Getting Started
Introductions and conclusions are more than just the "top and bottom" of your essay; they are strategic tools that frame your entire argument. An effective introduction invites your audience into the conversation, while a powerful conclusion ensures your ideas resonate long after the page is turned. This section will teach you how to craft openings and closings that do real persuasive work, moving beyond simple formulas to engage readers and strengthen your claims.
What You Should Be Able to Do
After this lesson, you will be able to:
Identify and describe the key components and functions of an effective introduction and conclusion.
Explain how an introduction establishes the context and subject of an argument.
Analyze how an introduction can engage an audience and build a writer’s credibility.
Explain how a conclusion can summarize, call an audience to action, or leave a lasting impression.
Use specific strategies to write introductions and conclusions that strengthen your own arguments.
Key Moves and Effects
The beginning and end of your argument are prime real estate. They are your first and last chance to connect with your audience and guide their thinking. An argument’s success often depends on how well these sections perform their specific jobs.
The Strategic Introduction: More Than Just a Thesis
An introduction is the opening of an argument, which sets the stage for the claim and reasoning that will follow. It may be a single paragraph or several. Its purpose is not just to state a thesis, but to prepare the audience to receive that thesis.
1. Establish Context and Subject
Your argument doesn't exist in a vacuum. A strong introduction situates your claim within a broader conversation or set of circumstances.
Establishing Context: This involves explaining the background of your topic. What is the ongoing debate? What recent event makes this topic relevant? This shows you are aware of the bigger picture.
Establishing the Subject: This involves clearly presenting the specific question, problem, or issue your argument will address. You are narrowing the focus for your reader.
Example: Instead of just starting with a thesis like, "Standardized testing is harmful," a writer might first establish context by discussing the long history of educational reform in America. Then, they could narrow the subject to the specific role of high-stakes testing in modern classrooms.
2. Engage the Audience and Build Credibility
Before an audience will accept your reasoning, they must be willing to listen. A good introduction captures their interest and convinces them you are a voice worth hearing.
Audience Engagement: This is the act of capturing your audience's interest and inviting them into the conversation. Common techniques include posing a provocative question, sharing a surprising statistic, or telling a brief, relevant story (anecdote).
Credibility (Ethos): This is the audience's perception of the writer as knowledgeable, trustworthy, and fair. You can build credibility by demonstrating that you understand the audience's values, acknowledging the complexity of the issue, or sharing relevant personal experience.
Example: A writer arguing for animal rights might begin with a short, emotional anecdote about a rescued pet to engage the audience’s empathy. They could build credibility by stating, "Whether one is a pet owner or not, most of us agree that causing needless suffering is wrong," which establishes a shared value with the audience.
The Powerful Conclusion: Beyond "In Conclusion"
A conclusion is the closing of an argument, which provides a sense of finality and reinforces the writer's purpose. It is your last opportunity to make your argument stick. Simply summarizing what you have already said is often the least effective option.
1. Amplify the Argument
Instead of just repeating your points, show why they matter in a larger context. Amplifying the argument means connecting your specific claim to a broader issue, a universal human experience, or future implications. This helps the audience see the true significance of your position.
Example: An essay arguing for the preservation of a local park could conclude by amplifying the argument to discuss the broader importance of green spaces for mental health in all urban communities.
2. Call the Audience to Action
An effective conclusion can move the audience from passive agreement to active participation. A call to action specifies what you want your audience to do, think, or believe as a result of your argument. It should be a logical extension of the claims you have proven.
Example: After arguing that a school policy is unfair, a writer might conclude with a call to action: "Sign the petition, attend the next school board meeting, and make your voice heard."
3. Leave a Lasting Impression
The final sentences of your essay are what your reader will remember most. Use stylistic choices—such as vivid imagery, a powerful metaphor, or a thought-provoking statement—to make your argument memorable and emotionally resonant.
Example: An argument about the dangers of misinformation could end with a memorable image: "When we stop seeking truth, we are left navigating the world with a broken compass, unable to distinguish solid ground from the cliff's edge."
Data and Organization Tools
Use this matrix to plan the strategic moves for your own introductions and conclusions. A strong opening or closing rarely happens by accident; it is the result of conscious choices.
Introduction & Conclusion Planning Matrix
| Section | Purpose | Common Strategies | Example Frame |
|---|---|---|---|
| Introduction | Establish context & subject | Anecdote, startling statistic, historical overview, defining a key term | "For decades, the conversation about [topic] has been dominated by... However, a closer look reveals..." |
| Introduction | Engage audience & build credibility | Acknowledge a shared value, ask a rhetorical question, tell a personal story | "Like many of you, I once believed that... My experience has taught me otherwise." |
| Conclusion | Amplify the argument | Connect to a broader principle, suggest future implications, offer a new perspective | "While this issue may seem limited to [specific context], its implications touch upon the larger question of..." |
| Conclusion | Call to action or leave an impression | Propose a specific next step, use a powerful metaphor, end with a compelling quotation | "The next time you encounter [situation], consider... It is up to us to..." |
Device and Evidence Bank
Here are key strategies and terms for crafting introductions and conclusions that do real work.
Anecdote: A short, personal story used to illustrate a point and connect with the audience on an emotional level.
Rhetorical Question: A question asked to make a point or stimulate thought, not to elicit an answer. It engages the audience by making them consider the issue from a new angle.
Establishing Context: Explaining the background, history, or broader conversation surrounding the issue to show its relevance.
Defining the Problem: Clearly stating the specific issue or question the argument will address, bringing the topic into sharp focus.
Demonstrating Goodwill: Showing respect for the audience's perspective, even if it differs from your own. This builds trust and makes your argument more persuasive.
Amplification: The technique of extending an argument from a specific case to a larger, more significant context.
Call to Action: A direct and explicit request for the audience to do something in response to the argument (e.g., vote, donate, reconsider a belief).
Memorable Image: Using vivid, sensory language to create a lasting mental picture that encapsulates a key idea from the argument.
Skill Snapshots
The moves you make in your introduction and conclusion should directly support the central claim of your argument.
1. Introductory Move → Setting Up the Argument
Move: The writer begins with a surprising statistic about plastic waste in oceans.
How it Sets Up the Argument: This startling fact immediately engages the audience by highlighting the severity of the problem. It establishes a sense of urgency and prepares the reader for the writer's claim that individual consumer choices have a significant collective impact on the environment.
2. Concluding Move → Reinforcing the Argument
Move: After arguing that community service should be mandatory in high school, the writer concludes by asking a rhetorical question: "Will we teach our students that community is something you join, or something you build?"
How it Reinforces the Argument: This move reframes the entire debate. It elevates the argument from a simple policy proposal to a profound question about civic values, leaving the audience with a weighty idea to consider and reinforcing the moral stakes of the writer's claim.
3. Introduction & Conclusion Pair → Framing the Argument
Introductory Move: An essay about the value of learning a second language begins with an anecdote about the writer getting lost in a foreign city and being helped by a stranger who spoke a little English.
How it Sets Up the Argument: This personal story establishes the writer's credibility and introduces the argument's subject—the power of language to build human connection.
Concluding Move: The essay ends with a memorable image of a bridge being built, piece by piece, between two shores.
How it Reinforces the Argument: The final image of a bridge serves as a powerful metaphor for communication. It connects back to the opening anecdote and provides a lasting, positive image that encapsulates the essay's central claim.
Common Misconceptions and Clarifications
Misconception: The introduction's only job is to state the thesis.
Clarification: An introduction must do more. It needs to provide context for the issue, engage the reader's interest, and establish your credibility as a writer. A thesis dropped into a vacuum is rarely effective.
Misconception: A good "hook" can be any shocking statement, even if it's unrelated to the topic.
Clarification: An effective opening must be relevant and lead logically into the argument's subject. A disconnected hook can confuse or alienate the reader.
Misconception: The conclusion must always begin with a phrase like "In conclusion" or "In summary."
Clarification: These phrases are often unnecessary and can make your writing sound formulaic. A strong conclusion should transition smoothly from the final body paragraph, signaling finality through its tone and content rather than a label.
Misconception: The conclusion is just a place to repeat your main points.
Clarification: While a brief restatement can be useful, a conclusion's real work is to give the argument a sense of closure and significance. It should answer the "So what?" question, explaining why your argument matters.
Summary
Introductions and conclusions are crucial persuasive tools, not just formalities. A well-crafted introduction acts as a gateway, inviting the audience into a conversation by establishing context, piquing their interest, and building the writer's credibility. It prepares the ground for the thesis to be accepted. A powerful conclusion ensures the argument has a lasting impact by moving beyond simple summary. It can amplify the argument's significance, issue a compelling call to action, or use memorable language to make the central claim unforgettable. Mastering these skills will elevate your writing from merely competent to truly persuasive.