essay soon about the
articles that we’ve just read.
Today, we’re going to practice essay writing with a
different topic. That topic is…
“Write an essay that explains what type of
environment Napoleon creates for the animals in
Animal Farm.”
Introduction Paragraphs
have 3 parts:
1. Attention Getting Device (AGD)
2. Narrowing Information
3. Thesis Sentence
1. Attention Getting Device (AGD)
• Where have we heard this term before?
• This is the first sentence and is designed to
introduce your reader to the “Big Idea” you
are writing about.
– The “Big Idea”= does not mention the story, book,
or specific character you’ll write about later.
1. Attention Getting Device (cont.)
An AGD should ALWAYS should be broad
• What does this mean?
– Broad means general (not too specific)
– So, your AGD is NOT about the specific book or
character you are writing about
• What should my AGD be about, then?
– The topic or one of the subjects you’re writing about
– It should be an interesting or bold statement about
this topic
– Which of the following is the best AGD for my topic?
Which is the best AGD?
1. Napoleon is an ineffective leader.
2. The best situations can lead to the worst
outcomes.
3. Being happy is a good thing, but sometimes
people aren’t happy.
2. Narrowing Information
What is that?
• 2-3 sentences
• called narrowing information because it
becomes more specific as it goes on.
• Introduces the reader to the specific topic
you’ll be writing about
• where you’ll mention the title of the book,
and give basic info of the situation you’re
writing about.
2. Narrowing Information (cont.)
How do I write narrowing information?
• Start by connecting the idea you brought up in
your AGD to the book.
• In another sentence or two, discuss how this
idea or topic appears in the book.
Which is best narrowing
information?
1. Napoleon, in Animal Farm, doesn’t care
about Boxer, Muriel, or any of the other
characters. He steals their food and forces
them to do work that they don’t want to do.
He leads like a dictator.
2. In the novel Animal Farm, Napoleon starts
off as a ruler who seems to respect those
beneath him and want to make their lives
better. However, as the book progresses, the
animals’ pleasant lifestyle becomes misery.
3. Thesis Statement
This last, single sentence is the main argument of
your entire essay.
– should answer the question asked in the prompt
– should be carefully worded
• Try to use strong verbs, precise nouns and
appropriate adjectives. This will help your argument
sound credible!
– should be a logical continuation of your
Narrowing Information
– the most specific sentence in your introductory
paragraph—it should mention the name of the
piece, the author’s name, and/or specific
character’s names.
3. Thesis Sentence (cont.)
The thesis should be argumentative
• This means it should be arguable (someone might
disagree or answer differently)
• Say something original and not super-obvious about
the piece you’re writing.
• Avoid pointing out facts that are undeniably true—
otherwise, it’s not an argument!
• Ex. of “Undeniably true”: Napoleon is in charge.
• Ex. of “Argumentative”: Napoleon is an uneffective leader.
Which is the best thesis
statement?
1. Napoleon does things that are unfair.
2. In George Orwell’s Animal Farm, Napoleon
creates a negative and unstable environment
for the animals.
3. The greedy, selfish pigs eventually kill Boxer
in George Orwell’s Animal Farm.
EX: Intro Paragraph
The best situations can lead to the worst
outcomes. In the novel Animal Farm, Napoleon
starts off as a ruler who seems to respect those
beneath him and want to make their lives better.
However, as the book progresses, the animals’
pleasant lifestyle becomes misery. In George
Orwell’s Animal Farm, Napoleon creates a
negative and unstable environment for the
animals.
Independent Practice:
• Using what you learned about introductory
paragraphs, write out all of the parts of the
introduction in full sentences in the outline on my
website.
• Remember, you’re only writing an introductory
paragraph, so you won’t need to get too specific, but
make sure to construct a working AGD, helpful
narrowing information, and a specific, stronglyworded thesis statement.
• Make sure to save your work!
Body Paragraph Notes
THESIS: Napoleon creates a
negative, unstable environment
for the animals of Animal Farm.
TOPIC
SENTENCE:
REASON 1
Napoleon
establishes an
unjust
environment
after he takes
over as ruler
of Animal
Farm.
TOPIC
SENTENCE:
REASON 2
TOPIC
SENTENCE:
REASON 3
Your Body Paragraphs Include
1.
2.
3.
4.
Topic Sentence
Evidence
Links to your argument
Concluding Sentence
1. Topic Sentence
 The first sentence of the paragraph
States the 1st reason why the book agrees
with your thesis.
 Every topic sentence should be a more
specific reason that proves that your thesis
statement is true.
EX: “Napoleon establishes an unjust environment
after he takes over as ruler of Animal Farm.”
Evidence, Links, Concluding
Sentence
After your topic sentence, include:
• Evidence QUOTES related to your topic
sentence
• Links Show how the quote supports the topic
sentence; explain and provide details
• Concluding Sentence  Restates topic
sentence
FIRST, let’s talk about…
Quotes
What is a Quote?
• A quote does NOT have to be something that
a person says.
• Instead, quoting from a source means that
you have taken, word for word, what
someone else has written/said.
• EX: “the pigs not only took their meals in the
kitchen and used the drawing room as a recreation
room, but also slept in the beds” (Orwell 66).
The 3 Parts of a Quote:
1. The lead in
2. The quote with citation
3. The link to the topic sentence
(explanation)
#1: The Lead In
• Give background information
– information the reader needs to understand the quote
• Consider:
– What is happening just before the quote?
– What is the quote about?
– Who is speaking/writing?
• What might the lead-in look like for the following
quote?
– “the pigs not only took their meals in the kitchen and
used the drawing room as a recreation room, but also
slept in the beds” (Orwell 66).
What does a lead in look like?
• Life on the farm has become quite difficult.
Animals are exhausted, hungry, and cold. The
pigs, however, seem to have unfair privileges.
At one point, the animals realize, “the pigs not
only took their meals in the kitchen and used the
drawing room as a recreation room, but also slept
in the beds” (Orwell 66).
From this we can see:
• The situation the quote describes
• Who the speaker/writer is
Something to Remember…
• A quote in a separate sentence from the
lead in is called a naked quote.
– Don’t let your quotes be naked!
– Life on the farm has become quite difficult.
Animals are exhausted, hungry, and cold. The pigs,
however, seem to have unfair privileges. “The pigs
not only took their meals in the kitchen and used the
drawing room as a recreation room, but also slept in the
beds” (Orwell 66).
• Instead, integrate your quotes into your paper.
– What does integrate mean?
Signal Phrase
• Use a signal phrase
Author’s Name + Verb + Quote
OR Character Name
Argues
Writes
Says
Compares
Realizes
Suggests
Demonstrates
Shows
A good example of
integration:
• Life on the farm has become quite difficult. Animals
are exhausted, hungry, and cold. The pigs, however,
seem to have unfair privileges. At one point, the
animals realize, “the pigs not only took their meals in
the kitchen and used the drawing room as a recreation
room, but also slept in the beds” (Orwell 66).
#2: Quote with Citation
• The quote goes in quotation marks
• After the quote, the author and page
number go in parentheses.
• A period goes after the parentheses
Quote with Citation
• Ex: Life on the farm has become quite difficult.
Animals are exhausted, hungry, and cold. The pigs,
however, seem to have unfair privileges. At one
point, the animals realize, “the pigs not only took
their meals in the kitchen and used the
drawing room as a recreation room, but also
slept in the beds” (Orwell 66).
NEXT, let’s talk about…
Linking Quotes to the Topic
Sentence
#3: Linking the Quote
• EXPLAIN the importance of what is seen in
the quote
• DESCRIBE how this quote relates to your
topic sentence
– Don’t simply state “This shows that Napoleon is
unjust.”
• Obvious
• Provides no explanation for the reader
– Give a step-by-step explanation of how the
evidence reveals your argument
A good example of linking:
• Life on the farm has become quite difficult. Animals
are exhausted, hungry, and cold. The pigs, however,
seem to have unfair privileges. At one point, the
animals realize, “the pigs not only took their meals in
the kitchen and used the drawing room as a recreation
room, but also slept in the beds” (Orwell 66). Not only
does this break the rules, but it means the pigs are far
more comfortable and happy than the other animals.
Napoleon allows certain animals to have privileges
that others do not have, which is unjust.
FINALLY, let’s talk about…
Concluding Statement
Concluding Statement
• Restate the topic sentence in a new way
• Summarizes your argument
– Don’t assume the reader knows how your
support fits your argument.
– You need to “connect the dots” for the reader
Whole Paragraph!
Napoleon establishes an unjust environment after
he takes over as ruler of Animal Farm. Life on the
farm has become quite difficult. Animals are exhausted,
hungry, and cold. The pigs, however, seem to have
unfair privileges. At one point, the animals realize, “the
pigs not only took their meals in the kitchen and used
the drawing room as a recreation room, but also slept in
the beds” (Orwell 66). Not only does this break the
rules, but it means the pigs are far more comfortable
and happy than the other animals. Napoleon allows
certain animals to have privileges that others do not
have, which is unjust. Thus, after taking over as ruler,
Napoleon creates an environment that is unjust.
Independent Practice
• Open your saved copy of our essay outline.
• Fill in (in full sentences) the information for
body paragraphs 1 and 2.
– This is a continuation of the Animal Farm
introductory paragraph from yesterday.
• Make sure you save!
**This is homework, if not finished in class.**
Conclusion Paragraph
Notes
Conclusion
1. Starts with restatement of thesis (reword and
restructure the sentence)
2. Contains summary of any major ideas from
your essay, links ideas together
– Does NOT give any new facts
3. Tieback—references back to whatever you
started with in AGD, provides a sense of ending
*Hint* Your conclusion is just a backward intro. It
starts specific (with the thesis restatement) and
ends general (with the tieback)
Example:
In Animal Farm by George Orwell, Napoleon
creates a negative, uncertain environment on
the farm. His greedy hoarding of the food, his
lies to the animals, and the constant threat of
violence from the dogs, make the farm a dark,
dangerous place to live. The hopeful, bright
future the animals, including Napoleon, once
dreamed of is gone. Despite the revolution
creating the best opportunity the animals could
hope for, life has never been worse.
Independent Practice
1. Open your saved copy of our essay outline.
2. Fill in (in full sentences) the information for
the conclusion paragraph.
– This is a continuation of the Animal Farm
paragraphs from yesterday.
3. Make sure you save!
**This is homework, if not finished in class.**