BEGINNING AND ENDING Chapter 29 in the Field
BEGINNING AND ENDING Chapter 29 in the Field Guide
WAYS TO BEGIN v. Explain the larger context of your topic. Most essays are part of an ongoing conversation so before joining in, outline the positions that already exist v. State your thesis Sometimes the best beginning is a clear thesis statement that explains your position v. Forecast your organization Briefly outline the way in which you’ll organize your text. v. Offer background information Your readers might not know as much as you do about your topic, so give them information to help them understand why your position is important. v. Define key terms or concepts The success of an argument often hinges on how key terms are defined so provide definitions up front in a way that all of your readers could understand.
WAYS TO BEGIN v. Connect your subject to your readers’ interests or values. You’ll always want to establish common ground with your readers and sometimes you may want to do so right away in the introduction. v. Start with something that will provoke readers’ interest. Open their eyes to something related to your issue. v. Start with an anecdote. Sometimes a brief narrative helps bring a topic to life for readers. v. Ask a question. Instead of a thesis statement, you may want to open with a question about the topic your text will explore. HOWEVER…you will want to check with a professor on their personal preference with this because some will simply want you to stick with a thesis statement. v. Jump right in. Sometimes it’s better to just start as close to the key action as possible.
WAYS OF ENDING v. Restate your main point Sometimes you’ll simply summarize your central idea. v. Discuss the implications of your argument What does it mean for readers? v. End with an anecdote Maybe finishing a narrative that was begun earlier in your text or adding one that illustrates the point you are making is the best way to end your piece. v. Refer to the beginning One way to bring closure to a text is to bring up something discussed in the beginning; often the reference adds to or even changes the original meaning. v. Propose some action think If you’re taking the position that something needs to be done, actually say what you should be done.
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