2/26/14
English CP II
Mrs. Lutz
Introductions and Thesis Statements
WHY BOTHER WRITING A GOOD INTRODUCTION?
You never get a second chance to make a first impression. The opening paragraph of your
paper will provide your readers with their initial impressions of your argument, your writing
style, and the overall quality of your work. A vague, disorganized, error-filled, off-the-wall, or
boring introduction will probably create a negative impression. On the other hand, a concise,
engaging, and well-written introduction will start your readers off thinking highly of you, your
analytical skills, your writing, and your paper. This impression is especially important when the
audience you are trying to reach (your instructor) will be grading your work.
Your introduction is an important road map for the rest of your paper. Your introduction
conveys a lot of information to your readers. You can let them know what your topic is, why it is
important, and how you plan to proceed with your discussion. In most academic disciplines, your
introduction should contain a thesis that will assert your main argument. It should also, ideally,
give the reader a sense of the kinds of information you will use to make that argument and the
general organization of the paragraphs and pages that will follow. After reading your
introduction, your readers should not have any major surprises in store when they read the main
body of your paper.
Ideally, your introduction will make your readers want to read your paper. The introduction
should capture your readers’ interest, making them want to read the rest of your paper. Opening
with a compelling story, a fascinating quotation, an interesting question, or a stirring example
can get your readers to see why this topic matters and serve as an invitation for them to join you
for an interesting intellectual conversation.
Sample Introduction:
The irritating and incessant beeps of my alarm clock let me know when it’s time to rise. I
begin the day on auto-pilot: brush teeth, shower, dress, put on make-up, gulp coffee, wake the
kids, get them ready, look for the one item I can’t seem to find but need, and scramble to get out
the door at 7 AM. Luckily, my day’s monotony breaks after that, and so I actually wake-up when
I come to work and encounter a group of teenagers who trust me to enlighten their lives in some
way. I can’t help but think about how many people are never awake, according to Henry David
Thoreau’s definition. In Where I Lived and What I Lived For, his seminal essay from Walden,
Thoreau argues that most people are not living or awake; rather, they move through life without
careful consideration or purpose. Thus, he advocates for us to approach tasks actively and to
follow the ways of nature to lead more fulfilling lives.
WHAT IS A THESIS STATEMENT?
A thesis statement:
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tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion.
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is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of
the paper.
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directly answers the question asked of you. A thesis is an interpretation of a question or
subject, not the subject itself. The subject, or topic, of an essay might be World War II or
Moby Dick; a thesis must then offer a way to understand the war or the novel.
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makes a claim that others might dispute.
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is usually a single sentence somewhere in your first paragraph that presents your argument to
the reader. The rest of the paper, the body of the essay, gathers and organizes evidence that
will persuade the reader of the logic of your interpretation.
HOW DO I GET A THESIS?
A thesis is the result of a lengthy thinking process. Formulating a thesis is not the first thing you
do after reading an essay assignment. Before you develop an argument on any topic, you have to
collect and organize evidence, look for possible relationships between known facts (such as
surprising contrasts or similarities), and think about the significance of these relationships. Once
you do this thinking, you will probably have a “working thesis,” a basic or main idea, an
argument that you think you can support with evidence but that may need adjustment along the
way.
Thesis Checklist
Your thesis is more than a general statement about your main idea. It needs to establish a clear
position you will support with balanced proofs (logos, pathos, ethos). Use the checklist below to
help you create a thesis.
This section is adapted from Writing with a Thesis: A Rhetoric Reader by David Skwire and
Sarah Skwire:
Make sure you avoid the following when creating your thesis:
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A thesis is not a title: Homes and schools (title) vs. Parents ought to participate more in
the education of their children (good thesis).
A thesis is not an announcement of the subject: My subject is the incompetence of the
Supreme Court vs. The Supreme Court made a mistake when it ruled in favor of George
W. Bush in the 2000 election.
A thesis is not a statement of absolute fact: Jane Austen is the author of Pride and
Prejudice.
A thesis is not the whole essay: A thesis is your main idea/claim/refutation/problemsolution expressed in a single sentence or a combination of sentences.
Please note that according to the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, Sixth
Edition, "A thesis statement is a single sentence that formulates both your topic and your
point of view" (Gibaldi 56). However, if your paper is more complex and requires a
thesis statement, your thesis may require a combination of sentences.
Make sure you follow these guidelines when creating your thesis:
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A good thesis is unified: Detective stories are not a high form of literature, but people
have always been fascinated by them, and many fine writers have experimented with
them (floppy). vs. Detective stories appeal to the basic human desire for thrills (concise).
A good thesis is specific: James Joyce’s Ulysses is very good. vs. James Joyce’s Ulysses
helped create a new way for writers to deal with the unconscious.
Try to be as specific as possible (without providing too much detail) when creating your
thesis: James Joyce’s Ulysses helped create a new way for writers to deal with the
unconscious. vs. James Joyce’s Ulysses helped create a new way for writers to deal with
the unconscious by utilizing the findings of Freudian psychology and introducing the
techniques of literary stream-of-consciousness.
Quick Checklist:
_____ The thesis/claim follows the guidelines outlined above
_____ The thesis/claim matches the requirements and goals of the assignment
_____ The thesis/claim is clear and easily recognizable
_____ The thesis/claim seems supportable by good reasoning/data, emotional appeal
The information in this handout was provided by the Writing Center at UNC-CH and OWL (The
Online Writing Lab at Purdue University)