1.2 Techniques for beginnings and endings

Beginning an essay is a bit of an art. To attract the reader’s interest and make the beginning or ending of your essay more effective, you can use some of the following writing techniques:

Ways to write

an interesting introduction

• Thesis Statement Opening

This is the traditional style of opening a paper. This is a “mini-summary” of your paper.

• Funnel Opening Paragraph

The first sentence is the wide end of the funnel: a focused generalization that provides the necessary context and the subject. Each succeeding sentence in the paragraph narrows the subject. The last sentence of the paragraph, the least general statement, is the thesis of the essay.

• Quotation Opening

This method makes your introduction more interactive and more appealing to your reader.

• Startling Statistic

Statistics that grab the reader help to make an effective introduction.

• Question Opening

Possibly the easiest opening is one that presents one or more questions to be answered in the paper. This is effective because questions are usually what the reader has in mind when s/he sees the topic.

• Specific Detail Opening

Giving specific details about your subject appeals to your reader’s curiosity and helps establish a visual picture of what your paper is about.

• Current Events

You begin by referring to well-known recent events that relate to your thesis.

• Reference to a strange scene or situation, an unusual or striking idea

• Proverb or Saying

You can also do a combination of introductions.

Avoid some common pitfalls:

• A common error is to begin too broadly or too far off topic. Avoid sweeping generalizations.

• The obvious dictionary definition.

• Facts no one needs to be reminded of.

• The truism: when a self-evident truth is disguised in pretentious rhetoric.

• The complaint about difficulties of writing on the assigned subject.

• Don’t repeat the assignment specifications using the task wording.

• Don’t give details and in-depth explanations that really belong in your body paragraphs.

Ways to write

an effective conclusion

• Close with a Speculation or Opinion

Speculate about what your thesis implies for the future.

• Close with a Quotation or Expert Opinion

Use an apt quotation or expert opinion to lend authority to the conclusion you have reached.

• Close with a Recommendation

Suggest specific actions that the reader should take in light of the information you’ve provided.

• Real or Rhetorical Closings

This method of concluding a paper is one step short of giving a logical conclusion. Rather than handling the conclusion over, you can leave the reader with a question that causes him or her to draw his own conclusions.

• A Useful Analogy or Comparison

• A Startling Statistic or Fact

There are additional possibilities for the conclusion. For example, you might choose to:

• discuss why it is difficult to arrive at a definite answer to the question posed

• raise other questions that could be considered in a subsequent essay

• suggest other approaches that could be adopted in investigating the question

• make a prediction about what will happen to the phenomenon under investigation

Poor endings:

• The Mirror Image

The writer merely repeats the thesis and summarizes the main points – a dull and mechanical conclusion. If you wish to summarise – do so in fresh language.

• The Trite Truism

• The Waste-basket Ending

Do not try in the final paragraph to say everything you didn’t have room for in the body of the paper.

• “Sitting on the fence” conclusion

Such as this: “There are some strong points both for and against car use and it all depends on what your opinion is.”

Some believe that the sole purpose of the conclusion is to restate what has been argued in the body of the essay. Whilst restatement can be helpful for the reader, it often makes for a dull closing to a piece or writing. A poorish conclusion will simply restate or summarise points made earlier.

(Successful Writing. Proficiency. St’s book. p.56)

(Successful Writing. Upper-Intermediate. St’s book. p.66)

(http://www.washjeff.edu/users/kmcevoy/introduction_and_conclusion_tips.html)

(http://www.utoronto.ca/writing/introconcl.html)

(http://www.gmu.edu/departments/writingcenter/handouts/introcon.html)

(http://www.depts.gallaudet.edu/englishworks/writing/introconslu.html)

1A FOR AND AGAINST ESSAYS

A for and against essay is a formal piece of writing in which a topic is considered from opposing points of view. You should present both sides in a fair way by discussing them objectively and in equal detail. You can find this type of writing in articles in newspapers, magazines, etc.

The following words are often used to require you to write a for and against essay:

arguments advantages arguments in favour good points positive points positive sides positive effects positive aspects benefits/ beneficial results downside pluses plus points pros for merits

counter arguments disadvantages/ risks arguments against bad points negative points negative sides negative effects negative aspects risks/ drawbacks upside minuses minus points cons against demerits