helpful). The web address is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rnq17dyxyu4
Ideas on essay ‘beginnings’ on pp. 299-306 of NFG.
Handout on Basic Essay Structure
Pick any two topics (pick things you with which you are familiar, I suggest), and imagine that you are planning something like a ‘report’ about each topic. In other words, imagine that you are going to write an essay that explains to your reader some important features about each of your topics. Again, choose topics that you know a lot about. Anything can work.

For each of the two topics that you come up with, do the following:

1. Draft up an introductory paragraph for an essay that you might write on that topic. Be sure the introduction includes a hook, some transitional material, and a reasonably well-developed thesis.
[Aim for around 100-125 words for each introduction.]

Note 1: Use a different ‘hook’ strategy for each of the two introductions that you draft.
Note 2: Aim for a thesis statement in each intro that indicates the main point you’ll be making and provides a brief indication of what will follow in the body of the essay (make sure the thesis statement sets the stage for what’s ahead — or provides what some call a roadmap).

2. Include a follow-up to the draft of the introduction. In this follow-up (which can take the form of a paragraph or a list), show me the ‘plan’ for the body of the essay (in other words, show me the specific things you would talk about in each paragraph of the body). [This follow-up should include at least three topics — or sub-topics — that would get covered in the essay. Remember that a good thesis sentence near the end of the introduction will serve as a kind of roadmap to ‘set up’ what’s coming in the body of the essay.]

Don’t worry too much about grammar and editing. Just make sure what you submit is readable — and please run a spell check before submitting the assignment.

Remember: Write up an intro paragraph and a follow-up ‘plan’ for the body for each of the two topics you pick. If you want to use the template below, feel free to do so (but you don’t have to):