Sample Introduction with Thesis Statement
You will want to start off every essay with a well developed introductory paragraph. Remember the criteria we discussed a couple classes ago on the structure of a well-written essay. To achieve it's function, the introductory paragraph must hook the reader (or engage her in some way); it must establish the subject matter; it should convey the purpose of the essay; and it should introduce the thesis statement in the very last sentence of the paragraph. For the essay assignment you will be writing, you will need to write a declarative thesis. This is a thesis that you can prove or support with clear, concrete examples. Unlike the "soft" controlling ideas that you might have been taught to use in a narrative/description essay, this exemplification essay will contain a thesis statement that asserts a main claim that you'll need to develop or prove with multiple paragraphs throughout your essay. Consider the following introductory paragraph example that contains the thesis statement in red: