- 14 Mar, 2021
- 0 Comments
- 1 Min Read
English
Introductions should include:
A HOOK. Grab your reader’s attention—don’t immediately begin with the name of the text you are analyzing.
CONTEXT. What is the primary text, what genre is the text, and who is the author? Give a brief description of the plot (no more than two sentences.)
THESIS ARGUMENT. Your argument should be able to alert your reader to the topics each body paragraph will cover. It should be specific and not gesture broadly. It should not consider any hypothetical audience or readership.
BODY PARAGRAPHS
TOPIC SENTENCE CLAIM: This should be the first sentence of your essay and should be an argument that ties back to your thesis statement. Think of this as the first topic you named in your thesis, or one important aspect of the large topic you aim to discuss in your paper overall.
QUOTE CONTEXT: Set up your quote. Ask yourself if your quote is ultimately necessary and if you can provide ample analysis to it.
INTRODUCE SECONDARY SOURCE: Who is the author? Why should we trust this source?
SECONDARY SCOURCE QUOTE: How does this secondary source quote impact your analysis of the quote you chose from the story? How does it tie into your overall argument?
FINAL THOUGHT: One or two sentences that wraps up your paragraph in a bow. Recap the main argument and consider any final stakes. Do NOT end your paragraph with a quote.
CONCLUSION
RE-STATE YOUR THEIS ARGUMENT: Don’t copy and paste from your intro—find a new way to frame your argument.
RECAP your body paragraph arguments, including your primary and secondary sources. Re-introduce us to the authors.
WHAT ARE THE STAKES? Answer this broadly. Why should I give a d@mn about your topic? Convince me to care. What real world issues connect to your argument? What would you like your reader to walk away wondering about?