Introductions and Conclusions

The introduction and conclusion are the bread in a paper sandwich. While they may not be the most flavorful parts of the writing, they are certainly needed to keep everything else together. An introduction grabs the readers attention and shows him or her where the paper is going. It briefly outlines some of the main points and creates a clear tone and position. While the conclusion gives the reader a brief synopsis of the paper without repeating any information or introducing any new information. It also gives the reader a sense of finality by directly answering any questions proposed in the introduction.

Here are the Writing Center's tip sheets on the introduction and the conclusion.