Now you are ready to start writing your paper.  The Report Wizard has created this file and another file.  The other file is named with the name of your report.  It contains your topic, thesis statement, outline and notecards.  You use this file as a basis to start your paper.

There are three major parts of a paper.  Each part of your report has a purpose.
•	The introduction presents the main idea  the idea in your thesis statement.
•	The body presents the supporting points and information.
•	The conclusion restates your main idea in a strong, convincing way.

Write the Introduction

Write a short, interesting paragraph that makes readers want to know more about your topic.  Your introduction should do two things:
1.	State the main idea clearly.
2.	Catch the interest of your readers.

Here are some examples of attention-getting introductions:

•	Have highly intelligent people, much like humans, ever lived on Mars?  Scientists today say no, but some scientists believe Mars could support primitive forms of life.
	
•	When a kitten pounces on a toy mouse or its mother’s tail, it isn’t just playing.  It’s learning some of the same skills that lions, tigers, and other big cats use to hunt their own food.
	
•	Which expressway lane moves faster  one with twenty people in twenty cars or one with twenty people in five cars?  Some traffic engineers say that both lanes will move faster if one is a special car-pool lane.
	
•	The mud and tangled, wet roots of a mangrove swamp are filled with surprises.  When the tide goes out, watch!  You’ll discover creatures with jewel-like colors and amazing body designs.
	
•	Imagine yourself going to a lecture in Colonial times and learning that the solar system has six planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn.  You would not hear about the outermost planets, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto, because they had not been discovered yet.

Write the Body

After you get your readers’ attention with a good opener, you need to keep it.  In the body of your report, you build support for your main idea in a clear, interesting way.
In the body of the report, write about each sub-topic.  When you write:
•	Follow the order of sub-topics in your outline.
•	Use the information in your notecards to support the points you make.

Remember, your sub-topics build support for your main idea.  The body of your report should:
•	Present important points that support the main idea.
•	Include ideas and facts that illustrate or support the point.
•	Stay on track  contain only information that is really important.

Write the Conclusion

The conclusion “wraps up” your report.  It summarizes the major points and restates your main idea.

Your conclusion can be one or two short paragraphs.  It is also the last impression your readers will get  so make it a clear, strong statement.

Your conclusion should:
•	Summarize the major points you have made.
•	Restate the main idea in a way readers will remember.
•	Leave readers feeling satisfied that your main idea is a good one.

Write the Conclusion (cont.)

Here are some examples of conclusions:
•	Although space probes and advanced telescopes have led to many recent and surprising discoveries within our solar system, most scientists doubt that another new planet will be found beyond Pluto.  With better instruments, they have not found any unexplained changes in Pluto’s orbit, or any spots that might be a faraway, dim planet circling the sun.
	
•	So next time you watch a kitten playing with its mother’s tail, imagine that the tip of Mama Cat’s tail is a mouse.  You’ll understand what the kitten is learning, and how useful it will be in the future, if it has to find its own lunch.
	
•	Chances are that no one will vacation on Mars for many years.  The scientists and technicians who do go there will take their own food and water, wear special clothing, and live in shelters designed to withstand cold and wind.  But they will have ground like Earth’s to stand on, they will see the sun rise and set, and they will watch two moons in their sky.
	
•	As far as scientists know, there is no submerged continent of Atlantis.  But the known world of the ancient Greeks was centered around the Mediterranean Sea.  In that world, the island of Thira, almost entirely lost in a huge volcanic explosion, fits the descriptions in ancient writings.  It could be the “Atlantis” of old.
	
•	Safer airbags can be designed, an “on-off” control can be added, or the laws that require airbags in new cars can be changed.  Of course, designing and adding safety features is more expensive than adding a switch or changing a law.  But because airbags do have a real life-saving value, design changes should be considered along with other solutions.