How Do I Start?

1. How Do I Start? Writing the Introduction

2. In the introduction you will need to do the following things: • present relevant background or contextual material • define terms or concepts when necessary • explain the focus of the paper and your specific purpose • reveal your plan of organization Writing the IntroductionU of Wisconsin--Madison

3. Give the reader a context. • Can you move 1 matchstick and make the equation correct?  You are not allowed to remove the matchstick and can’t leave any blanks (e.g., XI +   = XI isn’t allowed).   One solution is very simple and another is very sneaky. Present Relevant Background or Contextual Material

4. Add only one line to change this 9 to a 6. Here is what happens when you establish a context… Present Relevant Background or Contextual Material

5. You are setting up your readers’ minds to think in a certain way. Setting the Context means…

6. In Lord of the Flies, Ralph represents the civilized side of human beings.” Thesis Statement

7. All human beings have multiple sides, and most human beings contain similar traits. For instance, most people will at some time feel envious or jealous of another human being. Additionally, most humans will at some point show their sympathetic or more caring side. Every human being also contains both savage and civilized characteristics. Whether an individual would like to admit it or not, they possess these traits. In William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, he uses specific characters to represent these traits. The character of Ralph represents the more civilized side of human beings due to the fact that he tries to maintain order, he tries to get rescued, and he does not turn savage like the other boys. Setting the Context

8. All human beings have multiple sides, and most human beings contain similar traits. For instance, most people will at some time feel envious or jealous of another human being. Additionally, most humans will at some point show their sympathetic or more caring side. Every human being also contains both savage and civilized characteristics. Whether an individual would like to admit it or not, they possess these traits. In William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, he uses specific characters to represent these traits. The character of Ralph represents the more civilized side of human beings. due to the fact that he tries to maintain order, he tries to get rescued, and he does not turn savage like the other boys. Global Context

9. All human beings have multiple sides, and most human beings contain similar traits. For instance, most people will at some time feel envious or jealous of another human being. Additionally, most humans will at some point show their sympathetic or more caring side. Every human being also contains both savage and civilized characteristics. Whether an individual would like to admit it or not, they possess these traits. In William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, he uses specific characters to represent these traits. The character of Ralph represents the more civilized side of human beings due to the fact that he tries to maintain order, he tries to get rescued, and he does not turn savage like the other boys. Transition: Introduce The Issue

10. All human beings have multiple sides, and most human beings contain similar traits. For instance, most people will at some time feel envious or jealous of another human being. Additionally, most humans will at some point show their sympathetic or more caring side. Every human being also contains both savage and civilized characteristics. Whether an individual would like to admit it or not, they possess these traits. In William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, he uses specific characters to represent these traits. The character of Ralph represents the more civilized side of human beings due to the fact that he tries to maintain order, he tries to get rescued, and he does not turn savage like the other boys. Make it Relevant to the Reader

11. All human beings have multiple sides, and most human beings contain similar traits. For instance, most people will at some time feel envious or jealous of another human being. Additionally, most humans will at some point show their sympathetic or more caring side. Every human being also contains both savage and civilized characteristics. Whether an individual would like to admit it or not, they possess these traits. In William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, he uses specific characters to represent these traits. The character of Ralph represents the more civilized side of human beings. due to the fact that he tries to maintain order, he tries to get rescued, and he does not turn savage like the other boys. Transition to clarify the Focus

12. All human beings have multiple sides, and most human beings contain similar traits. For instance, most people will at some time feel envious or jealous of another human being. Additionally, most humans will at some point show their sympathetic or more caring side. Every human being also contains both savage and civilized characteristics. Whether an individual would like to admit it or not, they possess these traits. In William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, he uses specific characters to represent these traits. The character of Ralph represents the more civilized side of human beingsdue to the fact that he tries to maintain order, he tries to get rescued, and he does not turn savage like the other boys. Finish with the Thesis

13. The Power of a Great Introduction Put another way…

14. Twenty-seven bones in the hand and wrist allow humans to concurrently create and destroy. Thousands of hands have been behind history’s astounding creations. Hands represent a powerful symbol, one that was not lost on Charles Dickens. In Great Expectations, Dickens uses hands to symbolize social class inequities, and through his criticism, he exposes the dire need for social reform in Victorian London. Sample

15. Remember: • Your thesis is the key • Big picture: Make your paper relevant • Consider the effect you want to have on your readers Your Turn

16. Use your outline and prospectus as flexible guides • Build your essay around points you want to make (i.e., don't let your sources organize your paper) • Integrate your sources into your discussion • Summarize, analyze, explain, and evaluate published work rather than merely reporting it • Move up and down the "ladder of abstraction" from generalization to varying levels of detail back to generalization Writing the BodyU of Wisconsin--Madison