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Kim Kuruzovich's List: Writing
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Aug 10, 09
podcasts use for writing
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Sep 05, 09
When to Write the Introduction
While students often feel they must write their introduction first, this can hinder their progress. You may want to suggest that students compose a loose thesis statement to guide their writing, but postpone completing their introduction until after they have written the body of their essay. This may at first seem counter-intuitive to students, who are lulled into comfort once their introduction is complete. However, students may digress from their introduction when writing their paper. Encourage students to try a new approach, and they will quickly reap the reward of an expedited, more structured essay.
Identify the Topic
Following these simple steps will help students quickly write an introduction paragraph after the body has been written. In the first sentence, students should identify, or generally define, the topic. The topic is a broad overview of what will be discussed in the essay. For example, if students are writing about whether Kurt Vonnegut supports or criticizes the government in “Harrison Bergeron,” the topic may address government or the idea of too much governmental control. Encourage students to visualize an inverted pyramid structure, where the paragraph begins very generally and gets more specific as it progresses.
State Your Opinion about the Topic
The second sentence of the introduction paragraph will be slightly more specific. Here is where students can pick an angle from which to approach the topic. Are they for or against it? Are they intending to persuade or describe? For example, students can express their opinions about excessive governmental control and how they feel it affects society. These questions can be answered when students articulate their thoughts on the broad topic.
Build a Bridge
The third sentence is where the transition occurs from general to specific. That is, students must build a bridge from their general topic to their specific thesis statement. For instance, students can state their interpretation of Vonnegut’s view of government. -
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