Week 1: ARWS Introduction

Notice here that the author’s thesis actually challenges the premise of the question itself by: a) questioning the term hegemony (suggesting that better terms might be used) and b) proposing a claim that regardless of which challenge is analysed here, the United States will likely remain the dominant global power.

The author also indicates the justifications which will be analysed in the paper, in order to arrive at this final thesis. They include the rise of China, the shift from a unipolar to multipolar world, and the United States’ own internal weaknesses. A reader of this paper would expect to see each of these justifications analysed in-depth in the body of the paper.

Finally, this introduction already provides support for various claims. Although we will expect to see support (readings, empirical observations, facts or figures) for each of the justifications (in blue) within the body of the essay, the examples highlighted in green here are already clear support for the author’s claims about term hegemony. We know that this is ‘support’ because it is simply a set of examples from the literature (i.e. citations).

This introduction again provides examples of all three elements to be included in good academic writing. Because the question asks the author to reply to a specific prompt or claim and to do so using Liberalism/or Realism, the thesis clearly states that International Law is not the best tool and that Realism might provide a better model.

The introduction also outlines the three arguments or themes which will be used as a justification for this thesis (failures of the main global body for international law, the ability of major powers to block UN efforts, and the ability of major powers to bypass the UN altogether). Again here, the reader will expect the essay body to be divided clearly along the lines of these three main justifications (and for support to be provided for each of these).

Finally, in wanting to demonstrate that an analysis of international law should focus itself on the actions of the United Nations specifically, the author provides support for this reasoning throughout the first paragraph (again, citing facts, figures or other authors).

You will notice that this is a response to the same question as in Example 1. Here, we can assume that the thesis is what the author identifies as ‘concluding’ the essay. Notice that the introduction simply lists what the essay will do (it repeats that it will discuss x, y, or z). This is not a justification, because there is no clear sense as to how a comparison of these factors leads the author to the thesis stated. To simply discuss, explore or describe, indicates a listing of observations or a reporting of examples, rather than an analysis of factors and specific claims which would justify a thesis.

Finally, there is no clear sense in this introduction of the support which will be used. This is not necessarily a problem, however, as most support for an essay tends to be placed in the body of a paper. So, while this introduction tells the reader a list of topics which will be discussed, it does not do a good job of highlighting the key claims (i.e. justifications) which we would expect to see a strong paper organised around.