5.8 (p.94) The power of effective openings.

The Thesis and Introduction Worksheet by Katherine Milligan from the University of Pennsylvania is a useful worksheet to help you write a strong thesis statements and an effective introduction.

She suggests that you lay “a logical foundation” in your introduction and also “hook your reader.” To do this, she suggests, you could use one of the following techniques:

• Use a key quotation.
• Begin with a rhetorical question.
• Use creative writing techniques.
• Give the larger content on which your thesis draws (but avoid generalization).
• Define a key term.

Milligan’s site provides examples of each of these techniques, and also provides several sample introductions for you to use as models.