Introductions and Conclusions

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Academic Communication Skills GEN

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Introductions and Conclusions
Introductions and conclusions are special paragraphs with their own structure, and they are vital to the success
of an essay.
Introduction Structure:
Hook = A statement that will grab the reader’s attention
General Comments = Information that introduces the topic and leads to the thesis statement
Thesis Statement = The main idea and cornerstone of an essay
Introduction Example:
Hook
General Comments
Thesis Statement
In 1885, Karl Benz, a forty-one-year-old German engineer, made the first car in the world . From that,
humanity has entered the car stage. Roads the world over are crowded with cars. Cars take a person from
place to place quickly. With cars, it is possible for people to work in the city and live in the countryside.
Although cars are very useful, they cause noise, pollution, and serious accidents.
The topic of this paper is the problems related to cars.
The second paragraph will talk about noise.
The third paragraph will talk about pollution.
The fourth paragraph will talk about serious accidents.
The last paragraph will be the conclusion.
Introduction Exercise:
1. Read the introduction below, and identify the hook, general comments and thesis statement.
2. Use the thesis statement to create a brief outline for the rest of the essay.
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Just about everybody has heard of the population explosion. Many experts tell us that the world will soon
come to an end if we don’t control the birth rate. Demographers say that there will be too many people.
Economists say that there aren’t enough resources. Agriculturalists say that there will be too little food. Even
though most experts want to limit the number of people on earth, they do not seriously consider human
creativity. In recent years, this world crisis has caused innovative scientists to discover new concepts of
using space, develop new types of industries, and create more productive varieties of seeds and
fertilizers.
Outline
I. Introduction
II. Space
III. New industry
IV. Seeds and fertilizers
V. Conclusion
Conclusion Structure:
Rephrased Thesis Statement - Remind the reader of the main ideas in the thesis statement
Comments - may include a summary or evaluation of your essay. Opinions may also be included.
Final Statement - A statement that ties off your essay and can be related to the hook
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Transition words to use in a conclusion:
In short, Thus, In conclusion, In summary,
Therefore, To conclude, To summarize,
Conclusion Example
Rephrased Thesis Statement
Comments
Final Statement
In conclusion, cars bring pleasure to millions of people, but also loud noise, pollution, and death. Since
the making of the first car, cars have revolutionized our lives. Cars changed where people worked and lived.
Cars changed what people did in their spare time. Cars became an important part of life, but their problems
cannot be ignored. People are finding ways to deal with these problems. Someday other kinds of power will
take the place of gasoline, and stricter laws will reduce the bad effects. Thus, because cars will always be
with us, future cars must be noiseless and safer.
Conclusion Exercise:
1. Read the conclusion below, and identify the ideas of the thesis statement, comments and final
statement.
2. Use the ideas of the thesis statement to create a brief outline for the essay.
To summarize, exercise is the way to be healthier and to live longer, and running is a great example of
such exercise. Among many other benefits, running keeps calcium in the bones to protect them against
osteoporosis; helps reduce the risk of heart disease; reduces problems associated with excess weight such as
diabetes, gall bladder disease, gout, and certain cancers; helps muscles increase flexibility and improve
strength; helps relieve stress; and even makes people become more intelligent, live longer, and feel more joy.
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For these, and many other reasons, people should run as a habitual activity. In essence, running means to be
young forever!
Outline
I. Introduction
II. Health benefits
III. Intelligence
IV. Life period
V. Enjoyment
VI. Conclusion
Conclusion
Spencer, C. & Arbon, B. (1996). Foundations of Writing: Developing Research and Academic Writing Skills.
Chicago: National Textbook Company.

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Academic Communication Skills GEN

Introductions and Conclusions

The topic of this paper is the problems related to cars.

The second paragraph will talk about noise.

The third paragraph will talk about pollution.

The fourth paragraph will talk about serious accidents.

The last paragraph will be the conclusion.

Transition words to use in a conclusion:

In short, Thus, In conclusion, In summary,

Therefore, To conclude, To summarize,

Rephrased Thesis Statement

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