Writing Introductions Hook for Essays, Essays (university) of Creative writing

Download Writing Introductions Hook for Essays and more Essays (university) Creative writing in PDF only on Docsity! Writing Introductions for Essays, Fall 2013. Rev. Summer 2014. 1 of 5 San José State University Writing Center Written by S. Clark Writing Introductions for Essays Essay introductions should attract the reader and provide some information about what is to come. However, how you begin your essay depends on your rhetorical situation, which refers to your academic purpose and audience. The introduction typically provides your argument and context for that argument by explaining how your work fits into a larger conversation, addresses specific questions, or explores a new aspect of the subject. Consider your rhetorical situation. Understanding the assignment is imperative to your success. Consider why you are writing, what your writing should accomplish, and what your stance on your topic is. Think about the purpose of your assignment. Is your instructor evaluating your creativity, critical thinking skills, writing ability, or knowledge of a topic? In your essay, are you supposed to persuade, explain, or entertain? Are you asked to analyze, compare, prove, or describe something? Think about whom your audience is. You will want to present evidence your audience will find persuasive and avoid repeating information they already know. You also need to choose the appropriate language. Open your essay in an engaging way. The opening of your essay should generate interest about the topic. Often students are advised to begin broad, and they take this to mean that a sweeping statement—like “Sports mean many things to many people”—makes a good opener. But such sweeping claims do little to help readers focus their attention on your argument. Instead, consider an opening strategy that will engage your audience in your subject, disposing them to listen to the argument. A Quotation Because this method is often overused and poorly used, make sure to choose an appropriate quotation that directly or indirectly relates to your topic. Your explanation should provide relevant background and contextual information. Opening a Political Discussion with a Quotation If there is a single point of consensus in this heated political moment, it is that everyone loves the Constitution. “Conservative or liberal, we are all constitutionalists,” Barack Obama wrote in The Audacity of Hope. Ted Cruz, the junior senator from Texas, who emerged as a principal antagonist of the President’s during the government shutdown, has often said much the same thing. The Founding Fathers, Cruz said, “fought and bled for freedom and then crafted the most miraculous political document ever conceived, our Constitution.” ~Jeffery Toobin, “Our Broken Constitution,” The New Yorker, December 9, 2013 Writing Introductions for Essays, Fall 2013. Rev. Summer 2014. 2 of 5 Statistics or Interesting Facts Provide attention-grabbing facts that will draw in your audience and show the importance of your essay. A Concession Start your essay by acknowledging an opposing or different argument or approach than you will take in your essay to strengthen your credibility, gain common ground with your reader, and demonstrate the strength of your own position. A Definition Avoid simple dictionary definitions and instead provide an expanded definition that shows how the term applies to your essay. An Anecdote or Narrative Paint a picture or describe a scene. This method is good for personal statements and personal essays as well as for argumentative essays. Opening a Historical Essay with a Statistic Despite the 1.5 million people who died in the Armenian Genocide in 1915, there, unfortunately, is still political and historical debate over whether genocide even occurred. Opening a Critique with a Concession In spite of all of our teachers’ and bosses’ warnings that it is not a trustworthy source of information, we all rely on Wikipedia. Not only when we cannot remember the name of that guy from that movie, which is a fairly low-risk use, but also when we find a weird rash or are just feeling a little off and we are not sure why. ~Julie Beck, “Doctor’s #1 Source for Healthcare Information: Wikipedia,” The Atlantic, March 5, 2014 Opening a Scientific Essay with a Definition Beavers transform ecosystems unlike most species. By building dams and felling trees, they shape their environments. Beavers not only provide ecological benefits, but economic benefits as well. They provide restoration services for free.