THE INTRODUCTION OWL PURDUE ENGLISH WHAT ELSE OTHER

THE INTRODUCTION OWL PURDUE ENGLISH

WHAT ELSE OTHER THAN THESIS? • You know that your thesis is in your introduction, but what else? • An introduction is extremely important • Why? • It introduces your topic, gets the readers interested, and opens up your argument

ELEMENTS OF THE INTRODUCTION • • • Introduce your topic Create interest Provide necessary background information Identify your main idea Preview the rest of your essay These will be your thesis statement (1 or 2 sentences)

HOW TO START? INFORMAL ESSAYS ONLY • • • Rhetorical question Anecdote Statistic or fact (usually startling) Description (imagery) Quote? (try not to)

LET’S PRACTICE! • What is one important goal you would like to achieve in the next few years? • As you read the following introductory paragraph, consider the following: • What sentence(s) introduce the topic and create interest? • What sentence(s) provide background information? • What sentence(s) identify the main idea and preview the rest of the essay?

SAMPLE INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH • "Making goals for myself and working toward them keeps me on my toes and makes my life interesting. There are many goals that I would like to achieve throughout my life. I have begun working toward many of them by looking into going back to school and thinking about what I’d like to do for a career. One major goal I would like to accomplish in the next few years is getting a better job. My plan to get a better job is to finish school, prepare a resume, and then search for jobs. "