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Introductions
The introduction is an important part of your paper: You will catch the reader's attention and lead gently towards your
thesis.
(The last sentence in the introduction should be your thesis statement.) Getting the attention of the reader is an important job;
it will sometimes make a difference in whether or not someone will take the time to read your essay, and possibly will affect the
reader's attitude towards your point and your writing for the rest of the essay.
The key to the interest factor of all good introductions is the key to what makes all good writing interesting: it is detailed and specific.
Vague, general or obvious information is incredibly boring as well as unnecessary - space and time wasters. "Humans are complex creatures" or
"Cancer is difficult disease" or "Something must be done about the environment" are all obvious statements that make the reader yawn and render your essay
superfluous. Don't begin your essay that way - and avoid statements like that in all your writing.
Here are just some suggestions and examples for ways to catch the attention of your reader (to "hook" the reader) in your introduction.
Begin with an apt quotation.
"In 1773, on a tour of Scotland and the Hebrides Islands, Samual Johnson visited a school for deaf children. Impressed by the students but daunted by their predicament,
he proclaimed deafness 'one of the most desperate of human calamities.' More than a century later Helen Keller reflected
on her own life and declared that deafness was a far greater hardship than blindness. 'Blindness cuts people off from things,'
she observed. 'Deafness cuts people off from people.'" Edward Dolnick, "Deafness as Culture" ++
Begin with a firm statement of opinion, so firm that it is controversial.
America's dependency on gasoline has negative consequences that infiltrate and affect us everywhere. The environment is being destroyed, natural habitats are sullied,
global warming is now undeniable, and even wars are started to ensure available access to that precious limited commodity: gas. Yet Americans still continue to
rely on this resource unchecked; rather than seeking alternative energy sources, such as solar or electric, the majority of us continue on blindly.
For example, the popularity of gas guzzling SUVs has never been higher. The only way to ensure that Americans take a personal and motivated interest in solving this
crisis is to raise gas prices to $10 a gallon.
Begin with unusual or sensational details, facts, or statistics.
"One out of every ten [eight] women will develop breast cancer this year, according toa recent report prepared by the Health Information Service."**
"One out of every five new recruits in the United States military is female. The Marines gave the Combat Action Ribbon for service in the Persian Gulf to 23
women. Two female soldiers were killed in the bombing of the USS Cole. The Selective Service registers for the draft
all male citizens betwen the ages of 18 and 25. What's wrong with this picture?" Anna Quindlen, "Uncle Sam and Aunt Samantha: it's
Simple Fairness: Women as Well as Men Should be Required to Register for the Draft"++
Begin with (a) reflective rhetorical question(s).
"It is three times the number of people who belong to the Southern Baptist Convention, nine times the number who served in the U.S. armed forces,
and more than twice the number who voted for Barry Goldwater for president in 1964. What is it? It's the number of people in the United States who
admit to having smoked marijuana: 70 million."**
"Think for a minute. Who were you before this wave of feminism began?" Gloria Steinem, "Words and Change"++
Begin with a prediction; tell what something will be like in the future.
In the future, modern society will be powered entirely by electricity, solar, wind, and nuclear power. Every convenience we know,
from indoor heating to automobiles will no longer need gas or oil. With independence from oil, the environment will
be cleaner - smog will be a thing of the past. Middle eastern riches and power will no longer be a concern,
and wars will no longer be waged nor innocent lives lost over obtaining this dwindling natural resource. However, this will
only happen once we start investing the time and money into making the technological modifications to use our already
readily available alternative energy. But we will have to do this work, and do it now. Would you prefer to see these changes
happen in ten years or in one hundred years after irreversible environmental damage and countless more lives lost?
Begin with a paradoxical statement.
"It was the best of times; it was the worst of times."
Divine justice is completely merciful, yet completely just.
"'Eat two chocolate bars and call me in the morning,' says the psychiatrist to his patient.
Such advice sounds like a sugar fanatics dream, but recent studies have indeed confirmed that chocolate
positively affects depression and anxiety."**
Begin with a case history or vivid example.
"Texas's first execution of a woman in twenty-two years occurred September 17 at the Huntsville Unit of the state's Department of Corrections
despite the protests of various human rights groups around the country."**
"With one eye blackened, one arm in a cast, and third-degree burns on both her legs, the pretty, blond two-year old seeks corners of rooms, refuses to speak,
and shakes violently at the sound of loud noises. Tammy is not the victim of a war or natural disaster; rather, she is the helpless victim of her parents,
one of thousands of children who suffer daily from America's hidden crime, child abuse."**
Begin with an anecdote, a brief humorous story, that leads into the main topic.
"Writer and witty critic Dorothy Parker was once assigned a remote, out-of-the-way office.
According to the story, she became so lonely, so desperate for company, that she ultimately painted "Gentleman" on the door.
Although this university is large, no one in this campus needs to feel as isolated as Parker obviously did: the Student
Activities Office offers numerous clubs, programs and volunteer groups to involve students of all interests."**
Begin in medias res, or in the middle of a narration (story), at the high action, skipping the boring exposition. The details can come later.
Begin with a description of the setting as background for the exposition to follow.
Begin with a analogy or comparison.
"The Romans kept geese on their Capitol Hill to cackle alarm in the event of attack by night.
Modern Americans, despite their technology, have hardly improved on that old system of protection. According to the
latest Safety Council report, almost any door with a standard lock can be opened easily with a credit card."**
Begin with figurative language, such as metaphor or simile.
Begin with a pun or play on words.
Begin with humor.
Begin with dialogue.
CONCLUSIONS: Conclusions sum up what you said in your essay and add a note of finality.
You can conclude by restating your major essay points, evaluating the importance of your topic,
stating the essay's broader implications, or even adding a warning or a call to action based your essay's
conclusions.
**(All starred examples are from: Wyrick, Jean. Steps to Writing Well with Additional Readings.
5th edition. Boston: Thomson-Wadsworth. 2005. pp. 80-81.)
++(All examples with pluses come from: Connelly, Mark. The Sundance Writer: A Rhetoric, Reader, and Handbook. 3rd ed. Boston:
Thomson-Wadsworth. 2007. pp. 98-99.)
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