By Ruth Oji

HAVE you ever found yourself wondering: “How shall I start?” How often have you finished writing something only to discover that your work has no real conclusion? What do you do when you can’t think of a title for something you have written? Kindly read on to see suggestions that can help you attend to issues like this in your writing. We’ll begin with introductions. A good introduction is short and pointed. In a single paragraph, a writer cannot afford to spare more than a sentence or two for this purpose. Resist the temptation to ramble on and on. That’s because a lengthy introduction is sometimes a sign that the writer does not have a clear idea of what he wants to say.

A good introduction attracts good attention. Like the other parts of a paragraph, a good introduction relates in some way to the main point, and if it does not, it is not considered a good introduction, no matter how clever or attention-grabbing it may be. Oftentimes, writers use a straightforward approach, beginning the paragraph with the topic sentence. This method allows the writer to get right to the point. I often encourage new writers to adopt that approach since it helps to guide their writing – the supporting sentences get to be benchmarked on the topic sentence. The writer thus states what they are going to say and then proceeds to say it. This is a safe and efficient way to begin, but if you are not careful, it can also be dull and uninteresting. Even when you begin with the topic sentence, there is room for some words of introduction. You could tell an anecdote, make a general background statement, ask an informational question, define a concept, or share a quotation. Afterwards, you could proceed with the topic sentence that defines the main thrust of the paragraph, but remember to always keep it short.

Consider the following example of how to make a general background statement and then introduce the main point of the discourse:

‘To listen to the news, one would think that nothing but bad news always permeates the stations. However, there are good aspects to the news too, and one of them is that …’

You could then proceed to state the one thing that promotes good news. Perhaps that’s your main gist for that paragraph.

Let’s now talk about conclusions. Some paragraphs seem complete after the last point is made. Others seem to need some sort of conclusion to round them off (not up) and leave a feeling of completeness. The two most common types of conclusions are (1) a brief summary of the points made in the paragraph, and (2) a ‘clincher’ sentence that sounds a note of finality to the paragraph. It may rephrase the topic sentence in other words but should not repeat it.

When you write a paragraph in which you want to convince readers of an opinion you hold, a brief summary of the reasons you give to support that opinion can be an effective way to reinforce your argument. Imagine that you are saddled with the responsibility of getting your colleagues to engage in more physical activity like jogging before or after work. 

You want to convince your workmates that jogging is a worthwhile activity, and you plan to use three strong reasons to support this opinion. After you have introduced your subject, stated your main idea, and discussed the last of your three reasons, you might conclude the paragraph with something like this:

‘Good health, self-discipline, and a feeling of personal satisfaction are enviable things to possess; jogging can help you to achieve all three.’

How do you see that fine but pointed conclusion? 

For some paragraphs though, a summary of details is unnecessary. To illustrate, in a paragraph about the advantages and disadvantages of having a part-time job, rehashing the pros and cons in a summary statement would seem redundant. In this situation, however, you might prefer to use a ‘clincher’ sentence to bring your paragraph to a satisfactory conclusion. It could be something like this:

‘As you can see, there is a variety of things to consider before deciding to take on a part-time job, but when I pick up my paycheck every Friday, I am reminded that, for me, the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.’

What do you make of this ‘clincher’ statement? Perfect, not so? Good. Now you can apply this strategy in your writing.

Sometimes you will discover that you have said everything you want to say about your subject after discussing the final detail. If that is the case, you don’t need to be overly concerned about a conclusion. Your paragraph is already complete. The important thing to keep in mind is that a good conclusion – just like a good introduction – relates in some way to the main idea of the paragraph. Summary statements and ‘clincher’ sentences ae useful, but only if they help to reinforce the point you want to get across.

The last to emphasise here is titles. At one time or another, you probably have been told that anything worth writing is worth titling! A title is a convenient means of identifying something – even a one-paragraph composition. Just as your name identifies who you are, so also the title of your paragraph identifies what you have written. 

A title can serve many useful purposes. It can let the reader know what the paragraph is about; it can arouse curiosity and the desire to read on; and it can emphasize a key detail.

To conclude this piece, please see the following tips you may find useful when you are ready to compose a title for your paragraph:

1. Follow the KISS rule – Keep it short and simple. Don’t try to make your title say everything that is in the paragraph.

2. Make it interesting and thought-provoking. Whether it is amusing, intriguing, or whatever, the title should stimulate your readers to read further.

3. Make sure it relates to the paragraph. Don’t mislead your readers. Remember, the primary purpose of a title is to identify what you have written.

•Dr. Oji is a Senior Lecturer of English at the Institute of Humanities, Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos