How do I write a strong introduction?
A good introduction paragraph for an academic paper establishes the following: [1]
- it grabs the reader’s attention
- it introduces your subject
- presents your thesis statement
The introduction is an essential component to any essay but can be drafted at any time during the writing process. If it is written after body paragraphs are drafted, you can write a dynamic introduction based on the established content.
The introduction should begin with an eye-catching opening sentence that gradually provides detail as it leads to your thesis statement. The length of your introduction will vary with the length and scope of your essay. For example, an in-class essay may have a three-to-four sentence introduction, while a research paper might have a two-to-three paragraph introduction. Whatever its length, the introduction should gain in detail and specificity as it approaches the thesis statement; the thesis will generally be the intro’s last sentence, the most detailed and precise statement of the introduction.
- Unlike many shows on TV today, Star Trek: The Next Generation presents a view of humanity’s future that makes many of today’s social problems seem almost barbaric. In the Star Trek universe, humanity has evolved to the point where many of the difficulties facing humanity today — like racial hatred, insecurities about technology, and daily violence — have been eliminated, which provides a hopeful outlook on tomorrow. Star Trek should not be cancelled because it presents a positive view of humanity in its use of technology, its focus on diplomacy over violence, and its willingness to engage complex social issues like racial relations.
The introduction here begins with an eye-catching opening statement and then presents the central point of the essay.
Think of the essay as an hourglass, wide at the top, slowly narrowing to the center, then widening again at the bottom. The introduction begins at the top: the widest part of the hourglass — and slowly narrows to the thesis. Your body paragraphs, since they address the topic in the most detail, would be the at the neck of the hourglass, and your conclusion will flow out again to the general.
Other strategies for an introduction could include a short anecdote that leads into your subject, a brief background on the subject, an appropriate quotation, a refutation of a common belief or an argument that counters your position, or a fact or statistic. Whatever you choose, remember to make it interesting to grab attention, introduce your subject early, and lead into your thesis.
First impressions matter greatly in writing: be sure to make your introduction as effective as possible.