Introduction Paragraphs

Hooks and Thesis Statements

Hooks

The first thing you want to do in your introductory paragraph is hook your reader—grab his/her attention—and make him/her want to read your essay. Here are some suggestions of ways to hook the reader:

·  Startling Statistic

Sixty percent of all teenagers in high schools have been victims of child abuse.

·  Thought-Provoking (Not Lame) Question

a.  What is child abuse?—LAME!!!

b.  Did you know your next door neighbor is likely to be an abuser?—Good!

c.  Do you know anyone who has been a victim of child abuse?—Good!

·  Quote

a.  From a relevant song

b.  Poem

c.  Famous person

d.  Speech

·  Anecdote—a brief story or case study (can be personal, from literature, from the news, from history, or made up (imaginary).

Little Johnny comes home every day and is told by his father that he is stupid and worthless. At school he often puts his head on his desk and refuses to participate in class activities.

·  Definition

Child abuse is defined as any physical, verbal, emotional, sexual, or neglectful harm of a child by an adult.

·  Brief plot summary if writing about a literary work.

Thesis Statements

·  Thesis Statement is to Essay as Topic Sentence is to Paragraph.

·  A thesis statement is one sentence.

·  Your thesis statement is the last sentence of your introduction paragraph

·  Your thesis statement states the point you wish to make in your essay.

·  Everything in your essay revolves around and is connected to proving your thesis statement.

·  Never use “I think,” “I believe,” or “In my opinion” in your thesis statement. Be authoritative. It is obvious you think it if you wrote it.

·  Never, ever write “In this paper I am going to tell you….,” etc.

Examples of thesis statements:

·  Extra-curricular activities help students academically and socially.

·  Paying students to attend school is an irresponsible way to improve the drop-out rate.

·  The federal government should do more to help create jobs.

·  In the novel Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes, child abuse is a significant issue.

·  One important theme of The Hobbit is that one does not have to be big and strong to be a hero.