Every complete paper needs both an introduction and a conclusion. Without them, the paper isn't really a paper--it's like a person with no head or feet!
Introductions:
An introduction isn't simply
an extra paragraph tacked onto the beginning of your paper to add extra
words. An introduction has two purposes. First, it should
"hook" the reader—in other words, get his/her interest. Second,
it should state the topic and show the reader which direction you intend
to go with that topic (usually it does this in one sentence—the thesis).
4. A question
5. A statement of a problem
6. A startling, challenging, or funny statement
7. A reference to the importance of your topic
8. A statement that other ideas about your topic are wrong/partially wrong, and you will discuss the correct idea
9. A "funnel" approach—general to specific (This usually uses one/more of the previous methods.)
Conclusions:
A conclusion gives you one final chance to impress your ideas on the reader. It "ties your paper together" and gives it a sense of completeness. It can also set your subject in a broader context and interpret the information presented for your readers.
Below are several ways to develop your conclusion. Again, you will need to decide which method or combination of methods is best for your individual paper.
1. A reference to a quotation/story/example in your introduction
2. An answer to a question in your introduction
3. A solution to a problem presented in the paper
4. A summary of the paper's main points (especially for a longer paper)
5. A question/speculation, leaving the reader something to think about (BUT--don't introduce a new topic in your conclusion.)
6. A quote, but not if your paper began with one
7. A final story or example
8. A vivid image/description
9. A call for action (especially in a persuasive paper)
10.
A "reverse funnel" approach--specific to general (the opposite of what
you might have used for your intro)
I hate science. Every slimy, theoretical, mathematical experiment makes my skin crawl. I’m not certain what events led to this conclusion—all I know is that I want nothing to do with it. However, Colorado State had other plans for me. The science requirement was staring me straight in the face, and unfortunately, no amount of whining or pleading seemed to change the minds of advisors. I reluctantly chose Zoology 110 as my fate.
A startling statement, a story, and the “funnel” approach:
The
room finally stops spinning.Her
upper eyelid grotesquely protrudes from its proper place, swelling and
becoming one with the eyebrow.Blackish-gray
and yellow hues penetrate the tender, surrounding skin.Red,
torn, and bleeding, the lower eyelid refuses to function properly when
she tries to blink.The eye socket
steadily oozes an opaque, sticky substance, in an effort to soothe the
raw injury.The left side of her
mouth is disguised beneath a deformed and swollen mass of bruised skin.Numbness
begins engulfing not only her face, but also her soul.She
holds her left arm in her lap.It
is sprained and is beginning to throb.
Abuse
is a complex and intriguing behavior.To
abuse is to misuse or injure another being through verbal, emotional, or
physical means.Abuse is common.It
is so common that an estimated 13 million couples experience this horrifying
form of domestic violence each year (Sonkin 34).A
more specific form of abuse is that of battering.To
batter is to strike continuously, and this action is usually carried out
by the male in the relationship.Such
abusive behavior is frightening, and the number of women who remain with
their abuser is eerie.Although
men may think that their physical abuse is not a problem and women may
think that they deserve abuse, both points of view are wrong.Men
who batter and abuse women are emotionally disturbed, as are the women
who allow the abuse to occur.
A quotation:
“Okonkwo was well known throughout
the nine villages and even beyond.His
fame rested on solid personal achievements. . .He was tall and huge, and
his busy eyebrows and wide nose gave him a very severe look. . . He had
no patience with unsuccessful men.He
had had no patience with his father" (Achebe 3). With these words, Chinua
Achebe introduces the main character of his novel Things Fall Apart—Okonkwo.He
is a man who hungers for importance and fame; he is determined to succeed
in life.However, beneath this desire
for success lies an even deeper, more powerful driving force—fear.What
is it that Okonkwo is so afraid of?Achebe
says, “His whole life was dominated by fear, the fear of failure and of
weakness. . . It was not external but lay deep within himself.It
was the fear of himself, lest he should be found to resemble his father”
(3).Okonkwo’s greatest fear is
that he will become like his father.He
carries this fear to such an extent that it governs his actions and shapes
his whole life, eventually bringing about his downfall.As
Achebe writes, “And so Okonkwo was ruled by one passion—to hate everything
that his father Unoka had loved” (5).
A
question, a universal situation, and the “funnel” approach:
Rough
draft—About three
years ago, most TV analysts said that the one-hour drama was on its way
out.Since that time, however, the
hour long drama has not only not faded, but is becoming more popular than
many other television genre including news shows and, to some extent, comedy.In
the fall of 1994, a new drama hit the airwaves.The
title consisted of two little letters, but it has become one of the most
popular shows on television.Of
course, I’m talking about ER.The
creators of ER took a unique approach for a medical drama, they
made it an action show.To make
ER
work, however, they had to walk a fine line and do more than give the viewer
blood and guts every week.I feel
that the creators have struck that balance beautifully.In
the rest of this paper I will tell you the points of the show that not
only make it popular, but also quality television.
Final
draft—When millions
of Americans turn on their television sets, what would they rather see,
a comedy or a drama?About three
years ago, most TV analysts said that the one-hour drama was on its way
out.Since that time, however, the
hour-long drama has not only not faded, but it is also becoming more popular
than many other television genres including news shows and, to some extent,
comedy.In the fall of 1994, a new
drama hit the airwaves.The title
consisted of only two little letters, but it has become one of the most
popular shows on television.Its
popularity parallels shows such as Magnum, P.I., M*A*S*H,
and Cheers.The name of the
show, of course, is ER.The
creators of ER took a unique approach for a medical drama: they
made it an action show.Unlike other
medical dramas—such as Diagnosis Murder and Chicago Hope—which
use medicine as a backdrop, ER makes it one of the main characters.To
make ER work, however, the show’s creators had to walk a fine line
between action and drama.There had
to be enough suspense to keep viewers on the edge of their seats, but the
doctors of ER shouldn’t feel like Ponch and John from CHiPs,
who
never made a traffic stop without a major pile-up on the California freeways.The
creators struck that balance in the same way M*A*S*H combined comedy
and the seriousness of war.In other
words, they combined action and realism to make ER not only popular
but also a quality television program worthy of its many Emmy nominations.
--Conclusions--
A
reference to the introduction, an answer to a question in the introduction,
a vivid image, a final example, and a “reverse funnel” approach:
The
key to ER’s success is real life drama.All
the story lines are feasible.Doctors
and nurses have been surveyed around the country, and many have had experiences
that are similar to those portrayed each week.ER
seems to have done what so many TV shows try to do: become a genuine hit.With
a combination of action and realism, ER has gotten the chemistry
just right.The doctors of ER
should be making house calls on Thursday nights at nine for many years
to come—those millions of Americans are turning their TV sets on to watch
a drama rather than a comedy.