The Introduction Paragraph
A proper introduction MUST include the following elements:
1. A hook (a.k.a. the opening sentence)
a. An anecdote: a short narrative telling an interesting or amusing
incident that relates to the topic at hand. Keep it SHORT and
SWEET!
b. A statement or fact: a striking or dramatic one works best. You
are going for the shock value!
c. A quotation: the words of someone else that are striking and, of
course, related to the topic at hand.
d. One word: Find the major concept of your essay and choose an
emotional word that represents it.
e. A rhetorical question: This question should be a challenging
and powerful one that really gets the reader thinking.
f. Staccato: Short and repetitive. The purpose of this is to present
a great deal of info all at once.
i. Square roots. Common denominators. Quotients and
remainders. Some students just cannot get excited about
math.
ii. Love. Truth. Power. These are the life’s greatest quests.
2. Background Information
a. Mention the work(s) you will be discussing as well as the author.
b. Lead into your thesis statement
3. A THESIS statement. Tell your audience what your body paragraphs
are going to be about.
A thesis statement SHOULD:
i. be a single COMPLETE sentence.
ii. NEVER be an open-ended question.
iii. be limited to mentioning only the points you plan to discuss
in your body paragraphs.
iv. be specific, not general or too broad.
v. only present one specific idea.
vi. not contain conflicting ideas
The Body Paragraph
A WELL WRITTEN body paragraph MUST be at 8-12 sentences long and needs to
contain the following elements:
1. A Topic Sentence: This sentence will tell the reader of your essay
what the body paragraph is about.
a. Example: In Lord of the Flies, William Golding uses theme,
characterization and symbolism to show his readers that human
beings are innately evil.
2. Primary Support Sentences: These sentences are the main
examples that will prove your topic sentence’s point.
a. You should have at least 3 but MUST have at least 2 for this
assignment.
b. Example: One of the main devices that Golding uses to show
human beings’ capacity for evil is characterization.
3. Secondary Support Sentences: These sentences will expand on
your primary support sentences using specific examples and evidence (in
this case from the novel you are discussing).
a. You should have AT LEAST 2 secondary support sentences for each
primary support sentence!
b. Example: In the novel, Piggy is characterized as an overweight,
meek boy who is afraid to stand up for himself. As a result, he is
an easy target and is picked on throughout the novel by most of
the other children. This proves that when separated from laws and
justice, human beings are truly evil inside.
4. A Concluding Sentence: This is the last sentence in a body
paragraph and should summarize the entire paragraph.
a. Example: Through the use of these specific literary devices,
Golding is clearly able to prove that humans are innately evil.
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Don’t forget to vary your sentence structure!
Always PROOFREAD!!!
The Conclusion Paragraph
Conclusions are often the most difficult part of an essay to write, and many
writers feel that they have nothing left to say after having written the paper. A
writer needs to keep in mind that the conclusion is often what a reader
remembers best. Your conclusion should be the best part of your paper.
A conclusion should
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stress the importance of the thesis statement
give the essay a sense of completeness
leave a final impression on the reader
Suggestions
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Answer the question "So What?"
o Show your readers why this paper was important. Show them that
your paper was meaningful and useful.
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Synthesize, don't summarize
o Don't simply repeat things that were in your paper. They have read
it. Show them how the points you made and the support and
examples you used were not random, but fit together.

Redirect your readers
o Give your reader something to think about, perhaps a way to use
your paper in the "real" world. If your introduction went from
general to specific, make your conclusion go from specific to
general. Think globally.
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Create a new meaning
o You don't have to give new information to create a new meaning.
By demonstrating how your ideas work together, you can create a
new picture. Often, the sum of the paper is worth more than its
parts.