WK18: WRITING AN INTRO

Introduction Paragraph
My introduction:
• Use hooks / attention-grabbing techniques to lead into a brief but
engaging introduction to the topic.
• Introduces the topic / gives background detail using keywords /
synonyms from Q.
• Defines key or broad terms / determines scope.
• Explain why the issue matters or why it is worth reading about now
(context)
• Has a clear and brief main idea of the essay (thesis statement).
• Outlines the main points of the essay
B - Background
• Introduces the topic / gives background detail using keywords / synonyms from Q.
• Defines key or broad terms / determines scope
• Explain why the issue matters or why it is worth reading about now (context)

To make it easier, you can:

1) Identify the key terms in Q that need to be defined.
2) Use the power of THREE - illustrate 3 relevant things or examples that define
the key terms in the Q.
B - Background
You may use hook to introduce the topic to your readers using:
• A rhetorical question that is thought-provoking and addresses the Q (but refrain
from repeating the Q!)
• Interesting facts or statistics. Make comment.
• Illustrate an unusual idea or situation.
A – Argument / Thesis statement
• Clear and brief summary of essay content
• State your stand about the issue
Example 1
Q: To what extent does modern communication bring us together?
…..Modern communication connects people together to some degree,
though it can also be a tool that divides. It can shorten the distance between
people and be used as a platform to shed light on social issues. However, it
can be misused to incite hate and ruin relationships if used excessively.
A – Argument / Thesis statement
• Clear and brief main idea of the essay
• State your stand about the issue

Example 2
Q: Consider the view that conservation of wilderness and wildlife should be the priority
of all nations.
…..If not the priority of all nations, global conservation should be a major concern
for governments as the permanent loss of wilderness and wildlife jeopardises
finding solutions to a variety of global problems, threatens national economies and,
ultimately, could lead to mankind’s own extinction through the irreversible
destruction of ecosystems.
M – Main Points
Outline / signpost to the main ideas you will cover in your essay

Example 1
Q: To what extent does modern communication bring us together?
…..Modern communication connects people together to some degree, though it
can also be a tool that divides. It can shorten the distance between people and be
used as a platform to shed light on social issues. However, it can be misused to
incite hate and ruin relationships if used excessively.
M – Main Points
Outline / signpost to the main ideas you will cover in your essay

Example 2
Q: Consider the view that conservation of wilderness and wildlife should be the
priority of all nations.
…..If not the priority of all nations, global conservation should be a major
concern for governments as the permanent loss of wilderness and wildlife
jeopardises finding solutions to a variety of global problems, threatens
national economies and, ultimately, could lead to mankind’s own extinction
through the irreversible destruction of ecosystems.
Model Intro 1
Q: Should the advancement of artificial intelligence be a cause for concern?
Artificial intelligence comes in many different forms, from manufacturing robots, smart assistants, to
even self-driving cars. As of today, already 77% of the devices we use feature one form of AI or
another and the number of AI startups grew 14 times over the last two decades. With the
exponentially increasing rate of advances made to machine learning, should there be a concern for
the future of humankind? While some people argue that pursuing the advancement of automation is
unsettling, others argue that it is not as concerning as they imagined. If we do not take precautionary
measures against AI advancements, it should be a major concern worldwide as AI is unpredictable,
can cause significant loss of jobs for thousands of people, and can be used incorrectly as military
assets. But on the bright side, further development of smart technology will only make society's life
easier.
Model Intro 2
Q: ‘Crime affects the whole of society, not just the immediate victims.’ Discuss.

In 2021, the Police in London recorded over 218,000 violent crime offences.
From the most common crimes such as child abuse and murder to white-collar
crimes such as corruption, crimes are something that need to be eliminated.
Crimes are undoubtedly detrimental because crimes do not just affect
immediate victims, but they cause everyone to live in constant fear and suffer
unnecessarily. Crimes bring damage to the country’s economy, political
decisions and the environment as well as the public’s health.
Model Intro 3
Q: ‘Beauty contests are degrading and should be banned.’ Examine this claim.
From major ones such as Miss World and Miss Universe, to Miss Earth that is
more focused on the environment, beauty pageants are not foreign to our
society as hundreds of thousands of them are held annually. Beauty pageants
are commonly misunderstood as competitions that judge their contestants
solely based on their physical appearance, but they also look into the
contestant’s intelligence and skills. Although beauty contests may be degrading
because they act as a form of entertainment and promote standards of beauty
that are unrealistic, the positive impacts that beauty pageants have on women
by increasing their self-confidence, fostering self-discipline and their role in
women empowerment certainly outweigh the negatives. Considering the
multiple advantages that beauty pageants can bring to an individual, there is no
reason for them to be banned.
Your task
• You are going to work towards writing an essay by building each paragraph
every lesson.
• Pick one question from the list on the next slide.
• Write your argumentative / discursive thesis statement.
• Brainstorm 4 main points for your essay.
• Write an introduction paragraph using the BAM structure. Make sure to
include the following:
1. Background (with hook, use THREEs/define scope/define keywords, set
context)
2. Thesis Statement
3. Outline of Main Points
Essay Questions
1. ‘Sport divides, rather than unites, society.’ To what extent is this true?
2. Other than their ability to entertain, do viral videos have any real values?
3. ‘Crime affects the whole of society, not just the immediate victims.’ Discuss.
4. ‘As computers and various mobile phone applications translate foreign
languages quickly, learning a foreign language is a waste of time.’ Examine
this claim.
5. Should the advancement of artificial intelligence be a cause for concern?
6. ‘Beauty pageants are degrading and should be banned.’ Examine this claim.
7. Consider the view that the key to good health is not medicine, but lifestyle.
8. Can nuclear energy ever be justified?