Objective
In this lesson, you will learn effective methods for writing powerful introductions and conclusions.
The Importance of Introductions and Conclusions
All writing, no matter what form it takes, contains some form of introduction. If the word "introduction" feels too formal, you may replace this word with "beginning" or "opening." Essays, research papers, newspaper articles, short stories, novels, etc. all feature a start of some kind. This should seem logical to you, of course. Consider this example. Let's say that on a Monday afternoon you have met your friend for coffee and you can't wait to tell your friend about the great weekend you just had. You probably wouldn't begin your story somewhere in the middle. Instead, you would probably make a couple of comments that "lead in" to your topic, your great weekend. You might say to your friend, "This weekend was one of the greatest in my life" or "What happened to me this weekend changed my life forever. Then you would continue with your story and show your friend how your opening comments are true.
Similarly, writers don't simply present their material by starting somewhere in the middle (although during the drafting process, writers may in fact write their introductions last, not first); rather, they prepare their readers for what they will discuss. An introduction then serves several purposes:
- Introductions establish a contract with the reader. When you write, you are writing towards a specific audience. Your audience will want to know, right from the outset, what you will be writing about. For instance, if you create an introduction that discusses the benefits of a college education, your reader would probably be disappointed if the body of your paper turns into an argument about how your college needs more parking spaces.
- Introductions include a clear statement of purpose. Your readers will want to know more than the topic you plan to discuss. Your readers will also want to know what you specifically want to say about a certain topic. For this reason, writers often include a thesis statement near the end of the introduction. For more information, see the following lesson in the OWL student Writer's Handbook: Chapter 3: Process (Lesson 6: Thesis Development).
- Introductions try to grab or hook the reader's attention. In addition to wanting to know what a piece of writing will be about, readers often expect to be stimulated by the writing's opening. Your readers are busy people who have lots of other types of writing competing for their attention and time. For this reason, writers often try to grab the reader's attention in the introduction and not let go!
Conclusions, as you have probably guessed, compliment the introduction. Keep in mind, however, that conclusions are not simply mirror opposites of introductions; rather, conclusions seek to reinforce and echo material stated in the beginning of the essay.
And just as writers don't begin their papers by leaping directly into the middle, writers also don't just abruptly end their discussion after making their main points. Instead, successful writers try to satisfy the reader's need for closure. Thus, a conclusion tries to accomplish the following
- Conclusions reinforce information stated in the beginning of the paper. In fact, conclusions often echo (not repeat, though) the main idea/thesis stated in the introduction.
- Conclusions provide a sense of scope. Just as an introduction tries to glimpse ahead, showing readers the path the writer plans to take, a conclusion provides a sense of "looking back," a sense of showing the reader the ground that has been covered.
- Conclusions attempt to leave readers with a final, lasting impression. Just as an introduction tries to "hook" the reader into reading more, the conclusion tries to leave readers with an endnote that resonates well after the reader has put down the paper. Often, leaving readers with a final, lasting impression means suggesting larger implications or showing how the main/idea thesis applies to the future.
Before You Begin
You might find it useful to write the body of your paper before you write the introduction and conclusion. Why, you might ask?
First, writers usually find it easier to draft the middle sections, the heart, of their essays. In fact, one way to overcome writer's block (that dreaded feeling when you look at the blank page and ask yourself, "Where do I begin?") is to simply jump into the middle of the essay rather than worry about how to start things off.
Second, writers often brainstorm during early drafts. By not worrying about the introduction and conclusion until later, you can write without fear of failure and then objectively review your work. Doing so might help you better see your main idea/thesis, and having a solid main idea/thesis is an important first step in writing a successful introduction/conclusion.
Introduction Do's
- Consider using a funnel approach. You may have learned about the funnel approach in high school. If you think of your introduction paragraph as an upside-down triangle, you should begin with a general statement about your topic and then slowly "funnel" down through the rest of your paragraph, making your comments more and more specific until you conclude with you most specific remark: your thesis.
- Begin your introduction with insightful questions. Asking intelligent, thought-provoking questions is a great way to grab your reader's attention. For example, if you were to write a paper about the benefits of a college education, you might begin your paragraph with a statement like, "Does a four-year college degree still carry the same weight today as it did thirty years ago? Many experts answer, no."
- Begin your introduction with a personal example, an example of someone you know, or a researched example. Anecdotes (short story-like examples) also usually hook your reader. For instance, you might tell a brief story about your neighbor who improved his career and personal life by earning a college degree. This brief story could function as a "lead-in" to your larger paper about the benefits of a college education. If you have trouble coming up with your own personal examples, or if you don't know anyone who can serve as an example, you might want to scour newspapers magazines, books from your local library, the internet, etc. and "dig up" an example to kick off your essay.
- Begin your introduction with a relevant quotation. Sometimes it's difficult to find the right words to begin an essay, so why not use someone else's words to help out?
Introduction Don'ts
- Avoid writing directly about the assignment, its requirements, or its overall difficulty. In other words, avoid opening statements like, "When my instructor said that we needed to write a paper about the benefits of a college education, I groaned. But after spending some time in the library doing research, I realized that I have a lot to say about this topic."
- Avoid the "dictionary definition" opening. There are rare cases where a writer may in fact want to question the meaning of a word or a concept. In general, though, try to avoid the mechanical dictionary reference. Realize as well that thousands (perhaps millions) of college students have used the "dictionary definition" technique, so why add yourself to the pile? Here's an example. "Webster's Dictionary defines 'education' as...."
- Avoid asking generic questions. Now you might be saying to yourself, "Hey, I thought that asking questions was a good technique when writing introductions." Yes, insightful questions that truly ask your reader to consider the issues you are discussing can be useful. Stay away, though, from generic questions that simply fill up space. Here's an example. "What is college? What is an education? Well, the benefits of a college education are numerous."
- Avoid sweeping, empty generalizations. In other words, watch out for statements like, "Since the beginning of time, education has played an important role" or "Throughout the history of the world, college has been placed on a pedestal.
Conclusion Do's
- Return to a technique that you used in the introduction. One way to provide a sense of closure for your readers is to revisit material from your introduction. Going back to our "benefits of a college education" example, if you started your paper with an anecdote about your neighbor who successfully completed a four-year degree, you might want to return to this example again in your conclusion. Likewise, if you began your paper with a powerful quotation, you might want to include a different quotation from this person in your conclusion. Returning to techniques that you used in your introduction is a solid way to tie up loose ends and add a sense of cohesiveness to your writing.
- Echo your introduction's thesis. Using different language than you used in your introduction, you might want to subtly reinforce your paper's thesis statement. Your readers will often expect you to recap your essay's main idea.
- Stretch your paper's scope beyond the boundaries of your discussion. Although you want to be careful about adding too much new information in your conclusion, writers often ask their readers to step just outside the boundaries of the paper. Writers do this by suggesting larger implications or discussing how the thesis applies to the future. For example, returning to our "benefits of a college education example," a writer might ask her reader to consider whether a college education will still be valued in fifty years and then briefly comment on this.
Conclusion Don'ts
- Avoid a mechanical repetition of the introduction and its thesis. Remember that a conclusion aims to echo-not repeat-the themes established in the introduction. Too often, though, students are tempted to repeat the introduction almost word for word.
- Avoid cramming in content that you couldn't fit into the body of your essay. Although writers often discuss larger implications in the conclusion, encouraging their readers to think beyond the scope of the essay, resist the temptation to use your conclusion as the "last chance" to throw in undeveloped and unannounced issues.
Summary
This lesson should familiarize you with the elements that help create strong introductions and conclusions. An effective academic essay should contain a solid introduction or conclusion. Keep what you've learned in this lesson in mind as you approach your next essay.
  
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