PrintIntroductions & Conclusions
Introductions (based on material from http://www.dartmouth.edu/~writing/materials/student/ac_paper/write.shtml#intros)
Your introduction is your chance to get your reader interested in your subject.
1.Announce your topic broadly, then declare your particular take.
2.Provide any background material important to your argument.
3.Define key terms, as you intend to make use of them in your argument.
4.Use an anecdote (short story) or quotation.
5.Acknowledge your opponents.
When you are writing a paper about a matter that is controversial, you might wish to begin by summarizing the point of view of your adversaries. Then state your own position in opposition to theirs. In this way you place yourself clearly in the ongoing conversation. Be careful, though: you don't want to make too convincing a case for the other side.
Remember: your introduction is the first impression your argument will make on your reader. Take special care with your sentences so that they will be interesting. Also, take the time to consider who your readers are and what background they will bring with them to their reading. If your readers are very knowledgeable about the subject, you will not need to provide a lot of background information. If your readers are less knowledgeable, you will need to be more careful about defining your terms.
Here are some other links with info on writing introductions & conclusions.
http://www.butte.edu/departments/cas/tipsheets/style_purpose_strategy/intro_conclusions.html
http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/introductions.html
Conclusions from OWL - this particular page is brief and easy to understand.
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/724/04/
http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/conclusions.html
from OWL: "Introductions, Body Paragraphs, and Conclusions for the Argument Paper"
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/724/01/
Your introduction is your chance to get your reader interested in your subject.
1.Announce your topic broadly, then declare your particular take.
2.Provide any background material important to your argument.
3.Define key terms, as you intend to make use of them in your argument.
4.Use an anecdote (short story) or quotation.
5.Acknowledge your opponents.
When you are writing a paper about a matter that is controversial, you might wish to begin by summarizing the point of view of your adversaries. Then state your own position in opposition to theirs. In this way you place yourself clearly in the ongoing conversation. Be careful, though: you don't want to make too convincing a case for the other side.
Remember: your introduction is the first impression your argument will make on your reader. Take special care with your sentences so that they will be interesting. Also, take the time to consider who your readers are and what background they will bring with them to their reading. If your readers are very knowledgeable about the subject, you will not need to provide a lot of background information. If your readers are less knowledgeable, you will need to be more careful about defining your terms.
Here are some other links with info on writing introductions & conclusions.
http://www.butte.edu/departments/cas/tipsheets/style_purpose_strategy/intro_conclusions.html
http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/introductions.html
Conclusions from OWL - this particular page is brief and easy to understand.
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/724/04/
http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/conclusions.html
from OWL: "Introductions, Body Paragraphs, and Conclusions for the Argument Paper"
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/724/01/
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