How to Write an Introduction and Thesis Statement

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How to Write an Introduction and Thesis Statement

• We are nearing the end of this paper!

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• The five paragraph essay consists of five
  complete paragraphs.
• The first one being the introduction
• Second, third and forth reserved for the main
  body
• The last being the conclusion.

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The all important Introduction

• The introductory paragraph is the place in which
  the writer introduces the reader to the topic. It
  is important to make this a clear and limited
  statement. This is where the writer grabs the
  reader's attention. Because of its purpose, it is
  often the first sentence of the paragraph. It is
  followed by three subtopics that develop the
  thesis.
• This can be done in a variety of ways....
• http//www.geocities.com/SoHo/Atrium/1437/structur
  e.html

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Way 1

• Historical review Some topics are better
  understood if a
• brief historical review of the topic is presented
  to lead into
• the discussion of the moment. Such topics might
  include "a
• biographical sketch of a war hero," "an upcoming
  execution
• of a convicted criminal," or "drugs and the
  younger
• generation." Obviously there are many, many more
  topics
• that could be introduced by reviewing the history
  of the
• topic before the writer gets down to the nitty
  gritty of his
• paper. It is important that the historical review
  be brief so
• that it does not take over the paper.
• http//cctc2.commnet.edu/grammar/intros.htm

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Way 2

• Anecdotal An anecdote is a little story.
  Everyone loves to listen to stories. Begin a
  paper by relating a small story that leads into
  the topic of your paper. Your story should be a
  small episode, not a full blown story with
  characters and plot and setting...If you do it
  right, your story will capture the reader's
  interest so that he or she will continue to read
  your paper. One caution be sure that your story
  does not take over the paper. Remember, it is an
  introduction, not the paper.

http//cctc2.commnet.edu/grammar/intros.htm
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Way 3

• Surprising statement A surprising statement is a
  favorite introductory technique of professional
  writers. There are many ways a statement can
  surprise a reader. Sometimes the statement is
  surprising because it is disgusting. Sometimes it
  is joyful. Sometimes it is shocking. Sometimes it
  is surprising because of who said it.
  Professional writers have honed this technique to
  a fine edge. It is not used as much as the first
  two patterns, but it is used.
• http//cctc2.commnet.edu/grammar/intros.htm

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Way 4

• Famous person People like to know what
  celebrities say and do. Dropping the name of a
  famous person at the beginning of a paper usually
  gets the reader's attention. It may be something
  that person said or something he or she did that
  can be presented as an interest grabber. You may
  just mention the famous person's name to get the
  reader's interest. The famous person may be dead
  or alive. The famous person may be a good person
  like the Pope, or he or she may be a bad person
  like John Wilkes Booth. Of course, bringing up
  this person's name must be relevant to the topic.
  Even though the statement or action may not be
  readily relevant, a clever writer can convince
  the reader that it is relevant.
• http//cctc2.commnet.edu/grammar/intros.htm

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Way 5

• Declarative This technique is quite commonly
  used, but it must be carefully used or the writer
  defeats his whole purpose of using one of these
  patterns, to get the reader's interest. In this
  pattern, the writer simply states straight out
  what the topic of his paper is going to be about.
  It is the technique that most student writers use
  with only modest success most of the time, but
  good professional writers use it too.
• http//cctc2.commnet.edu/grammar/intros.htm

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• Your introduction also needs to state the three
  main subtopics of your paper, without going into
  detail.

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Now that thats done lets take a look at what you
should never put in an introduction!!!
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Never....

• Apologize... never suggest that you do not know
  what you are talking about by using sentences
  like...
• In my humble opinion . . .I am not sure
  about this, but . . .
• http//cctc2.commnet.edu/grammar/intros.htm

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Never....

• Announce your intentions....never state out right
  that you are about to write an essay.
• In this essay I will....
• In my paper I will talk about....
• The purpose of this essay is to...
• http//cctc2.commnet.edu/grammar/intros.htm

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Never....

• Use a dictionary or encyclopedia definition....
• According to Merriam-Webster's WWWebster
  Dictionary,a widget is . . .
• http//cctc2.commnet.edu/grammar/intros.htm

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Never....

• Dilly-dally. Get right to it. Sometimes it is
  useful to write a paragraph to get yourself
  started, but once you have finished your paper
  all the unnecessary parts need to be taken out.
• http//cctc2.commnet.edu/grammar/intros.htm

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• The last line in your introduction also needs to
  move the reader completely from your introduction
  to your main body. This is where your thesis
  statement comes in. It answers the question that
  the topic asks.

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• By now you should all know the basic ideas of the
  brainstorm....but just incase....
• http//www.atpm.com/7.03/
• images/inspiration-

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Just in case you missed it...

• Most of this information can be found on the
  following web page
• http//www.geocities.com/SoHo/Atrium/1437/index.ht
  ml

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And to answer the age old question of...

• Why do we have to write essay papers????

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• Writing is a part of everyday life, especially if
  you are planning to attend university, community
  college or any post secondary school.
• You will be asked more than once to write an
  essay in any of the above mentioned forms of
  schooling.
• They do not give you a second chance to make up a
  paper the better you know it now, the better off
  you will be then.
• And do not forget, there is an essay on your
  Exam!!!

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But what if I do not plan on going to university
or any other post secondary school?

• The chances that you will get a good, well paying
  job with out some form of post secondary
  schooling is slim to none. And even if you do,
  then at some point during that job you will be
  required to write some form of report.

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And possibly, for some, the best reason why you
need to write essays in AS English 10 is...
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• TO PASS...

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SO.

• Start a new document. Make certain you follow
  the directions for page set-up, header, and
  heading on the formatting tab. Type your
  introduction and then your body paragraphs.

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• The End