The Introduction Paragraph and You!

*Why write a five paragraph thesis based essay?  Great question!  Glad you asked!

Developing a thesis statement is an important part of the process of writing an essay. In fact, you really can't write a good essay without developing a thesis statement. Thesis essays will be required for your Regents examinations and other school tests that will come around.

What exactly is a thesis statement?

• A single sentence
• A declarative sentence (not a question, or command)
• States what you want your readers to know, believe, or understand after having read your essay

*The thesis statement is the third sentence in your essay.  So what are the first two?

1^st Sentence- The Opening Ploy:  The first sentence of your essay should grab the reader's attention. Since your thesis statement is answering a question or resolving some sort of tension, try introducing the question or tension in the opening sentence.  There are many effective ways of opening your paper- here are some helpful hints…

-You can use a quotation.  It can be anything from “ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.”  To a quotation from a family member.  Just be sure to use quotations.

-You can pose a question.  Remember the thesis statement about the cat from class?  Well, you’re opening ploy could sound something like this, “What is so great about cats?”  *(and when you get to your thesis statement you’ll them!)

2^nd sentence- The Background Statement-  Give the reader enough background into your subject (whether it's a story, a novel, a poem, or an issue), so that the reader has some idea where your arguments are coming from. On the other hand, don't give so much background that you bog the reader down with too much information. You usually need only a sentence or two to set up your context.

Finally, provide enough transitions in your intro so that your ideas are connected and flow smoothly into your thesis.