An introduction is typically the first paragraph of your paper. Take each point and incorporate it into a topic sentence for each body paragraph. STRUCTURING AN INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH: 1. Refer to the previous exercise and select three of your most compelling reasons to support the thesis statement. Before you begin to support your thesis in the body, you must find information from a variety of sources that support and give credit to what you are trying to prove. You can consult a vast pool of resources to gather support for your stance. While there is no one formula for writing a good introduction, in general, an introduction should do the following: Attract the Readers Attention A paragraph without a clearly identified topic sentence may be unclear and scattered, just like an essay without a thesis statement. When writing an introduction to an academic essay, it is useful to remember the main purpose of the introduction. 2 Introductions Purpose Not only does the introduction contain your thesis statement, but it provides the initial impression of your argument, your writing style, and the overall quality of your work. When it comes to writing a general statement, the first sentence in an introductory paragraph should be a very general comment about the subject. The reader should be able to predict what follows your introductory paragraph by simply reading the thesis statement. Briefly introduce the reader to the subject. Remind yourself of your main argument, and delete any ideas that do not directly relate to it. Later, you will see the writer immediately provide support for the sentence. Each subsequent sentence should become more specific than the previous one and finally, lead into the thesis statement. The reader should be able to predict what follows your introductory paragraph by simply reading the thesis statement. The writer drafts possible supporting detail sentences for each primary support sentence based on the thesis statement: The following paragraph contains supporting detail sentences for the primary support sentence (the topic sentence), which is underlined. (Arguable Claim): Twinkies taste better than other snack cakes because of their texture, their creamy filling, and their golden appearance. You have the option of writing your topic sentences in one of three ways. The introduction to your thesis should preview what is to come and interest the reader with enough understanding of the key points, but still leave the best for the main part. After you have prewritten about your working thesis statement, you may have generated a lot of information, which may be edited out later. Prewriting helps you determine your most compelling primary support. A thesis statement should not be a factual statement but a declarative statement that can be argued. The most important change that should occur at my college or university is ____________________________________________. Your primary supporting points are further supported by supporting details within the paragraphs. If your topic sentence contains information that does not exist in the rest of the paragraph, rewrite it to more accurately match the rest of the paragraph. Sign in|Recent Site Activity|Report Abuse|Print Page|Powered By Google Sites, Lesson 4: Drafting "Introduction" Paragraph, because it is a dignified way of putting an end to someone's life, Grammar and Mechanics Practice Test Packets, Lesson 6: Drafting "Counter Claim" Paragraph, Lesson 7: Drafting "Conclusion" Paragraph, Lesson 3: Learning to the Read the Prompt, Lesson 4: Drafting Your Response (Frames). This is an area in which you would incorporate primary support into your writing. Possible topic sentence for Paragraph #2: Reliable sources may include newspapers, magazines, academic journals, books, encyclopedias, and firsthand testimony. Each body paragraph contains a topic sentence that states one aspect of your thesis and then expands upon it. A body paragraph comprises a topic sentence plus supporting details. Without primary support, your argument is not likely to be convincing. You may also see thesis statement. Please share with a classmate and compare your answers. A thesis is usually the last sentence of the first paragraph. As you read in Chapter 8 The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?, topic sentences indicate the location and main points of the basic arguments of your essay. Upon completion of this lesson, students will be able to: 1. discuss the purpose and merits of an effective introductory paragraph 2. explain the role played by thesis statements in the introductory paragraph 3. analyze the importance of background and the attention grabber in an introductory paragraph How long does the introduction paragraph need to be? The topic sentence states exactly what the controlling idea of the paragraph is. This exercise will help you understand the difference between an effective and ineffective thesis statement, ie a sentence that identifies the main idea and central purpose of an essay. A good claim is specific and takes one side and defends that side throughout the entire paper. An implied topic sentence lets readers form the main idea for themselves. Depending on what you need to say in your introduction, you might use one or more stages. Identify the main points of argument. Primary support can be described as the major points you choose to expand on your thesis. Like the thesis statement, each topic sentence should be specific and supported by concrete details, facts, or explanations. Athesis statement should not be a factual statement but a declarative statement that can be argued. When you make a claim, you are arguing for a certain interpretation or understanding of your subject. A topic sentence presents one point of your thesis statement while the information in the rest of the paragraph supports that point. The body paragraphs present the evidence you have gathered to confirm your thesis. Citing relevant information from reliable sources ensures that your reader will take you seriously and consider your assertions. Your thesis will look a bit different depending on the type of essay youre writing. A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay.It usually comes near the end of your introduction.. Remember that a worthy argument is backed by examples. Stemming from each point, you further provide details to support those reasons. Nearly all levels of academia require crafting organized and well-documented writing that often begins with an introductory paragraph and a thesis statement. Choosing only the most specific and relevant information to expand upon the steps will ensure that your plan appears well-thought-out and precise. Now, lets look at the next level of important sentences in a piece of text: topic sentences in each paragraph. Remember that your primary support must be relevant to your thesis. A thesis can be seen as points about your argument that you want to prove. Most thesis introductions include some (but not all) of the stages listed below. In general, the introduction will introduce the topic to the reader by stating what the topic is and giving some general background information. In short, the main purpose of the introduction is to: 1. introduce the topic of the essay; 2. giv Evidence includes facts, judgments, testimony, and personal observation. The introduction must captivate your In order to fulfill the requirements of good primary support, the information you choose must meet the following standards: Recall that when you prewrite you essentially make a list of examples or reasons why you support your stance. Explain what the evidence means. Textbooks will say that it can be placed anywhere in the first paragraph; however, in my style of writing, I usually prefer having it stand out for my audience at the very end. The thesis statement is the most important part of the introduction. The body paragraphs present the evidence you have gathered to confirm your thesis. Each body paragraph should comprise the following elements. Preview key points and lead into thesis statement. I want them to associate the term thesis statement with every essay we write, but its important that they know the word claim as well. Each Move has a number of stages. A clear, concise, well-organized, and engaging introduction will help to efficiently set-up your paper. Primary support comprises the most important points you use to support your thesis. Thesis statement: ____________________________________________, Primary supporting point 1: ____________________________________________, Supporting details: ____________________________________________, Primary supporting point 2: ____________________________________________, Primary supporting point 3: ____________________________________________. If your thesis gives the reader a roadmap to your essay, then body paragraphs should closely follow that map. The introduction should also give the overall plan of the essay. The following are the kinds of evidence you will encounter as you conduct your research: In any job where you devise a plan, you will need to support the steps that you lay out. A claim is supported by evidence, quotations, argumentation, expert opinion, statistics, and details. 2 Introductions Purpose Not only does the introduction contain your thesis statement, but it provides the initial impression of your argument, your writing style, and the overall quality of your work. For beginning writers, it is best to not use implied topic sentences because it makes it harder to focus your writing. topic sentence + supporting details (examples, reasons, or arguments). Omitting unrelated ideas ensures that you will use only the most convincing information in your body paragraphs. Establish the setting of the essay. The goal of your introduction is to let your reader know what he or she can expect from your paper. After prewriting, you are then able to look back at the information and choose the most compelling pieces you will use in your body paragraphs. In order to construct a valid argument, good writers conduct lots of background research and take careful notes. A claim must be argumentative. Print out the first draft of your essay and use a highlighter to mark your topic sentences in the body paragraphs. When you support your thesis, you are revealing evidence. These will serve as the topic sentences for your body paragraphs. Your instructor may also want to clearly identify the sentences that support your thesis. How to write a thesis statement. The introduction must captivate your On a separate sheet of paper, write for at least five minutes using one of the prewriting techniques you learned in Chapter 8 The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?. These supporting details provide examples, facts, or evidence that support the topic sentence. You can state it at the beginning of the body paragraph, or at the end of the paragraph, or you do not have to write it at all. A clear, concise, well-organized, and engaging introduction will help to efficiently set-up your paper. Strong primary support is specific, detailed, and relevant to the thesis. Consider the following the thesis statement: The following topic sentence is a primary support point for the thesis. Revised on September 25, 2020. Topic sentences are linked to the ideas you have introduced in your thesis, thus reminding readers what your essay is about. http://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/successful-writing/s13-02-writing-body-paragraphs.html, CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. The thesis states the specific topic, and often lists the main (controlling) ideas that A five-paragraph essay, including the introduction and conclusion, is commonly the standard for exams and essay assignments. Strong body paragraphs contain evidence that supports your thesis. Topic Sentences. Successful Writing Section 9.4: Writing Body Paragraphs. Unleashed dogs on city streets are a dangerous nuisance. Make sure they are clearly stated and accurately present your paragraphs, as well as accurately reflect your thesis. It is the most important information you select to argue for your point of view. This will help the reader to understand what you are writing about, and show why the topic is important. Your body paragraphs should closely follow the path set forth by your thesis statement. For more information on the placement of thesis statements and implied topic statements, see Chapter 8 The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?. Published on January 11, 2019 by Shona McCombes. A thesis is usually the last sentence of the first paragraph. Evidence includes anything that can help support your stance. Remember that the points you choose must be specific and relevant to the thesis. The statements you choose will be your primary support points, and you will later incorporate them into the topic sentences for the body paragraphs. Paragraph #2. Unless your teacher instructs otherwise, you should include at least three body paragraphs in your essay. You will also find examples of introductions, divided into stages with sample sentence extracts. Use any of the following sources for your essay: newspapers or news organization websites, magazines, encyclopedias, and scholarly journals, which are periodicals that address topics in a specialized field. The beginning of your paper is your chance to capture the audience's attention through the creativity of your first paragraph and the originality of your thesis statement. Weve learned that a thesis statement conveys the primary message of an entire piece of text. Each point you choose will be incorporated into the topic sentence for each body paragraph you write. This is called an implied topic sentence. Choose at least three of only the most compelling points. After deciding which primary support points you will use as your topic sentences, you must add details to clarify and demonstrate each of those points. These sentences are vital to writing your body paragraphs because they always refer back to and support your thesis statement. Select primary support related to your thesis. It gives the reader clear information about the content of the essay, which will help them to understand the essay more easily. Even though I dont ask students to list their main points in the introduction paragraph, I consider it part of writing an intro. Show the reader how this entire paragraph connects back to the thesis statement. The reader should be able to predict what follows your introductory paragraph by simply reading the thesis statement. Drug use among teens and young adults is a problem. Students, members of the community, and users worldwide will find information to assist with many writing projects. Using the three topic sentences you composed for the thesis statement in Note 9.18 Exercise 1, draft at least three supporting details for each point. After the topic sentence, include any evidence in this body paragraph, such as a quotation, statistic, or data point, that supports this first point. Supporting point 1: ____________________________________________, Topic sentence: ____________________________________________, Supporting point 2: ____________________________________________, Supporting point 3: ____________________________________________. Crafting a good introduction and thesis statement is often the hardest part of writing an essay. A useful metaphor would be to think of the thesis statement of a text as a general: it controls all the major decisions of the writing. They also talk to people knowledgeable about a topic in order to understand its implications before writing about it. A claim is the main argument of an essay. Textbooks will say that it can be placed anywhere in the first paragraph; however, in my style of writing, I usually prefer having it stand out for my audienceat the very end. If your thesis gives the reader a roadmap to your essay, then body paragraphs should closely follow that map. The body paragraphs present the evidence you have gathered to confirm your thesis. In Note 9.19 Exercise 2, you chose three of your most convincing points to support the thesis statement you selected from the list. Choose one of the following working thesis statements. The Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University houses writing resources and instructional material, and we provide these as a free service of the Writing Lab at Purdue. 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