Week 3 Introduction Break Down

Explain the context of the essay

Give the answer: the response to the question or the overall focus of the essay (the thesis statement)

Describe the structure and organisation of the essay

Context;

Essays are usually written for an intelligent but uninformed audience, so begin with some context: the background of the topic, the topic scope, and any essential definitions.

• Introductions often begin with a broad opening statement that establishes the subject matter and background. Don't make it too broad (“Since time began…”), but identify the relevant topic and sub-topic (e.g. human resource management, early childhood development, animal behaviour…).

Subject matter - Queer community. Background - In the broader population.

• To establish the scope, answer basic questions: Who? What? When? Where? How? Why? Is the essay limited to a particular time period, a particular group of people, a particular country?

Who - Queer people of all ages. When - 1890s to current day. Where - All over the world but mainly in western culture/english speaking countries. How - Through the media outlets.

• Definitions are often established after the introduction, so only include them here if they are absolutely essential.

Definitions; 

• Agency - is the capacity of an actor (a person or other entity, human or any living being in general) to act in any given environment. Agency may either be classified as unconscious, involuntary behavior, or purposeful, goal directed activity (intentional action).

• Essentialism - is the view that for any specific entity there is a set of attributes which are necessary to its identity and function.

• Privilege - a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group.

• Marginalization - is the social disadvantage and relegation to the fringe of society. Social marginalization is the process in which individual of people are systematically blocked from (or denied full access to) various rights, opportunities and resources that are normally available to members of a different group, and which are fundamental to social integration within that particular group (e.g., housing, employment, healthcare, civic engagement, democratic participation, and due process).

Answer/focus;

The most important part of the introduction is the response to the question: the thesis statement.

An introduction often ends on the thesis statement. 

• Thesis statement;

There is a large difference in power between people of different sexualities which is seen through the media representation. 

It begins with a broad statement and gradually narrows down until it directly addresses the question:

This module asks you to consider the relations of power (i.e; between the designer, photographer or artist and the groups they engage with or produce representation about) in this process and unpacks issues such as agency, essentialism, privilege and marginalization, in relation to gender, sexuality, class, ablebodiedness and ethnicity. 

• Relations of power:

The relationships between the media outlets and queer people; between the photographer and the person's sexuality; between each person and their sexuality and how they express it to rest of the world.

• Agency:

How queer people react to their representation in the media. How straight people react to queer representation in the media. How people in the media react to queer people. 

• Essentialism:

The attributes given to queer people, compared to the ones they accept and uphold.

• Privilege:

The advantage that straight people have over queer people; larger group of role models; growing up with straight as the default sexuality; queer people being seen as lesser than; not having to come to their loved ones; not having to worry if they parents will not love them because of their sexuality; etc. 

• Marginalization:

There are still many homophobics who don't treat queer people nicely.

Structure;

Strong introductions tell the reader how the upcoming body paragraphs will be organised.

• Do the paragraphs deal with the issue from earliest to most recent (chronological)?

• Are the paragraphs grouped by broader themes (thematic)?

• Does the essay answer several related questions one after the other (sequential)?

• Do the paragraphs describe two elements and them compare them (contrasting)?

This can be as easy as outlining the major points that your essay will make on the way to the conclusion. You don't need to go into much detail in the introduction: just signal the major ‘landmarks.’