IntroductionsHOW CAN I START MY PAPER?

COPYRIGHT LISA MCNEILLEY, 2010

Purposes of Introduction

Sets reader’s expectations for content, style, tone, and stance.

Catches the reader’s attention.

Provides the purpose/thesis statement.

Purposes of Introduction

Gives an overview of what will be presented in the paper.

Provides needed background information.

Establishes the significance of your topic (answers your reader’s question, “Why should I read this?”)

Approaches

Write the introduction first.

Write the introduction after the first draft.

Write the introduction after the final revision.

General Statements in Introductions

Avoid reliance on generalities.Rarely trueDifficult to supportUnlikely to inspire interest.

General Statements in Introductions

If you start by working with a general statementConnect it to something specificAccount for exceptions and complexitiesReplace it after you have done more research.

Example of Introduction Based on Generalizations

Owning pets has a lot of positive effects. People who own pets are often very happy. They love their pets. Pet owners do a lot of good things for their pets. And pets do a lot of good things for their owners. Especially people who are lonely should have pets. Senior citizens should be encouraged to have pets because the pets can keep them company, keep them active and engaged in life, and possibly protect or rescue them if needed.

Types of Introductions

Anecdote

Startling Fact

Description of Problem

Cliché to be Overturned

Rhetorical Question

Significance of Topic

Quotation

Anecdote

Tell a story or give an example which illustrates the point you will make.

For example, an argumentative paper about stiffer penalties for child abuse might begin with the story of one abused child.

Startling Fact

You might note information that is surprising to you as you research.

Be careful not to alienate reader or undermine credibility.

Startling Fact, example

Each year, an average American requires the output of 27 acres of land for the goods he or she consumes and disposes. If all the land in the world were divided among its inhabitants, though, each person would have 6 acres of land.

Description of Problem

Use this style mainly for problem-solution papers.

A detailed description of the problem will help establish need for your solution.

For example, a paper calling for a curfew of 11 p.m. for minors might describe numerous problems caused by or to minors who are out later than this.

Cliché or Point to be Overturned

Surprise and interest your readers by stating a cliché and telling why it is untrue.

Describe a state which many people accept and tell why it is wrong, ineffective, etc.

Cliché, example

For example, a paper presenting the view that Americans are too materialistic might begin with the cliché of the American dream and then show the problems attached with it.

Rhetorical Question

Involve your reader in your quest to understand by posing questions.

Remain effective by using questions a reader might have.

Make sure your paper does answer the questions.

Rhetorical Question, example

A paper on homelessness might start out with questions like the following:

Why does homelessness persist as a problem in one of the most affluent countries in the world?

OR

What is it like to live without a home, with no sense of security, no place to even use a bathroom in privacy?

Significance of Topic

Every reader weighs the benefits of the information to be gathered against the time reading takes.

Make your writing worthwhile by telling the reader why the information you convey is necessary.

Significance of Topic, example

A paper about agricultural practices might introduce the topic by explaining how we are all affected by agricultural production in an economic and personal manner.

For most Americans, the food they want is so easy to obtain, that little thought goes into the way it is grown. In spite of this oversight, everyone is impacted by the agricultural practices in use today. For instance, droughts which lead to loss of production also mean we pay more for our foods. The growth of agribusiness has led to increased use of pesticides to make sure large farms can operate profitably, which might harm our water supply and personal health.

Quotation

Choose a particularly striking quote from literature, your research or someone famous, which is clearly related to your topic.

Quotation, example

For example, a paper on teenage suicide might begin

“To be or not to be, that is the question” (1160), Hamlet asks as he contemplates suicide. Unfortunately, this is a question which many teenagers answer in the negative.

Introductions

An effective introduction might follow one of these examples or combine more than one.

Try a couple of different types of introductions and choose the one that works best in your paper.

Revise the introduction when you are done with the paper to be sure it reflects your paper accurately.