INTRODUCTION AND CONCLUSION SECTION DIRECTIONS

These are the final two sections of the paper you have left to write. I will not see them in draft form, so be sure to ask questions about content before the final paper is due. The introduction is worth 4/100 points; the conclusion is worth 8/100 points. Please note that you must address both conclusion questions if you’re shooting for full credit on this section—if you only address one of the questions, 6 points is the most you can earn.

Introduction

A single engaging paragraph that should contain:

  • Attention getter/context for the career
  • an interesting fact or statistic, a mission statement, a quote, poem, song lyric, or story
  • What you gained from this project—DO NOT include all these items; they are suggested ideas for your paragraph, not a checklist!
  • “Through this research, I learned…”
  • What I’m going to do after high school . . .
  • What my skills are . . .
  • What my interests are . . .
  • What my strengths as a student are . . .
  • What careers match my personality . . .
  • What skills match my personality . . .
  • What I need to do to achieve my career goals . . .
  • What degrees I need and how much it is going to cost . . .

Conclusion

This final section of your paper will be 1-3 paragraphs long, written in the first person. It should address one or both of the following questions:

  • What makes you stand out over someone else applying for the same position?
  • Personal experience
  • Skills
  • Passion
  • Devotion to the occupation
  • What unique contribution will you make to your profession and your community?
  • Innovative ideas
  • Community service

5 Types of Attention Getters

Anecdote

An anecdote is a story that relates to your essay in some way. By starting your essay with an anecdote, you engage the reader on an emotional level by drawing her into your essay through the story. Your reader will try to relate to the story, which means she will also try to relate to your essay. If your reader can relate to your essay, she is more likely to enjoy it.

Question

Using a question as an attention-getter engages your reader and gets him thinking. Don't ask a “yes” or “no” question, because the reader can answer the question and won't have the need to read further. Ask a question that gets your reader thinking about the topic. If your essay explains something, you can ask a “why” question to lead into your thesis. Your reader will be thinking about the “why,” and your essay will give him the answer.

Quotation

Using a quote as an attention-getter can lend credibility to your essay. Find a quote by an expert in the field your essay is about and use it to support your thesis. This will show that you've done research for your essay, and that experts support the point your essay is making. A quote can also capture what you want to convey eloquently. Usually quotes become famous because they're truthful, and are written in a way that moves or speaks to people. You can use that emotional factor to start your essay off strongly.

Humor

Starting your essay off with a joke can engage your reader and put him in a positive mindset for reading your essay. This can be especially effective if your essay covers a lighthearted topic. It will keep your reader from taking your essay too seriously. Be careful not to use a joke that might be offensive to readers. Good, clean humor is what works best for essays.

Shocking Statistic

A shocking statistic is a factual statistic that deals with your essay topic and is surprising to your reader. Often, it will be a statistic that most people don't know, and will make them think about your essay topic in a new way. Shocking statistics can be effective in persuasive essays when readers may not have thought about all aspects of one side of the argument. They can also be very effective in informative essays or essays with a lot of technical information.