Mr. Jedele’s Suggestions for Your Introduction

1. Start with an “attention-getting opener” (a question, quotation, statistic, story or idea that makes the reader interested in your topic)

2. Introduce the background3. State the question for the essay4. Respond to the question with a strong thesis

statement and briefly lay out your reasoning (“road map”).

***Don’t use I, me, or my - it looks unprofessional***

Document-Based Essay - Introduction Sentence Starters

ATTENTION GETTING OPENER

● It has been said that …● It is surprising that ...● [Start with a question, quote, statistic, story, or idea related to

the topic.]

HISTORICALBACKGROUND

● Between ___ and ___, …● During …● In __th century _(country)_, …

QUESTION● One key (issue/problem/question/debate) is …● A central (issue/problem/question/debate) is …● An important (issue/problem/question/debate) here is ...

THESIS STATEMENT

● For several reasons, …● The facts show that …● It is clear that ...