COVER: This has a header and page number in the upper right or a running header. It also has the title of the paper, your name, the subject and the teacher’s name and due date centered two spaces down from the header.

THE INTRODUCTION.

An introduction should have an attention getter first and the thesis last. The attention getter may be from 5-10 or so sentences and is followed by the thesis, which is the last sentence of the introduction. An attention getter can be done in any one of the following ways. 1. Give background information about the topic, but not the facts and information that will go in the paper. You might just tell why this topic is relevant. 2. Write an anecdote, which is a short story that you might make up illustrating the topic. For example, if your story was about child abuse, you could tell how a young child was found wandering the streets in Harlem covered in bruises, how she was taken to Child Protective Services and admitted to a hospital. Then you would make a statement that this should shame all Americans. 3. Pose a question about the topic and then proceed to offer a variety of answers. 4. Quote some author about the topic and explain why what this famous person said is true. 5. Give some startling statistics and tell their relevance. (Be sure to cite anything from a source.) 6. Do another creative way of getting the attention of the reader but avoid giving away what the paper will actually be proving until the last sentence of the introduction which is the thesis. Remember the thesis is the one sentence that tells what your paper will be about (topic) and what point the paper hopes to prove and persuade the reader to agree with by giving factual information. Keep your writing in third person. In your entire paper, it is best that there be no first (I, me, we, us, our…) and no second person (you and your). Sample Introduction using the Anecdote. (Attention getter) Jill was only three years old when she was found wandering the streets of Harlem one winter night. She had on torn pajamas and slippers. Tears had dried on her cheeks and she was shivering. The police took her to the precinct and called Child Protective Services who took her to the hospital first and then to a warm home to be cared for. The story that emerged showed that in her short three years, she had suffered a lifetime of abuse. This is a story that should shame all Americans. (Thesis) Child abuse is something that a civilized society should take serious steps to combat and eradicate, punishing those who are guilty of child abuse very severely. Sample Introduction using the background information approach. (Attention getter) Childhood should be a time of joy and discovery. It should be a time of carefree fun and a time when there exists security and comfort. Unfortunately, that is not the case for many children. Some children may have parents who love and care for them but who are not around during the day due to work responsibilities, so other adults take care of the children. Sometimes, those people do not take good care of the children or worse, they abuse the children, and parents might be the last ones to find out. Sadly, there are also children whose own parents abuse them. (Thesis) Child abuse is something that a civilized society should take serious steps to combat and eradicate, punishing those who are guilty of child abuse very severely. * Note: Remember that no matter what you do for the attention getter, you should always end with the thesis, which tells what your paper is going to inform, prove, convince or persuade the reader of.

THE BODY PARAGRAPH

Three parts of a body paragraph are as follows with the fourth part being the citation:

1.The topic sentence names the ONE topic you will discuss in the paragraph.

2. Support includes giving details, facts, reasons, examples, information from news, reports dealing with the topic, information from news etc. Have about 6-8 support