Posted by: callahankylezrwp | May 6, 2010

An overview of English 202

This course was the hardest that I have had thus far in college.  It was very time-consuming.  I would spend hours on end doing different homework assignments.  All in all the course though has payed off.  I have built on my previous writing experiences and expanded them so that I am prepared for any assignment.  This has been the most beneficial class that I have taken at college.  I have never feared doing too much work in a class but never realized how much work this class was going to be.  It was amazing to see how it all fell together in the end.  I was very anxious to see how my paper was going to fall into place but after interviewing the people I need for the research it was a good feeling knowing that I was that much closer to be being finished.  As a research I do not know of many future goals.  I am definitely interested in still doing research and continuing to build on my knowledge.  As a writer I find myself always making sure that I can do the best that I am able to do.  This class has pushed me to become the best writer I am.  That is thing that will stick with me for the rest of my writing career.  Keep working hard and keep looking for new things to research.

Posted by: callahankylezrwp | May 6, 2010

Reflection

The most important assignment that helped me was the peer reviews.  They were great to have because they offered feedback from the students you saw in class everyday.  This was a critical piece of the puzzle for me.  It offered me insight into what I can do better or what I need to expand on in my paper.  Through out the writing process I was offered much feed back from my professor, students and teacher’s assistant.  The most help and best feedback I received was from the one T.A. who gave me the best advice.  The reason their feedback was so useful is because it helped formulate my paper even more than what I already had.  The most difficult part of the paper I found was the results.  I had trouble figuring out how I should present my results to the reader’s of my paper.  I knew it would be key the way the audience saw my results.  The easiest was my conclusion.  After having all of my paper in one place I found that the easiest part was the concluding paragraph. It basically summed up everything that I had done to get the paper to that point.  I feel that my final essay best shows my ability as a writer in the Introduction.  I feel this way because I limited my use of citing other’s works and tried to convey my own voice and knowledge.

Posted by: callahankylezrwp | April 5, 2010

What did I learn??

Well, I did learn a lot from doing the peer review paper…I saw how other’s had set theirs up.  I think that is important when finding how a person wants to set up their own reserach paper.  I also learned that it is hard to critique another person when you feel insecure about your own work.  This was the hardest part for me.  The reason that I feel this way is because I found myself making the same mistakes when I was writing.  So why be so harsh on the next person who does the same? I don’t have a college education..yet.  When doing the peer review it made me ask questions of “Did I remember to put that in when this person didn’t? or “Did I do this as well as they did theirs?” These are important questions that need to be asked and are forced upon the reviewer.  That is why peer review is so important in the process of writing a paper.  You as the writer become the reader (finally) and have to look at someone else’s work that you have no idea about how they write or how they want to convey theirself. 

When doing the research paper I found many things to be so interesting.  I love the topic that I picked and where it is going still.  Its hard for me not to want to work my ass off with something that I find intrest in.  When starting my paper I was very focused on many different roads that it could have taken…as time went on I found the path that was the best.  It narrowed down my topic and reserach very pin point.  I found it even harder though at that time to find more things to write about and where to find them.  I relied on heavy backing from my literature.  Also, I have found out this… my paper will never ever be done totally.  I really do want to get my paper published.  At the begining of the year when Marlen said that I thought that would be one in a million chance for me to even have that thought! But as the paper starts to wind down and all the hard work is falling in place I would be dissapointed if I didn’t at least try to…and I won’t stop at the first no.

Posted by: callahankylezrwp | March 31, 2010

R/D/C Papers

Article #1:  Language Center—Results

 

The results section should include information pertaining to results.  The author can show their information in a number of ways. They can give a graph, table or a diagram or just plain old written text can do just fine too.  When using multiple methods to show results one may run into problems of repetition.  This repetition could happen because the reader is already getting the knowledge through the graph and then again the reading.  So an author should watch out for this repetition.  There are two ways to show the results.  They can be presented all at once then have a discussion about the findings or give one part of the results have the discussion then give another part and etc.  The researcher should find what best fits the type of study they conducted.  This will help give them a “feel” for what will be necessary to give the readers. 

Article #2:  A Strategy for Writing Up Research Results

The researcher must remember that the results section has both text and illustrative materials for the reader to comprehend the study.  The text should guide the reader through the main parts of the results.  These results should be the ones that answer the questions about the questions which were asked by the researcher.  They should also tell the reader the main points of the table and should not repeat what they have in the text what is in the table. 

Article #3:  Writing Research Papers

The page length of the results section should be the length of the amount of data that needs to be reported.  In this paper it explains that the results section is to illustrate the findings.  It should be completely objective which should leave out all interpretations for the discussion.  The content of these results should summarize your findings in text and graphs.  The researchers should not discus or interpret the results or attempt to explain anything and the text should not confuse the tables and the figures.  The researcher should use past tense when speaking about the results. 

Article #1:  How to Write a Guide: Sections of the Paper      

The discussion is to interpret the results.  It is to explain the new understanding of the results.  It should ALWAYS connect to the introduction.  It will tell the reader how the researcher moved from the introduction into the discussion and past all the other parts.  When writing the discussions area the author should use active voice as much as possible.  The approach should be to address each of the experiments or the studies for the results presented.  The discussion should relate to the work of other findings from other studies.  For example those from other investigators works.  The discussion section should not introduce new results.  This information should have been presented earlier in the methods section. 

Article #2:  How to Write a Research Paper

The data in the discussion section should be a good length.  Which is not very long.  SO, when writing the discussion section the author needs to get to the point and bull shit around…which I am very good at I will say.  It is important to have the methods section because research papers will NOT be accepted if it is not completed or incomplete. When writing the author should describe the hypothesis and if it was rejected, supported or did not come to a conclusion but the researcher should state why for each reason.  This section should explain all observations.  This can also direct future researchers and how the research can be revamped. 

Article #3:  Research Papers:  Research Paper Writing

This section differs from the previous sections.  It focuses more on the inner actions of the paper.  It must bring forth all hypothesis stated in the introduction.  This section should avoid just talking about what is happening but instead should state the facts of what the research results had stated. 

Article #1:  Conclusions

 When writing a conclusion it is important for the author to return to their introduction so they can see the theme that they had originally.  It will help the reader into a full circle. The conclusion can parallel the introduction.  The author should not summarize all the information that the paper had previously written but instead synthesize all the information for the reader.  The author should give a solution or pose further questions for future research when doing the conclusion. 

Article #2: Tailored Essays

This is the most valuable part of the essay.  This must reach a result to the final project of the research.  There will be no information in this segment of the paper but will further show the understanding you have as a researcher.  This section must give the reader further information of how this research can be improved or what differences that it has made in the field that is will be presented to.  It should be a strong recap on all major ideas present within the paper. 

Article #3:  Writing a Conclusion

  This site says how the conclusion is the last stop of the research paper writing process.  It is in some ways like the introduction the paper says.  You should restate your thesis and summarize the main points.  And how the main points either backed up your argument, did not back it up or did not come to an conclusion. 

Bibliography

“A Strategy for Writing Up Research Results.” How to Write a Paper in Scientific Journal Style and Format. N.p., 25-009-2008. Web. Bates.edu. <http://abacus.bates.edu/~ganderso/biology/resources/writing.

 ”Handouts and Links.” Conclusions. The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , n.d. Web. <http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/conclusions.html>.

“How to Write a Research Paper-Part VI.” Research paper introduction and conclusion. Tailored Essays, 2010. Web. <http://www.tailoredessays.com/how-write/research-paper/introduction-conclusion.htm>.

“Writing a Conclusion .” CRLS Reseach Guide. Cambridge Rindge & Latin School, 01-11-2009. Web. <http://www.crlsresearchguide.org/18_Writing_Conclusion.asp>.

 ”Writing Research Papers.” Experimental Biosciences . N.p., 20-008-2007. Web. <http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~bioslabs/tools/report/reportform.html.

 ”Writing Research Results.” Language Center. N.p., 2003. Web. Language Center. <http://www.languages.ait.ac.th/EL21RES.HTM>.

“Research Papers: Research Paper Writing..” Custom Writer. N.p., 2010. Web. <http://custom-writing.org/research-papers>.

 ”The Structure, Format, Content, and Style of a Journal-Style Scientific Paper.” How to Write a Paper in Scientific Journal Style and Format. N.p., 09-009-2008. Web. http://abacus.bates.edu/~ganderso/biology/resources/writing/HTWsections.html#top.

Posted by: callahankylezrwp | March 29, 2010

For Your Reading Pleasure…I Hope

So, thus far I have written three parts of my essay…it’s been a rough journey…I felt low and I felt very motivated.  I have found myself lately very unmotivated.  It must be this head cold I just can’t seem to shake (It’s the damn weather). Anyways, I have put these three sections together so they read clearly or I hope that they do read clearly.

The way I have created a “cohesive reading experience” for the audience is that I have outlined the sections.  When reading my paper you will notice 3 distinct sections (thus far) labeled: Introduction, Lit Review and finally Methods.  I know that all these need work but I am willingly to finish that work strongly.  I feel that this is the best way for my reader to make transitions in my paper.   I have found this very helpful when reading the journals of other authors.  It has helped me keep my bearings as to where I am at the moment.  I feel the most editing will be done in the lit review and the methods section.  The introduction can ALWAYS be edited and re-edited and re-edited and…Well you get the point.  From this point I am conducting my main research…FINALLY!!  It’s felt like a long time a-comin’ but it is finally here…at last.  So keep posted for my results (that is what it will be named) to see it (the whole paper) come together.  I’m excited to have this out-of-the-way so I can truly focus on the paper as whole and get the feeling as to how it should read and how it should feel.  I want it to be perfect but I realize that at this point I am far from it.

Posted by: callahankylezrwp | March 16, 2010

Research Participants

For my research my participants will be 5 male police officers.  I plan on interviewing all of these officers either by phone or one on one.  The officers will be from; 2 Pennsylvania State Troopers, 1 Indiana University of Pennsylvania cop, 1 Indiana Borough cop, and finally an officer from a small municipality.  i think that 5 is the perfect number to have participate in my research.  It gives a wide variety.  I plan on having officers who are on the job for more than 2 years.  Race, demographics, and age will not play a part in this researcher’s conclusions from the data collected.  Personally, I do not see any harm or potential harm that my participants will be facing in this research that I am doing.   They will be answering questions about their own personal experiences about being a police officer.  I will however offer them the right to their privacy by (if they wish) having their information kept anonymous.  This may be necessary if they are answering very personal questions about their family life or job life.  I have questions pertaining on the proper way I will issue questions.  Although I want face to face interviews I realize that police officers have very busy lives so I have had the idea to go forth with phone interviews also.  I believe that this will help and be very beneficial when dealing with time in my research project.

Posted by: callahankylezrwp | March 16, 2010

Methods Section in the Research Writing Process

Language Center: Method and Research Design

The article of, Method and Research Design is a guide to help write a research paper, specifically the methods part.  It says that the methods have two purposes.  1) It will show how the data was collected and 2) how it was analyzed. It is necessary to know where the data is coming from and how it was collected because the method chosen will affect the results.  The author should state why they chose that particular method over another to the reader.   Also, when giving the information the researcher should tell the reader what problems that they dealt with and what they expected to happen in their research.  It is important to have a detailed methods section. 

When writing the methods section it is also important to remember who is reading your paper.  It will most likely be people who are very educated in the field and are familiar with the different experiments and research that has already been conducted in their study.  So, with this in mind it will save much time when writing the paper because the writer can assume that the reader already knows the basic information.

There are many different forms of research.  To name a few are, analysis, case study, comparison, correlation-prediction, evaluation, design-demonstration, survey-questionnaire, status, theory construction, and trend analysis.

When writing your own methods section it is important to keep notes of EVERYTHING that YOU DID! This is very important.  It is also important to remember who you are writing for.  Use the correct verb tenses and stay in that tense throughout the whole paper.  And avoid using the word “I” or “we” in the paper.

How to Write a Method Section

This one was a little different because it was how to write a method section in APA which I think will be helpful to know since my minor is Psychology.  So here is the basic example.

The methods section of a APA paper goes in depth and is very detailed information on the research design, participants, equipment, materials, and variables.

The method section in APA should use subheading to divide up the different subsections.  The subsection usually is:

  • Participants
  • Materials
  • Design
  • Procedure

It is important to write the methods section in the past tense, provide lots of detail so other researches can replicate the experiment but still try to keep it sweet and to the point.  It is very important to keep the paper in the proper format (for this case APA).   It is very important to proofread the paper and if possible to take it to the university’s writing lab. 

Bibliography

Cherry, Kendra. “How to Write a Method Section.” 2010.http://psychology.about.com/od/psychologywriting/ht/method.htm.

“Writing Up Research: Method and Research Design .” http://www.languages.ait.ac.th/el21meth.htm

Posted by: callahankylezrwp | March 1, 2010

Evaluation

Kate and I did a rubric for the article, Why are Killing Rampages Increasing? We evaluated this source and made up a rubric.  We believe that we did give it the necessary grade it deserved.   So check out the rubric and the brief summary to why it received that grading. 

Teacher Name: Mr. callahan Callahan and Ms. Saunders          
               
               
Student Name:     ________________________________________ Turchin, Peter            
               
CATEGORY 4 3 2 1 Teacher’s comments:    
Sources All sources (information and graphics) are accurately documented in the desired format. All sources (information and graphics) are accurately documented, but a few are not in the desired format. All sources are accurately documented, but many are not in the desired format. No sources are documented The author did not give any sources in his paper.  Even when giving a phrase or quote he did not cite the source. –1    
Diagrams & Illustrations Diagrams and illustrations are neat, accurate and add to the reader’s understanding of the topic. Diagrams and illustrations are accurate and add to the reader’s understanding of the topic. Diagrams and illustrations are neat and accurate and sometimes add to the reader’s understanding of the topic. Diagrams and illustrations are not accurate OR do not add to the reader’s understanding of the topic. The author gives a diagram to help illustate the point he is trying to get across. –4    
Amount of Information All topics are addressed and all questions answered with at least 2 sentences about each. All topics are addressed and most questions answered with at least 2 sentences about each. All topics are addressed, and most questions answered with 1 sentence about each. One or more topics were not addressed. Every topic that the author presents he gives at least two sentences to explain and give a answer.  –4    
Flow of article Article moves in smoothly into each paragraph Article flows but stumbling over words Article does not have necessary components (Intro, Body, Closing) Article was just horrible…it fucking sucked…it made the reader want to quit reading after first sentecne The author moves smoothly into his intro and to his body and finally his conclusion. –4    
Mechanics No grammatical, spelling or punctuation errors. Almost no grammatical, spelling or punctuation errors A few grammatical spelling, or punctuation errors. Many grammatical, spelling, or punctuation errors. There are no mechanical errors in the paper.–4    
Hypothesis States clear hypothesis - - Writer does not state hypothesis The author states their hypothesis clearly.–4    
Argument for hypothesis Gives valid argument - - Does not show their argument for hypothesis Writer makes valid argument for hypothesis.–4    
               
               
Posted by: callahankylezrwp | February 22, 2010

Very, Very Close Readings

Acute Stress and Performance in Police Recruits

I. Introduction

1. The author gives the topic and how stress can impair how an emergency worker functions.  He cites sources and other works to back up his statements.

2. Paragraph two talks about how acute stress resulting in both physiological and psychological       forms.  There is also primary and secondary appraisal.  The author cites many sources throughout this very long paragraph.

3. The author now is telling about the research that has been conducted on the effects of stress on performance.

4. Two findings of stress related performance have been found to contradict one another. The first shows that people under stress experience tunnel vision and the second shows that they experience a widening of the senses.  In tunnel vision the person cannot think “outside the box” and when the senses are widened they are apt to be distracted.   There are many sources cited within this paragraph.

5. Cortisol release was used as a level to see the response to stress. There is a study cited within the paragraph of 45 male soldiers from the US. The performance of the soldiers was dictated by how much cortisol they released and how their performance was at the time of the test.

6. Relationship between self evaluations of one’s own abilities and how people of less confidence of themselves ranked their self lower and scored higher and vice versa.

7. Next paragraph before methods explains the study on both the psychological and physiological assessment of measuring performance under stressful situations.  

II. Methods

  1. Paragraph explains the participants and how they are being studied, where they are from, and also what outside variables that may have influenced the outcome of the study.

III. Research Protocol

  1. This area explains how the research was gathered and what methods/tests were used.  A training system named Firearms Training System (FATS) plays real life scenarios.

IV. Post-Scenario Reactions

  1. This area describes how the information was gathered after the FATS test was ran. Heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), cortisol levels, saliva production were all measured and recorded. Also, there was a post interview of the people in the study for a self assessment of how they felt they did.

V. Measures

1. Psychological Demographic information was measured through how much anxiety was experienced directly after the scenario. It was based on a test with a scale to measure scores.

2. STAI or state anxiety is a commonly used assessment of how much stress was experienced during an event.

            3. Physiological heart rate was measured to see how much cortisol the participant had produced.

4. Salivary cortisol is a measurement how much the participant salivated during their test in FATS.  

            5. Performance was videotaped during the FATS runs and then reviewed by experts.

6. A performance checklist was used to keep track on how well the officers did within the simulation.

7. Relative ranking of global performance was then used to see how the recruits did against a scale of all officers in the world.

VI. Results

  1. Connections are drawn between psychological stress and performance.
  2. Physiological stress and performance were assessed through the recruits HR and cortisol levels.
  3. Subjective evaluations of performance was a self evaluation that all the recruits completed on how well they felt that they completed the necessary tasks that FATS gave them during the simulation.

VII. Discussion

  1. This part develops how the study and explains how emergency personal may be affected during stressful situations.  It discusses the results of the findings.
  2. 3 sources are cited about cortisol levels and how they have a positive impact on those who have lager cortisol levels during stressful events.
  3. Explains how stress can play a role in self assessment.
  4. The final paragraph of the discussion area wraps up all the study and how cortisol levels affect situations.

VII. Limitations

  1. Limitation section describes how self assessment may play a role in behavior at stressful scenes/environments. This also talks about what future research could be conducted with this idea in mind and what outside influences may play a role. 

 

Risk Taking and Police Pursuit

  1. Introduction

 

  1. The beginning paragraph is how to measure and predict high risk individuals within the policing community.
  2. Then it discusses how the study is constructed and where the information is derived from. The first is the study with policing policies on high speed pursuit.
  3. The second paragraph explains the second study that was used and how it shows the measurement without policing policies on high speed pursuit.
  4. Two variables are being accounted for: 1) risk taking and 2) sensation seeking.
  5. The last small paragraph explains the basic purpose of the study. It is their hypothesis that risk taking and sensation seeking are correlations that act on one another.

 

  1. Method

 

  1. This paragraph outlines how the subjects were chosen through policing departments that were willing to cooperate.
  2. The final part of methods shows what people were used in the study. Officer’s with less than two years of experience were excluded from the study with all except 3 being male white. They were issued a scaled to determine their sensation seeking and also a questionnaire about risk taking.

 

Instruments

 

  1. The instruments section details on how the sensation seeking scale is measured.  It is a 40 item scale on choice.
  2. Risk taking was assessed using a 3 page questionnaire.  The subjects were given three statements to show how they believed policing was.
  3. After each statement the officer was to circle a number on how they felt towards it.
  4. The three measures used were; self report, scenarios and official
  5. Self report asked subjects how many times they initiated a high speed pursuit within the last 12 months.
  6. The scenarios gave officer’s two different hypothetical situations in which they would pursue a car leaving a routine traffic stop and also a car fleeing a scene of a burglary.
  7. Official records of the department were looked over to see the number of times officers would record their police pursuits.
  8. Finally the three tests were standardized and called a pursuit scale.

 

Administration of Instruments

  1. This section describes how the tests were administered to the officers. A sergeant handed them out and told the officers that he needed them for his professor at his old college.  All were returned and were not signed.
  2. The second part was the questionnaire.  The same procedure was followed.
  3. No subjects knew of what variables were being measured.  They did however understand that they may have been connected.

 

  1. Results

 

Descriptive Statistics

  1. This shows the findings of the two tests given.
  2. The main variable, pursuit scale, was then measured.
  3. This paragraph shows the subjects’ mean sensations seeking scale.
  4. The risk taking scale showed that officers were more apt to risk. It was on the high end of the scale.

Risk taking, Sensation Seeking, and Pursuit

  1. Shows how the two scales correlated with one another.
  2. Risk taking and sensation seeking do draw to the same correlations. When combined their ability can predict the pursuit scale.
  3. This shows how the findings are interesting because they show something that was not expected but still can be left open for interpretation in some areas.

Extraneous Variables

  1. When combined with the pursuit scale age showed a negative correlation.  
  2. This paragraph outlines the multiple variables that could have played a part in pursuit.

 

VI.         Discussion

  1. This area has the author explaining what the study was meant to accomplish.  

Direction of Causality

  1. This area tells how the study may be affected by the participants. 

Sample Uniqueness

  1. This area shows how the study may have been sensitized because of the officers had been previously told not to engage in so many pursuits.

Further Considerations

  1. This suggests that more studies are needed to conclude accurately how sensations seeking, pursuit tendencies and risk taking can be further explored. They are low when measured on the pursuit scale.
  2. This shows that policy implications were not needed to ensure that officers did not go on unneeded pursuits.
  3. The final paragraph gives suggestions on how to take the sensation seeking out of an individual by either re-assignment or making them aware of their tendencies to engage in dangerous situations.

My Comparison of the Two Articles

Both introductions set up the game plan for what is going to happen within the paper.  The “Acute Stress and performance in police recruits” has a more a in depth introduction and lays more out for the reader.  The second article, “Risk Taking and Police Pursuit” has a smaller introduction paragraph and gets to the point quicker. Both authors hooked my attention very quickly.  This could be because I am interested in the topic but I feel that both opening paragraphs grab the reader’s attention and made me want to read more.   In the first article “Acute stress…” it opens with saying how work in emergency services is very stressful and how prolong exposure can endure serious health risk.  In the second article, “Risk taking…” it made me want to read and know more to why police work would make a person want to take higher risk even when they are not necessary.  The purpose of “Acute Stress…” is to determine how stressful situations may affect a person’s ability to positively respond in given situations.  It was conducted with police recruits.  The objective of “Risk Taking…” was to show that person’s with sensation seeking and risk taking personalities are more apt to start and follow a police pursuit.  Article one is was important in determining how stressful situations can impact the efforts of emergency personal. The second article was important in determining person’s/individuals who are high risk takers.  The first articles main research question dealt with if the levels of cortisol were significantly higher when dealing with high stress situations. The second articles main research question was if risk taking and sensation seeking positively correlated with pursuit decisions.  Both methods were similar to one another.  The first article though was more hands on type of style.  They were one on one with the participants either by interviews or watching videotapes.  The second article’s methods were all testing types.  They handed out different questionnaires and also looked over previous records from past years.  The results of article one showed that cortisol levels helped the improvement of stressful situations. Article two showed no strong correlations in dealing with risk taking and sensation seeking. For the first article’s conclusions the research said that further research was needed in order to find out more.  They also stated that many outside influences could have also played a role in the conclusions of the study.  In the second article’s conclusion showed that further research was definitely needed to have better outcomes.  If would also play a vital role in deciding if the correlations could be stronger. 

            In my outline the introductory paragraph with cited information will be found under the section labeled introduction.  Other information such as results, research methods, and the significance and importance of the subject will be found within in the main body.  I will have to re work the outline so it can be adjusted properly with this.

Bibliography

           1. Regehr, Cheryl, et al. “Acute stress and performance in police recruits.” Stress & Health: Journal of the International Society for the Investigation of Stress 24.4 (2008): 295-303. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO.

          2. Homant, Robert J., Daniel B. Kennedy, and Jimmy D. Howton. “Risk Taking and Police Pursuit.” Journal of Social Psychology 134.2 (1994): 213-221. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO

 

Posted by: callahankylezrwp | February 17, 2010

Introductory Paragraph

The Introductory Paragraph: About.com

In the article “The Introductory Paragraph” it immediately states how important it is to make a first good impression. The first sentence should grab the attention of the readers and want them to read more. The next few sentences should lead into the thesis.   The site gives some ways to start the paper off.  The ways are, surprising fact, humor, and quotes.  These are all great ways to make the reader want more and to read more.  The next is the hook.  The hook, “draws the reader in to find out how the interesting fact leads to a point. “[1]  To do this the writer can draw curiosity from the reader, state a definition, or give an anecdote.  After finishing with the introductory go back into the draft and give it more spice and make sure it holds water.

How to write a Strong Introduction Paragraph

The site, Suite 101, says that starting an essay off with an, “rhetorical question may at first seem like an effective technique, but it can easily develop a formulaic or immature tone for the essay.”[2]   The site breaks down the introductory into five steps: 1) When to write the Introduction 2) Identifying the Topic 3) State your opinion 4) Build a Bridge 5) State the thesis.  Students should first find a thesis and build upon that. They can structure their opening paragraph around it. They should identify what their topic is about. The student should then state their own personal opinion about the topic and then connect the opening statement with their thesis.  The thesis is the last sentence in the introductory paragraph and will be the cornerstone of the whole paper.

A strong introduction IS the most important part of the paper.  It should be strong.  A paper is like a sandwich to me.   Why do I say that? I mean I love eating sandwich’s, but absolutely HATE writing…but if I didn’t have the top bun (the introduction) and the bottom bun (the conclusion) of the sandwich I wouldn’t enjoy them much either.  So I see why it is so important to have these two crucial parts of the paper.  I figure I will have a sesame seed kind of bun of an introductory paragraph. What does that have anything to do with writing?!?! Here’s the connection…I will sprinkle interesting facts about my subject into my introductory (kind of like sesame seeds are sprinkled all over the top portion of the bun!).  (And for all of those reading this blog…Yes, I was eating a sandwich at the time I was writing this.)   

Bibliography

1.            About.com. The Introductory Paragraph: Start with a Great First Sentence. http://homeworktips.about.com/od/paperassignments/a/introsentence.htm.

2.            Suite101.com.   How to Write a Strong Introduction Paragraph: Tips to Teach High School Students to Compose an Essay Introduction. http://lesson-plans-materials.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_to_write_a_strong_introduction_paragraph.  

 


[1] About.com, The Introductory Paragraph: Start with a Great First Sentence, http://homeworktips.about.com/od/paperassignments/a/introsentence.htm.  

[2] Suite101.com, How to Write a Strong Introduction Paragraph: Tips to Teach High School Students to Compose an Essay Introduction, http://lesson-plans-materials.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_to_write_a_strong_introduction_paragraph.  

 

 

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