Introduction and Conclusion

The introduction and conclusion are nothing more than saying hello and goodbye; just remember to do it properly. There’s nothing more bizarre than some stranger walking into a room, saying “Hi!”, and then talking about something that seems to be out of the blue. If that stranger stops talking, says “See ya!” and leaves, you probably won’t think much of that person, no matter what he talked about.

Introductions should include a general statement easing your reader into the topic, a sentence or two about your subject matter, your thesis, and the points you’ll use to support it.

Plant-life is everywhere, whether it’s majestic trees in an ancient forest, luscious and colorful flowering plants in a sheltered backyard, pathetic weeds on the side of a dry highway, or microscopic plants in the oceans. Because of the organic balance of the Earth, plants are necessary to the continued existence of life on this planet. Plants provide chemicals for the air we breathe, nutrients through their use as food, physical comfort through their use for heating and shelter, and general well-being through their aesthetics.

Albrecht Durer was an artist in 15th century Germany. Though known for his paintings, engravings and sketches, Durer wrote eight books which were gathered into two collections: Four Books on Measurement and Four Books on Human Proportion. The mathematical theories presented in these books have assisted artists through the ages.

Conclusions should re-state the thesis and supporting points, and they should also leave the reader thinking about how this information in the text could be applied elsewhere.

Plants provide all other living creatures with the necessities of life and a few things which improve our quality of life. If only half the plant-life on Earth was destroyed, existence as we know it would cease to exist. The current ecological movement to curtail the unnecessary destruction of plant-life may be the saving of the rainforest, but it may also be the saving of the universe.

Though Durer’s texts are ancient and now seem astoundingly obvious, they have clearly affected the development of realism in art for almost 500 years. Computer animators would not be able to create the works they do without Durer’s perspective machine. Only the future will prove what artistic works can be accomplished through the use of Durer’s mathematical theories.