Introductions and Conclusions (General)

THE INTRODUCTION (3 things to remember)

1) Open w/ an attention grabber to hook the audience’s interest.  

This sentence (topic sentence) should connect to the clincher & possibly to the title. (TT/CC)

Consider these options:

• fact or statistic (if it is fascinating/ startling/ compelling)
• anecdote or personal experience (an intriguing example)       
• rhetorical question (thought-provoking)        
• bold pronouncement   
• great quote (It must make sense with your essay - consider a song lyric, part of a nursery rhyme, well known tag line, part of a poem)
• inverted pyramid  
• riddle, joke, play on words                                                 

2) Avoid statements like, “In this paper, I will . . . . “

Say what you mean in a declarative sentence. 

3) Include your THESIS STATEMENT

Write a 3 pronged academic thesis statement. It tells your reader what your three topics are. Your thesis is at the end of the introduction. 

PLAN IT LIKE THIS:  

What are your three topics?

(What is the main idea of paragraph 1) Topic 1

(What is the main idea of paragraph 2) Topic 2

(What is the main idea of paragraph 3) Topic 3    

 

EXAMPLES:    

• In order to better understand Twyla Tharp, one must be familiar with her early life, her choreography, and her life philosophy.

• It is important to consider Gene Kelly's childhood, training, & career highlights. 

• The science fiction phenomenon of Dr. Who is best understood after examining the show's timeline, the common themes of the plots, and the growth of its audience demographic.

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THE CONCLUSION  (3 things to remember)

1) Recap the three topics (do not use the exact words as the thesis sentence ,but it IS the same information)

2) Do not add new information in your conclusion (unless specifically called for in the directions).

3) These should be your last and/or second to last sentences

--> “The most significant thing about (your main idea of the essay)  is/was  (one topic paragraph point).

--> The clincher must connects to the topic sentence (and perhaps the title) (TT/CC)

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(TT/CC) = Title/ Topic/ Clincher/ Connection

Topic sentence -- the first sentence (aka: hook)

Clincher -- the last sentence

The Topic and Clincher sentences must always Connect (reflect, refract, or repeat)

The Title must Connect to one or the other (Topic or Clincher sentence)