Comp Lab 5: Introductions and Conclusions

For this composition lab, you will need to start with either a draft or an outline of a paper you are working on in Comp I.

Write a catchy sentence that draws your reader into your paper and says something about your topic. You may want to use one of the strategies listed in Chapter 15 to help you with this step.
If you have a draft of your paper, start with the paragraph after the introduction (the first body paragraph). Read each body paragraph of your paper, and determine the topic of the paragraph. Make sure that you have only one topic per paragraph.
Double-check to make sure that the topic of each paragraph is reflected in your topic sentence.
On a separate piece of paper, list the topic of each paragraph.
If you have an outline for your paper, determine the topic of each of your body paragraphs based on what you have written in your outline.
Double-check to make sure that the topic sentence (main idea) in your outline reflects this topic.
Double-check that each supporting detail is related to this topic, as well.
On a separate piece of paper, make a list of these topics.
Immediately after your catchy introductory sentence, craft 4-5 sentences which briefly and generally introduce these topics. This is now the start of your introduction.
Check your list of topics against your draft introduction. Have you properly introduced every topic of every paragraph? If you have left anything out, add it in.
At the end of your introduction, write your thesis. Is your thesis argumentative? Do your topic sentences support your argument?
Using the strategies listed in Chapter 15, try to craft a conclusion paragraph, as well. Remember that a conclusion must review the things you have discussed and restate your thesis statement.