一篇论文的开头段落将会给读者提供他们对论文论点、写作风格和整体质量的初步印象。这可能是论文中最难写的部分。一个模糊的、无组织的、错误百出的或者无聊的Introduction可能会给人留下负面的印象。下文总结了五种无效的Introduction写作方式,同学要尽量避免这些内容出现在自己的论文中。
1、The placeholder introduction
当你对某个话题没有太多话要说的时候,就很容易产生这种引言。本质上,这种较弱的引言,涵盖了一些语焉不详、并没有真正说出重点的句子。这样的存在只是为了占据你论文的空间。
示例:Slavery was one of the greatest tragedies in American history. There were many different aspects of slavery. Each created different kinds of problems for enslaved people.
2、The restated question introduction
重述问题有时可能是一种有效的策略,但是很容易停留在重述问题上,而不是为你的论文提供更具体、有趣的阐述。
示例:The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass discusses the relationship between education and slavery in 19th century America,showing how white control of education reinforced slavery and how Douglass and other enslaved African Americans viewed education while they endured. Moreover,the book discusses the role that education played in the acquisition of freedom. Education was a major force for social change with regard to slavery.
3、The Webster’s Dictionary introduction
这种引言首先给出指定问题中一个或多个单词的字典定义。任何人都可以在字典里查一个单词,然后抄下来。如果你想以一个重要术语的讨论开始,如果你在你的课堂和作业的特定背景下发展你自己的术语定义,对你(和你的读者)来说可能会有趣得多。你也可以使用课堂上阅读过的资料中的一个定义。还要认识到字典也不是特别权威的著作,因为没有考虑到你的课程背景,也没有提供特别详细的信息。如果你觉得你必须找到一个权威,试着找一个非常相关和具体的信息。也许引用一篇阅读材料会更好。这种引言是无效的,因为被过度使用了。
示例:Webster’s dictionary defines slavery as “the state of being a slave,”as “the practice of owning slaves,”and as “a condition of hard work and subjection.”
4、The “dawn of man”introduction
这种引言通常对这个主题的相关性作出广泛、全面的陈述,从时间的开始,到世界各地,等等。通常非常笼统,未能直接连接到论文。可能会有一些陈词滥调,“the dawn of man”和“throughout human history”都是例子。
示例: Since the dawn of man,slavery has been a problem in human history.
5、The book report introduction
这种引言同样是无效的,因为只提供了你的读者可能已经知道的细节,而且与论文无关。
示例:Frederick Douglass wrote his autobiography,Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass,An American Slave,in the 1840s. It was published in 1986 by penguin Books. In it,he tells the story of his life.
同学在论文写作过程中,一定要尽可能地避免这五种无效的Introduction写作方式。