The Introductory Paragraph

One of the most important

paragraphs in your essay!
What is the purpose of the
introductory paragraph?

 Get the reader’s attention

 Set tone for the rest of the essay
 Make a contract with the reader - what will be
covered in this piece?
The Parts of the Introductory
Paragraph
 The Hook - Designed to grab attention
immediately and give some indication about
the essay’s topic
 The Transition - Moves the reader from the
hook to the driving force of the essay….
 The Thesis - Makes the contract with the
reader about what will be discussed without a
blatant announcement.
Types of Hooks

1. Personal examples
2. Quotations
3. Facts or statistics
4. Rhetorical questions
5. Current events
6. Contrast to the thesis statement
Personal Examples

 Provides strong, dramatic incidents to use.

Honesty in expressing thoughts and feelings
will ring true with the reader. While you can
make up the personal experience, be careful
that it sounds credible.
 Personal observation - different from a
personal example, an observation is
something you saw happening.
Using Quotations

 Content of quote should be:

 Dramatic
 Emotionally appealing
 Surprising
 Humorous
 A quote is a memorable line from a famous
figure in history.
 Make sure to include author/speaker.
 Must be relevant to thesis statement
Examples:

 “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond
measure. It is our light, not our darkness, which
most frightens us.” Nelson Mandela

 Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Be the change you

wish to see in the world.”
Using Facts or Statistics

 Must be startling or unusual

 Must be from a credible source
 Use journal as a place to record both quotes and
facts or statistics that might work for an
introduction
“Just the facts,
please.”
Examples
 On a recent anonymous survey, over ninety
percent of high school males admitted to
secretly enjoying the music of 'N Sync and to
practicing their "hot dance moves.“
Using Current Events
 A surprising fact is an interesting piece of information
that your readers aren’t likely to know. It’s a statement
that will make your readers say, “Really?”
 Must be recent and important
 Should be made public by newspapers, television, or
radio
Example

 This morning’s news reported that a young

girl, age 5, was abducted from her
classroom.

 The rate of crashes for 16-year-old drivers is

almost 10 times the rate for older drivers.
Using Contrast to the Thesis Statement

 In direct contrast to the

thesis statement
 It’s fun to prove an
expert wrong
Vivid Description

A vivid description is like a photo- a single

snapshot. Unlike an anecdote, it has no plot or
action.

Eg: The sweet smell of cotton candy floats in

the air. Bumper cars collide in the distance.
There is nothing like the county fair.
Hook: RHETORICAL QUESTION

 A rhetorical question is a statement in the

form of a question. You ask a rhetorical
question to make a point, not to get an answer.
 Ask a question to draw your reader into your
paper
Examples

 Is it true that sometimes love is not enough to

overcome difficult circumstances? In
Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet

What’s more important: driving as soon as

possible or saving lives?
Hook: Definition
 Define a term that is closely related to your topic.
Provide a definition that your audience may not
know.

 Eg: Webster’s dictionary defines sarcasm as, “a

witty remark used to convey insult.”
 Science is knowledge or a system of knowledge
covering general truths or the operation of general
laws especially as obtained and tested through
scientific method
Hook: Anecdote
 An anecdote is a short story. It can be a story
about your own experience or someone else’s
experience. Use an anecdote to make a point
or leads the reader into your topic.
Metaphor

To paint a picture for a reader, use a

metaphor.
Examples:

 Her eyes were like two fireflies mesmerizing

me completely.
 As it turned out, her promise was a delicate
flower.
Examples

 Imagine a small child crying at the county fair

because they cannot ride the rides the big kids do.
Despite their wailing, the parent does not budge.
In a similar fashion…