Argumentative Essay- Introduction
Your introduction is where you lay the foundation for your argument.
It’s made up of a hook, background information, and a claim statement.
Introduction:
Hook:Your first sentence is the “hook.”
A hook is a sentence that grabs your reader’s attention.
Example: For an argumentative essay on why American people should start eating insects, your hook could be:
For those interested in improving their diets and the environment, say “goodbye” to eating chicken, fish, and beef and “hello” to eating silk worms, crickets, and caterpillars.
Background Information:
The next part of your introduction is dedicated to offering some detailed background information on your topic.
Try to answer the following questions:
What is the issue?
Who cares about it? Who are the stakeholders?
Where is the issue prevalent?
Why is the issue important?
Example:
Insects are abundant, nutritious, and environmentally sustainable. Currently, people in the United States shun the idea of eating insects as part of their diets, favoring instead less nutritious and more environmentally destructive food options, such as beef and pork. The United Nations recently issued a statement calling for more world citizens to embrace the many benefits of eating insects.
Claim Statement:
The last sentence in your introductory paragraph should be your claim statement.
This is where you clearly and directly state your position on the topic or issue.
Example:
United States citizens should learn to rely on a variety of insects as their main source of protein and nutrition in order to help fix problems related to starvation, obesity, and climate change.
SAMPLE INTRODUCTIONS
Hook-Background Information-Claim Statement
Example Introductory Paragraph-Death Penalty
1,436 people were executed in the United States from 1977 through May 2016 by means of lethal injection. Most death penalty cases involve the execution of murderers, although capital punishment can also be applied for treason, espionage, and other crimes. The majority of U.S. citizens have a clear and strong stance when it comes to the death penalty, no matter which side of the debate they sit on. Supporters of the death penalty sya it is an important tool for preserving law and order. Opponents of capital punishment say it does not deter crime and wrongly gives governments the power to take human life. The death penalty is an outdated and ineffective punishment, serving no true benefit to society and causing more harm than good to society as a whole, and should no longer be used as a punishment in the United States.
Example Introductory Paragraph-Year-Round School
Students, do you often feel bored at the end of summer? Do you hate forgetting material you have previously learned? Teachers, isn’t it frustrating to have to waste precious class time re-teaching and reviewing things that students have already learned, but forgot? Year-round school would be a simple, beneficial solution to these problems. The changeover to year-round school has grown in the United States over the past twenty years. Many school districts have switched from a traditional school calendar with nine weeks of summer vacations to a modified calendar built around several shorter vacations spread over the year. For many reasons, a year-round school schedule would be a great leap forward for the education system of the United States, which are lacking compared to European and Asian systems. Year-round school should be mandatory for all students in grades K-12.
Example Introductory Paragraph-School Uniforms
The first school uniforms were robe-like outfits called “cappaclausa” and were mandated by the Archbishop of Canterbury, England in 1222. Traditionally favored by private and parochial institutions, school uniforms are being adopted by U.S. public schools in increasing numbers. One in five U.S. public school required students to wear uniforms during the 2013-2014 school year, up from one in eight in 2003-2004. Mandatory uniform policies in public schools are found more commonly in high poverty areas. Proponents say that school uniforms make schools safer for students and create a level playing field that reduces socioeconomic disparities. However, schools should not require students to wear uniforms because uniforms infringe upon students’ right to express their individuality, have no positive effect on behavior and academic achievement, and emphasize the socioeconomic disparities they are intended to disguise.