Introduction And Conclusion
November 03, 2019
Writing a Good Introductory Paragraph
The primary purpose of an introductory paragraph is to pique the interest of your reader and identify the topic and purpose of the essay. It often ends with a thesis statement.
You can engage your readers right from the start through a number of tried and true ways. Posing a question, defining the key term, giving a brief anecdote, using a playful joke or emotional appeal, or pulling out an interesting fact are just a few approaches you can take. Use imagery, details, and sensory information to connect with the reader if you can. The key is to add intrigue along with just enough information so your readers want to find out more.
One way to do this is to come up with a brilliant opening line. Even the most mundane topics have aspects interesting enough to write about; otherwise, you wouldn't be writing about them, right?
When you begin writing a new piece, think about what your readers want or need to know. Use your knowledge of the topic to craft an opening line that will satisfy that need. You don't want to fall into the trap of what writers call "chasers" that bore your readers (such as "The dictionary defines...."). The introduction should make sense and "hook" the reader right from the start.
Make your introductory paragraph brief. Typically, just three or four sentences are enough to set the stage for both long and short essays. You can go into supporting information in the body of your essay, so don't tell the audience everything all at once.
Some great Introductory Paragraphs:
"As a lifelong crabber (that is, one who catches crabs, not a chronic complainer), I can tell you that anyone who has patience and a great love for the river is qualified to join the ranks of crabbers. However, if you want your first crabbing experience to be a successful one, you must come prepared."
(Mary Zeigler, "How to Catch River Crabs")
(Mary Zeigler, "How to Catch River Crabs")
"Working part-time as a cashier at the Piggly Wiggly has given me a great opportunity to observe human behavior. Sometimes I think of the shoppers as white rats in a lab experiment, and the aisles as a maze designed by a psychologist. Most of the rats—customers, I mean—follow a routine pattern, strolling up and down the aisles, checking through my chute, and then escaping through the exit hatch. But not everyone is so dependable. My research has revealed three distinct types of abnormal customer: the amnesiac, the super shopper, and the dawdler."
("Shopping at the Pig")
("Shopping at the Pig")
"In March 2006, I found myself, at 38, divorced, no kids, no home, and alone in a tiny rowing boat in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. I hadn’t eaten a hot meal in two months. I’d had no human contact for weeks because my satellite phone had stopped working. All four of my oars were broken, patched up with duct tape and splints. I had tendinitis in my shoulders and saltwater sores on my backside.
"I couldn’t have been happier...."
(Roz Savage, "My Transoceanic Midlife Crisis." Newsweek, March 20, 2011)
"I couldn’t have been happier...."
(Roz Savage, "My Transoceanic Midlife Crisis." Newsweek, March 20, 2011)
Now let's move towards the conclusion paragraphs.
How to Write a Conclusion for an Essay?
We have prepared several tips to make students understand how to write a conclusion for an essay. Start with paraphrasing a thesis. Do not forget about these tips:
- Parallel structure is the key. Students who start their papers with a statistic should involve one more fact in the final paragraph. In case a writer inserted a quotation at the beginning of the introduction, he/she must find one more similar quotation. Do not use the same hooks!
- A rhetorical question. A rhetorical question is an intriguing question, which does not require an answer, and it may leave the readers with some thoughts. Such questions put the subject in the context of the bigger issue.
“The primary cause of Anorexia Nervosa is role modeling. Young girls get attracted by how celebrities look. To prevent the expansion of such problem, it is necessary to limit access to social media.”
“My position was defended by the multiple credible sources - related studies of the field’s authorities. Banning smoking is a bad idea. This action means a limitation of human rights, a negative impact on the country’s economy, and a potential threat to people who suffer from problems with the nervous system.”
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