A good essay introduction paragraph sets the stage or the context for the statement you are arguing. It provides an overview of what the essay is about.
An essay introduction should do three things:
The following introduction paragraph is taken from our essay example “Donald Trump’s victory in the 2016 US elections”.
Donald Trump’s victory in the 2016 US election was nothing short of a revolution (Hook – start your essay with a strong opening statement that grabs readers’ attention). The Democrats’ last stand largely rested on Mrs Clinton’s strength in the Midwest. Those were states that had gone Democratic for decades, based in part on the support of black and working-class white voters.
Those working-class white people, particularly those without a college education – men and women – deserted the party in droves (Background information so you can put your main idea into perspective).
The situation eased Donald Trump’s path to success as he defied all expectations from the very beginning of his presidential campaign. Few experts believed he could run for an election and win any primaries. But he proved his critics wrong by winning a sweeping victory in the presidential race (Thesis statement that presents the main point of your essay). This essay discusses the causes that resulted in working-class white voters leaving the democratic party.
It then analyses why the USA’s political gurus did not consider Trump a threat to the democrats. Subsequently, it examines the republican moves that ensured Trump’s victory and their wide-ranging effects on the USA’s political system (Essay structure overview to indicate what the essay covers).
We have brought the five best steps that you need to follow for writing the perfect essay introduction.
Open your essay with a bold, concise and intriguing claim that would lure your reader into curiosity and capture their attention. However, avoid any claims that are too broad or purely based on facts.
The opening sentence should not be too long. Make it concise, clear and to the point. The hook or opening statement allows you to lead the reader into your essay. It provides an insight into the topic you are investigating and why the readers should continue to read it.
Here are some examples of good essay hooks.
The following examples of weak hooks will help improve your essay hook.
Example
“X Donald Trump’s victory in the 2016 US election was important.”
Example
“Donald Trump’s victory in the 2016 US election was nothing short of a revolution.”
As you may notice, the first example hook is a dry fact. The second statement is more powerful and convincing as it makes a bold claim about the significance of Donald Trump’s victory in the 2016 US elections.
Example
“X Sustainable living describes a lifestyle that attempts to reduce an individual’s or society’s use of the Earth’s natural resources and one’s personal resources.”
Example
“Shifting to sustainable living can heal the planet Earth, which is suffering from slow carbon poisoning.”
Avoid writing a simple definition of the idea you are exploring as the opening sentence. An obvious fact that everyone knows will not hook the reader. On the other hand, the preceding example provides more meaningful and precise information about the essay.
Example
“X The Quran is a notable religious book from the 7th century.
The Quran is often regarded as the most popular and widely used religious book
globally, containing the central religious text of Islam.”
Rather than simply writing something that your readers already know, the above-improved hook example introduces an intriguing claim about the religious significance of the book of the Holy Quran.
Next, provide background information so your readers can comprehend the context of your topic. The background information generally includes the following:
The background information should be specific, clear, concise, and to the point. Any information that does not relate to the central argument of your essay should not be included here. However, avoid going into too much detail.
The background text should refer to the main body’s important points without supporting evidence and analysis.
“The Democrats’ last stand largely rested on Mrs Clinton’s strength in the Midwest. Those were states that had gone Democratic for decades, based partly on the support of black and working-class white voters. Those working-class white people, particularly without a college education – men and women – deserted the party in droves.”
Also read: How to shorten an essay?
We make sure our essays are:
Write a specific, focused, and concise thesis statement that clearly shows why your essay’s topic is of significant importance. In essence, a thesis statement sums up the essay’s central idea in one or two sentences.
The thesis statement is the most important part of the introduction section in essay writing. Your thesis statement should be a claim that is backed by supporting evidence and interpretation.
The aim should be to present your main argument and define your independent position about the essay topic.
“The situation eased Donald Trump’s path to success as he defied all expectations from the very beginning of his presidential campaign. Few experts believed he could run for an election and win any primaries. But he proved his critics wrong by winning a sweeping victory in the presidential race.”
You may not need to develop this section for a short high school essay. However, in more extended pieces, especially those for undergraduate and master’s degree programmes, it will make sense to close out the introduction by mapping your essay’s structure.
Signposting the different parts of the essay will help your reader establish the key points discussed and identify your position on the issue.
“This essay discusses the causes that resulted in working-class white voters leaving the democratic party. It then analyses why the USA’s political gurus did not consider Trump a threat to the democrats. Subsequently, it examines the republican moves that ensured Trump’s victory and its wide-ranging effects on the USA’s political system.”
Proofread, proofread, and proofread again. The central argument of your essay will likely evolve as you dig deep to uncover facts about your essay topic.
Although the introduction is the first section of an essay, it is usually written last. This is because your thoughts and ideas will continue to develop through the writing process. What you write in the introduction paragraph at the start could be completely different from what you write in it if you wait until later.
Write the main body and the conclusion before returning to the introduction to make sure it relates to the content of the rest of the essay. Lastly, the process of editing and improving will not stop until you submit the prose.
Also read: How to write an argumentative essay?
An essay introduction should be around 10% of the total word count of the essay, excluding the citations or list of references. For example, an academic essay introduction of 2000 words would be around 200-250 words. You can follow this rule of thumb even for your research papers as well.
Use the following essay introduction checklist to ensure your introduction section aligns with the best practices.
Also read: How to write a narrative essay?
The essay introduction should include the following;
A hook is a strong opening statement that grabs the attention of your readers. It should not be a long and tedious statement or a simple definition, but rather an engaging sentence to pique your reader’s curiosity.
A thesis statement is a sentence containing the central argument of your essay or paper. It should be placed in the introduction of an essay.
Yes, all academic essays should include a thesis statement for the reasons listed below.
Without a concise and focused thesis statement, your readers will struggle to figure out what the essay is all about.
Using an attention-grabbing or a surprising fact works best in writing a strong hook for the introduction of an essay. Avoid using cliché statements to avoid misleading the readers and losing your academic integrity.
You can start the prose with a hook statement, add brief background information, and present a clear thesis statement before concluding the introductory paragraph of your essay. Keep the content concise and to the point to help readers get hooked and lead them towards the conclusion.
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