WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF AN INTRODUCTION?
• An effective introduction must accomplish many key tasks:
• Gain the attention of the reader with the first sentence
• Communicate background information about the topic of the essay
that is needed by the reader to adequately understand the overall
point
• Define key words that might hold different meanings for the writer and
reader
• State the thesis that is to guide what information Is to be included in
the paper.
PROBLEMS OFTEN ENCOUNTERED IN AN INTRODUCTION
The “Universal” Statement
• TOO GENERAL: Crime has been an issue throughout time.
• TOO GENERAL: We have all experienced a time when we were nervous.
Although an audience members can understand the topic with these openings, this is
hardly the way to gain interest.
The One Sentence Introduction
Jumping directly to the thesis of the paper leaves too many unanswered questions for
readers and fails to allow readers time to understand the significance nor purpose of
the essay.
• TOO ABRUPT: The severity of punishments for juveniles is an issue that should
garner greater attention due to the increasing number of juvenile shootings.
Does this issue not get attention? How severe are the punishments? Juvenile
shootings are increasing? Where?
HOW DO I GAIN THE ATTENTION OF THE READER?
 Use a personal experience
 As I entered the homeless shelter, anxiety overwhelmed me.
 Offer a startling statistic
 The average American consumes 100 spiders over the course of a lifetime.
 Utilize dialogue
 “What are trying to do? Kill me?” I asked my grandfather.
 Share an entertaining/interesting fact
 Humans blink 15,000 times per day, making the eye muscle the most used muscle
in the body.
 Relate a pertinent anecdote
 Shelby Lee, filled with elation on her 42nd birthday, decided to go skydiving—a
decision that would change her life forever.
 Quote an Authority
 Dr. Melvin Boykin of the Columbia University Center for Sleep Studies stated, “Sleep
deficiencies are one of the most unrealized threats to our country.”
WHAT BACKGROUND INFORMATION IS MOST
IMPORTANT TO INCLUDE IN THE INTRODUCTION?
Readers might need to know information about the topic:
• Situate the topic historically and/or contextually
• Since 1982, over one million drunk driving accidents have occurred.
• In the Dallas area, car insurance rates are among the most costly in the
U.S.
• What is its significance?
• While most consumers don’t understand the impact of the North
American Free Trade Agreement, this pact has, in effect, doubled the
cost of a bell pepper at the supermarket.
• How does the topic relate to the audience members’ lives?
• So while you are drifting off to sleep tonight, consider that the dust
swirling around you contains diseases and bacteria that will ultimately
enter your body while you are breathing, some of which will never leave
again.
WHAT TYPE OF WORDS MIGHT NEED TO BE
DEFINED IN THE INTRODUCTION?
 Technical terms- typically scientifically-based
 Neuroplasticity, biodiversity
 Jargon-language specific to a culture or profession
 Byte, conduit
 Regionally-defined terms
 Paper bag (Southwest) versus tote (Northeast)
 Multiple meaning or opinion-based words
 modern, technology
HOW SHOULD I STATE MY THESIS?
For an expository essay, this may appear like a preview
statement that discusses what parts of the topic will be covered
in the paper and why those were selected
 Polar bears are among those animals that have become the most
endangered due to the human intrusion on their habitats and the impacts
of global warming.
For an argumentative paper, this statement must contain the
word “should” to express what the writer believes should be
done or should not be done and why.
 All Americans should make recycling a part of their everyday lives as this
will reduce the amount of waste that goes into landfalls yearly and will
convince manufacturers that making recyclable products is desired by
consumers.
SAMPLE INTRODUCTION
(Startling fact – HOOK) More petroleum is used annually in Dallas to recycle plastic water
bottles than is refined into the gasoline used to power 100,000 cars driven on Dallas roads for a
year. (Facts about use of petroleum – BACKGROUND) While much attention regarding one of our
most vital natural resources—petroleum—has focused on gasoline consumption, petroleum is
utilized by Americans in ways far beyond automobiles: industrial manufacturing, residential
energy, and even recycling processes, to name but a few. Petroleum consumption of Americans
dwarfs that of citizens of any other global nation. Although the United States boasts
approximately one-eighth of the planet’s population, we annually guzzle one-third of the
petroleum consumed internationally. While environmentalists would like us to believe that
reducing our driving and using public transportation is the answer, the problem exists far beyond
the highway. These same environmentalists would lead us to believe that recycling aids our
environment, but recycling processes strain an already stressed natural resource. (Define
petroleum – DEFINITIONS) Petroleum, a material created when hydrocarbons and other organic
materials are placed under pressure within the earth, is found in sparse pockets beneath the
Earth’s crust and obtained through drilling before its refinement into such products as kerosene,
gasoline and naptha. (Statement of stance regarding recycling of plastics – THESIS) Although
many industries tout themselves as “Earth-friendly” by including recyclable packaging, these
same manufacturers exceed the needed packaging for their products in an attempt to gain shelf
space and customer attention using more petroleum than necessary. All production industries
should be required to minimize packaging on all their products sold, recyclable or not, not only
to reduce our national petroleum consumption but also to lessen their products’ impacts upon
the planet.
HOW DO I CONSTRUCT A SOLID BODY PARAGRAPH?
Every paragraph in the body of the paper must contain a number of
elements to ensure that readers and writers are on common
ground and that no misunderstandings occur; these elements
include the following:

Topic sentence

Explanation

Specific Example(s)

Commentary

Connection to the Thesis
WHERE DO THE TOPIC SENTENCES ORIGINATE?
Topic sentences are smaller parts of the thesis that, once proven, will reinforce the ideas in
the thesis.
 To determine the parts of the thesis statement that need to be addressed, use a technique
called spotlighting. Like a spotlight moves across the stage to highlight various performers,
spotlighting the various parts of the thesis statement through questions such as “Who?”
“What?” “When?” “Where?” “Why?” and “How” will ensure that the thesis is thoroughly
covered. By answering these questions, the thesis will be supported and comprehensively
explained with well-connected and purposeful topic sentences.
 Thesis Statement: Although many industries tout themselves as “Earth-friendly” by
including recyclable packaging, these same manufacturers exceed the needed packaging
for their products in an attempt to gain shelf space and customer attention, but to
safeguard our natural resources, all production industries should be required to minimize
packaging on all products, not only to reduce our national petroleum consumption but also
to lessen their products’ impacts upon the planet.
TOPIC SENTENCES
 What industries believe they are “Earth-friendly” by including recyclable
packaging and why would they desire that label?
 Industries focusing on products such as spring water and office supplies
attempt to appeal to consumers who are focused on environmental
sustainability and personal health.
 How can packaging exceed the needs of the product and what are examples
of products that have utilized oversized packaging to gain more shelf space
and attention?
 Product manufacturers constantly search for ways to dominate the
marketplace and oversized packaging is one such way.
TOPIC SENTENCES
 Who would ensure minimum packaging was being utilized and what penalty
would be assessed for excessive packaging?
 Governmental oversight would ensure that packaging is minimized by fining
retailers that carry products failing to meet new packaging standards.
 How would minimizing packaging lead to a reduction in petroleum
consumption?
 With industries utilizing petroleum for everything from paper to plastics
production, minimizing packaging would produce an exponential reduction
in petroleum use.
 What other impacts will be lessened by reducing packaging?
 Reduced packaging would decrease the amount of waste entering local
landfills, lower manufacturing, storage, and shipping costs of products, as
well as reduce the cost of products as these savings were passed on to
consumers.
WHY DO I HAVE TO EXPLAIN THE TOPIC SENTENCE?
In order for a reader to understand the idea expressed in the topic
sentence, the ideas must be contextualized so that the reader
understands how the ideas connect to him or her. Explanation
could include several details:
 background information about this subtopic,
 term definitions that are specific to this part of the thesis but
were not defined in the introduction,
 identification of key people or events involved, and
 scientific or empirical studies that have been performed.
WHAT KIND OF SPECIFIC EVIDENCE SHOULD I PROVIDE?
To further guarantee understanding on the part of the reader, the ideas
that were expressed in the previous step must be put into specific
contexts:
 personal experience,
 specific facts,
 literary (non-fiction) or film (documentary/news programs)
examples,
 historical events (showing parallel to current problem),
 information from an authority (considered an expert in the field or
on the subject)
 precise hypothetical situations, or
 current events.
WHAT EXACTLY IS COMMENTARY?
Evidence is often chosen by writers for specific reasons that might
elude readers; therefore, following any evidence, the writer
should highlight various aspects of the evidence:
• Why was this evidence included?
• What in the evidence should be noticed?
• What part of the evidence is particularly meaningful?
• What should this evidence be understood to mean?
• If statistics are included, how should the numbers be
interpreted and what are they actually saying?
• If an anecdote, quote, hypothetical example, or personal
example is included, what should it be interpreted as saying
or proving?
HOW DO I CONNECT THIS PARAGRAPH TO THE THESIS?
The thought process that connects the specific examples to the overall
thesis of the writing is apparent in the writer’s mind but might be more
ambiguous to the reader. Therefore, in the final step of the body
paragraph, the writer must make meaningful connections.
• How does the evidence provided prove the ideas in the topic
sentence?
• Now that this topic sentence has been proven, how does that
reinforce the thesis (claim)? (Think about the spotlighting questions
that elicited the topic sentence in the first place. What question(s)
was/were you trying to answer?)
EXAMPLE BODY PARAGRAPH
(TOPIC SENTENCE) Product manufacturers constantly search for ways to dominate the marketplace and
oversized packaging is one such way. (EXPLANATION) Every product that hits our nation’s stores’ shelves has been
scrutinized thoroughly by executives, focus groups, marketing agents, and outside advertisers, from the logo’s
colors to the package’s shape to the product’s packaging for the store shelves. However, this sales focus leaves
little consideration of the packaging’s potentially detrimental environmental impact. Immediately shorn into the
trash or recycle bin, packaging has evolved as companies seek increased attention among the myriad products for
sale. Studies have shown that consumers respond more positively to those products that are packaged for safety,
for convenience, for a specific target audience, or for value. (SPECIFIC EXAMPLE) Recently, I purchased a bottle of
Centrum multi-vitamins completely encased in a hard plastic wrapping attached to a piece of cardboard. After
tearing off the cardboard and breaking into the plastic, I opened the bottle to discover a foil seal that had to be
broken to access the vitamins themselves. Once breached, I then faced a large cotton wad blocking the pills inside
the bottle. (COMMENTARY) Although I appreciated the absence of a completely unnecessary outer cardboard box, I
still marveled at the wasted packaging, all of which had been conceived to allow me to see the product on the
shelf. Petroleum had been utilized to manufacture the hard plastic that encased the bottle as well as the
cardboard to which it was adhered. While probably done for safety’s sake, the plastic encasement could have been
reduced to a plastic seal surrounding the bottle’s cap and still retained its effectiveness. Next, the foil liner wasted
natural resources as the product was already enclosed in plastic; since any tampering would have been easily
identified, this was redundant. Finally, the excessive cotton insert, although courteous to prevent pill breakage
during shipping, simply highlighted the excessively-sized bottle and the wasted natural resources used to make it.
(CONNECTION TO TOPIC STATEMENT AND THESIS) Although packaging can entice a consumer and increase sales,
environmental conservation and impact must be considered; wasted packaging that utilizes depleted natural
resources in their production harms the planet and ultimately endangers our way of life.
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF A CONCLUSION?
There are a few vital parts that a good conclusion must contain,
such as
 Recap your main ideas
 Reinforce your overall thesis (claim)
 (For argument) Provide a call to action
 End with a memorable impression that will leave your audience
thinking about your topic
WHAT COMPOSES A GOOD RECAP OF IDEAS?
 Reinforce the most important points that you have made in your essay
Poorly written recaps tend to simply be a repetition of what has already been
stated previously. Therefore, you should
 Offer another perspective or a deeper look at the main points that you have
mentioned throughout your argument
 use a new perspective (individual vs community, local vs global)
 extend the points beyond what has previously been stated by including a
new statistic or consideration related to the point
 Restate what those points have proven (your claim)
Poorly written restatements of thesis/claim are usually a simple cut and paste
of your original thesis from the introduction into the conclusion.
 Attempt to convey the same overall point of your claim but do so in different
words (use synonyms). A second statement of claim in a different way might
get through to a reader who didn’t previously understand.
WHAT IS A CALL TO ACTION?
For an argument, you must provide a call to action. To
determine an appropriate call to action, consider the following
three questions:
 What do I want my audience members to do?
 How do I want my audience members to behave?
 What do I want my audience members to think?
Remember, the most effective calls to action
 minimize the amount of time required of your audience
members
 minimize the cost to your audience members
HOW DO I LEAVE A MEMORABLE IMPRESSION?
Just as the hook lures your readers to read further and gains attention, your final
statement must leave your readers thinking about what you have said. You can leave
a memorable impression using one of the following methods:
 Give a thought-provoking insight
 One idea is to analogize the problem to a more well known problem to help readers
understand the magnitude of the problem
 Describe a powerful image
 In a narrative fashion, one might construct a picture of what the future would look like
should no action be taken to correct the problem
 Talk about possible consequences/implications of inaction
 Remember, readers respond most readily to fear, so causing them to feel unsafe or at risk
of having to spend more money is extremely effective
 End on an interesting twist of thought
 If the rest of the essay has focused on the global impact of the problem then you might
talk about the impact on the individual or the application of a startling statistic
 End with a quotation from an expert
 If your credibility within the issue might be suspect, then relying upon a recognized (or
identified) authority would allow your argument to gain credibility and end with a powerful
message.
SAMPLE CONCLUSION
(RECAP MAJOR POINTS) While America faces increasing gasoline prices and searches for ways to
decrease its dependence upon foreign oil, a reduction in product packaging offers a plausible solution. With
petroleum used in everything from plastics manufacture to recycling processes, American use could be reduced
exponentially. (RESTATE CLAIM) Government oversight of manufacturers could not only force companies to
reduce unneeded packaging but also recoup the cost of that oversight through fines collected from retailers who
choose to carry products utilizing oversized packaging. (CALL TO ACTION) However, this type of solution cannot
become reality until consumers decry packaging waste and send a clear message to both governmental
representatives and product manufacturers. Your part in the solution is simple: the next time you are choosing a
product at a retailer—any item—choose the one that utilizes the most efficient packaging. You might find that the
product is not only just as good but also somewhat cheaper as a result of its reduced production costs. Buying
locally produced and grown items will also aid this cause as these require less packaging since they will not be
shipped as great a distance. (POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES) The Environmental Protection Agency estimated that
roughly one third of municipal waste in the U.S. is comprised of discarded packaging that produce serious
consequences that affect our ecosystems and our health. Realizing that annual plastic production was estimated
at 230 million tons as recently as 2009 and the fact that every piece of plastic that was ever produced is still in
existence—either in recycled form or as part of our landfills—we need to take action to save our petroleum, our
planet, and ourselves before it is too late.