Title: Introductions and Conclusions
1ENG 102
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2Introductions and Conclusions
- WP 2
- Longer Referential Essay
- ENG 102
- Sarah Dye
3Save the first for last
- Have at least a working version of major thesis
before drafting but save the introduction for
later. - Then it will truly introduce whats written
instead of what writer intended. - This ties the introduction more effectively to
the conclusion by writing them both at the same
time.
4Attention-getting openings
- A startling fact or bit of information
- A meaningful quotation
- A universal idea related to your thesis
- A rich, vivid description or image
- A fresh analogy or metaphor
- An interesting anecdote, story, or dramatic
episode - A thought-provoking question
- Beginning in the middle of the action
5Effective introductions can stop
traffic
6Openings to avoid
- Dictionary definitions of words your reader
should know. - Did you know? or Have you ever wondered?
rhetorical questions - This paper will be about In this paper I
will prove
7More opening mistakes to avoid
- Beginning too far away from your actual topic
(There are many novels, all of which have
characters. Some characters are heroes, and some
are not.) - A book report list of irrelevant facts (William
Shakespeare lived in the Elizabethan era in
England. He wrote many plays. One of these plays
was Hamlet.)
8Hint about openings
- When previewing main topics in your introduction,
make sure you list them in the order in which
they appear in your paper.
9What goes in the introduction
- Essential background about your topic and
preparation for your major thesis. - Road maps for the rest of the essay, previewing
major ideas and posing important questions that
you will consider in your paper.
10The intro the thesis sentence
- Introduction ends with your major thesis.
- Make special attempts to link the TS to the
sentence that precedes it by building on a key
word or idea.
11Ending the essay
12The conclusion
- Your conclusion wraps up your argument and leaves
the reader with some final things to think about. - Your conclusion should stem from what you have
already written. - Effective conclusions therefore often refer back
to ideas presented in a papers introduction.
13Purpose of the conclusion
- Should echo the major thesis without repeating
words verbatim. - Should move beyond TS to reflect on significance
of ideas just presented. - Should indicate why these ideas are important.
14Effective conclusions
- Reflect on how topic relates to larger issues (in
the novel, in society, in history) - Show how topic affects the readers life
- Evaluate the concepts presented
- Issue a call for action on the part of the
audience
15More about effective conclusions
- Ask questions generated by essays findings
- Make predictions
- Recommend a solution
16Even more about effective conclusions
- Connect back to introduction, esp. if writer used
a metaphor, anecdote, or vivid image - Give a personal statement about the topic
17Conclusions to avoid
- Beginning with In conclusion
-
- Restating thesis and main points without adding
anything new - Bringing up a new topic
- Adding irrelevant details
- (esp. just to make a paper longer)
18The information in this presentation comes from
the following source
- Writing with Style Writing and Style Manual
- Click below to access the web page
- Poway Unified School District