Conclusions

For your conclusions, you need to make sure that you do a few things:

• Give a sense that you have completed and fully explored your argument.
• Go back to your introductory story, anecdote, etc. and show it in light of the findings you've made.
• Show the importance of what you've said.
• Show the implications of what you've said in the paper. What will happen as a result of your proposals?
• You can end with a strong quote, fact, or statistic.

Introductions

Introductions can be very difficult for beginning English writers. A good introduction can make or break an academic paper. Most of the time, if someone is not interested by your introduction, they will not be interested in the rest of your paper.

Here are some quick tips to make an interesting introduction:

1. Start with a story or an anecdote.
2. Start with an interesting and/or controversial question (Don't just go for shock value, though).
3. Give a surprising fact or statistic.
4. Start with a broad example and narrow to your topic.

These are just a few things you can do to help the reader to gain interest in your topic.  However, you must be sure that whatever tactic you use clearly relates to your main point.

Body Paragraphs

The body is where you prove the point that you have made in your introduction and thesis.

Here are a few quick tips for your body paragraphs:

1. Use topic sentences. A topic sentence is like a "mini-thesis" that sets the tone for what you be talking about in your paragraph.  Be sure to use them and stick to them.
2. Get to your points quickly.
3. Give source evidence for your points. These could be quotes, statistics, sayings, etc. 
4. Don't write about irrelevant topics or give irrelevant details.
5. Use transition words to help your paragraphs "flow" together seamlessly.