“You only get one chance to make a first impression.”
Begin the Begin
A structured, engaging introductory paragraph is key to beginning an effective essay. You only get one chance to grab your reader’s attention and focus them on what you’re going to talk about in your paper, and the introduction is where this happens.
If this paragraph is dull, the reader will be turned off and stop reading the paper. If it’s disorganized or incoherent the reader will get confused, you’ll lose credibility and, again, the reader will most likely stop reading your essay. And, if you are a student and the reader happens to be a teacher, if these problems exist, it can begin to affect your grade. This section will help you compose an interesting and organized introduction to your multiple-paragraph essay that will get your audience interested early in the paper.
What’s up with all of these boxes?
To understand how and why the writing frames (the boxes that you write in) are set up the way they are, one must understand the basic building blocks of introductory paragraphs. Many students are taught that there are just two components to a good introduction – the hook, which grabs the reader’s attention, and the thesis statement which explains what the essay will be about.
Sure, these elements are really important, and they are included in this system, but they are not enough to create a satisfactory introduction. The essay’s first paragraph must also include an organized list of each of the essay’s upcoming sub-topics that will become body paragraphs later in the essay. We call each of these items on this list a POP (point of the paragraph). The introduction must also end with a wrap-up sentence or two that we call the closer. Without all of these important elements the introduction will end up feeling clumsy, awkward, and vague, and this is not a result you want.
essaypop is set up so that you compose all of these important elements in separate writing frames. The hook is written in one frame, the thesis statement in the next, and so on. When you’re finished, these writing frames become automatically stitched together into an engaging and organized introductory paragraph that is properly formatted according to MLA style and automatically converted to a Google Doc.
What’s even cooler is each writing frame is packed with information and tools that will make you a proficient essayist very quickly. For example, clicking the help icon in any writing frame will give you access to comprehensive and easy-to-understand explanations of the writing concepts you are working with. This is also where you will find plentiful paragraph models that you may emulate and learn from.
Our built-in sentence starter menu that is located in the bottom-center portion of each frame provides you with a huge array of transitional words and phrases and other sentence starters to help you say what you want to say smoothly and coherently. It’s like having a teacher right next to you.
Let’s take a closer look at the elements of the introduction
Every introductory paragraph no matter how brief or how long, no matter how simple or how complex, must have these elements:
- The hook
- The thesis statement
- One or more POPs
- The closer.
If any of these elements are missing, the essay will begin with a sense of disorganization and a lack of structure. This is not the first impression you want to make with your reader. The writing fields for the introductory paragraph are written and stitched together in the following order:
1. The Hook
This is a section of writing at the beginning of the paragraph that starts a conversation with the reader and gets them excited about what’s to come. Not only should the hook grab the reader’s attention, but it also be related to and smoothly transition into the thesis statement. The help system will give you numerous strategies, tricks, and examples so you can create a masterful hook. We’ll give you plenty of model paragraphs to emulate and become inspired by. For ease of identification, the hook will always be highlighted in light blue.
2. The Thesis Statement
This is a sentence (or possibly two) that addresses and echoes the essay prompt and introduces what the essay will generally be about. Writing these is a bit of an art form and we’ll show you how it’s done. For ease of identification, the thesis statement will always be highlighted in pink.
3. The POPs
POP = Point of Paragraph. These act as a sort of table of contents for your essay and they directly follow your thesis statement. Each POP is a sentence or two that subdivides the thesis statement into distinct, related ideas that you want to talk about in your essay.
So, for example, if your thesis statement is, “I’m going to discuss swimming pools”, Your POPs might be, I will discuss ideal water temperature, then I will discuss water safety, and, finally, I will discuss games that can be played in the pool. You choose one POP for each body paragraph you plan to have in your essay. So, basically, a four-paragraph essay will have two POPS (an intro + two body paragraphs + a conclusion) — a five-paragraph essay will have three POPS, and so on. For ease of identification, the POPs will always be highlighted in light purple.
4. The Closer
This is a sentence or two that concludes the introduction and makes it feel finished. You don’t want to leave your readers hanging, and this element will them know that you’re finishing up. For ease of identification, the closer will always be highlighted in light yellow.
Order of operations
We recommend that you complete the elements of the introduction in a very mindful and specific way. The reason for this is because the introductory paragraph is the blueprint of your paper. You are laying down the basic foundational architecture in this section. If you didn’t know better, you’d start at the hook and move on down the various writing frames in order until you finished the intro closer. We recommend a different approach. The order of operations we prescribe is as follows: Write your thesis statement first. Follow that with your POPs. Then write your hook and, finally, your intro closer:
Order of Operations = TS + Ps + H + C
It may seem odd to bounce around like this, but there’s a good reason for doing so. Remember, the thesis statement is laser-focused on addressing the question at hand or the prompt being assigned. The essayist writes this first as it ensures that she is actually answering the question.
The POPs naturally come next as they are extensions of the thesis statement; they break the thesis into focused subcategories. Once you’ve completed these two elements, you know precisely what you will be writing about and so does your reader. The blueprint is drawn. The hook, which is designed to start the conversation and grab the reader’s attention comes next. You can choose one of the hook strategies we recommend (or come up with an approach of your own). Finally, the intro closer is written, wrapping the paragraph up.
The key to a truly structured essay is a tightly-written introduction. If you follow the order of operations that we recommend, you will write an organized paper every time.
Introduction Models
These model introductory paragraphs each feature the color-coded intro elements [Hook, TS, POPs, and Closer]. Each model is followed by commentary that explains why these paragraphs and their component elements work. We also include the paragraph word count as we know that many teachers like to assign word-count minimums, and the introduction is part of that overall word count.
The Shorties
These introductions were the result of an in-class, timed writing and, therefore, done quickly. Timed writings and in-class short responses require you to write down your ideas quickly. The resulting introductions should be to-the-point and no longer than 200 words or so. The entire essay might end up being 500-600 words in length.
Model 1
Type of essay: response to literature
The prompt: In a text-evidence-based, multiple-paragraph essay, give your reaction to Denise Levertov’s short poem, “Moon Tiger”.
Word count: 129
Have you ever looked back at a childhood memory and just been baffled by how oddly surreal life was when you were just a tyke? Everything was frightening. Everything was larger than life. Trees were tall and menacing villains; the wind was the voice of a ghost. Perhaps it was because we were so young. Perhaps it was because we were so small compared to everything else. In the short poem, “Moon Tiger”, Denise Levertov explores this theme of the fantastic, and sometimes even delusional nature of childhood imagination. In the nighttime world she creates, the moonlight that enters a child’s bedroom is transformed into a prowling tiger in a manner that only a child’s imagination can do. Through skillful verse, Levertov conveys the acute creativity of youthful fancy.
Notes
- Hook – At four sentences long, this hook attempts to engage the reader by asking a direct question. It intentionally introduces the theme of childhood wonder.
- Thesis Statement – One quick, yet complex sentence that addresses the prompt with a definitive point of view.
- POPs – Since this a very short response only one POP will be addressed in this introduction. So, basically this is the setup for a three-paragraph essay composed of this intro, one body, and one short conclusion.
- Closer – The thesis statement is reiterated in this short closer.
Model 2
Type of essay: Narrative procedure (how to)
The prompt: In a text-evidence-based, multiple-paragraph essay, explain how to prepare a favorite food item of yours.
Word count:150
There is perhaps no food item less analyzed or fussed over than the lowly peanut butter and jelly sandwich. It’s the ultimate quick snack; just slap some Skippy and grape jelly on some bread and move on, right? The fact is, creating the perfect PB & J is more challenging and artful then one might think, and the chef who constructs this simple delicacy must pay close attention to the little details.For instance, the choice of peanut butter is critical and most folks would be surprised at how commonly available the perfect nut spread is. The jelly choice is also important, and, in the case of this ingredient, a little more effort and discernment is required. Finally, the bread that frames the aforementioned ingredients must be carefully considered (and here’s a hint — healthy grains need not apply). Ultimately, making this underappreciated delicacy is more difficult than one might think.
Notes
- Hook – One, quick complex sentence that sets the expectation for the thesis.
- Thesis Statement – One quick, yet complex sentence that addresses the prompt with a definitive point of view.
- POPs – Three quickly stated POPs, stating that the essay will cover peanut butter, then jelly, then bread.
- Closer – The thesis statement is reiterated in this short closer.
Longer Introductions
The following introduction models were written for essays that were written in more than one sitting. These students had more than one classroom setting to compose their finished papers and probably some time at home as well. These longer intros range from 225-400 words in length and result in completed essays that range from 1,000-2,000 words long.
Model 3
Type of essay: response to literature
The prompt: In a text-evidence-based, multiple-paragraph essay, discuss how the opinions expressed in the literature of Walt Whitman, Pink Floyd, Albert Einstein, and the bloggers of Quora all present similar criticism of education, educational reform and learning in general.
Word count: 316
Have you ever wanted to just get up in the middle of class, tell the teacher a thing or two about how poorly he does his job, and then straight up walk out of the classroom? Have you ever been so bored during a lecture that you wanted to throw your hands up and yell, “I quit!” I’d wager that most students have had this fantasy at least once in their school careers. The fact is, whether teachers care to admit it or not, their teaching methods are sometimes intolerably boring or annoying to their students. So, it’s not surprising that students sometimes tune out, act out, or dream about taking off without permission. This is precisely what happens to the student in Walt Whitman’s poem, “When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer” when he leaves the lecture hall after realizing that the lecturer’s overly math-oriented explanation of the stars is not for him. All of the literature we have been analyzing recently seems to be comparable to Whitman’s poem in terms of how they comment on the issues of education, educational reform, and learning in general. I will begin this paper with an analysis of Whitman’s poem itself and show what a truly poignant comment on education it truly is. I will also show how Whitman’s wandering, wondering pupil probably would have had much to talk about with the children in Pink Floyd’s, “Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2”, as these students also seem very disillusioned with their teachers. Finally, I will review Whitman’s poem in the light of Albert Einstein’s famous quote about the fish who thought he was stupid, but really wasn’t, and bring in the expert opinions of the bloggers from the website Quora who took the time to analyze that quote. As you will soon see, Walt Whitman’s rebellious student is not alone in his dissatisfaction with the educational system.
Notes
- Hook – The hook gets the reader’s attention by asking a series of questions that present a scenario that is likely relatable to most readers
- Thesis Statement – One complex sentence that addresses the prompt by stating that the literature in question can indeed be compared.
- POPs – There are 3 POPs in this intro. Each POP subdivides the thesis statement into three different reasons ways in which these works’ themes can be compared. Remember, each one of these POPs is going to be the subject of an upcoming body paragraph.
- Closer – Beginning with the phrase, “As you will soon see”, and taken directly from the sentence starter menu*, this closer promises that prompt will be addressed during the essay.
Model 4
Type of essay: Argumentative
The prompt: In a multiple-paragraph essay explore a factor or several factors that led to the sinking of the RMS Titanic and the deaths of over 1,500 passengers.
Word count: 276
For more than 100 years now people have been asking the question, “What really caused the Titanic to sink?” and “Who was responsible for the tragedy?” This tragedy remains, perhaps, the greatest unsolved mysteries in history. Several people could probably be blamed for the tragic sinking of the legendary cruise liner. For many, the ship’s captain, Edward J. Smith is a prime and obvious suspect. After all, as the skipper, shouldn’t the buck have stopped with him? Many blame the captain of the Californian, Stanley Lord who ignored the frantic distress calls of the nearby Titanic on the night of the catastrophe. Maybe he could have saved those 1,500 victims. Still, others blame non-human factors such as bad rivets, bad weather, or just plain bad luck. But who or what was really to blame for the sinking of the Titanic and the loss of all those unfortunate souls? I believe that it is clear from the evidence that it was the Titanic’s chief architect, Thomas Andrews, who was mainly responsible for the tragic event. After all, It was Andrews who decided to remove many of the bulkhead walls which caused the water to leak uncontrollably into the ship. He also made the ill-fated decision to eliminate many of the necessary lifeboats so that the cruise ship’s deck wouldn’t appear cluttered. Finally, to save money, Mr. Andrews purchased substandard materials, including rivets and steel for the hull that made the Titanic weaker than it should have been. In the final analysis, it was the the bad decisions of the man who oversaw the construction of the Titanic who must be credited for the ship’s demise.
Notes
- Hook – The hook gets the reader’s attention by asking a series of questions, then presents several possible answers to the questions posed.
- Thesis Statement – One simple sentence that clearly addresses the prompt by blaming a single individual for the sinking of the Titanic.
- POPs – There are 3 POPs in this intro. Each POP subdivides the thesis statement into three different reasons why Andrews is responsible. Remember, each one of these POPs is going to be the subject of an upcoming body paragraph.
- Closer – Beginning with the phrase, “In the final analysis”, this closer re-emphasizes the thesis.
Model 5
Type of essay: persuasive/argumentative
The prompt: Pitbulls are commonly considered to be unpredictable and even vicious animals. They are frequently portrayed in the media as enough of a societal threat that they should be subject to stringent leashing requirements and prohibited from public spaces such as playgrounds and dog parks. Do you believe that pit bulls should be singled out and restricted because of their vicious natures?
Word count: 243
Camryn Rogers is a professional dog trainer in Southern California and at any given time she owns or houses anywhere from seven to twenty dogs. You could say she is a bit canine-obsessed. Over time, Camryn has learned to reliably assess the relative temperament of most dog breeds. She even has developed a temperament scale that provides a ferociousness/friendliness score for most common canine breeds. Surprisingly, pit bulls, dogs that are popularly considered to be very aggressive, tend to score in the “friendly” spectrum of this scale. According to Rogers, many of her most docile and loyal dogs are, in fact, American Bull Terriers or pit bulls. “They really are a very misunderstood breed”, says Rogers. Rogers is not alone in her defense of the breed. This paper will show that despite popular conceptions, pitbulls are statistically not more prone to bite or attack humans than other dogs. Additionally, it will be shown that pit bulls are demonstrably more likely to protect people than harm them. Finally, we will see that pitbulls are more intelligent and trainable than many other canine breeds. As Camryn Rogers rightly contends, pitbulls really are a misunderstood and falsely maligned breed.
Notes
- Hook – This hook gets the reader’s attention by introducing an expert dog trainer.
- Thesis Statement – A single, complex sentence that directly addresses the prompt by arguing that pit bulls aren’t vicious and shouldn’t be unfairly singled out.
- POPs – There are 3 POPs in this intro. Each POP subdivides the thesis statement into three different reasons why pit bulls aren’t vicious. Remember, each one of these POPs is going to be the subject of an upcoming body paragraph.
- Closer – Nicely wraps up the paragraph by sort of reinforcing the thesis statement.
Model 6
Type of essay: persuasive/argumentative
The prompt: People have a natural, almost primal fear of rattlesnakes. Often the first reaction to seeing a rattler in a residential area is panic and fear. In areas such as such as suburban Southern California, is it possible for rattlesnakes and humans to coexist with one another?
Word count: 243
Perfectly still, except for a flickering, forked tongue, lies a prehistoric-looking serpent, sunning itself on the terracotta tiles of somebody’s back porch. Its eyes are black pinpricks, and its rusty-brown scales glisten like glass. Only when disturbed or annoyed does it sound it’s wickedly dry rattle. “Stay away or suffer the consequences!” it announces rhythmically. While most cautious folks would take great care to give wide berth to such a creature, the residents of Southern California’s Northridge suburb have grown quite accustomed to the sound of the Mojave rattlesnake in a state of agitation. Does the rattling cause these residents to panic? Not really. The sound creates instead a healthy sense of cautiousness, curiosity and respect. Human beings and rattlesnakes seem a truly unlikely pair, but in many suburban regions of Southern California, Arizona and Nevada people and rattlers have coexisted in most unexpected ways. You might even call the relationship downright amicable. This paper will focus on examples of people coexisting peacefully with deadly snakes. It will also focus on ways in which rattlesnakes are beneficial to suburban environments. It will go on to explore the activities local snake preservation societies that exist for the sole purpose of protecting these snakes from those who might do them harm. Finally, this paper will transition to a discussion of ways that people living in rattlesnake country can keep themselves and their families safe from these deadly, but necessary, creatures. Soon you will see that rattlesnake and human co-existence are quite possible.
Notes:
- Hook – The hook gets the reader’s attention by creating a vivid image of a rattlesnake rattling away on a suburban porch.
- Thesis Statement – A single, complex sentence that which asserts that suburban residents and rattlesnakes can and should peacefully coexist with one another.
- POPs – There are 3 POPs in this intro. Each POP subdivides the thesis statement into three different reasons why humans and rattlesnakes can coexist. Remember, each one of these POPs is going to be the subject of an upcoming body paragraph.
- Closer – Nicely wraps up the paragraph by sort of reinforcing the thesis statement.
Model 7
Type of essay: response to literature
The prompt: In a multiple-paragraph essay discuss a recurring theme that is addressed in Smokey Robinson’s two songs, “The Tracks of My Tears” and “The Tears of a Clown”.
Word count: 242
Love hurts, a wise man once claimed. That fellow must have been onto something because there are literally catalogs of popular music dedicated to the subject of heartbreak and its effect on its unfortunate victims. There are, one might surmise, dozens of ways to react to unrequited or rejected love and the subsequent turmoil it causes. Dark and desperate melancholy; “I’m so lonely I could cry”, wailed Hank Williams in the face of being left by a woman. Jimi Hendrix scribed an ode to revenge when he wailed, “Hey Joe, I heard you shot your lady down.” The Clash’s Mick Jones isn’t quite as extreme as Jimi’s desperate Joe, but still sounds disappointed when he asks, “Did you stand by me? No, not at all. Did you stand by me? No way.” Of course, another common reaction to heartbreak is good old-fashioned repression and denial. Such is the case in Smokey Robinson’s songs, “The Tracks of My Tears” and “The Tears of a Clown”. These songs, both lyrically and musically, explore the feelings men who wear masks of happiness to hide deep heartache caused by being rejected by the ones they love. This paper will focus not only on how these songs show the way lovelorn men often hide their emotions but delve into the symbols, allusions, and figurative language each tune implements to help drive this theme home. Who knew that love could hurt in so many literary ways?
Notes
- Hook – The hook gets the reader’s attention by discussing other popular songs that deal with loss and heartbreak.
- Thesis Statement – 3 simple sentences that address the prompt by showing that the speakers in each song are wearing masks of denial
- POPs – There are 2 POPs in this intro. Each POP subdivides the thesis statement into two different ways the songwriter presents a common theme in both songs. Remember, each one of these POPs is going to be the subject of an upcoming body paragraph.
- Closer – The intro closes with a question and echos the first sentence in the hook.
Model 8
Type of essay: response to literature
The prompt: In a multiple-paragraph essay, compare the recurring themes found in William Shakespeare’s “Sonnet 130” and Chet Baker’s version of Rodgers and Hart’s song, “My Funny Valentine”.
Word count: 326
As St. Valentine’s Day approaches, one cannot help but contemplate not only the act of being in love but also how to best express one’s love in the most effective way. Failing in this regard is not an option, as the consequences might prove awkward, embarrassing, or even painful. For this reason, people prone to romance have for centuries studied and emulated love poetry written by the masters in an attempt to uncover the secrets of truly expressive and convincing declarations of infatuation and amour. Pablo Neruda, Percy Shelley and Emily Bronte, to name a few have provided the world with romantic love poem templates that have most assuredly been nicked by the lovelorn for decades. There are so many fabulous examples that it seems quite odd that anyone would resort to mimicking verse that casts dispersions or even insults towards one’s lover. That’s what makes William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 130 and Rodgers and Hart’s “My Funny Valentine” so very interesting. These two very popular, but very unlikely expressions of love can be compared in several intriguing ways. Both works are notable in that they seem to denigrate the very women whom they supposedly love. In one sense they can be said to be cruel “anti-love” poems. But they can be compared in other ways as well. An alternative way of understanding these works is that they both are advocating honesty as the deepest form of romantic expression; they assert that everyone has flaws and that beauty is, after all, only skin deep, and that only true honesty can equate to true love. Another, equally valid, theory states that the women being described are not flawed or unattractive, but very ill and at the end of their days. In this context, the descriptions are not mean-spirited, but rather the literal physical descriptions of heartbroken men who are about to lose their dearest partners. Each of these theories will be thoroughly analyzed in this paper.
Notes
- Hook – The hook gets the reader’s attention by discussing how people in love have studied the masters of love poetry to discover effective ways to express their own feelings of infatuation.
- Thesis Statement – One simple sentence that addresses the prompt by showing that these two works about love can indeed be compared.
- POPs – There are 3 POPs in this intro. Each POP subdivides the thesis statement into three different reasons ways in which these works’ themes can be compared. Remember, each one of these POPs is going to be the subject of an upcoming body paragraph.
- Closer – A very basic, but effective summing up of the intro.
Model 9
Type of essay: response to literature
The prompt: In the novel Walk Two Moons, Sharon Creech uses subtle hints and clues about events that will happen later in her story. This type of literary technique is known as foreshadowing. In a multiple-paragraph, evidence-based essay discuss how Creech uses foreshadowing to create suspense, build tension, and set up plot developments that occur later in the novel.
Word count: 273
This school year has been quite the literary journey. Thanks to the sound tutelage of our teacher, Ms. Torres, we have explored an impressive array literary techniques and devices that writers employ to grab our attention, challenge our imaginations, and cause us to dig deeper into the works we read. Figurative language was fun. I thought Pablo Neruda’s use of metaphor and simile was particularly skillful. Our study of mood and tone was intriguing. Who knew that certain words held such an emotional impact. Most recently we have been studying foreshadowing, that subtle sign or warning that writers use to signal what is to come later in the story. This device has turned out to be one of my favorites and it is used to great effect in the novel we just recently finished, Walk Two Moons. In this tale, the author, Sharon Creech, uses ample foreshadowing to provide the reader with hints and clues about the deaths of three important characters in the story. The use of this technique creates suspense and builds tension that make the book more compelling, and therefore, fun to read. The first death that is foreshadowed in the novel is that of the protagonist, Sal Hiddle’s, own mother. This death is a major plot point in the story and the impetus for the main character’s journey. The second foreshadowed death is that of Sal’s infant sister, Tulip, who passed away before Sal could ever know her. The final portended death is that of Sal’s grandmother, who plays a fairly large role in the novel. Alas, the sad prediction of tragedy is whispered three times in this gripping narrative.
Notes
- Hook – The hook provides a little background about the class in which the essay itself was assigned. This is an informal way of bringing in background information and should only be used in a more informal essay.
- Thesis Statement – Two sentences that address the prompt and which provide a bit of background as to what foreshadowing is.
- POPs – There are 3 POPs in this introduction, each one indicating a character who will be discussed in the essay. Remember, each one of these POPs is going to be the subject of an upcoming body paragraph.
- Closer – A very basic, but effective summing up the three foreshadowed deaths being discussed. The closer begins with the sentence starter, “Alas”.
Model 10
Type of essay: persuasive / argumentative
The prompt: Our principal announced recently that, based on a recommendation from our school’s booster club, she would likely be setting aside most of our $500,000 in State bond funds for the purchase of football stadium lights. Advocates of his plan are excited by the prospect of finally being able to to enjoy some Friday night games; they believe stadium lights will create a sense of school tradition and spirit. Opponents contend that diverting these funds would hurt the school’s academic programs and that this money would be more wisely spent on purchasing new textbooks, hiring more teachers or creating a computer lab. In multiple-paragraph, evidence-based essay, argue why the available funds should be used to purchase football stadium lights, as our principal and boosters wish, or whether they should be set aside for our academic program.
Word count: 329
It’s pretty amazing. At a time when it seems that funding for schools is rapidly disappearing, Whitney High School has suddenly been graced with $500,000 to make improvements to our campus. How did we get so lucky, you ask? Well, if you haven’t heard, principal MacGuire was approached last month by district officials who informed her that a stockpile of State bond money had been discovered and some of it was earmarked for Whitney – a half-million dollars, to be exact. The talk around campus has regarding how to spend these funds has been quite energetic. Students, teachers, and alumni groups have all weighed in. One of the most vocal of these groups has been our powerful boosters club who have advocated that we use the funding to construct football stadium lights so that Whitney can finally host night games. The proposed cost of such a project? $488,000 — almost the entire amount that we will be receiving in bond money. While football stadium lights certainly would create a “Friday Night Lights” atmosphere and increase our school spirit, this is not how we should be spending this money. A much better long-term investment would be to use these funds to improve our school’s academic programs. There are several ways we could do this. Our first priority should be to use some of the funds to hire more teachers. Class sizes at ERHS are unreasonably large and a few extra teachers would help with this. We should also consider putting some of this funding aside for computer carts. We lag far behind other schools when it comes to the technology we offer our students and this needs to be addressed. Finally, and to be fair to our sports teams, some of the funding should also be dedicated to improving our athletic program. When given careful consideration, it seems wisest to focus any incoming resources primarily on our academics, as that is the reason the school is here.
Notes
- Hook – The hook provides much-needed background about the circumstances which led to the funding that is being discussed and debated. Without this background the reader might not have a clue about the subject and would, therefore, lose interest in the topic. This would be an appropriate hook for a journalistic, opinion piece.
- Thesis Statement – The thesis politely gives a nod to the other side’s argument before declaring the opposing view. It then sets up the upcoming POPs with the phrase, “There are several ways we could do this”.
- POPs – There are 3 POPs in this introduction, each one detailing a funding priority. Again, in polite deference to the opposing side, a nod to sports funding (albeit on a much smaller scale) is suggested. Remember, each one of these POPs is going to be the subject of an upcoming body paragraph.
- Closer – The closer begins with the sentence starter, “When given careful consideration”, and provides a brief revisit of the thesis statement.
