This document discusses introductions and conclusions for college writing. It provides guidance on crafting effective introductions, including attracting interest, providing background information, and presenting the thesis statement. It also discusses common methods for introductions, such as starting with an opposing idea, explaining importance, using a story, or quotation. The document cautions against broad general statements or rhetorical questions to open introductions. For conclusions, it recommends ending with a summary and final thought, thought-provoking quotation, or prediction. The document also provides guidance on writing effective titles for essays.

1. INTRODUCTIONS AND
CONCLUSIONS
College Writing
p 94-101

2. Special Use Paragraphs
Introduction
1. Attracts interest
2. Supplies background
information
3. Presents the thesis statement
4. Presents a plan of
development (often part of
the thesis)
Conclusion
1. Reminds readers of
thesis
2. Naturally ends the
essay

3. Common Methods of Introduction
•Start with an idea or a situation that is the opposite of
the one you will develop.
•Explain the importance of your topic to your reader.
•Use an incident or a brief story.
•Use a quotation.
How could we use each method to begin our definition essay?

4. Common Methods of Introduction
Do not begin your introduction with the following
methods:
•Do not start with a broad, general statement of your
topic. Vague statements do nothing to add information to
your topic; they cause your readers to ask, “Who cares?”
•Do not begin by asking a rhetorical question. Make
strong statements about what you think instead of asking
your readers to do the work for you.
Read the introductions on p 298-299 in Exploring Writing.

5. Common Methods of Conclusion
•End with a summary and a final thought.
•Include a thought-provoking quotation.
•End with a prediction or recommendation.
What kinds of essays or papers would benefit from each method?

6. Titles
A title is a brief summary of your essay topic.
•Titles are centered on the first line of your essay.
•They are not formatted--that is, they are not bold,
underlined, or in bigger font than the rest of your essay.
•Every word in the title is capitalized, except for
prepositions.
What are some examples of good titles?