Essay Elements / Introductions

Handout on Introductions and Conclusions

Introductions:

directly address your audience

use an anecdote or story

use an interesting or bizarre quote

use a startling statistic or fact

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Conclusions:

Tie back into your introduction (mention terms or people you used in the intro)

Reformulate your question so that it reflects any new information you’ve given readers about the topic

Move beyond your thesis to a larger issue

Appeal directly to your readers

DO NOT restate your thesis

DO NOT use phrases like "in conclusion"

DO NOT summarize everything you just said, especially in a short paper

Developed by Lara B. Whelan, University of Delaware