introduction sample for essay

How to Write an Essay Introduction (with Examples)  

The introduction of an essay plays a critical role in engaging the reader and providing contextual information about the topic. It sets the stage for the rest of the essay, establishes the tone and style, and motivates the reader to continue reading.

What is an essay introduction , what to include in an essay introduction, how to create an essay structure , step-by-step process for writing an essay introduction , how to write an introduction paragraph , how to write a hook for your essay , how to include background information , how to write a thesis statement .

Argumentative Essay Introduction Example:
Expository Essay Introduction Example

Literary Analysis Essay Introduction Example

Check and revise – checklist for essay introduction , key takeaways , frequently asked questions .

An introduction is the opening section of an essay, paper, or other written work. It introduces the topic and provides background information, context, and an overview of what the reader can expect from the rest of the work. 1 The key is to be concise and to the point, providing enough information to engage the reader without delving into excessive detail.

The essay introduction is crucial as it sets the tone for the entire piece and provides the reader with a roadmap of what to expect. Here are key elements to include in your essay introduction:

Hook : Start with an attention-grabbing statement or question to engage the reader. This could be a surprising fact, a relevant quote, or a compelling anecdote.
Background information : Provide context and background information to help the reader understand the topic. This can include historical information, definitions of key terms, or an overview of the current state of affairs related to your topic.
Thesis statement : Clearly state your main argument or position on the topic. Your thesis should be concise and specific, providing a clear direction for your essay.

Before we get into how to write an essay introduction, we need to know how it is structured. The structure of an essay is crucial for organizing your thoughts and presenting them clearly and logically. It is divided as follows: 2

Introduction:  The introduction should grab the reader’s attention with a hook, provide context, and include a thesis statement that presents the main argument or purpose of the essay.
Body:  The body should consist of focused paragraphs that support your thesis statement using evidence and analysis. Each paragraph should concentrate on a single central idea or argument and provide evidence, examples, or analysis to back it up.
Conclusion:  The conclusion should summarize the main points and restate the thesis differently. End with a final statement that leaves a lasting impression on the reader. Avoid new information or arguments.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to write an essay introduction:

Start with a Hook : Begin your introduction paragraph with an attention-grabbing statement, question, quote, or anecdote related to your topic. The hook should pique the reader’s interest and encourage them to continue reading.
Provide Background Information : This helps the reader understand the relevance and importance of the topic.
State Your Thesis Statement : The last sentence is the main argument or point of your essay. It should be clear, concise, and directly address the topic of your essay.
Preview the Main Points : This gives the reader an idea of what to expect and how you will support your thesis.
Keep it Concise and Clear : Avoid going into too much detail or including information not directly relevant to your topic.
Revise : Revise your introduction after you’ve written the rest of your essay to ensure it aligns with your final argument.

Here’s an example of an essay introduction paragraph about the importance of education:

Education is often viewed as a fundamental human right and a key social and economic development driver. As Nelson Mandela once famously said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” It is the key to unlocking a wide range of opportunities and benefits for individuals, societies, and nations. In today’s constantly evolving world, education has become even more critical. It has expanded beyond traditional classroom learning to include digital and remote learning, making education more accessible and convenient. This essay will delve into the importance of education in empowering individuals to achieve their dreams, improving societies by promoting social justice and equality, and driving economic growth by developing a skilled workforce and promoting innovation.

This introduction paragraph example includes a hook (the quote by Nelson Mandela), provides some background information on education, and states the thesis statement (the importance of education).

This is one of the key steps in how to write an essay introduction. Crafting a compelling hook is vital because it sets the tone for your entire essay and determines whether your readers will stay interested. A good hook draws the reader in and sets the stage for the rest of your essay.

Avoid Dry Fact : Instead of simply stating a bland fact, try to make it engaging and relevant to your topic. For example, if you’re writing about the benefits of exercise, you could start with a startling statistic like, “Did you know that regular exercise can increase your lifespan by up to seven years?”
Avoid Using a Dictionary Definition : While definitions can be informative, they’re not always the most captivating way to start an essay. Instead, try to use a quote, anecdote, or provocative question to pique the reader’s interest. For instance, if you’re writing about freedom, you could begin with a quote from a famous freedom fighter or philosopher.
Do Not Just State a Fact That the Reader Already Knows : This ties back to the first point—your hook should surprise or intrigue the reader. For Here’s an introduction paragraph example, if you’re writing about climate change, you could start with a thought-provoking statement like, “Despite overwhelming evidence, many people still refuse to believe in the reality of climate change.”

Including background information in the introduction section of your essay is important to provide context and establish the relevance of your topic. When writing the background information, you can follow these steps:

Start with a General Statement:  Begin with a general statement about the topic and gradually narrow it down to your specific focus. For example, when discussing the impact of social media, you can begin by making a broad statement about social media and its widespread use in today’s society, as follows: “Social media has become an integral part of modern life, with billions of users worldwide.”
Define Key Terms : Define any key terms or concepts that may be unfamiliar to your readers but are essential for understanding your argument.
Provide Relevant Statistics:  Use statistics or facts to highlight the significance of the issue you’re discussing. For instance, “According to a report by Statista, the number of social media users is expected to reach 4.41 billion by 2025.”
Discuss the Evolution:  Mention previous research or studies that have been conducted on the topic, especially those that are relevant to your argument. Mention key milestones or developments that have shaped its current impact. You can also outline some of the major effects of social media. For example, you can briefly describe how social media has evolved, including positives such as increased connectivity and issues like cyberbullying and privacy concerns.
Transition to Your Thesis:  Use the background information to lead into your thesis statement, which should clearly state the main argument or purpose of your essay. For example, “Given its pervasive influence, it is crucial to examine the impact of social media on mental health.”

A thesis statement is a concise summary of the main point or claim of an essay, research paper, or other type of academic writing. It appears near the end of the introduction. Here’s how to write a thesis statement:

Identify the topic:  Start by identifying the topic of your essay. For example, if your essay is about the importance of exercise for overall health, your topic is “exercise.”
State your position:  Next, state your position or claim about the topic. This is the main argument or point you want to make. For example, if you believe that regular exercise is crucial for maintaining good health, your position could be: “Regular exercise is essential for maintaining good health.”
Support your position:  Provide a brief overview of the reasons or evidence that support your position. These will be the main points of your essay. For example, if you’re writing an essay about the importance of exercise, you could mention the physical health benefits, mental health benefits, and the role of exercise in disease prevention.
Make it specific:  Ensure your thesis statement clearly states what you will discuss in your essay. For example, instead of saying, “Exercise is good for you,” you could say, “Regular exercise, including cardiovascular and strength training, can improve overall health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.”

Examples of essay introduction

Here are examples of essay introductions for different types of essays:

Argumentative Essay Introduction Example:

Topic: Should the voting age be lowered to 16?

“The question of whether the voting age should be lowered to 16 has sparked nationwide debate. While some argue that 16-year-olds lack the requisite maturity and knowledge to make informed decisions, others argue that doing so would imbue young people with agency and give them a voice in shaping their future.”

Expository Essay Introduction Example

Topic: The benefits of regular exercise

“In today’s fast-paced world, the importance of regular exercise cannot be overstated. From improving physical health to boosting mental well-being, the benefits of exercise are numerous and far-reaching. This essay will examine the various advantages of regular exercise and provide tips on incorporating it into your daily routine.”

Text: “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee

“Harper Lee’s novel, ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,’ is a timeless classic that explores themes of racism, injustice, and morality in the American South. Through the eyes of young Scout Finch, the reader is taken on a journey that challenges societal norms and forces characters to confront their prejudices. This essay will analyze the novel’s use of symbolism, character development, and narrative structure to uncover its deeper meaning and relevance to contemporary society.”

Engaging and Relevant First Sentence : The opening sentence captures the reader’s attention and relates directly to the topic.
Background Information : Enough background information is introduced to provide context for the thesis statement.
Definition of Important Terms : Key terms or concepts that might be unfamiliar to the audience or are central to the argument are defined.
Clear Thesis Statement : The thesis statement presents the main point or argument of the essay.
Relevance to Main Body : Everything in the introduction directly relates to and sets up the discussion in the main body of the essay.

Writing a strong introduction is crucial for setting the tone and context of your essay. Here are the key takeaways for how to write essay introduction: 3

Hook the Reader : Start with an engaging hook to grab the reader’s attention. This could be a compelling question, a surprising fact, a relevant quote, or an anecdote.
Provide Background : Give a brief overview of the topic, setting the context and stage for the discussion.
Thesis Statement : State your thesis, which is the main argument or point of your essay. It should be concise, clear, and specific.
Preview the Structure : Outline the main points or arguments to help the reader understand the organization of your essay.
Keep it Concise : Avoid including unnecessary details or information not directly related to your thesis.
Revise and Edit : Revise your introduction to ensure clarity, coherence, and relevance. Check for grammar and spelling errors.
Seek Feedback : Get feedback from peers or instructors to improve your introduction further.

The purpose of an essay introduction is to give an overview of the topic, context, and main ideas of the essay. It is meant to engage the reader, establish the tone for the rest of the essay, and introduce the thesis statement or central argument.

An essay introduction typically ranges from 5-10% of the total word count. For example, in a 1,000-word essay, the introduction would be roughly 50-100 words. However, the length can vary depending on the complexity of the topic and the overall length of the essay.

An essay introduction is critical in engaging the reader and providing contextual information about the topic. To ensure its effectiveness, consider incorporating these key elements: a compelling hook, background information, a clear thesis statement, an outline of the essay’s scope, a smooth transition to the body, and optional signposting sentences.

The process of writing an essay introduction is not necessarily straightforward, but there are several strategies that can be employed to achieve this end. When experiencing difficulty initiating the process, consider the following techniques: begin with an anecdote, a quotation, an image, a question, or a startling fact to pique the reader’s interest. It may also be helpful to consider the five W’s of journalism: who, what, when, where, why, and how. For instance, an anecdotal opening could be structured as follows: “As I ascended the stage, momentarily blinded by the intense lights, I could sense the weight of a hundred eyes upon me, anticipating my next move. The topic of discussion was climate change, a subject I was passionate about, and it was my first public speaking event. Little did I know , that pivotal moment would not only alter my perspective but also chart my life’s course.”

Crafting a compelling thesis statement for your introduction paragraph is crucial to grab your reader’s attention. To achieve this, avoid using overused phrases such as “In this paper, I will write about” or “I will focus on” as they lack originality. Instead, strive to engage your reader by substantiating your stance or proposition with a “so what” clause. While writing your thesis statement, aim to be precise, succinct, and clear in conveying your main argument.

To create an effective essay introduction, ensure it is clear, engaging, relevant, and contains a concise thesis statement. It should transition smoothly into the essay and be long enough to cover necessary points but not become overwhelming. Seek feedback from peers or instructors to assess its effectiveness.

References

Cui, L. (2022). Unit 6 Essay Introduction.  Building Academic Writing Skills .
West, H., Malcolm, G., Keywood, S., & Hill, J. (2019). Writing a successful essay.  Journal of Geography in Higher Education ,  43 (4), 609-617.
Beavers, M. E., Thoune, D. L., & McBeth, M. (2023). Bibliographic Essay: Reading, Researching, Teaching, and Writing with Hooks: A Queer Literacy Sponsorship. College English, 85(3), 230-242.

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Essay Introduction Examples

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Always have a road map for an essay introduction . Having a strong essay introduction structure is critical to a successful paper. It sets the tone for the reader and interests them in your work. It also tells them what the essay is about and why they should read it at all.

It shouldn't leave the reader confused with a cliffhanger at the end. Instead, it should generate interest and guide the reader to Chapter One. Using the right parts of an essay introduction can help with this.

Check out an effective essay introduction structure below. It’s a road map for writing an essay—just like the parts of essay introductions are road maps for readers.

Essay Introduction Structure

Attention-grabbing start

Outline of argument

Thesis statement

Some academics find the beginning the most difficult part of writing an essay , so our editors have created some examples of good essay introductions to guide you. Let's take a look at the samples below to see how the essay introduction structures come together.

If you are unsure about your paper, our essay editors would love to give you some feedback on how to write an essay introduction.

[1] According to Paul Ratsmith, the tenuous but nonetheless important relationship between pumpkins and rats is little understood: "While I've always been fascinated by this natural kinship, the connection between pumpkins and rats has been the subject of few, if any, other studies" (2008). [2] Ratsmith has been studying this connection, something he coined "pumpkinology," since the early 1990s. He is most well known for documenting the three years he spent living in the wild among pumpkins and rats. [3] Though it is a topic of little recent interest, the relationship has been noted in several ancient texts and seems to have been well understood by the Romans. Critics of Ratsmith have cited poor science and questionable methodology when dismissing his results, going so far as to call pumpkinology "rubbish" (de Vil, 2009), "stupid" (Claw, 2010), and "quite possibly made up" (Igthorn, 2009). [4] Despite these criticisms, there does appear to be a strong correlation between pumpkin patches and rat populations, with Ratsmith documenting numerous pumpkin–rat colonies across North America, leading to the conclusion that pumpkins and rats are indeed "nature's best friends" (2008).

Let's break down this example of a good essay introduction structure. The beginning hooks our attention from the get-go in section one. This is because it piques our curiosity. What is this strange relationship? Why has no one studied it? Then, section two gives us context for the topic. Ratsmith is an expert in a controversial field: pumpkinology. It's the study of the connection between pumpkins and rats.

The second half of the paragraph also demonstrates why this is a good essay introduction example. Section three gives us the main argument: the topic is rarely studied because critics think Ratsmith's work is "rubbish," but the relationship between pumpkins and rats has ancient roots. Then section four gives us the thesis statement: Ratsmith's work has some merit.

The parts of an essay introduction help us chart a course through the topic. We know the paper will take us on a journey. It's all because the author practiced how to write an essay introduction.

Let’s take a look at another example of a good essay introduction.

[1] Societies have long believed that if a black cat crosses one's path, one might have bad luck—but it wasn't until King Charles I's black cat died that the ruler's bad luck began (Pemberton, 2018). [2] Indeed, for centuries, black cats have been seen as the familiars of witches—as demonic associates of Satan who disrespect authority (Yuko, 2021). Yet, they have also been associated with good luck, from England's rulers to long-distance sailors (Cole, 2021). [3] This essay shows how outdated the bad luck superstition really is. It provides a comprehensive history of the belief and then provides proof that this superstition has no place in today's modern society. [4] It argues that despite the prevailing belief that animals cause bad luck, black cats often bring what seems to be "good luck" and deserve a new reputation.

This example of a good essay introduction pulls us in right away. This is because section one provides an interesting fact about King Charles I. What is the story there, and what bad luck did he experience after his cat passed away? Then, section two provides us with general information about the current status of black cats. We understand the context of the essay and why the topic is controversial.

Section three then gives us a road map that leads us through the main arguments. Finally, section four gives us the essay's thesis: "black cats often bring what seems to be 'good luck' and deserve a new reputation."

Still feeling unsure about how to write an essay introduction? Here's another example using the essay introduction structure we discussed earlier.

[1] When the Lutz family moved into a new house in Amityville, New York, they found themselves terrorized by a vengeful ghost (Labianca, 2021). Since then, their famous tale has been debunked by scientists and the family themselves (Smith, 2005). [2] Yet ghost stories have gripped human consciousness for centuries (History, 2009). Scientists, researchers, and theorists alike have argued whether ghosts are simply figments of the imagination or real things that go bump in the night. In considering this question, many scientists have stated that ghosts may actually exist. [3] Lindley (2017) believes the answer may be in the quantum world, which "just doesn’t work the way the world around us works," but "we don’t really have the concepts to deal with it." Scientific studies on the existence of ghosts date back hundreds of years (History, 2009), and technology has undergone a vast evolution since then (Lamey, 2018). State-of-the-art tools and concepts can now reveal more about ghosts than we've ever known (Kane, 2015). [4] This essay uses these tools to provide definitive proof of the existence of ghosts in the quantum realm.

This example of a good essay introduction uses a slightly different strategy than the others. To hook the reader, it begins with an interesting anecdote related to the topic. That pulls us in, making us wonder what really happened to the Lutzs. Then, section two provides us with some background information about the topic to help us understand. Many people believe ghosts aren't real, but some scientists think they are.

This immediately flows into section three, which charts a course through the main arguments the essay will make. Finally, it ends with the essay's thesis: there is definitive proof of the existence of ghosts in the quantum realm. It all works because the author used the parts of an essay introduction well.

For attention-grabbing introductions, an understanding of essay introduction structure and how to write an essay introduction is required.

Our essay introduction examples showing the parts of an essay introduction will help you craft the beginning paragraph you need to start your writing journey on the right foot.

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Essay Writing Guide

Writing An Essay Introduction

A Complete Essay Introduction Writing Guide With Examples

15 min read

What is an Essay Introduction?

An essay introduction is the first paragraph of your It provides a roadmap for the rest of your paper and tells the reader what to expect from your work.

Purpose of the Essay Introduction

The main purpose of an essay introduction is to set the stage for what the reader can expect from your essay. It aims to catch the readers’ interest, provide necessary background information, and introduce them to the central argument.

How To Write An Essay Introduction?

Now that you know what an introduction is supposed to be, let’s move on to how to write an effective one.

There are four essential elements of an effective introduction:

Engaging Hook
Context and Background Information
Overview of the Main Points and Essay Structure
Thesis Statement

Let’s go over them step by step:

Step 1: Start With a Hook

Start your essay introduction with an interesting hook statement that grabs your readers’ attention. The goal of the hook is to make your reader interested in reading your essay and keep them engaged until the end.

Hooks can have several different forms; it can be a quote, an anecdote, or an interesting fact. Here are some types of hooks you can use:

Anecdote: Share a relevant and interesting story or personal experience related to your topic.
Rhetorical Question: Pose a thought-provoking question that encourages readers to think about the subject.
Quotation: Begin with a compelling quote from a reputable source or a well-known figure.
Surprising Fact or Statistic: Present a surprising or startling piece of information that relates to your topic.
Vivid Description: Use descriptive language to paint a vivid picture that draws the reader into your essay.

The key to a successful hook is relevance. Ensure that your hook relates directly to the topic of your essay and sets the stage for what follows. You can also refer to other catchy hook examples for writing a captivating start.

Step 2: Discuss Context Background Information

After grabbing your reader's attention with a hook, it's crucial to provide context and background information about your topic.

This can include facts, definitions, and historical information. Knowing this information, your reader will be better equipped to understand the rest of your essay.

Depending on your topic, you can include these aspects to establish context:

Historical Context: Explain the historical significance or evolution of the topic if relevant.
Definitions: Provide a clear definition of key terms or concepts central to your essay.
Explain Relevant Developments: Briefly mention important facts or developments related to your topic.
Why It Matters: Explain why the topic is important or relevant to your readers or the society at large.

Here's an example:

Step 3: Overview of the Main Points and Essay Structure

Once you've engaged your reader and provided the necessary context, it's time to introduce the topic and overall argument. This part of the introduction serves as a preview of what to expect in the body of the essay.

You can achieve this by outlining the main points or arguments you will discuss and briefly mentioning the structure of the essay. This helps your reader navigate the content and understand the logical flow of your ideas.

Here's a demonstration of it.

Step 4: Write the Thesis Statement

The last part of the introduction is the thesis statement. The thesis statement is the central point or argument of your essay. It conveys the main idea you will explore and defend in the following paragraphs.

A well-constructed thesis statement is specifically debatable and provides a road map for the entire essay. The thesis statement is written at the end of the introduction paragraph.

Here's a thesis statement example:

Now, if we put all these elements together step-by-step, we will have an excellent essay introduction. Here's an example of a strong introduction:

The Essay Introduction Structure

The structure of an essay introduction includes a hook, contextual information, and a thesis statement. In other words, the introduction moves from the general to the specific.

Check out these essay introduction samples that demonstrate the structure of an introduction.

Essay Introduction Outline

Essay Introduction Sample

Essay Introduction Examples

Here are some interesting introduction examples for different types of essays . Read these examples to understand what a powerful start looks like for various kinds of essays.

Argumentative Essay Introduction Example

An argumentative essay is a genre of academic writing where the author takes a stance on a particular issue, presents arguments to support that stance, and aims to persuade the reader of the validity of their viewpoint.

To write an effective argumentative essay introduction, you should hook the reader's attention, provide context, present your thesis statement, and outline your main arguments.

Here is an example for you to understand how to write an argumentative essay introduction.

Persuasive Essay Introduction Example

A persuasive essay is a type of academic writing that seeks to convince the reader to adopt a particular point of view or take a specific action. The writing process of a persuasive essay introduction is similar to what is described above.

Below is a perfect example of a persuasive essay introduction.

Compare and Contrast Essay Introduction Example

The compare and contrast essay analyzes the similarities and differences between two or more subjects. A compare and contrast essay introduction has to introduce two elements. Otherwise, it has a similar structure to introductions in general.

The following is a great introduction for a compare and contrast essay that you can refer to.

Synthesis Essay Introduction Example

A synthesis essay is a form of writing that challenges you to explore information from multiple sources to form a coherent and original perspective on a given topic.

Here is a good essay introduction example for a synthesis essay.

Narrative Essay Introduction Example

A narrative essay is a unique form of storytelling that allows writers to share personal experiences, memories, or events in a creative and engaging way.

The content of narrative essay introductions is a bit different. They require you to set the scene, introduce the protagonist, and present the upcoming conflict. Here is an example:

Expository Essay Introduction Example

An expository essay is a common type of academic writing that aims to provide a clear and concise explanation or analysis of a specific topic, concept, or idea.

Here’s an example of how you can start an expository essay.

Abortion Essay Introduction Example

The abortion debate remains one of the most controversial topics in modern society.

Pro-choice and pro-life advocates have been debating this issue for decades, with no end in sight. Writing an essay on this topic requires thoughtful research and a clear understanding of both sides.

Here's an example of how to write an abortion essay introduction.

Tips for Writing Better Essay Introductions

Crafting an effective essay introduction is an art that can significantly influence how readers engage with your writing. Here are some valuable tips to help you create engaging and impactful introductions.

Be Clear and Concise: Keep your introduction clear and concise. Avoid unnecessary jargon or complex language that might confuse your readers. Present your ideas in a straightforward way.
State Your Thesis Clearly: Your thesis statement is the core of your introduction. Clearly state your main argument or the purpose of your essay. It should be specific and debatable, giving readers a roadmap of what to expect in the essay.
Transition Smoothly: Ensure a smooth transition from your introduction to the body of the essay. Your introduction should provide a logical segue into the main points or arguments you will explore.
Avoid Clichés and Overused Phrases: Try to avoid clichés or overused phrases in your introduction. Readers appreciate fresh and original language that piques their interest.
Tailor the Introduction to the Essay Type: Consider the type of essay you're writing (e.g., persuasive, expository, narrative) and adapt your introduction accordingly. Each type may require a different approach to engage the reader effectively.
Revise and Edit: Don't hesitate to revise and edit your introduction as needed. It's often helpful to write the introduction after completing the rest of the essay, as this allows you to better align it with the content.
Consider the Audience: Think about your target audience and their expectations. Tailor your introduction to resonate with your specific readership.
Seek Feedback: Before finalizing your introduction, seek feedback from peers, professors, or writing tutors. Fresh perspectives can help you refine your introduction for maximum impact.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Essay Introductions

Here are some common mistakes that you should avoid to write compelling introductions:

Try to avoid writing a vague introduction of irrelevant details about the topic.
Do not provide too much information and facts in the introduction. Simply present the topic with sufficient information for the reader’s understanding.
Avoid using informal language or slang terms in the introduction. Essay introductions should be written in formal and academic language.
Do not make assumptions about the reader’s knowledge of the topic. Provide only basic background information to fill any gaps in understanding.
Finally, do not introduce any new information in the introduction. The introduction should only provide an overview of what will be discussed in the essay, not dive into details.

By avoiding these mistakes, you can ensure that your essay introduction is clear and concise. It will help readers easily understand the topic and follow your argument throughout the paper.

Moreover, you can watch this video that introduces an easy method and helpful method for writing effective introductions.

To conclude,

By using the steps and tips discussed above, you can become a skilled essayist who leaves a lasting impression, one introduction at a time.

Just remember that writing is a process of constant refinement, and your introductions will evolve as your skills grow. So, the next time you sit down to write, take the time to craft it with care, for it holds the promise of what lies ahead.

However, if you are struggling to make your essay introduction engaging, don’t stress over it. MyPerfectWords.com is here to back you up!

You can get help from our online essay writing service . Our experienced and skilled writers can provide you with a perfect introduction and write a compelling story from start to finish!

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Nova Allison is a Digital Content Strategist with over eight years of experience. Nova has also worked as a technical and scientific writer. She is majorly involved in developing and reviewing online content plans that engage and resonate with audiences. Nova has a passion for writing that engages and informs her readers.

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It’s the roadmap to your essay, it’s the forecast for your argument, it’s...your introduction paragraph, and writing one can feel pretty intimidating. The introduction paragraph is a part of just about every kind of academic writing , from persuasive essays to research papers. But that doesn’t mean writing one is easy!

If trying to write an intro paragraph makes you feel like a Muggle trying to do magic, trust us: you aren’t alone. But there are some tips and tricks that can make the process easier—and that’s where we come in.

In this article, we’re going to explain how to write a captivating intro paragraph by covering the following info:

A discussion of what an introduction paragraph is and its purpose in an essay
An overview of the most effective introduction paragraph format, with explanations of the three main parts of an intro paragraph
An analysis of real intro paragraph examples, with a discussion of what works and what doesn’t
A list of four top tips on how to write an introduction paragraph

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What Is an Introduction Paragraph?

An introduction paragraph is the first paragraph of an essay , paper, or other type of academic writing. Argumentative essays , book reports, research papers, and even personal essays are common types of writing that require an introduction paragraph. Whether you’re writing a research paper for a science course or an argumentative essay for English class , you’re going to have to write an intro paragraph.

So what’s the purpose of an intro paragraph? As a reader’s first impression of your essay, the intro paragraph should introduce the topic of your paper.

Your introduction will also state any claims, questions, or issues that your paper will focus on. This is commonly known as your paper’s thesis . This condenses the overall point of your paper into one or two short sentences that your reader can come back and reference later.

But intro paragraphs need to do a bit more than just introduce your topic. An intro paragraph is also supposed to grab your reader’s attention. The intro paragraph is your chance to provide just enough info and intrigue to make your reader say, “Hey, this topic sounds interesting. I think I’ll keep reading this essay!” That can help your essay stand out from the crowd.

In most cases, an intro paragraph will be relatively short. A good intro will be clear, brief, purposeful, and focused. While there are some exceptions to this rule, it’s common for intro paragraphs to consist of three to five sentences .

Effectively introducing your essay’s topic, purpose, and getting your reader invested in your essay sounds like a lot to ask from one little paragraph, huh? In the next section, we’ll demystify the intro paragraph format by breaking it down into its core parts . When you learn how to approach each part of an intro, writing one won’t seem so scary!

Once you figure out the three parts of an intro paragraph, writing one will be a piece of cake!

The 3 Main Parts of an Intro Paragraph

In general, an intro paragraph is going to have three main parts: a hook, context, and a thesis statement . Each of these pieces of the intro plays a key role in acquainting the reader with the topic and purpose of your essay.

Below, we’ll explain how to start an introduction paragraph by writing an effective hook, providing context, and crafting a thesis statement. When you put these elements together, you’ll have an intro paragraph that does a great job of making a great first impression on your audience!

Intro Paragraph Part 1: The Hook

When it comes to how to start an introduction paragraph, o ne of the most common approaches is to start with something called a hook.

What does hook mean here, though? Think of it this way: it’s like when you start a new Netflix series: you look up a few hours (and a few episodes) later and you say, “Whoa. I guess I must be hooked on this show!”

That’s how the hook is supposed to work in an intro paragrap h: it should get your reader interested enough that they don’t want to press the proverbial “pause” button while they’re reading it . In other words, a hook is designed to grab your reader’s attention and keep them reading your essay!

This means that the hook comes first in the intro paragraph format—it’ll be the opening sentence of your intro.

It’s important to realize that there are many different ways to write a good hook. But generally speaking, hooks must include these two things: what your topic is, and the angle you’re taking on that topic in your essay.

One approach to writing a hook that works is starting with a general, but interesting, statement on your topic. In this type of hook, you’re trying to provide a broad introduction to your topic and your angle on the topic in an engaging way .

For example, if you’re writing an essay about the role of the government in the American healthcare system, your hook might look something like this:

There's a growing movement to require that the federal government provide affordable, effective healthcare for all Americans.

This hook introduces the essay topic in a broad way (government and healthcare) by presenting a general statement on the topic. But the assumption presented in the hook can also be seen as controversial, which gets readers interested in learning more about what the writer—and the essay—has to say.

In other words, the statement above fulfills the goals of a good hook: it’s intriguing and provides a general introduction to the essay topic.

Intro Paragraph Part 2: Context

Once you’ve provided an attention-grabbing hook, you’ll want to give more context about your essay topic. Context refers to additional details that reveal the specific focus of your paper. So, whereas the hook provides a general introduction to your topic, context starts helping readers understand what exactly you’re going to be writing about

You can include anywhere from one to several sentences of context in your intro, depending on your teacher’s expectations, the length of your paper, and complexity of your topic. In these context-providing sentences, you want to begin narrowing the focus of your intro. You can do this by describing a specific issue or question about your topic that you’ll address in your essay. It also helps readers start to understand why the topic you’re writing about matters and why they should read about it.

So, what counts as context for an intro paragraph? Context can be any important details or descriptions that provide background on existing perspectives, common cultural attitudes, or a specific situation or controversy relating to your essay topic. The context you include should acquaint your reader with the issues, questions, or events that motivated you to write an essay on your topic...and that your reader should know in order to understand your thesis.

For instance, if you’re writing an essay analyzing the consequences of sexism in Hollywood, the context you include after your hook might make reference to the #metoo and #timesup movements that have generated public support for victims of sexual harassment.

The key takeaway here is that context establishes why you’re addressing your topic and what makes it important. It also sets you up for success on the final piece of an intro paragraph: the thesis statement.

Elle Woods' statement offers a specific point of view on the topic of murder...which means it could serve as a pretty decent thesis statement!

Intro Paragraph Part 3: The Thesis

The final key part of how to write an intro paragraph is the thesis statement. The thesis statement is the backbone of your introduction: it conveys your argument or point of view on your topic in a clear, concise, and compelling way . The thesis is usually the last sentence of your intro paragraph.

Whether it’s making a claim, outlining key points, or stating a hypothesis, your thesis statement will tell your reader exactly what idea(s) are going to be addressed in your essay. A good thesis statement will be clear, straightforward, and highlight the overall point you’re trying to make.

Some instructors also ask students to include an essay map as part of their thesis. An essay map is a section that outlines the major topics a paper will address. So for instance, say you’re writing a paper that argues for the importance of public transport in rural communities. Your thesis and essay map might look like this:

Having public transport in rural communities helps people improve their economic situation by giving them reliable transportation to their job, reducing the amount of money they spend on gas, and providing new and unionized work .

The underlined section is the essay map because it touches on the three big things the writer will talk about later. It literally maps out the rest of the essay!

So let’s review: Your thesis takes the idea you’ve introduced in your hook and context and wraps it up. Think of it like a television episode: the hook sets the scene by presenting a general statement and/or interesting idea that sucks you in. The context advances the plot by describing the topic in more detail and helping readers understand why the topic is important. And finally, the thesis statement provides the climax by telling the reader what you have to say about the topic.

The thesis statement is the most important part of the intro. Without it, your reader won’t know what the purpose of your essay is! And for a piece of writing to be effective, it needs to have a clear purpose. Your thesis statement conveys that purpose , so it’s important to put careful thought into writing a clear and compelling thesis statement.

How To Write an Introduction Paragraph: Example and Analysis

Now that we’ve provided an intro paragraph outline and have explained the three key parts of an intro paragraph, let’s take a look at an intro paragraph in action.

To show you how an intro paragraph works, we’ve included a sample introduction paragraph below, followed by an analysis of its strengths and weaknesses.

Example of Introduction Paragraph

While college students in the U.S. are struggling with how to pay for college, there is another surprising demographic that’s affected by the pressure to pay for college: families and parents. In the face of tuition price tags that total more than $100,000 (as a low estimate), families must make difficult decisions about how to save for their children’s college education. Charting a feasible path to saving for college is further complicated by the FAFSA’s estimates for an “Expected Family Contribution”—an amount of money that is rarely feasible for most American families. Due to these challenging financial circumstances and cultural pressure to give one’s children the best possible chance of success in adulthood, many families are going into serious debt to pay for their children’s college education. The U.S. government should move toward bearing more of the financial burden of college education.

Example of Introduction Paragraph: Analysis

Before we dive into analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of this example intro paragraph, let’s establish the essay topic. The sample intro indicates that t he essay topic will focus on one specific issue: who should cover the cost of college education in the U.S., and why. Both the hook and the context help us identify the topic, while the thesis in the last sentence tells us why this topic matters to the writer—they think the U.S. Government needs to help finance college education. This is also the writer’s argument, which they’ll cover in the body of their essay.

Now that we’ve identified the essay topic presented in the sample intro, let’s dig into some analysis. To pin down its strengths and weaknesses, we’re going to use the following three questions to guide our example of introduction paragraph analysis:

Does this intro provide an attention-grabbing opening sentence that conveys the essay topic?
Does this intro provide relevant, engaging context about the essay topic?
Does this intro provide a thesis statement that establishes the writer’s point of view on the topic and what specific aspects of the issue the essay will address?

Now, let’s use the questions above to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of this sample intro paragraph.

Does the Intro Have a Good Hook?

First, the intro starts out with an attention-grabbing hook . The writer starts by presenting an assumption (that the U.S. federal government bears most of the financial burden of college education), which makes the topic relatable to a wide audience of readers. Also note that the hook relates to the general topic of the essay, which is the high cost of college education.

The hook then takes a surprising turn by presenting a counterclaim : that American families, rather than students, feel the true burden of paying for college. Some readers will have a strong emotional reaction to this provocative counterclaim, which will make them want to keep reading! As such, this intro provides an effective opening sentence that conveys the essay topic.

Does the Intro Give Context?

T he second, third, and fourth sentences of the intro provide contextual details that reveal the specific focus of the writer’s paper . Remember: the context helps readers start to zoom in on what the paper will focus on, and what aspect of the general topic (college costs) will be discussed later on.

The context in this intro reveals the intent and direction of the paper by explaining why the issue of families financing college is important. In other words, the context helps readers understand why this issue matters , and what aspects of this issue will be addressed in the paper.

To provide effective context, the writer refers to issues (the exorbitant cost of college and high levels of family debt) that have received a lot of recent scholarly and media attention. These sentences of context also elaborate on the interesting perspective included in the hook: that American families are most affected by college costs.

Does the Intro Have a Thesis?

Finally, this intro provides a thesis statement that conveys the writer’s point of view on the issue of financing college education. This writer believes that the U.S. government should do more to pay for students’ college educations.

However, the thesis statement doesn’t give us any details about why the writer has made this claim or why this will help American families . There isn’t an essay map that helps readers understand what points the writer will make in the essay.

To revise this thesis statement so that it establishes the specific aspects of the topic that the essay will address, the writer could add the following to the beginning of the thesis statement:

The U.S. government should take on more of the financial burden of college education because other countries have shown this can improve education rates while reducing levels of familial poverty.

Check out the new section in bold. Not only does it clarify that the writer is talking about the pressure put on families, it touches on the big topics the writer will address in the paper: improving education rates and reduction of poverty. So not only do we have a clearer argumentative statement in this thesis, we also have an essay map!

So, let’s recap our analysis. This sample intro paragraph does an effective job of providing an engaging hook and relatable, interesting context, but the thesis statement needs some work ! As you write your own intro paragraphs, you might consider using the questions above to evaluate and revise your work. Doing this will help ensure you’ve covered all of your bases and written an intro that your readers will find interesting!

4 Tips for How To Write an Introduction Paragraph

Now that we’ve gone over an example of introduction paragraph analysis, let’s talk about how to write an introduction paragraph of your own. Keep reading for four tips for writing a successful intro paragraph for any essay.

Tip 1: Analyze Your Essay Prompt

If you’re having trouble with how to start an introduction paragraph, analyze your essay prompt! Most teachers give you some kind of assignment sheet, formal instructions, or prompt to set the expectations for an essay they’ve assigned, right? Those instructions can help guide you as you write your intro paragraph!

Because they’ll be reading and responding to your essay, you want to make sure you meet your teacher’s expectations for an intro paragraph . For instance, if they’ve provided specific instructions about how long the intro should be or where the thesis statement should be located, be sure to follow them!

The type of paper you’re writing can give you clues as to how to approach your intro as well. If you’re writing a research paper, your professor might expect you to provide a research question or state a hypothesis in your intro. If you’re writing an argumentative essay, you’ll need to make sure your intro overviews the context surrounding your argument and your thesis statement includes a clear, defensible claim.

Using the parameters set out by your instructor and assignment sheet can put some easy-to-follow boundaries in place for things like your intro’s length, structure, and content. Following these guidelines can free you up to focus on other aspects of your intro... like coming up with an exciting hook and conveying your point of view on your topic!

Tip 2: Narrow Your Topic

You can’t write an intro paragraph without first identifying your topic. To make your intro as effective as possible, you need to define the parameters of your topic clearly—and you need to be specific.

For example, let’s say you want to write about college football. “NCAA football” is too broad of a topic for a paper. There is a lot to talk about in terms of college football! It would be tough to write an intro paragraph that’s focused, purposeful, and engaging on this topic. In fact, if you did try to address this whole topic, you’d probably end up writing a book!

Instead, you should narrow broad topics to identify a specific question, claim, or issue pertaining to some aspect of NCAA football for your intro to be effective. So, for instance, you could frame your topic as, “How can college professors better support NCAA football players in academics?” This focused topic pertaining to NCAA football would give you a more manageable angle to discuss in your paper.

So before you think about writing your intro, ask yourself: Is my essay topic specific, focused, and logical? Does it convey an issue or question that I can explore over the course of several pages? Once you’ve established a good topic, you’ll have the foundation you need to write an effective intro paragraph .

Once you've figured out your topic, it's time to hit the books!

Tip 3: Do Your Research

This tip is tightly intertwined with the one above, and it’s crucial to writing a good intro: do your research! And, guess what? This tip applies to all papers—even ones that aren’t technically research papers.

Here’s why you need to do some research: getting the lay of the land on what others have said about your topic—whether that’s scholars and researchers or the mass media— will help you narrow your topic, write an engaging hook, and provide relatable context.

You don't want to sit down to write your intro without a solid understanding of the different perspectives on your topic. Whether those are the perspectives of experts or the general public, these points of view will help you write your intro in a way that is intriguing and compelling for your audience of readers.

Tip 4: Write Multiple Drafts

Some say to write your intro first; others say write it last. The truth is, there isn’t a right or wrong time to write your intro—but you do need to have enough time to write multiple drafts .

Oftentimes, your professor will ask you to write multiple drafts of your paper, which gives you a built-in way to make sure you revise your intro. Another approach you could take is to write out a rough draft of your intro before you begin writing your essay, then revise it multiple times as you draft out your paper.

Here’s why this approach can work: as you write your paper, you’ll probably come up with new insights on your topic that you didn’t have right from the start. You can use these “light bulb” moments to reevaluate your intro and make revisions that keep it in line with your developing essay draft.

Once you’ve written your entire essay, consider going back and revising your intro again . You can ask yourself these questions as you evaluate your intro:

Is my hook still relevant to the way I’ve approached the topic in my essay?
Do I provide enough appropriate context to introduce my essay?
Now that my essay is written, does my thesis statement still accurately reflect the point of view that I present in my essay?

Using these questions as a guide and putting your intro through multiple revisions will help ensure that you’ve written the best intro for the final draft of your essay. Also, revising your writing is always a good thing to do—and this applies to your intro, too!

What's Next?

Your college essays also need great intro paragraphs. Here’s a guide that focuses on how to write the perfect intro for your admissions essays.

Of course, the intro is just one part of your college essay . This article will teach you how to write a college essay that makes admissions counselors sit up and take notice.

Are you trying to write an analytical essay? Our step-by-step guide can help you knock it out of the park.

Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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If you are writing in a new discipline, you should always make sure to ask about conventions and expectations for introductions, just as you would for any other aspect of the essay. For example, while it may be acceptable to write a two-paragraph (or longer) introduction for your papers in some courses, instructors in other disciplines, such as those in some Government courses, may expect a shorter introduction that includes a preview of the argument that will follow.
In some disciplines (Government, Economics, and others), it’s common to offer an overview in the introduction of what points you will make in your essay. In other disciplines, you will not be expected to provide this overview in your introduction.
Avoid writing a very general opening sentence. While it may be true that “Since the dawn of time, people have been telling love stories,” it won’t help you explain what’s interesting about your topic.
Avoid writing a “funnel” introduction in which you begin with a very broad statement about a topic and move to a narrow statement about that topic. Broad generalizations about a topic will not add to your readers’ understanding of your specific essay topic.
Avoid beginning with a dictionary definition of a term or concept you will be writing about. If the concept is complicated or unfamiliar to your readers, you will need to define it in detail later in your essay. If it’s not complicated, you can assume your readers already know the definition.
Avoid offering too much detail in your introduction that a reader could better understand later in the paper.
picture_as_pdf Introductions

The Writing Center • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Introductions

What this handout is about.

This handout will explain the functions of introductions, offer strategies for creating effective introductions, and provide some examples of less effective introductions to avoid.

The role of introductions

Introductions and conclusions can be the most difficult parts of papers to write. Usually when you sit down to respond to an assignment, you have at least some sense of what you want to say in the body of your paper. You might have chosen a few examples you want to use or have an idea that will help you answer the main question of your assignment; these sections, therefore, may not be as hard to write. And it’s fine to write them first! But in your final draft, these middle parts of the paper can’t just come out of thin air; they need to be introduced and concluded in a way that makes sense to your reader.

Your introduction and conclusion act as bridges that transport your readers from their own lives into the “place” of your analysis. If your readers pick up your paper about education in the autobiography of Frederick Douglass, for example, they need a transition to help them leave behind the world of Chapel Hill, television, e-mail, and The Daily Tar Heel and to help them temporarily enter the world of nineteenth-century American slavery. By providing an introduction that helps your readers make a transition between their own world and the issues you will be writing about, you give your readers the tools they need to get into your topic and care about what you are saying. Similarly, once you’ve hooked your readers with the introduction and offered evidence to prove your thesis, your conclusion can provide a bridge to help your readers make the transition back to their daily lives. (See our handout on conclusions .)

Note that what constitutes a good introduction may vary widely based on the kind of paper you are writing and the academic discipline in which you are writing it. If you are uncertain what kind of introduction is expected, ask your instructor.

Why bother writing a good introduction?

You never get a second chance to make a first impression. The opening paragraph of your paper will provide your readers with their initial impressions of your argument, your writing style, and the overall quality of your work. A vague, disorganized, error-filled, off-the-wall, or boring introduction will probably create a negative impression. On the other hand, a concise, engaging, and well-written introduction will start your readers off thinking highly of you, your analytical skills, your writing, and your paper.

Your introduction is an important road map for the rest of your paper. Your introduction conveys a lot of information to your readers. You can let them know what your topic is, why it is important, and how you plan to proceed with your discussion. In many academic disciplines, your introduction should contain a thesis that will assert your main argument. Your introduction should also give the reader a sense of the kinds of information you will use to make that argument and the general organization of the paragraphs and pages that will follow. After reading your introduction, your readers should not have any major surprises in store when they read the main body of your paper.

Ideally, your introduction will make your readers want to read your paper. The introduction should capture your readers’ interest, making them want to read the rest of your paper. Opening with a compelling story, an interesting question, or a vivid example can get your readers to see why your topic matters and serve as an invitation for them to join you for an engaging intellectual conversation (remember, though, that these strategies may not be suitable for all papers and disciplines).

Strategies for writing an effective introduction

Start by thinking about the question (or questions) you are trying to answer. Your entire essay will be a response to this question, and your introduction is the first step toward that end. Your direct answer to the assigned question will be your thesis, and your thesis will likely be included in your introduction, so it is a good idea to use the question as a jumping off point. Imagine that you are assigned the following question:

Drawing on the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass , discuss the relationship between education and slavery in 19th-century America. Consider the following: How did white control of education reinforce slavery? How did Douglass and other enslaved African Americans view education while they endured slavery? And what role did education play in the acquisition of freedom? Most importantly, consider the degree to which education was or was not a major force for social change with regard to slavery.

You will probably refer back to your assignment extensively as you prepare your complete essay, and the prompt itself can also give you some clues about how to approach the introduction. Notice that it starts with a broad statement and then narrows to focus on specific questions from the book. One strategy might be to use a similar model in your own introduction—start off with a big picture sentence or two and then focus in on the details of your argument about Douglass. Of course, a different approach could also be very successful, but looking at the way the professor set up the question can sometimes give you some ideas for how you might answer it. (See our handout on understanding assignments for additional information on the hidden clues in assignments.)

Decide how general or broad your opening should be. Keep in mind that even a “big picture” opening needs to be clearly related to your topic; an opening sentence that said “Human beings, more than any other creatures on earth, are capable of learning” would be too broad for our sample assignment about slavery and education. If you have ever used Google Maps or similar programs, that experience can provide a helpful way of thinking about how broad your opening should be. Imagine that you’re researching Chapel Hill. If what you want to find out is whether Chapel Hill is at roughly the same latitude as Rome, it might make sense to hit that little “minus” sign on the online map until it has zoomed all the way out and you can see the whole globe. If you’re trying to figure out how to get from Chapel Hill to Wrightsville Beach, it might make more sense to zoom in to the level where you can see most of North Carolina (but not the rest of the world, or even the rest of the United States). And if you are looking for the intersection of Ridge Road and Manning Drive so that you can find the Writing Center’s main office, you may need to zoom all the way in. The question you are asking determines how “broad” your view should be. In the sample assignment above, the questions are probably at the “state” or “city” level of generality. When writing, you need to place your ideas in context—but that context doesn’t generally have to be as big as the whole galaxy!

Try writing your introduction last. You may think that you have to write your introduction first, but that isn’t necessarily true, and it isn’t always the most effective way to craft a good introduction. You may find that you don’t know precisely what you are going to argue at the beginning of the writing process. It is perfectly fine to start out thinking that you want to argue a particular point but wind up arguing something slightly or even dramatically different by the time you’ve written most of the paper. The writing process can be an important way to organize your ideas, think through complicated issues, refine your thoughts, and develop a sophisticated argument. However, an introduction written at the beginning of that discovery process will not necessarily reflect what you wind up with at the end. You will need to revise your paper to make sure that the introduction, all of the evidence, and the conclusion reflect the argument you intend. Sometimes it’s easiest to just write up all of your evidence first and then write the introduction last—that way you can be sure that the introduction will match the body of the paper.

Don’t be afraid to write a tentative introduction first and then change it later. Some people find that they need to write some kind of introduction in order to get the writing process started. That’s fine, but if you are one of those people, be sure to return to your initial introduction later and rewrite if necessary.

Open with something that will draw readers in. Consider these options (remembering that they may not be suitable for all kinds of papers):

an intriguing example —for example, Douglass writes about a mistress who initially teaches him but then ceases her instruction as she learns more about slavery.
a provocative quotation that is closely related to your argument —for example, Douglass writes that “education and slavery were incompatible with each other.” (Quotes from famous people, inspirational quotes, etc. may not work well for an academic paper; in this example, the quote is from the author himself.)
a puzzling scenario —for example, Frederick Douglass says of slaves that “[N]othing has been left undone to cripple their intellects, darken their minds, debase their moral nature, obliterate all traces of their relationship to mankind; and yet how wonderfully they have sustained the mighty load of a most frightful bondage, under which they have been groaning for centuries!” Douglass clearly asserts that slave owners went to great lengths to destroy the mental capacities of slaves, yet his own life story proves that these efforts could be unsuccessful.
a vivid and perhaps unexpected anecdote —for example, “Learning about slavery in the American history course at Frederick Douglass High School, students studied the work slaves did, the impact of slavery on their families, and the rules that governed their lives. We didn’t discuss education, however, until one student, Mary, raised her hand and asked, ‘But when did they go to school?’ That modern high school students could not conceive of an American childhood devoid of formal education speaks volumes about the centrality of education to American youth today and also suggests the significance of the deprivation of education in past generations.”
a thought-provoking question —for example, given all of the freedoms that were denied enslaved individuals in the American South, why does Frederick Douglass focus his attentions so squarely on education and literacy?

Pay special attention to your first sentence. Start off on the right foot with your readers by making sure that the first sentence actually says something useful and that it does so in an interesting and polished way.

How to evaluate your introduction draft

Ask a friend to read your introduction and then tell you what he or she expects the paper will discuss, what kinds of evidence the paper will use, and what the tone of the paper will be. If your friend is able to predict the rest of your paper accurately, you probably have a good introduction.

Five kinds of less effective introductions

1. The placeholder introduction. When you don’t have much to say on a given topic, it is easy to create this kind of introduction. Essentially, this kind of weaker introduction contains several sentences that are vague and don’t really say much. They exist just to take up the “introduction space” in your paper. If you had something more effective to say, you would probably say it, but in the meantime this paragraph is just a place holder.

Example: Slavery was one of the greatest tragedies in American history. There were many different aspects of slavery. Each created different kinds of problems for enslaved people.

2. The restated question introduction. Restating the question can sometimes be an effective strategy, but it can be easy to stop at JUST restating the question instead of offering a more specific, interesting introduction to your paper. The professor or teaching assistant wrote your question and will be reading many essays in response to it—he or she does not need to read a whole paragraph that simply restates the question.

Example: The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass discusses the relationship between education and slavery in 19th century America, showing how white control of education reinforced slavery and how Douglass and other enslaved African Americans viewed education while they endured. Moreover, the book discusses the role that education played in the acquisition of freedom. Education was a major force for social change with regard to slavery.

3. The Webster’s Dictionary introduction. This introduction begins by giving the dictionary definition of one or more of the words in the assigned question. Anyone can look a word up in the dictionary and copy down what Webster says. If you want to open with a discussion of an important term, it may be far more interesting for you (and your reader) if you develop your own definition of the term in the specific context of your class and assignment. You may also be able to use a definition from one of the sources you’ve been reading for class. Also recognize that the dictionary is also not a particularly authoritative work—it doesn’t take into account the context of your course and doesn’t offer particularly detailed information. If you feel that you must seek out an authority, try to find one that is very relevant and specific. Perhaps a quotation from a source reading might prove better? Dictionary introductions are also ineffective simply because they are so overused. Instructors may see a great many papers that begin in this way, greatly decreasing the dramatic impact that any one of those papers will have.

Example: Webster’s dictionary defines slavery as “the state of being a slave,” as “the practice of owning slaves,” and as “a condition of hard work and subjection.”

4. The “dawn of man” introduction. This kind of introduction generally makes broad, sweeping statements about the relevance of this topic since the beginning of time, throughout the world, etc. It is usually very general (similar to the placeholder introduction) and fails to connect to the thesis. It may employ cliches—the phrases “the dawn of man” and “throughout human history” are examples, and it’s hard to imagine a time when starting with one of these would work. Instructors often find them extremely annoying.

Example: Since the dawn of man, slavery has been a problem in human history.

5. The book report introduction. This introduction is what you had to do for your elementary school book reports. It gives the name and author of the book you are writing about, tells what the book is about, and offers other basic facts about the book. You might resort to this sort of introduction when you are trying to fill space because it’s a familiar, comfortable format. It is ineffective because it offers details that your reader probably already knows and that are irrelevant to the thesis.

Example: Frederick Douglass wrote his autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave , in the 1840s. It was published in 1986 by Penguin Books. In it, he tells the story of his life.

And now for the conclusion…

Writing an effective introduction can be tough. Try playing around with several different options and choose the one that ends up sounding best to you!

Just as your introduction helps readers make the transition to your topic, your conclusion needs to help them return to their daily lives–but with a lasting sense of how what they have just read is useful or meaningful. Check out our handout on conclusions for tips on ending your paper as effectively as you began it!

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Douglass, Frederick. 1995. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, Written by Himself . New York: Dover.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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How to write an essay: Introduction

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Introduction
Essay structure
Additional resources

The Introduction

An in troduction generally does three things. The first part is usually a general comment that shows the reader why the topic is important, gets their interest, and leads them into the topic. It isn’t actually part of your argument. The next part of the introduction is the thesis statement . This is your response to the question; your final answer. It is probably the most important part of the introduction. Finally, the introduction tells the reader what they can expect in the essay body. This is where you briefly outline your arguments .

Here is an example of the introduction to the question - Discuss how media can influence children. Use specific examples to support your view.

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Strong Introduction Paragraph Examples

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No matter what type of writing you do, a strong introduction is important for setting the tone for your work. From blog posts to high school essays, the right introduction can pique a reader's interest and draw them in to keep reading. Use these strong introduction examples to inspire you as you write.

Strong Introductions for Essays

Whether you're writing an essay for class, answering an essay question on a test, crafting a college application, or writing any other type of essay-style work, your introduction paragraph is one of the most important you'll write.

Use a Surprising Fact

You can capture the reader's attention with a surprising fact or statement. Then, state your thesis clearly and succinctly, as in this example:

With recent studies showing that, on average, dog owners live up to 24% longer than those without canine companions, there's no doubt that a dog can have a range of physical and mental health benefits for its owner. These include a more active lifestyle, a social network of other pet owners, companionship, and a sense of purpose.

Pose a Question

Another way to engage your reader in your essay introduction is to ask a rhetorical question. This is a good way to start a persuasive essay or even a newspaper editorial . This example shows how you must carefully choose this question to support your thesis:

Global climate change is a crisis that affects everyone, rich and poor, young and old. From rising ocean levels to increased temperature extremes, the world is changing for everyone. How will your life be different in the coming years?

Start With an Anecdote

A short anecdote is a good way to start a personal essay , especially if it fits with your overall theme. Consider this example:

When I got home from school that day, my grandmother greeted me with a plate of cookies and a worried expression. I hadn't received the scholarship I needed to go to ballet camp, and we'd need to find another way to earn the money. That's when I started my business giving dance lessons to preschoolers, and it's taught me a lot about how to solve problems on my own.

Great Report Introductions

Reports aren't always the most fascinating kind of writing to read, so a really great introduction can make a huge difference in your reader engagement. You need to be clear about what you're discussing and offer any background information your reader might need.

Set the Stage

Give the reader important background information with an introduction like this:

With our sales up 25% and more than 2,500 positive reviews online, it's safe to say our product is embraced by consumers. We're using this information to project growth for the coming year.

State Your Point Clearly

Reports are about facts, but readers may not want to wade through all the data to get to your point. A strong introduction can give them a preview of what they'll find inside:

The water quality in Smith County has improved from a century ago, but there are still a number of contaminants of concern. Storm water run-off has been the major contributor to water pollution in the area.

Strong News and Feature Article Introductions

When you introduce an article, either online or in a more traditional newspaper , it's essential to have a "hook." Writing a hook takes a little extra thought, but it will make the reader continue past your introduction and into the body of your article.

Start With Something Shocking

People naturally want to read things that are shocking or surprising. Offer up a little drama for a strong introduction paragraph:

When Charles Jones went into the gas station Tuesday night, he did not expect to be caught in the middle of an armed robbery. However, that is exactly what happened.

Use a Statistic

You can start with a good statistic and hint at more information to come. People will read on because they want to know the rest of the story.

While for 60% of people, milk is the perfect beverage to go with a cookie, that's not true for everyone. A new study shows that up to 40% of people prefer something different with their bedtime snack.

Creative Introductions for Blog Posts

When you write a blog post, you need to engage your reader right away with a creative introduction. In the world of online reading, it's easy to navigate away to something else. The introduction is your chance to keep your reader on your blog.

Get Personal

Depending on the type of blog post you're writing, it can make sense to offer some personal perspective on your topic right away. Your reader is here for your voice, so you need to use it. This example will show you one way to do that:

My sister thought I was crazy to try to remake some thrift store jeans into an awesome maxi skirt. She told me she'd personally model the skirt for the blog if it worked. Well, when you see how fabulous she looks, you'll need to make one too.

You can also engage your audience right away with a humorous blog post introduction. Try a funny personal anecdote:

I'm not going to lie. The first time I made an art doll out of clay, it was a total nightmare. I literally had bad dreams about that thing for a week. But I'll save you the terror and show you how to create a not-so-scary doll with these techniques.

Great Short Story Introductions

If you're writing a short story, you need a creative introduction to get your reader engaged right away. In a novel, you have the whole first chapter , but because the length of your short story is limited, your introduction needs to suck your reader in within just a few sentences.

Bring in Vivid Imagery

Make your reader experience the world of your story by adding vivid sensory details. Using imagery that involves the senses lets your reader feel like he or she is in the story.

Even before I opened my eyes, the scent of lilacs told me I had a visitor. Here in the nursing home, everything has the same smell - a mixture of cafeteria food, cleaning products, and old people odors. A sudden scent of lilacs meant someone was here to see me.

Start in the Middle of Things

When you're writing fiction, you can start your story at the last possible moment to get your reader engaged. This is called "in medias res" (in the middle of things). Because the action is already happening, your reader won't be able to stop reading. Try something like this creative introduction example:

I hit the water with a slap that knocked the wind out of me. For a moment, I could hear my sister screaming from the deck of the ship, but then everything went quiet as my ears went under water.

Engage the Reader With a Strong Introduction

No matter what type of writing you're doing, a strong introduction is one way to get your audience to keep reading. After you've captured their attention, get more tips to engage the reader in the rest of your piece. An engaged reader means your writing is effective and powerful.

Examples of Great Introductory Paragraphs

Grab your reader's attention with the first words

Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
B.A., English, State University of New York

An introductory paragraph, as the opening of a conventional essay , composition , or report , is designed to grab people's attention. It informs readers about the topic and why they should care about it but also adds enough intrigue to get them to continue to read. In short, the opening paragraph is your chance to make a great first impression.

Writing a Good Introductory Paragraph

The primary purpose of an introductory paragraph is to pique the interest of your reader and identify the topic and purpose of the essay. It often ends with a thesis statement .

You can engage your readers right from the start through a number of tried-and-true ways. Posing a question, defining the key term, giving a brief anecdote , using a playful joke or emotional appeal, or pulling out an interesting fact are just a few approaches you can take. Use imagery, details, and sensory information to connect with the reader if you can. The key is to add intrigue along with just enough information so your readers want to find out more.

One way to do this is to come up with a brilliant opening line . Even the most mundane topics have aspects interesting enough to write about; otherwise, you wouldn't be writing about them, right?

When you begin writing a new piece, think about what your readers want or need to know. Use your knowledge of the topic to craft an opening line that will satisfy that need. You don't want to fall into the trap of what writers call "chasers" that bore your readers (such as "The dictionary defines...."). The introduction should make sense and hook the reader right from the start .

Make your introductory paragraph brief. Typically, just three or four sentences are enough to set the stage for both long and short essays. You can go into supporting information in the body of your essay, so don't tell the audience everything all at once.

Should You Write the Intro First?

You can always adjust your introductory paragraph later. Sometimes you just have to start writing. You can start at the beginning or dive right into the heart of your essay.

Your first draft may not have the best opening, but as you continue to write, new ideas will come to you, and your thoughts will develop a clearer focus. Take note of these and, as you work through revisions , refine and edit your opening.

If you're struggling with the opening, follow the lead of other writers and skip it for the moment. Many writers begin with the body and conclusion and come back to the introduction later. It's a useful, time-efficient approach if you find yourself stuck in those first few words.

Start where it's easiest to start. You can always go back to the beginning or rearrange later, especially if you have an outline completed or general framework informally mapped out. If you don't have an outline, even just starting to sketch one can help organize your thoughts and "prime the pump" as it were.

Successful Introductory Paragraphs

You can read all the advice you want about writing a compelling opening, but it's often easier to learn by example. Take a look at how some writers approached their essays and analyze why they work so well.

"As a lifelong crabber (that is, one who catches crabs, not a chronic complainer), I can tell you that anyone who has patience and a great love for the river is qualified to join the ranks of crabbers. However, if you want your first crabbing experience to be a successful one, you must come prepared."

– (Mary Zeigler, "How to Catch River Crabs" )

What did Zeigler do in her introduction? First, she wrote in a little joke, but it serves a dual purpose. Not only does it set the stage for her slightly more humorous approach to crabbing, but it also clarifies what type of "crabber" she's writing about. This is important if your subject has more than one meaning.

The other thing that makes this a successful introduction is the fact that Zeigler leaves us wondering. What do we have to be prepared for? Will the crabs jump up and latch onto you? Is it a messy job? What tools and gear do I need? She leaves us with questions, and that draws us in because now we want answers.

"Working part-time as a cashier at the Piggly Wiggly has given me a great opportunity to observe human behavior. Sometimes I think of the shoppers as white rats in a lab experiment, and the aisles as a maze designed by a psychologist. Most of the rats—customers, I mean—follow a routine pattern, strolling up and down the aisles, checking through my chute, and then escaping through the exit hatch. But not everyone is so dependable. My research has revealed three distinct types of abnormal customer: the amnesiac, the super shopper, and the dawdler."

– "Shopping at the Pig"

This revised classification essay begins by painting a picture of an ordinary scenario: the grocery store. But when used as an opportunity to observe human nature, as this writer does, it turns from ordinary to fascinating.

Who is the amnesiac? Would I be classified as the dawdler by this cashier? The descriptive language and the analogy to rats in a maze add to the intrigue, and readers are left wanting more. For this reason, even though it's lengthy, this is an effective opening.

"In March 2006, I found myself, at 38, divorced, no kids, no home, and alone in a tiny rowing boat in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. I hadn’t eaten a hot meal in two months. I’d had no human contact for weeks because my satellite phone had stopped working. All four of my oars were broken, patched up with duct tape and splints. I had tendinitis in my shoulders and saltwater sores on my backside.

"I couldn’t have been happier...."

– Roz Savage, " My Transoceanic Midlife Crisis ." Newsweek , March 20, 2011

Here is an example of reversing expectations. The introductory paragraph is filled with doom and gloom. We feel sorry for the writer but are left wondering whether the article will be a classic sob story. It is in the second paragraph where we find out that it's quite the opposite.

Those first few words of the second paragraph—which we cannot help but skim—surprise us and thus draw us in. How can the narrator be happy after all that sorrow? This reversal compels us to find out what happened.

Most people have had streaks where nothing seems to go right. Yet, it is the possibility of a turn of fortunes that compels us to keep going. This writer appealed to our emotions and a sense of shared experience to craft an effective read.

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College Application

College Essay Introduction Examples

Reading some college essay introduction examples is a great place to start if you’re struggling to begin writing your college essay. The college essay is a significant hurdle for many college applicants but reading sample college essays can help inspire your writing. Knowing how to write a killer introduction, though, is the first step, as the introduction of your essay can make or break your entire essay. In this blog, we’ll learn why the college essay introduction is so important, how to structure it and a step-by-step guide on how to write a killer essay introduction. We’ve also included some college essay introduction examples to guide you!

>> Want us to help you get accepted? Schedule a free strategy call here . <<

Article Contents 7 min read

Why the college essay introduction is so important.

Your college essay can be vital to your admission to your top school, and the introduction of your college essay can make it or break it. The introduction of your college admissions essay, or common app essay , is often overlooked, but it is a crucial part of the overall essay. Why? Because your introduction is quite literally the first opportunity to introduce yourself to the admissions committee, and you need to make an impression. Getting into college requires more than high grades and good test scores nowadays. You need a well-rounded and impressive application. And to do this you need to know how to write a college essay . To write an essay that stands out from the crowd and makes you a memorable candidate for admission, you’ll need to know how to write an excellent college essay introduction.

The introduction of your college essay is so crucial because it is what first grabs your reader’s attention. Like any good piece of writing, if you don’t snag your reader’s interest in the first sentence, they won’t be inclined to read the rest of your essay. And you need them to be interested and engaged so you can make your point. A college essay counts for a significant portion of your overall candidacy as a college applicant. It can even be your secret to how to get into college with a low GPA . But writing essays is not easy, and introductions can be especially tricky for students to write. This is why plenty of college applicants hire college essay advisors to help them write their common app essays or supplemental college essays .

If you plan to apply to any of the schools which use the common app essay, you’ll be somewhat familiar with the required short essay format and structure. Your college essay will be around 250-650 words maximum, so your introduction needs to be fairly concise. It’s best to keep your introduction just a few sentences long, so you’ll need to be very wise with your words and make the most of each one. You may also want to add a title to your essay. This is not a requirement and should only be included if you think the title adds something significant. Otherwise, leave it out.

Here’s a list of what to include in your college essay introduction:

A college essay needs to have good flow, and this starts in the introduction. This means your \u201chook\u201d sentence needs to connect to the rest of your introduction, and then needs to connect seamlessly to your body paragraphs. Your writing should follow a clear path from your hook to your conclusion. One way to keep good flow is to use a strong transition sentence, but another way is to guide your reader. The second sentence, after your hook, shouldn\u2019t be unrelated or step away from your point, it should lead your reader to the reason why you are writing this essay. ","label":"Good flow","title":"Good flow"}]" code="tab1" template="BlogArticle">

Before any writing can begin, we’ll need to start the brainstorming process. This is essentially gathering and writing down the key experiences, significant moments and important lessons you have learned throughout your life. Everyone’s experiences are unique, and the ideas you write down may vary depending on your situation. If you’re a non-traditional college applicant, you might write about the gap year you took after high school, or why you’re going back to college after years of working in your field. International students might write about their decision to study overseas or their experience with culture shock. First time college applicants may draw on their experiences with summer programs for high school students or the work experiences they’ve included in their high school resume .

Your choice of essay topic or the personal experiences you choose to highlight in your essay may also be influenced by the essay prompt or essay question, if the school provides one. If this is the case, you can reflect on which prompt or question resonates most with you or choose to write more than one essay if more than one prompt resonates. For schools that do not provide a question or essay prompt, you can reflect on your future career goals, personal goals or the reasons why you are applying to college.

Whatever your situation or your story, gather all of the personal experiences you can think of and jot them down. Brainstorming is an important process, but they key is to write down absolutely every idea you can think of to start.

Some personal experiences you might draw from for your brainstorming session could be:

What sparked your interest in applying to college
What life experiences sparked your interest in a particular field of study
What made you interested in a career in this field of study
What activities did you partake in growing up that grew your interest in this field
What activities did you pursue during high school that grew your interest in this field
What solidified your decision to apply to college

Your college essay is at heart a narrative that either answers the essay question or answers the question “why are you applying to this school?” Your essay should take the reader through each stage of your decision, but your introduction’s primary role is to grab the reader’s interest and set the stage. And just like an excellent stage play seizes the audience’s attention from the moment the lights turn on the stage, your essay needs to do the same. Be the narrator of your narrative and share with the audience what will be learned about you from reading your essay.

Want more tips for writing a college essay? Watch this video!

Here’s a quick guide to brainstorming and writing your college essay introduction

Once your essay is fully outlined, or even drafted, you might write your introduction last. This way you already know what your essay is about and just need to introduce it to the reader. "}]">

Once you’ve drafted your introduction, give it a read. Does the hook sentence grab you? Try reading it aloud and see how it flows into the body of your essay. If it doesn’t pique your own interest, it won’t hold your reader’s! Ask a friend, family member, college advisor or acquaintance to read it and give you feedback on your intro. Try a few different versions of your hook sentence or refine your transition sentence. Make sure your introduction is as strong as can be.

For our college essay introduction examples, we’ve used a few of the common app essay prompts you might see on your application. We’ve included sample introductions for essays from students of various different life experiences and situations to help you!

Prompt: Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

My love affair with painting started late in life. After 25 years of working as a science teacher, I never expected my hunt for a pre-retirement hobby to turn into a shift in career path. Painting has become a daily solace for me, and my involvement in my local arts community has opened up career opportunities I never dreamed of. And it has sparked a fascination with the arts and what it can add to my life. This fascination first started when I accepted an invitation from a friend to see her work on display at a local Art Walk.

Prompt: Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

I thought I would spend my gap year after high school laying on a beach and getting tan. Instead, I experienced a profound transformation within myself as I immersed myself in a new culture and a new people. A month after my graduation, I was on a plane on my way to Thailand, nothing on my mind except sun and sad. A year after, Thailand sent me home with an entirely new perspective and appreciation for life. When I left home, I was still unsure what I wanted from my life and whether I would apply for college. My wavering feelings were solidified after working with an amazing not-for-profit in some of Thailand’s remote villages, which also lead to the most impactful friendship of my life.

Prompt: The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

What I remember most from the night my entire life collapsed was the brightness of the stadium lights overhead. Not the chaos of the crowd or the faces staring down at me, talking over me. I was deaf to all that. The lights were so blinding, so distracting. And I kept thinking, over and over, ‘don’t take me out of the game’. Thoughts that would be strangely prophetic later, in the hospital, when they told me I wouldn’t be able to play the rest of the season, or maybe ever again. My entire life, my expected future, flew off a cliff. In those coming months, I would learn what it really means to start over, to pick yourself back up and keep playing the game.

To write a killer opening to your college essay, focus on the very first sentence, your “hook”. It should be unique, interesting and “hook” the reader’s attention. It’s the “big idea” or main lesson learned from your college essay. Play around with the sentence length and structure to see what works and try reading the introduction aloud to hear how it sounds to your ear.

Try not to start your college essay introduction with a cliché or a quote. Cliches have been read thousands of times by admissions officers, and they want to see something unique and interesting, not the same old things. And using a quote to start your essay isn’t a good idea, since it is meant to be written in your own words, not someone else’s.

Writing a good hook takes some work. Try to think of how you would summarize your essay or the personal experience you are highlighting. What was the key lesson you learned? What is at the centre of your motivations? Try writing this topic sentence a few different ways and read it aloud to see how it sounds.

The introduction of your essay needs to grab your reader’s attention right away. If it doesn’t, the admissions committee won’t want to read the rest of your essay and you’ll have lost them already. As the college essay counts for a significant part of your overall application, the introduction is crucial for your success.

It’s best not to do this, even if the quote is inspirational for you. College admission committees want to hear what you have to say, not someone else.

You can include a title if you choose, but it’s best to leave it out unless the title adds something important to your overall essay.

The introduction of a college essay needs to include a “hook” sentence, a transition sentence, an introduction of your essay content and good flow.

It’s advisable to keep your college essay introduction short and concise. It should make up about 10% of your essay’s word count, so in some cases this is quite short!

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Top 20 Essay Introduction Examples

Introduction

The top 20 essay introduction examples are the best and most popular introductions to use when writing essays. These examples are easy to read and clearly understand what the author is trying to say in their opening paragraph. These essay introduction examples can be used as templates for future essays.

As students, we must learn how to create our own memorable hooks so that we may stand out from other writers in our class. The more creative and original your hook is, the better chance you have of being remembered by your professor because they will notice something about you that they haven’t seen before. What’s more?

1) Your hook should grab your reader’s attention and make them want to read the rest of your paper.

2) Your hook should also reveal something about the topic at hand, perhaps even hinting at what will be discussed in more detail later on.

3) Your hook should be clear, concise, and to the point such that no one could think that your opening sentence is boring or unclear.

The first paragraph of a personal essay is crucial because it draws readers in and lets them know what will follow. That’s why the most important part of an introduction is to tell the reader what kind of essay you are writing and to give them a hint about the main idea.

For instance, let’s assume that you are writing a personal essay about how your friend lost his legs in an unfortunate accident and that you are trying to express the theme of hope. To start this kind of essay, you would do well using sentences like “Some people have hopeless causes for their lives, but I feel that my friend has things to hope for.”

Let’s go over a few tips before reaching the examples, but you can scroll to the examples section if you’re in a hurry. Also, in case you wish to skip this guide altogether due to reasons such as a busy schedule, our top writers are ready to cover you by ensuring that your essay is written to the highest standards. All you need to do is place an order with us!

The Importance of the Introductory Paragraph

An introduction paragraph not only introduces the topic but also gives some insight into what will be discussed. A successful introductory paragraph must accomplish the following:

1) It should tell the reader what kind of paper they are about to read (e.g., memo, argumentative essay , narrative).

2) It should briefly state in one sentence the purpose of writing this paper.

3) It should tell the reader what kind of information they will get, and that is related to their purpose.

4) It should give a brief overview of the main points discussed in the rest of your paper.

5) It should give the reader an idea of your position regarding the topic.

6) If it’s a narrative essay , it should tell the main character and why they are important.

7) It should point out some startling or interesting information about your subject (e.g., quote them on something).

The purpose of your introductory paragraph is to grab the reader’s attention and get them interested in what you have to say.

How to Write a Good Introductory Paragraph

First, write your subject in a simple declarative sentence—the simpler, the better. In this sentence, tell what you will talk about (your topic) and your main idea. The more specific your claim is, the easier it will be for you to develop your argument later on.

The next step would be to create your topic sentence. This sentence focuses on the main idea and includes the supporting ideas or subtopics that will be discussed later.

The last step is to start with your thesis statement that summarizes what you will discuss in this paper. It summarizes and answers the questions of what you want to prove and shows what you want your reader to believe in. This statement is the most important sentence of your entire writing because if this is not convincing, nothing else in your paper will be convincing either. So, make sure that it reflects all of these characteristics listed above.

Top 20 Examples of Good Essay Introductions

Different types of essays require different ways to start the essay, but some general rules will apply to any kind of writing . The best way to get a sense of how you should structure your introduction is to look at model essays written by professionals and see how they approach it.

Here are 20 great essay introductions that can serve as a starting point for your essay. Read them to get some ideas on how to write your introduction:

Use of humor

A humorous introduction can sometimes grab the attention of your reader even better than an interesting fact.

Here are some examples of funny essay introductions:

1) “Most people, when asked for help, do their best to avoid doing anything that will make them feel uncomfortable or inconvenient. However, one particular person named Barbara McFadden is entirely different from all other people. She is one of those people who will go out of their way to make you feel special, even if that means calling the police and making a big scene.”

2) “Although, as funny as it is, I could see myself being an extra in that movie. I mean, there are times when my family and I go shopping, and we make so much noise that people stare at us and shake their heads with disgust.”

3) “Before I start telling you about our amazing vacation, I would like to tell you a little bit about myself. My name is Jana, and I am from Chicago; however, my family spent most of our weekends in Wisconsin. We enjoy going over there because we love the cold, crisp weather and the extremely friendly people.”

4) “There was a point when I lost my sanity. Every day that went by, I would miss her even more. It didn’t matter where I was or what I was doing, she still crossed my mind every few minutes. Whether it be day or night, awake or asleep, smiling or crying, my heart was filled with the pain of having her right there in front of me and not being able to hold her or take away the pain she must be feeling.”

Using statistics

Statistics can help make your essay attractive to the reader and show them some of the positive characteristics of your topic.

Here is an example of a good introduction with statistics:

5) “More than 50 million people will get married in the US by 2015, which is a 4.7% increase from 2008.”

6) “Although some people consider colleges to be similar, there is one thing that can make an enormous difference between them, and that is the tuition fees. The cost of public universities has doubled in the last ten years while the private ones have increased 7.5 times.”

7) “In the last decade, those people under 40 years of age have increased by about 6%. Many factors can be attributed to this increase in population. One of the main reasons for this is immigration; however, scientists believe that the other reason lies within our genes.”

Using anecdotes

Anecdotes are very interesting because they generally contain a lot of information about your topic, and they can show the reader exactly why your essay’s subject is important to you.

This is an example that uses anecdotes:

8) “It was my 11th grade when I planned on attending college. At the same time, my dad was planning to retire near our family home in Georgia. He had planned to stay there until he could fix up the old house of our relatives. To him, retirement meant time for him to do all the things that he had ever wanted. My dad has always had a passion for woodwork and animals. Therefore, my plan was simple: fixing up my new home with my father in Georgia.”

9) “After loving each other for so long, my boyfriend and I were finally getting married. We had made all the plans to have a wonderful wedding and honeymoon in France; however, there was one problem. One week before our wedding, my husband-to-be got in a car accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down. For me, it was like my world had shattered to pieces. He was the only thing that kept me going. I knew that as long as I stayed strong, he would make it through anything and everything.”

10) “The teachers at my college were always very helpful; however, there was one teacher in particular who stood out from all the rest. Her name was Mrs. Middleton. She was always late to class and extremely messy; however, she would make up for it by being the most interesting teacher I had ever had. Whenever her class came, there was never a dull moment.”

Using quotes

Quotes are a great way of starting an essay because they show your audience how credible you are as a writer. Through them, you can also show your audience that you want to use credible sources.

Here is an example of a good quote introduction:

11)” “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” John F. Kennedy – a famous American president, 17th of November, 1960″ It’s hard to imagine that freedom and democracy first started centuries ago in ancient Greece. We’re free to say what we want, do what we want, buy whatever we want, and even start a business of our own.

12)” “Those born into poverty die without ever knowing anything else” taken from The Women Who Would Be Queen by Linda Grant.” The subject of this book is the American society. It tells us a story about women born to low-income families but still decided to do something with their lives. They weren’t afraid of taking risks and worked very hard to achieve what they deserved.

13)” “Everyone has inside of him a piece of good news. The good news is that you don’t know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is!” – Mother Teresa” Human beings are often underestimated. This is because the media makes us believe that everyone around us has it better than we do. However, this is not true. People out there have a third of what they need and are willing to share with others.

You may also be interested in SAT examples

Use of vivid imagery

Your essay is much easier to read when you use vivid imagery. It not only makes your content better, but it also helps the reader to understand what you are trying to say. Not to mention that they add color and depth to your writing style.

14) “He was sitting in his wheelchair staring out of the window with a slight smile on his face. His body looked so frail that it made me want to cry. It reminded me of a small tree that had been uprooted from its roots and was now exposed to the rage of mother nature.”

15) “The smell was like a combination of alcohol, vomit, and sweat all mixed into one. Everyone in the room knew that they didn’t need to be there, but it was the only place where no one judged them. This is why everyone kept coming back.”

16) “I remember that day like it was yesterday. The sun had just come up, and the rays were shining through my bedroom window. The smell of fresh air filled the room with the warmth of a summer’s day, and I could hear the birds chirping in a nearby tree…”

Use of compare and contrast technique

Using compare and contrast technique can be very effective in an introduction. It gives you the chance to set a standard for what will be written about later in your essay.

Here are some good examples:

17)” America has always been much more liberal than Britain when it comes to sexuality. Compared to America, Britain is much more conservative. Homosexuality is still illegal in Britain, while it has been legal since 2003 in America. Women are expected not to be sexually promiscuous in Britain, while in America, it’s completely fine to sleep around.”

18) “Facebook and LinkedIn are both social media sites. However, there are many major differences. For example, LinkedIn is mostly used for professional communication, while Facebook is used for personal communication. Facebook being so big has the advantage of having more people to communicate with, but LinkedIn is easier to use and a lot more personal.”

19) “I prefer to live in a city than in the countryside. This is because cities give you a chance to meet lots of new people and learn about their cultural background. The only thing that makes me feel uncomfortable is the lack of nature.”

Using shocking facts

This is something that can be very beneficial to your writing style, especially if you have passionate feelings about a specific subject. It can take the introduction in an unexpected way and present information and facts that readers might not know exist.

20) “It is estimated that over 30 million people suffer from eating disorders in the US alone. This number has grown exponentially over the past 40 years. Some of those suffering have turned to social media for help and support. However, the focus in these online communities has moved away from recovery to self-promotion and vanity.”

21) “In England, abortion is legal up until 24 weeks. After that period, a pregnancy can be terminated if there are serious fetal abnormalities or risks to the woman’s mental health. Each year over 190,000 women have abortions in Britain, which is equivalent to about one-third of all pregnancies.”

22) “It is estimated that around three percent of boys and two percent of girls have an Autism Spectrum Disorder. These numbers may not seem much, but they are a lot higher than previously believed. What makes these disorders even more worrying is the fact that there are a growing number of children being diagnosed with Autism.”

Use of questions

Questions are a very good introduction technique. Usually, they can help engage and hook your reader’s interest. For example:

23) “What is the best age to get married? Marriage is a very important thing. Not many people are aware of this, but the right age to get married can greatly impact your life. It is one decision that can change your life forever, so it should be well thought out.”

24) “What makes you happy? Happiness is something that everyone wants to achieve. We all want to feel and experience it in our lives. What makes us happy differs from person to person. They are a lot of different things: love, success, knowledge, the list goes on.”

25) “What can I do to be successful? Success is what everyone strives for. Some people want it in a short amount of time, others gradually over a much longer period of time. In this essay, we’re going to look at how you can achieve success in your life.”

Emotional sentence

This sort of introduction is usually very effective because it can open up a line of thought that will make your reader feel sympathy for the writer. It has also been proven that emotional sentences are more likely to keep your readers interest in what they’re reading. Here are examples:

25) “My grandmother never taught me how to cook. She said that men were supposed to take care of women, and society expects women to be able to do these things themselves.”

26) “I want an education so that I can get a good job and earn enough money for my family, but my parents disagree with me. They say that it is unnecessary for the woman in the family to have an education. It is also not a priority for them.”

27) “I don’t like my brother’s girlfriend. I guess she just seems too controlling for her own good.”

Use of adjectives and adverbs

An effective way to keep your reader engaged in your writing is by using adjectives and adverbs effectively. For example:

28) “I’ve always hated school. It’s just a never-ending cycle of meaningless assignments that I do not care about.”

29) “After the big earthquake, people came together to help each other in any way they could. They banded together and helped those affected in every single way imaginable. They were always on the lookout for dangerous aftershocks and were always listening out for any news about people trapped under rubble.”

30) “Stress is a very serious topic. It can destroy your life if you’re not careful. I’m going to talk about what stress is, how it affects us, and what we can do about it.”

Getting personal

Sometimes, it can be a very good idea to make your introduction personal. For example:

31) “I agreed with my aunt and cousin that we should all go to the beach together. At first, I thought it was a great idea because I really enjoyed spending time with them, but then they started talking about what swimsuit they were going to wear, and I wanted to run away.”

32) “I have always been a big fan of Harry Potter. In my teenage years, I’d read all of the books many times over!”

33) “When my friends and I would talk about school, we were not usually happy with what we had to say. For one thing, the teachers were often no help at all. They never seemed to want to help us figure out what we needed, and they were always telling us how bad our grades were.”

Use of metaphors and similes

Using metaphors may be a good idea if you want your reader to understand what you’re writing. Similes are also great because they can help you make comparisons that the reader can relate to. For example:

34) “Sometimes I feel like I’m in a huge war all on my own. It’s like I’m under constant attack. My enemy isn’t really clear, except that it seems to be coming from every single side at the same time.”

35) “I can’t understand why some people stay in jobs they don’t like. Sometimes you have to do something that you’re not comfortable with if you want to get ahead. You have to take risks.”

36) “Baseball is like a religion in America. People worship players as if they were gods and millions of fans come out every year to watch them play. It’s something that you have to respect, even though it may seem a little overboard.”

Using surprising information

A rather unique way to start an essay is by using information that most people wouldn’t expect. It could detail about yourself, or it could be something very specific about the topic of your essay. For example:

37) “I used to love playing ice hockey. There was just something so satisfying about being able to hit the puck with your hockey stick and then get into position to watch it sail right past the goalie.”

38) “When I was born, my parents were really young. They weren’t even twenty-one years old yet when they had me!”

39) “After reading a book recently about World War II, I’ve realized that these events can potentially have an impact on each and every one of us for decades to come. They can leave scars that remain in our society for many years after they are over.”

Using special words and phrases

Sometimes, the most effective way to get your reader interested in what you have to say is by using special words or phrases that many people wouldn’t usually use. For example:

40) “I’ve always wanted to be a writer. I think it would be fascinating to write novels that can help influence others.”

41) “I think that gardening is a great hobby for children to have. It’s interesting to see them learn about plants and how to take care of them.”

42) “Whenever it gets really cold outside, people in my neighborhood all get together at the local library and form groups around their favorite activity. We’re like little families!”

Common Mistakes People Make when Writing Introductions:

• Not making a clear statement about your subject (e.g., not giving the reader an idea of what kind of essay they are going to read).

• It’s long and boring, so it doesn’t grab people’s attention and make them want to read the rest of your paper.

• Your opening sentence is unclear or confusing.

• It has no point to it, or it’s not connected with the rest of your writing.

• Your thesis statement does not reflect what you are going to discuss in this essay, or it doesn’t give an idea about what you want your reader to believe in.

You may also check how to begin a “Why this College” essay

How to Write a Good Essay

Good essay writing takes a lot of time and effort. Personally, I have always been satisfied with the results of my work. But it’s not enough just to write an essay, you need to know how to get feedback on it and improve your skills even further.

Good essays start with choosing a great topic . It’s not easy to find a fresh idea. You may use a couple of resources. They will help you discover some new and exciting ideas. When you’ve found something that sparks your interest, read as much material on the subject as possible. It is always better to write about something familiar.

After you’ve got some information on the subject of your essay:

Write down all the things that you want to include in your work.
As soon as possible, structure these points into paragraphs .
Check if there are any necessary additions or corrections.

A general outline of an essay

Outlining your essay is the next important step. It will help you to see if your points are coherent and not related to each other. You can use various structures for outlining your work: thesis-support, compare-contrast, problem-solution, chain of events (storyline), definition of a term, and so on.

Thesis-support outline

This is one of the most popular structures for writing an essay. It’s based on the construction of a thesis statement and supporting evidence. Examples of such statements are “the weather is fine” or “technology has changed human life.” The main method for creating a thesis statement is to create a compound sentence that will include two different viewpoints :

a) the negative;

b) the positive.

The following statement is an example of a thesis-support outline: “The media has negative and positive effects on young people.” In this case, you can use different examples to support your viewpoint, like violence in movies or the pros of social networks. That’s why it’s important to choose an appropriate topic for your work.

The compare-contrast outline

This structure is based on comparing and contrasting two different things or three similar ones. It can be used to describe different aspects of the same thing: for example, people in the world, fashion styles. The best examples are “American and British English” or “the cat and the mouse.”

The problem-solution outline

This structure is most often applied in scientific papers. The main idea of such kinds of essays is to state the main problem and offer a solution for it. By this means, you can focus on your writing skills and clarify your point of view, if any. For example, a statement like “homeless people don’t have enough money” may be followed by “the government should make more public shelters.”

A chain of events outline

This structure is based on creating a story, which will include one or several steps. The beginning and the end can illustrate some final idea or thesis statement. It’s an effective way to tell your reader about something and make them feel involved in your story.

General format of an outline

The basic format of an outline is:

The introduction

Body paragraphs

conclusion.

The introduction is the first paragraph of your essay. It’s a good idea to make it an attention-grabber so that readers don’t hesitate to continue reading your work. You must present your topic clearly and as easily as possible. The last sentence should be about the main idea of the work or thesis statement.

The main part of an essay is the body. Its purpose is to describe different aspects and dimensions of your topic. Use the following things to create your paragraphs:

· Introductory sentence- It should contain the topic of your paragraph, a thesis statement, and a transition.

· Body sentences – These are the supporting sentences. They should prove your thesis or describe a specific aspect of the topic. Each sentence must have its significance in the overall context.

· Concluding sentence – It’s important to make it an appropriate conclusion of your paragraph. It should be similar to the introductory one.

The last paragraph of an essay is named “conclusion.” Its main purpose is to state your opinion or recommendation on a particular issue. You must be careful with it and make sure that you don’t contradict yourself in any way. Here are some things you can use for creating a conclusion:

· Restatement of your thesis – You can repeat your main idea differently or use it for the main sentence of a concluding paragraph.

· Summarizing statement – If you think that there is no need to restate your thesis again, you can make a summary instead, which will be a brief retelling of your main idea.

· The future tense – Sometimes, you can use the future tense to imply what needs to be done in this or that sphere. For example, “Technology will develop further; researchers will find a cure for cancer.”

These are the basic elements of an outline. In general, it’s important to follow a structure and use the right words.

Essay Writing Tips

The most important thing when writing an essay is to follow a structure and make sure that all your paragraphs are coherent with each other. Other tips are:

· Planning – It makes your work much easier to write and finalize. You should be able to control the general idea, so planning will help you start right away.

· Grammar – It’s important to know its basics and check all your content for any mistakes . After all, you will be able to deliver the message clearly and accurately.

· Thesis statement – This statement should reflect the main idea of an essay and make a clear point about the subject at hand. It’s good to develop it further in the body paragraphs.

· Word choice – Choose your words wisely and always check if they sound clear and easy to understand. Avoid using complicated sentences or phrases, but be concise and ensure you don’t waste any words.

· Accuracy – Don’t forget that essays are quite different from creative writing. They should be as accurate as possible, so make sure that you have all the necessary facts and ideas before you begin to write.

You may also want to check various speech topics, such as demonstration speech topic

Getting help with writing essays

The best way to make sure your essay introduction is done the right way, the first time, is to find somebody who can help you with this sort of task. There are two things you should always keep in mind when looking for a good essay helper:

1) They need to have experience writing and editing term papers. This means that they have to be professionals in their field.

2) They have to know what your teacher wants you to write and how they want the introduction written. Therefore, they will have absolutely no problem fully understanding an assignment and doing everything exactly according to your preferences and instructions.

Our writers have all these qualities, and you may try our services by click here.

How to pick a good custom essay writer

When you’re picking a custom essay writer, there are some things that you have to keep in mind. For example:

Budget-friendly options

You have to know about essay writers who will not overcharge you for their services. Of course, everybody wants quality writing and affordable prices at the same time! Be it a high school essay or an MBA application essay, the price shouldn’t be too high. Thus, you should pick custom writing services that won’t make you feel ripped off after paying for their services.

Deadlines and quality of writing

Another important aspect to consider is the deadlines these essay writing services give their customers. Some places may promise you a deadline but won’t deliver on time, while others will not even bother giving you an exact date. Let them know that your essay has to be in by a certain date (or if it already is, let them know so they can stop working on it). If something goes wrong with the writing process, contact your writer and let them know about it. You should always get what you have paid for.

Writing styles and quality of service .

You should also find a custom writing service with many authors who can do their job in different ways. For example, some writers provide in-depth research papers, while others like to focus on a specific area (e.g., literature). Just browse through their samples and make sure that you can see the kind of writing they do.

Customer services support

When you are getting a paper from a professional writer, there should always be someone who will help you with your essay. For example, it’s okay to ask where you can find more information about how much an essay will cost. It’s also okay to ask if your teacher will accept the essay you have ordered on a certain topic. The best custom writing services will always offer their clients some support. You should always get answers from your customer service representative when you call or email them with questions or remarks about an order.

Recommendations

Finally, make sure you read reviews about the custom writing service you’re going to use: that way, you’ll know whether or not it’s worth paying for their services.

When it comes to choosing a professional essay writer, there are many things you need to be aware of and take into consideration. Do your homework before committing to any particular website, and avoid dealing with unreliable custom writing services.

You can find some reviews about essay writers on the web: just check out their testimonials and see whether or not they seem legitimate. You’ll also have to make sure your writer understands what you need. We also have a list of top writers !

The introduction paragraph is the most important part of your essay. It should not be underestimated, as it is necessary to hook readers on what will come next in a convincing way that makes them want to read more.

Therefore, it is very important to avoid common mistakes, or misinterpretations students often make when writing their introduction. The purpose of this post was to help you understand the paragraph and use it in such a way that it makes a good first impression on readers so that they are motivated to read more.

If you can do all of these things, you will be able to write a proper introduction for your essay that will lead to more positive results. If you still do not know where to start, click the green button below and leave it to our writers!

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Essay writing: Introductions

Introductions
Conclusions
Analysing questions
Planning & drafting
Revising & editing
Proofreading
Essay writing videos

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“A relevant and coherent beginning is perhaps your best single guarantee that the essay as a whole will achieve its object.” Gordon Taylor, A Student's Writing Guide

Your introduction is the first thing your marker will read and should be approximately 10% of your word count. Within the first minute they should know if your essay is going to be a good one or not. An introduction has several components but the most important of these are the last two we give here. You need to show the reader what your position is and how you are going to argue the case to get there so that the essay becomes your answer to the question rather than just an answer.

What an introduction should include:

A little basic background about the key subject area (just enough to put your essay into context, no more or you'll bore the reader).
Explanation of how you are defining any key terms . Confusion on this could be your undoing.
A road-map of how your essay will answer the question. What is your overall argument and how will you develop it?
A confirmation of your position .

Background information

It is good to start with a statement that fixes your essay topic and focus in a wider context so that the reader is sure of where they are within the field. This is a very small part of the introduction though - do not fall into the trap of writing a whole paragraph that is nothing but background information.

Beware though, this only has to be a little bit wider, not completely universal. That is, do not start with something like "In the whole field of nursing...." or "Since man could write, he has always...". Instead, simply situate the area that you are writing about within a slightly bigger area. For example, you could start with a general statement about a topic, outlining some key issues but explain that your essay will focus on only one. Here is an example:

The ability to communicate effectively and compassionately is a key skill within nursing. Communication is about more than being able to speak confidently and clearly, it is about effective listening (Singh, 2019), the use of gesture, body language and tone (Adebe et al., 2016) and the ability to tailor language and messaging to particular situations (Smith & Jones, 2015). This essay will explore the importance of non-verbal communication ...

The example introduction at the bottom of this page also starts with similar, short background information.

Prehistoric man with the caption "Since the dawn of man..."

Defining key terms

This does not mean quoting dictionary definitions - we all have access to dictionary.com with a click or two. There are many words we use in academic work that can have multiple or nuanced definitions. You have to write about how you are defining any potentially ambiguous terms in relation to your essay topic. This is really important for your reader, as it will inform them how you are using such words in the context of your essay and prevent confusion or misunderstanding.

Student deciding if 'superpower' relates to the USA and China or Superman and Spider-man

Stating your case (road mapping)

The main thing an introduction will do is...introduce your essay! That means you need to tell the reader what your conclusion is and how you will get there.

There is no need to worry about *SPOILER ALERTS* - this is not a detective novel you can give away the ending! Sorry, but building up suspense is just going to irritate the reader rather than eventually satisfy. Simply outline how your main arguments (give them in order) lead to your conclusion. In American essay guides you will see something described as the ‘thesis statement’ - although we don't use this terminology in the UK, it is still necessary to state in your introduction what the over-arching argument of your essay will be. Think of it as the mega-argument , to distinguish it from the mini-arguments you make in each paragraph. Look at the example introduction at the bottom of this page which includes both of these elements.

Car on a road to a place called 'Conclusion'

Confirming your position

To some extent, this is covered in your roadmap (above), but it is so important, it deserves some additional attention here. Setting out your position is an essential component of all essays. Brick et al. (2016:143) even suggest

"The purpose of an essay is to present a clear position and defend it"

It is, however, very difficult to defend a position if you have not made it clear in the first place. This is where your introduction comes in. In stating your position, you are ultimately outlining the answer to the question. You can then make the rest of your essay about providing the evidence that supports your answer. As such, if you make your position clear, you will find all subsequent paragraphs in your essay easier to write and join together. As you have already told your reader where the essay is going, you can be explicit in how each paragraph contributes to your mega-argument.

In establishing your position and defending it, you are ultimately engaging in scholarly debate. This is because your positions are supported by academic evidence and analysis. It is in your analysis of the academic evidence that should lead your reader to understand your position. Once again - this is only possible if your introduction has explained your position in the first place.

student standing on a cross holding a sign saying "my position"

An example introduction

(Essay title = Evaluate the role of stories as pedagogical tools in higher education)

Stories have been an essential communication technique for thousands of years and although teachers and parents still think they are important for educating younger children, they have been restricted to the role of entertainment for most of us since our teenage years. This essay will claim that stories make ideal pedagogical tools, whatever the age of the student, due to their unique position in cultural and cognitive development. To argue this, it will consider three main areas: firstly, the prevalence of stories across time and cultures and how the similarity of story structure suggests an inherent understanding of their form which could be of use to academics teaching multicultural cohorts when organising lecture material; secondly, the power of stories to enable listeners to personally relate to the content and how this increases the likelihood of changing thoughts, behaviours and decisions - a concept that has not gone unnoticed in some fields, both professional and academic; and finally, the way that different areas of the brain are activated when reading, listening to or watching a story unfold, which suggests that both understanding and ease of recall, two key components of learning, are both likely to be increased . Each of these alone could make a reasoned argument for including more stories within higher education teaching – taken together, this argument is even more compelling.

Key: Background information (scene setting) Stating the case (r oad map) Confirming a position (in two places). Note in this introduction there was no need to define key terms.

Brick, J., Herke, M., and Wong, D., (2016) Academic Culture, A students guide to studying at university, 3rd edition. Victoria, Australia: Palgrave Macmillan.

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IELTS Writing Task 2 Introduction Strategy | IELTS Weekly Specials | Mother isn’t Murder Podcast | Ep.15 | March 15, 2024 Mother isn't Murder

Mother isn’t Murder Podcast Host: Adenike Babalola (IELTS Coach with 6+ years experience) Episode Title: IELTS Writing Task 2 Introduction Strategy | IELTS Weekly Specials | Mother isn’t Murder Podcast | Ep.15 | March 15, 2024 Your IELTS Writing Task 2 Introduction should have two main parts, and these things give your Essay a strong start. When you paraphrase or rewrite the question in your own words, you show that you truly understand the question. When you state your response and include a summary of your points in the introduction, you give the examiner a clear picture of what your IELTS Essay will entail. Listen to this episode to learn how different IELTS examiners write their introductions and how you can write yours so you can achieve your desired IELTS result. Enjoy your listening. Click here to master IELTS Writing Task 2 using my ebook with SEVEN (7) essay samples. Download and Watch the video version of the IELTS Practice on the podcast for free here. If you love learning about the IELTS test through podcasts, discover more IELTS podcasts on FeedSpot here. Mother isn’t Murder is among the top 20 IELTS Podcasts to achieve your desired IELTS test band score. Go here to learn more about my Online IELTS Training program. Share this podcast show, Mother isn't Murder, with someone you know is preparing for the IELTS Test. Follow, Rate, and review Mother isn't Murder on Spotify or Mother isn't Murder on Apple Podcasts. Support the showEmail me here: [email protected] Listen to more IELTS practice episodes: https://motherisntmurder.buzzsprout.com/ Support my podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1832398/supporters/new

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Writing a Research Paper Introduction | Step-by-Step Guide

Published on September 24, 2022 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on March 27, 2023.

The introduction to a research paper is where you set up your topic and approach for the reader. It has several key goals:

Present your topic and get the reader interested
Provide background or summarize existing research
Position your own approach
Detail your specific research problem and problem statement
Give an overview of the paper’s structure

The introduction looks slightly different depending on whether your paper presents the results of original empirical research or constructs an argument by engaging with a variety of sources.

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Step 1: introduce your topic, step 2: describe the background, step 3: establish your research problem, step 4: specify your objective(s), step 5: map out your paper, research paper introduction examples, frequently asked questions about the research paper introduction.

The first job of the introduction is to tell the reader what your topic is and why it’s interesting or important. This is generally accomplished with a strong opening hook.

The hook is a striking opening sentence that clearly conveys the relevance of your topic. Think of an interesting fact or statistic, a strong statement, a question, or a brief anecdote that will get the reader wondering about your topic.

For example, the following could be an effective hook for an argumentative paper about the environmental impact of cattle farming:

A more empirical paper investigating the relationship of Instagram use with body image issues in adolescent girls might use the following hook:

Don’t feel that your hook necessarily has to be deeply impressive or creative. Clarity and relevance are still more important than catchiness. The key thing is to guide the reader into your topic and situate your ideas.

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This part of the introduction differs depending on what approach your paper is taking.

In a more argumentative paper, you’ll explore some general background here. In a more empirical paper, this is the place to review previous research and establish how yours fits in.

Argumentative paper: Background information

After you’ve caught your reader’s attention, specify a bit more, providing context and narrowing down your topic.

Provide only the most relevant background information. The introduction isn’t the place to get too in-depth; if more background is essential to your paper, it can appear in the body .

Empirical paper: Describing previous research

For a paper describing original research, you’ll instead provide an overview of the most relevant research that has already been conducted. This is a sort of miniature literature review —a sketch of the current state of research into your topic, boiled down to a few sentences.

This should be informed by genuine engagement with the literature. Your search can be less extensive than in a full literature review, but a clear sense of the relevant research is crucial to inform your own work.

Begin by establishing the kinds of research that have been done, and end with limitations or gaps in the research that you intend to respond to.

The next step is to clarify how your own research fits in and what problem it addresses.

Argumentative paper: Emphasize importance

In an argumentative research paper, you can simply state the problem you intend to discuss, and what is original or important about your argument.

Empirical paper: Relate to the literature

In an empirical research paper, try to lead into the problem on the basis of your discussion of the literature. Think in terms of these questions:

What research gap is your work intended to fill?
What limitations in previous work does it address?
What contribution to knowledge does it make?

You can make the connection between your problem and the existing research using phrases like the following.

Now you’ll get into the specifics of what you intend to find out or express in your research paper.

The way you frame your research objectives varies. An argumentative paper presents a thesis statement, while an empirical paper generally poses a research question (sometimes with a hypothesis as to the answer).

Argumentative paper: Thesis statement

The thesis statement expresses the position that the rest of the paper will present evidence and arguments for. It can be presented in one or two sentences, and should state your position clearly and directly, without providing specific arguments for it at this point.

Empirical paper: Research question and hypothesis

The research question is the question you want to answer in an empirical research paper.

Present your research question clearly and directly, with a minimum of discussion at this point. The rest of the paper will be taken up with discussing and investigating this question; here you just need to express it.

A research question can be framed either directly or indirectly.

This study set out to answer the following question: What effects does daily use of Instagram have on the prevalence of body image issues among adolescent girls?
We investigated the effects of daily Instagram use on the prevalence of body image issues among adolescent girls.

If your research involved testing hypotheses , these should be stated along with your research question. They are usually presented in the past tense, since the hypothesis will already have been tested by the time you are writing up your paper.

For example, the following hypothesis might respond to the research question above:

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The final part of the introduction is often dedicated to a brief overview of the rest of the paper.

In a paper structured using the standard scientific “introduction, methods, results, discussion” format, this isn’t always necessary. But if your paper is structured in a less predictable way, it’s important to describe the shape of it for the reader.

If included, the overview should be concise, direct, and written in the present tense.

This paper will first discuss several examples of survey-based research into adolescent social media use, then will go on to …
This paper first discusses several examples of survey-based research into adolescent social media use, then goes on to …

Full examples of research paper introductions are shown in the tabs below: one for an argumentative paper, the other for an empirical paper.

Argumentative paper
Empirical paper

Are cows responsible for climate change? A recent study (RIVM, 2019) shows that cattle farmers account for two thirds of agricultural nitrogen emissions in the Netherlands. These emissions result from nitrogen in manure, which can degrade into ammonia and enter the atmosphere. The study’s calculations show that agriculture is the main source of nitrogen pollution, accounting for 46% of the country’s total emissions. By comparison, road traffic and households are responsible for 6.1% each, the industrial sector for 1%. While efforts are being made to mitigate these emissions, policymakers are reluctant to reckon with the scale of the problem. The approach presented here is a radical one, but commensurate with the issue. This paper argues that the Dutch government must stimulate and subsidize livestock farmers, especially cattle farmers, to transition to sustainable vegetable farming. It first establishes the inadequacy of current mitigation measures, then discusses the various advantages of the results proposed, and finally addresses potential objections to the plan on economic grounds.

The rise of social media has been accompanied by a sharp increase in the prevalence of body image issues among women and girls. This correlation has received significant academic attention: Various empirical studies have been conducted into Facebook usage among adolescent girls (Tiggermann & Slater, 2013; Meier & Gray, 2014). These studies have consistently found that the visual and interactive aspects of the platform have the greatest influence on body image issues. Despite this, highly visual social media (HVSM) such as Instagram have yet to be robustly researched. This paper sets out to address this research gap. We investigated the effects of daily Instagram use on the prevalence of body image issues among adolescent girls. It was hypothesized that daily Instagram use would be associated with an increase in body image concerns and a decrease in self-esteem ratings.

The introduction of a research paper includes several key elements:

A hook to catch the reader’s interest
Relevant background on the topic
Details of your research problem

and your problem statement

A thesis statement or research question
Sometimes an overview of the paper

Don’t feel that you have to write the introduction first. The introduction is often one of the last parts of the research paper you’ll write, along with the conclusion.

This is because it can be easier to introduce your paper once you’ve already written the body ; you may not have the clearest idea of your arguments until you’ve written them, and things can change during the writing process .

The way you present your research problem in your introduction varies depending on the nature of your research paper . A research paper that presents a sustained argument will usually encapsulate this argument in a thesis statement .

A research paper designed to present the results of empirical research tends to present a research question that it seeks to answer. It may also include a hypothesis —a prediction that will be confirmed or disproved by your research.

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Step 3: Overview of the Main Points and Essay Structure

Step 4: Write the Thesis Statement

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Choose Your Test

What Is an Introduction Paragraph?

The 3 Main Parts of an Intro Paragraph

Intro Paragraph Part 1: The Hook

Intro Paragraph Part 2: Context

Intro Paragraph Part 3: The Thesis

How To Write an Introduction Paragraph: Example and Analysis

Example of Introduction Paragraph

Example of Introduction Paragraph: Analysis

Does the Intro Have a Good Hook?

Does the Intro Give Context?

Does the Intro Have a Thesis?

4 Tips for How To Write an Introduction Paragraph

Tip 1: Analyze Your Essay Prompt

Tip 2: Narrow Your Topic

Tip 3: Do Your Research

Tip 4: Write Multiple Drafts

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Introductions

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