Introductions and Introductions and conclusions conclusions

Their role, Why even bother, Strategies for wicked good Their role, Why even bother, Strategies for wicked good onesones

Adapated from The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel HillAdapated from The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

The Role of the The Role of the introductionintroduction

• The introduction acts as a Delorean to The introduction acts as a Delorean to “transport” your reader from their own lives “transport” your reader from their own lives to the place of your analysis.to the place of your analysis.

• A good introduction is a tool that allows your A good introduction is a tool that allows your readers to leave their world and get to know readers to leave their world and get to know the one you are about to write aboutthe one you are about to write about

Why botherWhy bother

• You never get a second chance to make a good You never get a second chance to make a good impression.impression. Is it quality work? Did you misspell the Is it quality work? Did you misspell the name of the author? You must consider your name of the author? You must consider your audience, and in academic writing that is usually audience, and in academic writing that is usually your instructor. News Flash: This is the person who your instructor. News Flash: This is the person who grades your work. grades your work.

• Your introduction in a road map to your paper.Your introduction in a road map to your paper. A decent one will help you A decent one will help you andand your reader stay your reader stay focused and not get lost. focused and not get lost.

• No RSVP needed.No RSVP needed. Try considering your introduction Try considering your introduction as an invitation to your reader to join you in an as an invitation to your reader to join you in an intellectual conversation. Ideally, your introduction intellectual conversation. Ideally, your introduction should make people should make people want want to read your paper.to read your paper.

strategiesstrategies

• Recycle your teacher’s hard work.Recycle your teacher’s hard work. Usually you are given an assignment sheet or Usually you are given an assignment sheet or some other inspired and brilliant worksheet some other inspired and brilliant worksheet during the study of a unit. Refer to this and during the study of a unit. Refer to this and use bits and pieces to help you begin with a use bits and pieces to help you begin with a BROAD statement, eventually honing your BROAD statement, eventually honing your introduction to the specific thesis. Think of introduction to the specific thesis. Think of your introduction as a funnel* – wide at the your introduction as a funnel* – wide at the top and narrow at the bottom.top and narrow at the bottom.

*No. Not that kind of funnel. Get your mind out of the gutter.*No. Not that kind of funnel. Get your mind out of the gutter.

Example of recyclingExample of recycling

• Your Literary Focus assignment for Act II states: Your Literary Focus assignment for Act II states: …the focus on the character is so …the focus on the character is so

strong, the viewer or strong, the viewer or reader understands that this reader understands that this character’s life is meant to character’s life is meant to illustrate a truth about life.illustrate a truth about life.

• If you were writing a character analysis, you could use If you were writing a character analysis, you could use some of this language in a broad opening statement, some of this language in a broad opening statement, such as:such as:

One of the most magical qualities of reading is that the One of the most magical qualities of reading is that the reader is transported to another time, and if the reader reader is transported to another time, and if the reader is astute enough, he or she may even glean valuable is astute enough, he or she may even glean valuable lessons from the characters. This is especially likely in a lessons from the characters. This is especially likely in a play, where the focus on a character is so robust, that it play, where the focus on a character is so robust, that it is clear the character is meant to illustrate a lesson is clear the character is meant to illustrate a lesson about life. Of all the characters in Arthur Miller’s about life. Of all the characters in Arthur Miller’s The The CrucibleCrucible, none are so capable of teaching a lesson about , none are so capable of teaching a lesson about integrity and honesty more than John Proctor. integrity and honesty more than John Proctor.

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• The Hook. The Hook. Yes, you learned it in elementary school, but you can Yes, you learned it in elementary school, but you can still use the attention-grabber strategy if you need it. It’s like a still use the attention-grabber strategy if you need it. It’s like a security blanket, you probably shouldn’t have it by now but no security blanket, you probably shouldn’t have it by now but no one has the heart to take it away from you.one has the heart to take it away from you.

• A provocative quotation:A provocative quotation: Arthur Miller is not so much a Arthur Miller is not so much a pessimist and he is a realist when he claims that humanity’s best pessimist and he is a realist when he claims that humanity’s best selves emerge only after horrendous tragedies: “All we need is a selves emerge only after horrendous tragedies: “All we need is a stock market crash of the first magnitude, and morality will stock market crash of the first magnitude, and morality will follow in it’s wake.” follow in it’s wake.”

• A thought-provoking question:A thought-provoking question: What would make a town turn What would make a town turn on themselves, a family turn against one another, and a church on themselves, a family turn against one another, and a church denounce its most respected members? denounce its most respected members?

• An interesting fact:An interesting fact: Though Arthur Miller’s play, Though Arthur Miller’s play, The CrucibleThe Crucible, , is a work of fiction, it is no match for the historical tragedy that is a work of fiction, it is no match for the historical tragedy that occurred in Salem: 19 hanged, and one pressed to death – all occurred in Salem: 19 hanged, and one pressed to death – all innocent, all victimized. innocent, all victimized.

StrategiesStrategies

• You got this.You got this. Be straight forward and confident; avoid Be straight forward and confident; avoid statements like “In this paper, I will…” or “This quote statements like “In this paper, I will…” or “This quote shows…”shows…”**

Instead of: Instead of: In this paper, I will explain why Rev. Hale is a In this paper, I will explain why Rev. Hale is a dynamic character. dynamic character.

Write: Write: Rev. Hale is the most dynamic character in Rev. Hale is the most dynamic character in The CrucibleThe Crucible because his role at the end of the play in entirely different than because his role at the end of the play in entirely different than when he is first introduced.when he is first introduced.

Instead of: Instead of: This quote shows how manipulative Abby can be This quote shows how manipulative Abby can be towards other people. towards other people.

Write: Write: Abby manipulates not only the adults in Salem, but the Abby manipulates not only the adults in Salem, but the children as well when she tells them “Look you, all of you…” children as well when she tells them “Look you, all of you…” (13).(13).

*As a rule, try to avoid using direct textual evidence in your introduction. But this strategy *As a rule, try to avoid using direct textual evidence in your introduction. But this strategy applies to your body paragraphs.applies to your body paragraphs.

Avoid thisAvoid this

• It is time to retire the “Webster’s Dictionary” It is time to retire the “Webster’s Dictionary” opening strategy. It sounds very juvenile and opening strategy. It sounds very juvenile and not a little desperate. Just sayin’.not a little desperate. Just sayin’.

• Example: Example: Webster’s Dictionary defines a Webster’s Dictionary defines a crucible as a difficult test or challenge.crucible as a difficult test or challenge.

• If you If you must, must, at least disguise it like this: at least disguise it like this: It is no It is no accident that Arthur Miller titled his play about accident that Arthur Miller titled his play about the horrors of the Salem witch trials the horrors of the Salem witch trials The The CrucibleCrucible, for it was indeed a difficult time for , for it was indeed a difficult time for the members of Salem village, as well as a the members of Salem village, as well as a personal and spiritual challenge for those personal and spiritual challenge for those accused. accused.

The role of the The role of the conclusionconclusion

• Just as the introduction provides a bridge that Just as the introduction provides a bridge that readers cross from their own world into the readers cross from their own world into the world of your writing, the conclusion is the world of your writing, the conclusion is the bridge that transitions them back to their own bridge that transitions them back to their own lives.lives.

Why BotherWhy Bother

• It’s your chance to have the last word on the It’s your chance to have the last word on the subject. And who doesn’t like having the last word?subject. And who doesn’t like having the last word?

• It allows you to summarize your thoughts as well as It allows you to summarize your thoughts as well as demonstrate the importance of your ideas. Lest demonstrate the importance of your ideas. Lest your reader forget how important you are (that was your reader forget how important you are (that was a joke; your parents would have laughed).a joke; your parents would have laughed).

• It allows you to propel your reader to a new view on It allows you to propel your reader to a new view on the subject. It should give them something to take the subject. It should give them something to take away, help them to see things differently, or away, help them to see things differently, or appreciate the topic in ways that are personally appreciate the topic in ways that are personally relevant to them. relevant to them.

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• Here is where you will wish you paid attention Here is where you will wish you paid attention to crafting a strong introduction. IF you did to crafting a strong introduction. IF you did this, then return to it. this, then return to it.

• Remind yourself of the big ideas you used to Remind yourself of the big ideas you used to introduce your specific material and revisit it. introduce your specific material and revisit it.

• DO NOTDO NOT simply re-state it, spend some time simply re-state it, spend some time rewording it and understanding rewording it and understanding whywhy it is it is important. important.

ExampleExample

• A strong conclusion to our example intro paragraph A strong conclusion to our example intro paragraph would be:would be:

There are many valuable lessons demonstrated by There are many valuable lessons demonstrated by the characters in the characters in The CrucibleThe Crucible: the importance of : the importance of standing up for one’s beliefs, the significance of standing up for one’s beliefs, the significance of supporting loved ones, but none are as prominent as supporting loved ones, but none are as prominent as the weight of moral integrity and honesty that John the weight of moral integrity and honesty that John Proctor carries. This weight is heavy on John due to Proctor carries. This weight is heavy on John due to his former shame and sin, but it is through these his former shame and sin, but it is through these transgressions that he becomes an honest man. transgressions that he becomes an honest man. Though one would not wish upon anyone his burden, Though one would not wish upon anyone his burden, it cannot be denied that all men and women would it cannot be denied that all men and women would benefit from the amount of moral integrity John benefit from the amount of moral integrity John Proctor possesses at the end of the play. Proctor possesses at the end of the play.