Intro Paragraphs The intro paragraph is an extremely

Intro Paragraphs The intro paragraph is an extremely important feature of any essay. It is arguably the most important paragraph in terms of what it can do for an essay.

WHY • Why is the intro so important? Because it contains 2 very valuable pieces of information: Topic Thesis Why are these important? Your topic lets your reader know the WHAT? and your thesis lets you reader know SO WHAT?

TOPIC • When you establish the topic, you are letting your reader know the general subject that is being focused on. You must first establish the general topic before you transition in your specific thesis. • The topic should not establish an argument, but rather should clearly establish the subject

Thesis • The thesis statement is probably one of the most feared and misunderstood features of an essay. However, it is simply a matter of understanding what thesis’ job is in an essay. Once you’ve got that down, it only takes a little practice to be able to write a decent thesis.

What a thesis is/does: • • A thesis makes a claim A thesis is specific A thesis clearly establishes your argument A thesis has a ‘So What? ’ If your thesis does all of these things, you’ve got the fundamentals in place.

HOOKS • A good way to start an essay is to practice your hooks. Hooks are a way to get your reader interested in what you’re saying, and there are several of them.

Historical • Historical hooks situate your topic in a particular time frame. They may give the reader an idea of the history of the topic, giving a brief timeline to present day. The current controversy surrounding incidents of Police brutality may seem like a new problem to some. However, police brutality has a history dating back to the 1800 s.

Shocking Statement Would you drink raw sewage? Bill Gates, tech mogul and multi-billionaire hopes the answer is yes. One of his latest projects is turning sewage into potable drinking water.

Challenge to commonly held belief or opinion • Clean equals healthy. This is something we’re led to believe virtually our entire lives. Whether it was our parents exhorting us to wash our hands and bathe daily, or our teachers including hygiene into the curriculum. However, new studies suggest that too clean may be a bad thing. All those hand sanitizers and anti-bacterial soaps are washing away beneficial bacteria.

Statistic • It should hardly surprise anyone that texting and driving significantly impairs one’s driving. However, the numbers are stunning: in 2013 the DMV found that over %80 of auto accidents were cell-phone related.

Personal Anecdote • I had always considered myself staunchly antdrug. However, when I met Kerri, that changed. Kerri had been in a life-altering car accident which left her in chronic pain, and found no solace in any of the many pain pills the doctors prescribed. It was a long shot, but Kerri tried medical cannabis, and immediately found that it helped her manage her pain more effectively.

Detailed Description • The peeling paint of the house was the color of rotted milk, a grey-white sickly shade. As I made my way up the crumbling concrete and dirt driveway, I noticed several large holes in the wood tile roof that had been covered with blue tarp secured by duct-tape. The screen door hung off its hinges, swaying unsteadily in the breeze. Several yellowed catalogs were piled on the porch, and the smell inside the home, musty and animal nearly made my eyes water. Welcome home, I thought to myself.