Introductions and conclusions(1)

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Introductions and Conclusions
PowerPointforweek 7

Introductions

Developing YourTopic (1)
Read actively (andefficiently):
1.Read critically
2.Look at the structure of the text
3.Read the topic sentences
4.Understand and interpret the author’s message
5.Analyse how it relates to your topic
6.Develop your own response to the author’s message

Developing YourTopic (2)
Take notes while you are reading, and include:
Bibliographical information
Sources, page numbers
Paraphrase the author’s message, unless you want to
quote verbatim

The introduction
- gives the topic of the essay
- gives (historical) background information
- shows concession (although, despite) to indicate there is a niche to accomodate
the thesis statement / researchquestion
- may include a definition
- may contain interesting statistics or ananecdote
- features a so-called “claim of centrality” that shows why the area is interesting
and the research is relevant
- usually ends with your thesis statement / researchquestion

The introduction
- Exercise:think of ways in which the author can claim centrality. (Consult some of
the sources you have beenusing to find examples.)

The introduction:verbs andtenses
Some questions:
- Most introductions make use of the present perfect tense or a present simple
tense at the beginning of the paper.Why?
- Look at the tenses in the introduction. Does the introduction usethe same tense
throughout? Why / why not?
- What do the verbs in the thesis statement / researchquestion tell you about the
author’s objectives?
- Does the introduction feature conjunctions of contrast or concession,such as
“although” or“however”?

Exampleparagraph 1
- (1) HarryPotterandtheSorcerer’sStoneis agreatstorythatdevelops aroundthelegend ofthe
Sorcerer’sStone,along soughtaftersubstancethatwouldtransformanymetal intogold and
bestowimmortality.(2)In telling thestoryoftheSorcerer’sStone,the novel alsotouchesonmany
universal themes,suchas overcoming difficulties, dealing withconflict,relating toauthorityand
learning new ideas.(3) Choosing justthreethemes toanalyzefrom HarryPotterandthe Sorcerer’s
Stonewasadifficulttaskbecausesomanythemesarefullydeveloped in thenovel. (4) However,
the threesignificantthemes thatIchosetoexplainfromthe HarryPotterandthe Sorcerer’sStone
novel are thepower oflove, theimportanceoffriendship,andcourage onthe hero’sjourney.
- Source:http://academicenglishcafe.com/ModelEssay5.aspx

Thesis Statement (bold)
- 1) HarryPotterandtheSorcerer’sStoneis agreatstorythatdevelopsaroundthe legend of the
Sorcerer’sStone,along soughtaftersubstancethatwouldtransformanymetal intogold and
bestowimmortality.(2)In telling thestoryoftheSorcerer’sStone,the novel alsotouchesonmany
universal themes,suchas overcoming difficulties, dealing withconflict,relating toauthorityand
learning new ideas.(3) Choosing justthreethemes toanalyzefrom HarryPotterandthe Sorcerer’s
Stonewasadifficulttaskbecausesomanythemesarefullydeveloped in thenovel. (4) However,
the three significantthemes thatIchoseto explain from theHarry Potter andthe Sorcerer’s
Stonenovelare thepower of love,theimportance offriendship, andcourageonthehero’s
journey.
- Source:http://academicenglishcafe.com/ModelEssay5.aspx

Exampleparagraph 2
- (1) Assignment essaysaredeveloped fromset questionsthatgive studentsaperiodoftime to
researcha topicandproducetheiranswerwithreferencesto theirsources ofinformation.(2)
Whiletherearesomedisadvantageswith using assignmentessaysas anassessmenttool,thereare
soundeducationalpurposesunderpinningthispractice.(3) This essayexaminesthe reasonswhy
assignmentessaysarebeneficial forstudentlearning andconsiderssomeofthe problemswith
thismethodof assessment.
- Source:http://www.une.edu.au/tlc/aso/aso-online/academic-writing/sample-essay.php

Thesis Statement (bold)
- (1) Assignment essaysaredeveloped fromset questionsthatgive studentsaperiodoftime to
researcha topicandproducetheiranswerwithreferencesto theirsources ofinformation.(2)
Whiletherearesomedisadvantageswith using assignmentessaysas anassessmenttool,thereare
soundeducationalpurposesunderpinningthispractice.(3) This essay examines the reasons
whyassignmentessays are beneficial forstudent learning andconsiders someofthe
problems with thismethodof assessment.
- Source:http://www.une.edu.au/tlc/aso/aso-online/academic-writing/sample-essay.php

Conclusions

Concludingparagraph (1)
- is a mirror image of the introductory paragraph (development from broad to
narrow); relates back tothe thesis statement, summarizes main arguments and
gradually broadens into a reflection of the issues raised in the text
- expands the claim to offer recommendations and show the broader
reference/further implications

Concludingparagraph (2)
- A goodconcluding paragraph does more than just providean echo of what the
writer has already said (not just an unnecessary restatement).
- You couldendwith someidea ordetail from the beginning of an essay and bring
it full circle.
- End with an allusion, say to a historical event, putting your topic in a larger
framework.
- End with a glance at the readers (suggestthat the next move is theirs).

What agood conclusionshoulddo…
In summary…
- It should remind you of the original objective of the paper and reflect on the
thesis statement / research question.
- It should report the results or findings in a concise manner,from a wider
perspective and without referring to data, numbers, graphs or tables.
- It should –and this is the main function of a conclusion –commenton and
attempt to interpret these findings. Why did we observe this trend? What may
have caused it?
- (It should indicate what is still missing in the current research and what may be
discussed or investigated in a future paper.)

Supporting claims(1)
- Claims = the main arguments of your essay
- Claims should bearguable as they affect the complexity, effectiveness, and
quality of your entire essay.
- Claims should beargumentative; when you make a claim, you arearguing for a
certain interpretation or understanding of your subject.
- A good claim is specific  makesa focused argument (MTV’spopularity is
waningbecauseitnolongerplaysmusicvideos.) ratherthan a general one (MTV
isbad.) problem: broad, unexamined assumptions

Supporting claims(2)
Evidence that supports your claims should be:
Clear
Accurate
Relevant
Credible
Significant

Opinion vs. arguable claim
- Some examples…

Argumentation (1)
- Your text becomesstronger as you accumulate more evidence to support your
claims.
- Supporting evidence should be:
- Clear
- Accurate
- Relevant
- Credible
- Significant
Show “Gather Evidence toSupport a Thesis”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-
vL8Jtz59sw

Argumentation (2)
- the rules of academicargument exclude the following as support:
- Becauseit is my personalopinion
- Becausemost people think soordo so
- Becauseit has always been/it is tradition
- Becauseit is obvious
- Becauseit is morally right
- You need to clearly distinguish facts from opinions and certainties from
uncertainties.

Evidence
- Different types: studies, statistics, expert opinion, etc.
- Integrate it into yourtext in foursteps:
1) introduce the evidence
2) state the evidence invarious forms
3) interpret the evidence andshow howit relates to your claim
4) acknowledge the source your evidence comes from
If time, show UsingEvidencetoSupportClaims inAcademicWriting:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfiEIpO_Hgw

Some logicalfallacies
- Hasty generalisation (jumping to a conclusion, claim based on too little evidence):
“Commercials in favour of unhealthy food should beforbidden, because they
lead to a consumption-oriented society and subsequently to people becoming
overweight.”
- Oversimplification (linking two eventsas if one caused the other directly,
whereas the causes may be more complex):“Obesity leads to people becoming
depressed.”
- Inappropriate appeal to the reader/ inappropriate tone: “Obesity costs an
unnecessary amount of valuable health caretime, time that could be better spent
on curing other diseases.”

Tentative language…
- … is language used to modify the strength of a claim.
-May, might, could
-Tend to, appear, seem
-Cause > contribute to
-In some cases
Exercise:Make the following claim as weak as possible:
“Drinking causesviolence.”

Introductions and conclusions(1)

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