Writing a good introduction and conclusion

In a nutshell

To put it plainly, your opening paragraph is your introduction to the topic and your ideas. Your closing paragraph is how you conclude your thoughts on the topic. These paragraphs link, with the concluding paragraph restating your topic idea from the introduction. In this lesson, you will learn how to write opening and closing paragraphs effectively.

Introduction

Your opening paragraph is where you state your overall argument. An effective opening paragraph will include:

A strong first sentence - you want the reader to be hooked by your writing and want to read on.
An overview of the main topic - This should briefly explain the topic and allow you to introduce your thoughts on it.
You could include: a strong quotation, a piece of interesting evidence or a definition as ways to start discussing the topic.
Present your argument - your argument should be clear in your introduction. State what your body of work will show.

Writing your line of argument

It is crucial that you include your argument in your opening paragraph. When devising an argument, think:

What is your point about the topic?
What are your feelings towards the topic?
What arguments can you make about the topic?
What is your angle?

By asking these questions, you can create a strong line of argument that is introduced in your opening paragraph and carried throughout your work.

Structure

An example of a structure you could use for an opening paragraph could be:

STRUCTURE OF SENTENCES	Explanation
The "hook"	A strong sentence, relating to the topic, that grabs the reader's attention.
Discuss the topic	Use a few sentences to briefly, yet effectively, discuss the topic. Use facts and vivid descriptions to present a strong presentation of subject knowledge.
Line of argument	Introduce your main line of argument. Present your argument clearly and introduce how you will show your argument through your writing.

Conclusion

Your final paragraph should serve to summarise your work and restate your main point. An effective closing paragraph should:

Lead with your argument but signal the end of your writing.
Reiterate your line of argument and explain briefly how you've proven this.
State what the reader should have learnt from your work.
Explain the importance of your writing and what your argument shows in the topic.

Writing your closing paragraph

The type of writing you do will affect the way you write your closing paragraph.

Type of writing	Effect on closing paragraph
Persuasive writing	Put your key arguments together and show how they link to your overarching line of argument. Link back to your introduction but don't repeat yourself.
Writing to explain	Summarise the key information you've written and the consequences of your explanation.

Structure

Structure of sentences	Explanation
Closing sentence	You can use a concluding discourse marker to begin your closing paragraph.
Reiterate what you've said	Go over the key points you've made.
Line of argument	Emphasise how your writing has demonstrated your line of argument. Slightly mirror your opening paragraph.