Titles and Introductions

1. Titles and Introductions Titles and introductions are the FIRST thing the reader sees and so they are often the one thing that determines whether your reader/listener is engaged or not. They are IMPORTANT. Take the time to write a good title and introduction!

2. Importance of a Title • The title is the first thing the reader sees; it determines whether the reader is engaged or bored. • Get creative and funky with your title; tease the reader! • Use the title to hint at what you are going to talk about, but leave the reader guessing.

3. Examples of good and not-good titles: • Not Good = Descriptive titles, e.g. “Journal #3: Response to Buff Enough Essay” • Good = A title that is creative and leaves the reader wanting more, e.g. “Muscleheads and Roid-Monstors: The New Masculinity”   

4. Do’s and Don’ts Of Introductions

5. “Do’s” or How to Write An Effective Introduction • Begin with a QUOTATION, but make sure you explain the relevance of the quote to your argument (don’t just insert a quote without talking about it). • Begin with a QUESTION, but make sure you answer that question! • OPPOSITE OPINION: Create a counter-argument in your first paragraph that you will then use to disprove in the rest of your essay.

6. SHORT NARRATIVE or ANECDOTE: These are short stories, creative writing, that creates a scene or a moment that you will use to exemplify your argument. • INTERESTING FACT: Get some logos in that first paragraph! Is there a shocking statistic or fact you can use to draw your reader in? • EXPLANATION OF TERM: Use your introduction to explain or define (DON’T use a dictionary definition, though!) a key term or concept in your essay.

7. Begin with a PARADOX or IRONY. For example, if you are writing about females and body image issues, you can create an intro where a man is concerned that is butt is too big or that he looks “fat” in a pair of jeans. • Use an ANALOGY. An analogy is comparing two concepts that are unrelated but can be seen as similar. For example, if you are writing about the death penalty, you can compare the government killing people as punishment to the Roman blood sport where stadiums of people came to watch criminals being eaten by lions.

8. Introduction “Don’ts” • Don’t include a dictionary definition. If you want to include a definition, say what the word means in your own language. • Don’t summarize what your argument is. • Don’t list out all your support points in your thesis. • Don’t get so creative that you have an introduction that seems totally unrelated to your topic. • Don’t forget your AUDIENCE. What will entice your audience to read further? What will catch their attention?

9. Ending Your Argument Conclusions- where you bring your ideas together and draw out the implications of your point or make connections.

10. Importance of a Conclusion • Stresses the importance of your thesis statement. • Gives the essay a sense of completeness. • Leaves a final impression on the reader.

11. Do’s and Don’ts Of Conclusions

12. Do’s • COMPARE: Make a useful comparison of your topic and another issue. Analogy conclusion. • CALL TO ACTION: Suggest an action the reader should take in response your argument. • SO WHAT? WHO CARES?: Tell your reader what your thesis statement means for the future.

13. GET PERSONAL: Let them know why your argument is important and meaningful to them as a reader and/or you as a writer. • CALL BACK TO YOUR INTRO: You can always link the last paragraph to the first, if you used a certain phrase, word, or a creative setting to open.

14. Don’ts • YOUR READER ISN’T AN IDIOT: Don’t summarize what you already told them about. - Only summarize briefly (one to two sentences) if your writing was longer than 10 pages. • WE CAN SEE THIS IS THE END: Don’t start a conclusion with “ And in conclusion…” • NO LAST MINUTE CRAMMING: Don’t try putting everything you couldn’t say in your paper into your conclusion. • KEEP THE FOCUS: Don’t focus on a minor point in the paper.