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COSHE.COM
Part Two of the Coshe Guide to Essay Writing
continue to Part Three: Writing the Body
Paragraphs
The
Introduction
Emiliano Figueroa
2003 BA English, Stanford University
Posted April 24th 2003
So let's write
the paper. Advanced writers at least intuitively know the
following: a teacher or professor, by the time he/she has read your
opening paragraph, has for the most part decided on your grade.
Whether they like to admit it or not, by the time they read through
the last sentence of your introduction, your paper has already been
relegated to a B, C, A or whatever.
The opening paragraph is of paramount importance.
Whether in the classroom or on a first date, nothing lasts like a
first impression. The introductory paragraph is easily the most
critical part of your essay. A stellar opening can buoy a shoddy
essay, and a lacking intro can cripple an otherwise capable paper.
There are certain fundamental skills that go into
writing an introduction. First you need what in movies is called a
'hook,' an attention-getter. A zinger of a first sentence. If you
don't engage your reader at the outset, you'll have a hard time
reeling him in later, much less retaining him. You can do this in
many ways. You can use a quote, an obscure fact, a question, or
some ingenious opening sentence that smacks of relevant cleverness.
Each has its advantages and disadvantages. A quote can lend some
eloquence to your paper and can start it on a good note. However,
this has two drawbacks. It opens the paper in a voice that isn't
yours, and you lose some ownership and authority. Also, it may lend
TOO much eloquence to the paper. For example, if you open with a
quote from Benjamin Franklin, the eloquence of his quote might be
too overbearing if you're not an especially eloquent writer
yourself. A question is an easy way to open, especially if the
answer to the question leads directly into your thesis. However,
this is a more novice technique, and will look less and less
sophisticated as you get to higher levels of education. An obscure,
interesting fact, if relevant to your paper, can do much to engage a
reader. However, if handled incorrectly (i.e. ' Did you know that
the human head weighs 8 pounds?), the technique can appear forced,
immature, or formulaic.
In my opinion, the most sophisticated, and ultimately
most powerful technique, is to open with a sophisticated voice that
is your own. Content-wise, it should contain an original idea, or a
lead-in to the subject. In a sense, it should encapsulate the above
mentioned techniques without falling into the realm of any one
exclusively. This is easier said than done, and eventually comes
with practice. The best way to learn this is just to read examples
of good essays. Read movie reviews, music reviews, and just
contemporary critical works by capable writers. Even in such
commercial venues, the good writers exhibit this skill. The intro
to this entire tutorial, though not a spectacular intro, is a decent
example of this.
The most common flaw that writers commit in an
introductory sentence is that they go on TOO LONG! You aren't
writing the Constitution, so don't write a long preamble. The
quicker you can get to your thesis the better. If you're three
sentences into your intro and you haven't reached your thesis,
you're in trouble. So stay out of trouble.
And when you write your thesis, write it strongly. It
should be a firm declarative sentence. It should sound like an
absolute truth. It should sound like it belongs in the Ten
Commandments. 'Though shalt not kill, ' Thou shalt not steal, ' Cats
are smarter than dogs ' PERIOD!' You can do a few things toward
this end. First, if you can start the sentence with A, An, or The,
you create a more authoritarian tone. Also, stray from introductory
clauses of any kind ('Contrary to popular belief ''). Mechanically,
the more you can stick to the basic subject-verb construction, the
more authority you will convey. As with everything, rules are meant
to be broken in the face of better alternatives. Good writers can
bend these rules to their advantage, but for the most part these are
good guidelines.
Once you've established your thesis you have a few
options. If you're in high school, you might have to be more
explicit and formulaic in your writing. For example, in the
standard five paragraph essay, the formula demands that you list
your main points of argument thereafter. In high school, this may
be fine, but as you advance through college, this becomes very
sophomoric. It may be better to merely segueway into the main
points with a sentence that alludes to the contents of the body.
For example, this paragraph, in five paragraph essay form:
Between dogs who
chase their tails and cats who get stuck in trees, it may seem
like neither species is very intelligent. Cats, however, are
inordinately smarter than dogs. Cats make sure to bathe
themselves. Also, cats clean up after themselves after they
poop. And cats never get lost.
Silliness aside, this isn't
a bad intro, but it's very stilted. And it is going to be difficult
to transition from that into your first body paragraph, which would
describe how cats bathe themselves (I didn't even try to add a final
transition sentence). But if we change the intro to:
Between dogs who
chase their tails and cats who get stuck in trees, it may seem
like neither species is very intelligent. Cats, however, are
inordinately smarter than dogs. From sense of direction to self
hygiene, cats posses a higher level of independence.
Do you see the difference?
From this, it's easier to flow into a paragraph about cat
cleanliness. It also reads more naturally, and less robotic. The
first intro is appropriate for high school, but to be a successful
college writer, you need to develop a CRITICAL style that reads as
naturally as NARRATIVE.
So now we've got the intro
down. If it's good, you just came nearer to cementing your grade.
So let's follow through and keep writing.
continue to
Part Three: Writing the Body Paragraphs |