Chapter 6: One Last Time Before You Go: The Conclusion and Final Review
Top Bun
Introduction as Top Bun
The main purpose of a five-paragraph essay is to prove that its writer has read the text under analysis. No position of inquiry needs to be taken, no controversial way of reading the text needs to be proposed. Like the sesame seed-adorned top bun of a hamburger, the introduction is the showiest element, covering everything that will be discussed in the remaining essay:
Example
In “The Ultimate Communications App,” Charles Justice writes about the importance of language. He compares it to a “communications app,” he defines it as “A common way for us to share information and create enduring knowledge,” and he compares different languages to the “Tower of Babel.”
While the author appears to be pointing at some of the more important moments from Justice’s article, this introduction promises to do little beyond that pointing. These elements are in the text and they are part of Justice’s discussion on language, but it looks as if little will be done by way of investigating how or why Justice or the author of this proposed analysis discuss these particular aspects.
