Introductions

 

Introduction for Paper One: 

·       Attract reader’s interest (Attention–Getter)

·       Identify topic (Proverb)

·       Provide any info your audience needs re: topic (Explanation + Example)

·       [Transition] + Thesis 

 

Techniques:

Sample thesis:  [Although it is a good idea to be honest in as many circumstances as possible,] “Honesty is the best policy” is not always an accurate statement, especially when applied to a friend and his/her feelings.

·       Quote:  Saying, song lyric, line from a film, etc.

“I know you’re lying.”  “How?”  “Your mouth is open.”

·       Shocking Fact:  The average person tells X lies a day. 

·       Provocative Statement/Question: 

“I bet you can’t go one day without lying.”

·       A little story:  Joe is caring for Susan’s cat while she is out of town.  On accident, Joe leaves two gas burners barely on overnight, asphyxiating the cat.  When Susan comes home, Joe tells her that the cat’s death is a mystery. 

·       A hypothetical scenario:  If a friend of yours asked you whether or not you had seen her boyfriend that day, and you had in fact seen him passionately kissing another woman in a parking lot, what would you do?    

 

Do it!  Take one or two of the above techniques and incorporate them into your intro.

 
Conclusions:

 

Conclusion Functions:

·       Give reader closure

·       State how info. is relevant to reader (What will agreeing or knowing lead to?  How will doing impact the reader?)

·       Leave reader thinking

 

Conclusion options:

·       Conclude with little story related to thesis

·       Provide reader with a possible solution (Disneyland)

·       Invite reader to take action/put your ideas into practice

·       Warn/Fantasize:  Project into future +/–

·       Discuss your own experience with your ideas:  I have two friends whom I dearly love whom I would not be friends with were it not for “velvet lies.”

·       Tie back to “hook” or attention–getter

 

Conclusion errors:

·       Restating thesis and main points is formulaic

·       Avoid “In conclusion…; to sum it all up…”

·       No new info

 


Do it!  Take one or two of the above techniques and incorporate them into a conclusion.  Clearly identify which techniques you have chosen.