DRAFTING
Creating Your Introduction
Directions
Examples:
A. Question – Are families falling apart?
B. Startling Fact – Half of all American children will see their parents get divorced (Gallagher 76).[1]
C. Quotation – "I cry at night when I’m in bed, but my mom never knows" (qtd. in “Kids").[2]
Questions for evaluating the first sentence of an introduction
· Does my introduction have an appropriate tone?
· Does my introduction adequately represent the topic?
· Does my introduction need a parenthetical citation?
· Does my introduction relate to my thesis statement?
Examples:
A. From a question – Researchers need to find the answer to this question because there is evidence that families are in trouble.
B. From a fact – This startling fact really makes people wonder about what will happen to all of these children.
C. From a quotation – This quote shows how serious the problem is.
Example:
Research in this paper shows that steps must be taken to stop families falling apart, children being damaged, and American society being destroyed.[4]
Sample Introduction
Are families falling apart? Researchers are interested in finding the answer to this question because many believe families are in trouble. Research in this paper shows that steps must be taken to stop families falling apart, children being damaged, and American society being destroyed.[5]
Creating Your First Draft
Directions
Use your outline and note cards to write a first draft of your research paper. Begin by arranging your note cards in the same order as on your outline. Read main idea of each Roman numeral heading on your outline, and then skim the information on each note card for that heading. Answer the questions below and make any changes to your note cards or outline that might now seem to be necessary.
1. Reread your thesis statement. Does the information in your note cards and your outline directly support your thesis statement? Do you need to revise your thesis statement? Do you need to get rid of some note cards? Why or why not?
2. What are some transition words you will use to connect the ideas in your outline and in the facts on your note cards? Hint: Some common transition words are first, next, also, in addition, second, third, etc. Write five you plan to use in the appropriate space:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
3. Go to your introductory paragraph, and begin writing your first body paragraph. Use a phrase from your thesis statement in your first sentence of your body paragraph.
4. Continue this procedure for each body paragraph.
5. Write your conclusion by restating your thesis, using similar, but not the exact words of your thesis. Then remind your reader of each main point. Your last sentence should look to the future.
[1]In front of the period, you must write the last name of the person who wrote the article or book from which you took the fact. You put the page number if it is available. Giving credit in parentheses is call a parenthetical citation.
[2]This quotation comes from an unnamed child quoted on a web site. This is an indirect source. The author of the web cite isn’t saying the words in the quotation. The complete name of the creator of the web site is unknown, so a shortened form of the title is used in quotation marks. Web pages don’t have page numbers, so no page number is given.
[3]Bridge sentences are very general. You don’t start writing specific details here, only in the body of the paper.
[4]Having a three part thesis statement leads to three separate body paragraphs which will appear in the paper in the same order as listed in the thesis statement.
[5]Having a three part thesis statement leads to three separate body paragraphs which will appear in the paper in the same order as listed in the thesis statement.
©2010 Gale Sperry, www.mrssperry.com, All rights reserved.