Minutes a day n e w y o r k

1. a quotation
2. a question
3. a surprising statement or fact
4. an imaginary situation or scenario
5. an anecdote
6. interesting background information
7. a new twist on a familiar phrase
A Quotation
Start with a quote from a text, a film, a subject-matter expert, or even a friend or relative if he or she said some-
thing relevant to the topic and of interest to your reader.
“All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others,” said Napoleon in George Orwell’s classic novel
Animal Farm. Uncle Sam might say something similar: “All people must pay taxes, but some must pay more taxes than
others.” Our current federal income tax system treats taxpayers unfairly and requires and monumental budget to admin-
ister and maintain. A flat tax, which would treat all taxpayers equally and dramatically reduce tax compliance cost,
is the answer.
A Question
Open up with a question to get your readers thinking. Of course, the question (and its answer) should be rele-
vant to your thesis.
What’s in a name? Nothing—and everything. It is, after all, just a name, one tiny piece of the puzzle that makes up a
person. But when someone has a nickname like “Dumbo,” a name can be the major force in shaping one’s sense of self.
That’s how it was for me.