Introduction Paragraph

Introduction Paragraph

Know your ABC's

Attention Getter (Hook)

• Begin with a hook that will grab the audience's attention.

• Hooks should be interesting, surprising, concise, and relevant.

• Usually between 1-3 sentences.

Interesting Question Strategy

• Ask a question that relates to your essay.

• Example: Have you ever been really stressed out and in need of an outlet?

Open Ended

Write a question to your reader about YOUR topic that would "hook" them to your essay.

Tell a Story Strategy

• Begin with a short story that relates to your topic.

• Make sure the story directly connects to your essay.

Example

There I was, about to pull my hair out. My to-do list was piling up and I could feel my stress levels rising. Knowing what I had to do, I walked over to my computer and began playing. As I created a world for my Sims, I began to feel a little less overwhelmed. After playing for 30 minutes, I was ready to get to work.

Open Ended

Write a short story that connects to your topic. This can be a real thing that happened to you OR you can make it up.

Strong/Shocking Statement Strategy

• A sentence that makes an assertive or shocking claim about your topic.

• This can be a statement or a statistic.

Example

It has been reported that 30% of adults have experienced high levels of anxiety at some time in their lives.

Open Ended

Go to the procon.org website (or any site that has to do with your topic). You will need this to find a shocking statistic about your topic.