Introduction: Context is Crucial!

To prepare your reader to understand and appreciate your topic, you will want to provide clarifying details in the Introductory Paragraph of your Essays. We call this context, but you can think of it as preparing the reader by anticipating and answering basic questions about your topic.

Ask yourself questions to better prepare your reader.

Here are some guiding questions:

• Why should the reader care about this topic?
• Who needs to read this paper? Who would benefit from it? Keep a focused audience in mind; these will be decision-makers who can take action.
• When did this topic emerge? When historic events shaped this topic?
• What authority or expertise does the writer possess?
• Where is this topic relevant? What community? What location?
• How does my personal or professional experience establish my perspective as credible to my reader?

Your Experience establishes your credibility.

Since we will not add research until the final version of our series of essays, your Counter-position and Primary-source Position paper must be written from your personal experience.

NO RESEARCH. This means that your personal or professional experience with the topic must be on display so as to establish your credibility and make your ideas convincing.

Please Note: Essentially, you will be using the same introduction for all three papers. You will modify your introduction to suit the essay, but the key points regarding the context of your discussion will be the same.

In the example introduction that follows, notice the details that prepare the readers for the discussion of the topic as well as the inclusion of personal/professional experience to establish credibility

The example also includes the thesis is in last positionwhere you should place yours, but you are not required to add the thesis at this time.

MY Topic is " The challenge of college tuition on emigrant students" and my targeted audience are college president and board of trustees as they are the decision makers who can reduce tuition.

STUDENT-WRITTEN EXAMPLE:

Let's talk about money. If you are working under Seattle's 2022 $15.25 minimum wage, do you expect relief? Or a stressful outcome? I am single and employed fulltime in a SeaTac rental car facility under Seattle's current $15.25 minimum wage. After tax deductions, my monthly earning is $1800. Currently, I live in a one-bedroom apartment, and the rent is $1500, plus utilities, which is approximately $300, so my housing expense alone are $1800. If my calculation is accurate, the outcome is I don't have enough even though other costs remain, such as my car's insurance, maintenance, grocery shopping, and additional expenses. That's why I drive Uber to earn extra in order cover my expenses. Imagine if I were married and have children. In order to survive in Seattle, I must have second job. It's obvious; this is a hectic condition, and the residents of Seattle need the current minimum wage to increase up to $17 per hour because the current minimum wage is not enough.[ THESIS to be added: Although raising the minimum wage will increase some prices, but it will also increase consumer's spending, which will help the local economy; therefore, the Seattle City Council needs to raise the minimum wage. ]

Here is your assignment, due any time before your Counter-position, Primary-Essay, or Researched Persuasive Essay is submitted:

• Compose a draft of your Introductory Paragraph with a full description of the importance of the topic and your personal story that connects you to the topic.
• A version of this introduction will serve for your Counter-position, Primary-source, and Researched Persuasive papers.
• Use your first-hand experience. No RESEARCH.
• Only the Researched Persuasive Essay can include researched ideas, and they must be documented, including citations and a source list (either MLA or APA).
• You are not required to include a thesis for this assignment.

However, you will update your introduction later to include your thesis based on your completed Outlineassignment. It must be placed at the end of the introduction.

• As always, Word process your writing, double-space your text, and edit for clarity, correct sentence mechanics, concise and literal expression.

Introduction with Context and Personal Experience
Criteria	Ratings	Pts
Format and Editing are standard. view longer description	10 pts Full Marks 0 pts No Marks	/ 10 pts
Credibility is established. view longer description	20 pts Full Marks 0 pts No Marks	/ 20 pts
Context is provided. view longer description	20 pts Full Marks 0 pts No Marks	/ 20 pts