Ideas for Introductions

1. Ideas for Introductions Introductions, of course, introduce the topic—but they also try to generate INTEREST. Some ideas are as follows: • Historical review / Time Line: Past to Present • Surprising statement / Striking image, shocking fact! • Famous person • Anecdotal / Narrative or Anecdote: Story Intro

2. Historical review: Some topics are better understood if a brief historical review of the topic is presented to lead into the discussion of the moment. Such topics might include "a biographical sketch of a war hero," "an upcoming execution of a convicted criminal," or "drugs and the younger generation." Obviously there are many, many more topics that could be introduced by reviewing the history of the topic before the writer gets down to the nitty gritty of his paper. It is important that the historical review be brief so that it does not take over the paper.

3. Surprising statement: A surprising statement is a favorite introductory technique of professional writers. There are many ways a statement can surprise a reader. Sometimes the statement is surprising because it is disgusting. Sometimes it is joyful. Sometimes it is shocking. Sometimes it is surprising because of who said it. Sometimes it is surprising because it includes profanity. Professional writers have honed this technique to a fine edge. It is not used as much as the first two patterns, but it is used.

4. Surprising statement: Have a minute? Good. Because that may be all it takes to save the life of a child—your child. Accidents kill nearly 8000 children under age 15 each year. And for every fatality, 42 more children are admitted to hospitals for treatment. Yet such deaths and injuries can be avoided through these easy steps parents can take right now. You don't have a minute to lose.

5. Famous person: People like to know what celebrities say and do. Dropping the name of a famous person at the beginning of a paper usually gets the reader's attention. It may be something that person said or something he or she did that can be presented as an interest grabber. You may just mention the famous person's name to get the reader's interest.

6. Anecdotal: An anecdote is just a little story. Everyone loves to listen to stories. Begin a paper by relating a small story that leads into the topic of your paper. Your story should be a small episode, not a full blown story with characters and plot and setting. If you do it right, your story will capture the reader's interest so that he or she will continue to read your paper. One caution: be sure that your story does not take over the paper. Remember, it is an introduction, not the paper.

7. Anecdote: Yesterday Billy Barnes came home at 3:30 and let himself into his house with the key he carries to school every morning. After fixing himself a snack of five Oreo cookies and a glass of grape Koolaid, Billy watched television (MTV) for two hours. When the doorbell rang, Billy didn't answer it. Instead, he peered out the window from behind the living room curtains and waited anxiously until the stranger on his front porch walked away. At 5:30 Billy remembered that he was supposed to call his mother when he got home from school, but when he telephoned her office, she was in a meeting and couldn't talk to him. Billy is seven years old; he represents a growing number of latchkey children who pay the price for their parents' changing lifestyles.

8. Example, Anecdote Introduction • Begin with a brief example, anecdote! • Avoid sweeping statements (everyone, society is, the world today….) • Thesis, • Stand, • Order of Development (perhaps) • Order is your choice (CLARITY) • Save the development for body paragraphs

9. MORE Ideas for Introductions MORE… • Definition: Describing and explaining key term or terms. Avoid the trap of “Webster’s Dictionary defines ____ as …” • Declarative • Example: Preview of ideas • Statistics • Descriptive: Using an appeal to the senses, describing a person or place

10. Definition: "Graffiti" is an Italian word that refers to words or phrases written on public sidewalks or buildings. Ancient examples of this "public writing" were found on the walls of the city of Pompeii when it was unearthed. Today the term often signifies the spray-painted slogans that "decorate" urban schools, houses, and even subway cars. To some people--psychologists and sociologists for the most part--such graffiti are a valid and even artistic means of self-expression. To most people, however, graffiti represent an ever-increasing urban problem calling for immediate solution.

11. Ways to ORGANIZE Introductions In at least three sentences that LEAD up to THESIS, you introduce the topic and get INTEREST. Some ideas are as follows: • Formulaic (funnel): Broad Ideas narrowed to thesis • Although clause: “Some say; others maintain” • Structured: Using three ideas plus a unifying thesis with those ideas developed in subsequent paragraphs.

12. The Formula Approach • The “formula” approach: • Three sentences leading up to the thesis • Broad ideas narrowed • Three ideas in one thesis (Save best point to last). My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving because school is out, food is plentiful, and football is on all day

13. The “Although Clause” Approach Anecdotal/Example / Narrative Opening • Thesis: Although many/some people favor/are against gun control, I am in favor/am against it because of XX. • Thesis: Although many/some people favor/are against heavy metal music, I am in favor/am against it because of XX. • 1st Body/Contrast Paragraph: Not what you think; what others think. • List: Some say; others maintain; still others argue…. • Important transitional statement • Next 2- 3 body paragraphs: YOUR IDEAS. • Topic sentences – Your ideas/points • Conclusion---restate ALTHOUGH clause

14. Structured Approach Sharp divisions between ideas 1st sentence/idea 2nd sentence/idea 3rd sentence/idea Unifying thesis • Television can waste my time. • Television provides role models. • Television can be educational. Television affects me in different ways, but its influence is more positive than negative.

15. Structured Approach AT LEAST three sentences that LEAD up to THESIS— Sharp divisions between ideas 1st sentence/idea 2nd sentence/idea 3rd sentence/idea Unifying thesis • Listening to heavy metal music can change my behaviors toward rebellion and waste my time and money. • However, the music provides role models. • Heavy metal can be educational. Heavy metal music may affect me in different ways, but in society, its influence is more positive than negative.

16. MORE ways to INTRODUCE AN ESSAY

17. Direct Announcement "A Solution to Graffiti Problems"There is no one complete method of solving the graffiti problem. Increased lighting of streets and buildings at night, limited spray paint cans, and new graffiti-proof building materials can all help to decrease the graffiti problem. Graffiti removal is a costly process and all of these methods should be used to try to decrease the problem of graffiti.

18. Question & Series of Related Facts: What do Cornbread, Cool Earl, and Rembrandt have in common? "Nothing," say the millions who are appalled at the notion of graffiti by the first two well-known Philadelphia graffiti "artists" whose work has defaced many city buildings. "Quite a bit," argue the defenders of this unusual kind of "folk art." While a vocal minority champions the spray paint "artists," concerned citizens are banding together to find a solution to problems created by such "creative expression."

19. Quotation: In a national symposium on graffiti, David Adams, noted art historian, stated: "Time was when 'Kilroy was here' decorated many out-of-the-way places, but now it has been replaced by more exotic signatures, and the penciled comments have given way to spray-painted slogans." As Dr. Adams pointed out, once graffiti writing moved out of the rest rooms and onto the streets, it immediately became an object of concern among citizens trying to solve our urban problems. Elimination of this unsightly blight presents a real problem.

20. Refutation: Many people (among them, many legislators) believe that the legalization of marijuana would cause a widespread increase in drug addiction and crime. Actually, as moderate legalization is beginning to show in some states, legalization probably will create a drop in crime as marijuana ceases to be contraband and a black-market product. Also, it is reported that as its use has increased, use of hard drugs and the crime associated with such drugs have decreased.

21. Presenting a New Slant: Sickle cell anemia, a serious disease that mainly threatened blacks, has recently become the target of an extensive health campaign on both state and federal levels. This campaign has been received by the public with tremendous approval. It's about time, however, that the other side of the story was revealed. For, although the programs to test for and treat the disease have undoubtedly been undertaken with good intentions, they have had some decidedly negative effects.

22. DO NOT Dilly-dally. Avoid GLOBAL STATEMENTS. Get to it. Move confidently into your essay. Many writers find it useful to write a warm-up paragraph (or two, even) to get them into the essay, to sharpen their own idea of what they're up to, and then they go back and delete the running start.

23. DO NOT Don’t reach back too far with vague generalities or truths, such as those beginning “Throughout human history…” or “In today’s world…” or “In today’s society….” You may have needed a warm-up paragraph to start drafting, but your readers can do without it.

24. DO NOT Don’t start with “The purpose of this essay is…” “In this essay I will…” or any similar flat announcement of your intention of topic. Don’t start with “According to Webster…” or a similar phrase leading to a dictionary definition. A definition can be an effective springboard to an essay, but this kind of lead-in has become dull with overuse.

25. For more info/examples: http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/introductions.html http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/677/01/