ENG 102

1. ENG102 POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS Directions: Click the left mouse button to move through this PowerPoint presentation. Often you will need to click the mouse several times to reveal the text on a given page before you can click to move to the next page.

2. Introductions and Conclusions WP #2: Longer Referential Essay ENG 102 Sarah Dye

3. Save the first for last • Have at least a working version of major thesis before drafting but save the introduction for later. • Then it will truly introduce what’s written instead of what writer intended. • This ties the introduction more effectively to the conclusion by writing them both at the same time.

4. Attention-getting openings • A startling fact or bit of information • A meaningful quotation • A universal idea related to your thesis • A rich, vivid description or image • A fresh analogy or metaphor • An interesting anecdote, story, or dramatic episode • A thought-provoking question • Beginning in the middle of the action

5. Effective introductions “can stop traffic”

6. Openings to avoid • Dictionary definitions of words your reader should know. • “Did you know?” or “Have you ever wondered?” rhetorical questions • “This paper will be about …” “In this paper I will prove”

7. More opening mistakes to avoid • Beginning too far away from your actual topic (“There are many novels, all of which have characters. Some characters are heroes, and some are not.”) • A “book report” list of irrelevant facts (William Shakespeare lived in the Elizabethan era in England. He wrote many plays. One of these plays was Hamlet.)

8. Hint about openings • When previewing main topics in your introduction, make sure you list them in the order in which they appear in your paper.

9. What goes in the introduction • Essential background about your topic and preparation for your major thesis. • Road maps for the rest of the essay, previewing major ideas and posing important questions that you will consider in your paper.

10. The intro & the thesis sentence • Introduction ends with your major thesis. • Make special attempts to link the TS to the sentence that precedes it by building on a key word or idea.

11. Ending the essay

12. The conclusion • Your conclusion wraps up your argument and leaves the reader with some final things to think about. • Your conclusion should stem from what you have already written. • Effective conclusions therefore often refer back to ideas presented in a paper’s introduction.

13. Purpose of the conclusion • Should echo the major thesis without repeating words verbatim. • Should move beyond TS to reflect on significance of ideas just presented. • Should indicate why these ideas are important.

14. Effective conclusions • Reflect on how topic relates to larger issues (in the novel, in society, in history) • Show how topic affects the reader’s life • Evaluate the concepts presented • Issue a call for action on the part of the audience

15. More about effective conclusions • Ask questions generated by essay’s findings • Make predictions • Recommend a solution

16. Even more about effective conclusions • Connect back to introduction, esp. if writer used a metaphor, anecdote, or vivid image • Give a personal statement about the topic

17. Conclusions to avoid: • Beginning with “In conclusion …” • Restating thesis and main points without adding anything new • Bringing up a new topic • Adding irrelevant details (esp. just to make a paper longer)

18. The information in this presentation comes from the following source • Writing with Style: Writing and Style Manual Click below to access the web page: Poway Unified School District