Intros and Conclusions

The intro to a paper presents the main claim (i.e. main thesis statement), the main reason behind that claim, a general assumption from that reason, and sometimes most importantly a hook to get the reader engaged. The conclusion to a paper re-states the main claim, provides a summary of what was said in clear sentences, and sometimes contains a call to action. I learned that a good introduction can include many things: a quote, humor, anecdotes, counter claims, or even statistics. It can use these things only as mush as they are pertinent to the topic. I also learned that most well written introductions use the front-door approach meaning that it starts immediately on topic. I learned that a rule of thumb for the conclusion would be to spend at least one full sentence on each major claim. Another thing included in a conclusion would be an answer to the "so what?" question (i.e. the call to action, etc.). These things can help improve my writing by providing a way for me to get my main points across in a more concise way, as well as improve persuasion.