Help with the essay introduction (1 Viewer)

lyounamu

Reborn
Joined
Oct 28, 2007
Messages
9,998
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
How do you start your essay introduction? What can be an effective way to grab the teachers' attention. I always struggle with the introduction part of the essay. Apart from it, I can flow from one sentence to another quite well.

My task is to produce a critical analysis of the collage that I made in regards to the module that I studied in English. How would you start your essay when you are asked to describe the collage that you made? Let's say that my collage is related to the film, The Departed (it's not, it's just an example).
 

fareezuh

Member
Joined
May 26, 2008
Messages
109
Gender
Female
HSC
2009
analysis essay hmmm....

there are some excellent tips inside
Macquarie HSC essay writing revealed by Michael, Avi Year: 2005
it has helpd me a lot

as far as intros:

start with a quote or a thought to grab the audiences attention. explain it, link it to the essay topic. explain the essay topic.
features of your collage and how they affect the reader (analysis of three main areas) i.e symbolism, layout and dominance. and then expand on it

good luck
 

bored of sc

Active Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2007
Messages
2,314
Gender
Male
HSC
2009
A quote or saying tends works well -

For example:
Lord Acton once said "Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely." George Orwell's political novel 1984 exemplifies this ideology of power. For Winston Smith, being stuck in the world of totalitarianism; life is inarguably hard. He is constantly under surveillance and required to live a very restricted life: without freedom of thought nor freedom to do as he pleases. This is life under the watchful eye of Big Brother. It is through the utilisation of techniques such as repetition, capitalisation and multi-sensory imagery that the theme of power is illuminated in Orwell's iconic, modern classic 1984.
 
Last edited:

bored of sc

Active Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2007
Messages
2,314
Gender
Male
HSC
2009
Cheers. I seem to go better in made up things than actual essay questions :(! (that wasn't an essay question!)
 

jellybelly59

Active Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2007
Messages
1,382
Location
where there is pho and sugar cane drinks
Gender
Male
HSC
2009
An essay must have a thesis to work off... A general idea or point of arguement really help to link ur examples and ideas later on in ur body.. My teacher says that usually when u construct ur introduction ur thesis should talk about a notion from a wider perspective (e.g ur AoS or a theme in ur prescribed text) and then in ur body). Using sophisticated language in ur intro is good to just be succinct and don't ramble on. Get to the point by placing ur line of arguement forward and answer the question. That is what really attracts the attention of the marker.
 

ASDFGHJKL:""

Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2007
Messages
100
Gender
Male
HSC
2008
I always start off by stating what I will be talking about. I then mention some of the things I will talk about and develop a thesis.
 

kaz1

et tu
Joined
Mar 6, 2007
Messages
6,960
Location
Vespucci Beach
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
2009
Uni Grad
2018
I start by talking about the context of the text if it is an english essay.
 

jazzbaby

Member
Joined
Sep 13, 2007
Messages
398
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
2005
I used to find it hard to start intros… but now I do the whole body and THEN I write the intro..i don’t know why but I find it way easier…maybe try that
 

Aplus

Active Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2007
Messages
2,384
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
bored of sc said:
Cheers. I seem to go better in made up things than actual essay questions :(! (that wasn't an essay question!)
Probably because a question would limit the ability of a responder to make any flexible argument.
 

cerys

because i can.
Joined
May 31, 2007
Messages
191
Location
Sydney
Gender
Female
HSC
2009
Well.... my Eng Avd teacher says you that you should include a pithy comment in the intro.

Don't know if it'll be relevent if discussing a collage you made. I have trouble with the intro as well, but once you have that done the rest is easy enough to do :x (make sure you don't repeat urself in the intro ><;; thats what i always do and i always have sooo many drafts of it in the end before i get the final of it lol)
 

Aplus

Active Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2007
Messages
2,384
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
lyounamu said:
How do you start your essay introduction? What can be an effective way to grab the teachers' attention. I always struggle with the introduction part of the essay. Apart from it, I can flow from one sentence to another quite well.

My task is to produce a critical analysis of the collage that I made in regards to the module that I studied in English. How would you start your essay when you are asked to describe the collage that you made? Let's say that my collage is related to the film, The Departed (it's not, it's just an example).
Generic Introduction
The critical analysis of the [collage] is essential in the interpretation of [The Departed], because it enables the responder to gain a more distinct understanding of the text. The responder is able to methodologically gain an appreciative understanding of [The Departed]. The [collage], could be seen as a paradigm of the idealistic values of the context of [The Departed]. As such, one is able to, in an instinctive manner, create a parallel contrast between the [collage] and the extent of its illustration of the themes present in [The Departed]. As a result of this analytically comparative reasoning, the responder is able to study the [collage] in order to gain a greater understanding of the issues which would have been relevant in the context of [The Departed]. This in turn, would enable the responder to construct, using the ideas represented in the collage, an appreciation of the values of the composer of [The Departed]. By applying their understanding of the values present in the text, the responder is able to deduce, the composer's intended meaning and message. Therefore, through critically analysing the [collage], the responder is able to synthesise, a subjective interpretation of [The Departed] and demonstrate an understanding of the relevance of [The Departed] to their own context in society.
 
Last edited:

Doctor Jolly

. Per Aspera Ad Astra *
Joined
Aug 4, 2007
Messages
1,229
Location
Study Desk
Gender
Female
HSC
2009
jazzbaby said:
I used to find it hard to start intros… but now I do the whole body and THEN I write the intro..i don’t know why but I find it way easier…maybe try that
I find that I always end up changing my intro after doing the body =S I never really stick to my thesis :rolleyes:
 

Felix Jones

Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2007
Messages
265
Gender
Male
HSC
2008
bored of sc said:
Cheers. I seem to go better in made up things than actual essay questions :(! (that wasn't an essay question!)
hahahah .... lol.
 

Aplus

Active Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2007
Messages
2,384
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
Doctor Jolly said:
I find that I always end up changing my intro after doing the body =S I never really stick to my thesis :rolleyes:
Your introduction should function like a menu. As you proceed to begin each paragraph, you should be able to systematically read of, from your introduction, how to structure your argument so that it sticks to the thesis statement.
 

bored of sc

Active Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2007
Messages
2,314
Gender
Male
HSC
2009
Aplus said:
Generic Introduction
The critical analysis of the [collage] is essential in the interpretation of [The Departed], because it enables the responder to gain a more distinct understanding of the text. The responder is able to methodologically gain an appreciative understanding of [The Departed]. The [collage], could be seen as a paradigm of the idealistic values of the context of [The Departed]. As such, one is able to, in an instinctive manner, create a parallel contrast between the [collage] and the extent of its illustration of the themes present in [The Departed]. As a result of this analytically comparative reasoning, the responder is able to study the [collage] in order to gain a greater understanding of the issues which would have been relevant in the context of [The Departed]. This in turn, would enable the responder to construct, using the ideas represented in the collage, an appreciation of the values of the composer of [The Departed]. By applying their understanding of the values present in the text, the responder is able to deduce, the composer's intended meaning and message. Therefore, through critically analysing the [collage], the responder is able to synthesis, a subjective interpretation of [The Departed] and demonstrate an understanding of the relevance of [The Departed] to their own context in society.
wow, if that's a generic introduction - I've failed HSC Advanced English

that's sweet!
 

Aplus

Active Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2007
Messages
2,384
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
Pretty crap introduction. I made the whole thing up.
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 1)

Top