Transcript Document


Review how to write effective introductions

Identify types of introductions

Explore challenges of 7th graders
with research articles
W7.2a Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize
ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and
analysis of relevant content.
It’s almost Summer Break!
Academic
Creative
Ask a????????
Question
Personal
Action
“Quote”
“Dialogue”
The lead (beginning or introduction)
establishes the direction your writing will
take. A good lead grabs your reader's
attention and refuses to let go. In other
words, it hooks the reader.
Get the reader’s attention
Present your topic and purpose
Connect with your audience
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Catches the reader off-guard with an
opening statement
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Leaves the reader smiling or wondering
what the rest of the essay contains.

Answers one or more of the six basic
questions: who, what, when, where,
why, and how.
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Used in formal essays
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Often uses statistics or data
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Studies show that people who graduate from high
school will earn at least $500,000 more in their
lifetime than people who do not.
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Staying in school will determine whether or not
you get the $500,000.
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Rhetorical questions are not meant to be answered.
They draw the reader into wanting to read further to
discover the answer to the question.

Ask an interesting question that you will answer in
your essay.
Acne, baldness, sterility. Sound
attractive, fellas? Or ladies, how
about a deep voice, facial hair, and
kidney damage? All of these
appealing attributes, along with
many others, are side effects of
using steroids, yet people continue
to use them!
Have you ever wondered how you would
survive if you found yourself alone in the
jungle? How would you defend yourself
against predators? What would you eat?
Where would you find water? Read Lord
of the Flies to see just how a group of
teenagers manage to survive!
AVOID meaningless questions that don’t ask
the reader to think critically; a question you
don’t expect the reader to answer.
Examples of Meaningless Questions
 “Do you hate school uniforms? I do.”
 “Do you have a favorite season? Well I do.”
 “Have you ever wondered why people believe in
school uniforms? Well, I’ll tell you.”
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Take the reader directly into your mind.
It says, “This is what it is like to be me.
 Let me take you to my little world.”
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Often uses descriptive
language.
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I walked into the antiseptic, crisp-white
room on April 23, 1992. The beeping of
the machines echoed immensely in my
head and I knew that noise would haunt
me for the rest of my life. I walked in
further to join my family that stood
beside the bed. I hung my head in grief
and through tears got one last look.
What words help re-create this experience?
I walked into the antiseptic, crisp-white
room on April 23, 1992. The beeping of
the machines echoed immensely in my
head and I knew that noise would haunt
me for the rest of my life. I walked in
further to join my family that stood
beside the bed. I hung my head in grief
and through tears got one last look.
“10, 9, 8, 7, 6…” It was my first basketball game
and I had the ball with the clock ticking away. I
was standing on top of the world. However, to
get to that point, I had to go through pre-game
jitters, the embarrassing shot, and the opponent’s
hard stares. Yes, it takes determination to succeed.

Open with a quotation that is well-known (but be
sure to put quotation marks around it).

You can also use a quotation from someone that
is not famous. It could be from a song, movie, or
one of your own.
WHAT PHRASE
IS THIS GREAT
CIVIL RIGHTS
LEADER MOST
FAMOUS FOR?

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“A penny saved is a penny earned.”
–Benjamin Franklin
“All that glitters is not gold.” – Shakespeare
Student Example:
John F. Kennedy once said, "Ask not what your country can
do for you, ask what you can do for your country." I think
today's Americans have forgotten Kennedy's message. We
expect our country to take care of us, but we are not taking
care of our country.
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Takes the reader into the middle of an
action sequence.
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By not building up to the story, it forces
the reader to read on to find out what’s
happening.
How could you describe
this action-packed scene?
The race came to an abrupt holt as the
sound of firecrackers filled the air. Runners
suddenly collapsed as limps were shred to
pieces. Cries of spectators
billowed through the crowd.
The smoke-filled street was
mass chaos.
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Like the action introduction, this also
brings the reader directly into the action.
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Used more often in narrative essays.
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The dialogue introduces the characters
before the reader knows who they are.
“May
the force be with
you,” Han Solo
proclaimed to Luke.
The attack on the
Death Star Battle
Station was about
to begin.
BUT….
Don’t forget the following tips.
“In this essay…”
“I am going to tell you about…”
“I will write about…”
“The first reason is…”
“The second reason is…”
It’s the first impression
the reader will have
of your writing.
The introduction should be easy to understand
 Don’t go overboard on details.
 You don’t have to say everything in the
introduction.

Don’t assume the audience knows what you are
talking about.
 But don’t go to the other extreme and include a
summary of your topic.
 Think middle ground.
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The first time is NOT
the charm!