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Sophie
Student
Powder Springs, Georgia
1
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How to write a introduction?
Introduction paragraph tips
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4 answers
Aisha Taylor
Mortgage Closing Specialist
464
Answers
Detroit, Michigan
Updated
Aisha’s Answer
Hello Sophie,
In the simplest terms, the purpose of an introductory paragraph is to transition the reader from their everyday reality into the thought-provoking and analytical world of an essay.
More specifically, an introduction serves three key purposes:
1. It distinctly and accurately outlines the topic or question that your essay will explore.
2. It sparks interest in the topic or question that the essay will scrutinize.
3. It openly and directly communicates your stance on this topic or question, essentially, your thesis.
Persona
As your reader delves into your introduction, they'll start forming impressions about you as a writer. It's crucial to portray yourself as a considerate, well-informed, and impartial writer who can adeptly handle the intricacies and subtleties of your subject. Your introduction should establish a tone that will be maintained throughout your essay. Besides highlighting the originality of your approach to your topic, you should aim to captivate your reader with your eloquent writing and the logical persona you display as a writer.
Contextualization
Along with defining the topic and scope of your analysis, your introduction should equip your readers with any background or context required to comprehend how your argument fits into the broader discussion on the subject. The details you use to familiarize your reader with your topic should be seamlessly integrated into the structural elements of your introduction outlined below.
Structural Components
Opener
Beyond capturing the reader’s curiosity, the first sentence of an essay lays the groundwork for the structure of the introductory paragraph. You aim to create a flow among your ideas, which is best achieved by transitioning either from specific to general or from general to specific. Essays that transition from specific to general often start with an anecdote, quote, fact or detail from the text that can be used to introduce readers to the broader issues the essay will tackle. Introductions that transition from general to specific — commonly known as the funnel structure — often start with a broader perspective of the topic that will be used to establish a context for the more focused argument that the author will present.
Shared Context
Statements about the topic that the author presents as common knowledge or non-controversial, which the reader will readily accept as true without extensive evidence or argument. The shared context often involves a claim or claims that are evidently true, which the "motive" and "thesis" will then challenge or even contradict.
Topic or Purpose
The introductory paragraph should leave the reader with a clear comprehension of the specific subject area that your essay will examine. Defining your essay’s scope in this manner often involves differentiating your specific focus from the broader discourse on your topic. While not always necessary, many essays include a purpose statement that directly informs the reader: “this paper explores…” or “the objective of this essay is to…”
Motive
The motive is a specific sentence, usually located around the middle of your introduction, that explains to the reader why your thesis is intriguing, unexpected, and/or debatable. Essentially, your motive answers the reader’s potential question of “so what?” in relation to your thesis. Since they demonstrate that the truth about a subject is not as straightforward as it may appear, motive statements often use terms of reversal — “yet,” “but,” “however,” etc. — that indicate a shift from the expected.
Thesis Statement
The thesis statement is the central assertion your essay will make about your chosen topic. As the topic area must first be described and motivated, the thesis statement is typically positioned near the end of the introduction.
Roadmap
Although this is often not required in shorter papers, longer (seven-plus pages) or particularly complex essays are often easier for the reader to comprehend if the author provides a preview of the essay’s structure at the beginning of the paper. In especially lengthy essays (20-plus pages), this outline of the essay’s structure may necessitate a paragraph of its own (usually the second paragraph).
In the simplest terms, the purpose of an introductory paragraph is to transition the reader from their everyday reality into the thought-provoking and analytical world of an essay.
More specifically, an introduction serves three key purposes:
1. It distinctly and accurately outlines the topic or question that your essay will explore.
2. It sparks interest in the topic or question that the essay will scrutinize.
3. It openly and directly communicates your stance on this topic or question, essentially, your thesis.
Persona
As your reader delves into your introduction, they'll start forming impressions about you as a writer. It's crucial to portray yourself as a considerate, well-informed, and impartial writer who can adeptly handle the intricacies and subtleties of your subject. Your introduction should establish a tone that will be maintained throughout your essay. Besides highlighting the originality of your approach to your topic, you should aim to captivate your reader with your eloquent writing and the logical persona you display as a writer.
Contextualization
Along with defining the topic and scope of your analysis, your introduction should equip your readers with any background or context required to comprehend how your argument fits into the broader discussion on the subject. The details you use to familiarize your reader with your topic should be seamlessly integrated into the structural elements of your introduction outlined below.
Structural Components
Opener
Beyond capturing the reader’s curiosity, the first sentence of an essay lays the groundwork for the structure of the introductory paragraph. You aim to create a flow among your ideas, which is best achieved by transitioning either from specific to general or from general to specific. Essays that transition from specific to general often start with an anecdote, quote, fact or detail from the text that can be used to introduce readers to the broader issues the essay will tackle. Introductions that transition from general to specific — commonly known as the funnel structure — often start with a broader perspective of the topic that will be used to establish a context for the more focused argument that the author will present.
Shared Context
Statements about the topic that the author presents as common knowledge or non-controversial, which the reader will readily accept as true without extensive evidence or argument. The shared context often involves a claim or claims that are evidently true, which the "motive" and "thesis" will then challenge or even contradict.
Topic or Purpose
The introductory paragraph should leave the reader with a clear comprehension of the specific subject area that your essay will examine. Defining your essay’s scope in this manner often involves differentiating your specific focus from the broader discourse on your topic. While not always necessary, many essays include a purpose statement that directly informs the reader: “this paper explores…” or “the objective of this essay is to…”
Motive
The motive is a specific sentence, usually located around the middle of your introduction, that explains to the reader why your thesis is intriguing, unexpected, and/or debatable. Essentially, your motive answers the reader’s potential question of “so what?” in relation to your thesis. Since they demonstrate that the truth about a subject is not as straightforward as it may appear, motive statements often use terms of reversal — “yet,” “but,” “however,” etc. — that indicate a shift from the expected.
Thesis Statement
The thesis statement is the central assertion your essay will make about your chosen topic. As the topic area must first be described and motivated, the thesis statement is typically positioned near the end of the introduction.
Roadmap
Although this is often not required in shorter papers, longer (seven-plus pages) or particularly complex essays are often easier for the reader to comprehend if the author provides a preview of the essay’s structure at the beginning of the paper. In especially lengthy essays (20-plus pages), this outline of the essay’s structure may necessitate a paragraph of its own (usually the second paragraph).
Curtz W. Jackson
Content and Script Writer
11
Answers
Bay Shore, New York
Updated
Curtz W.’s Answer
Hello, Sophie
I am glad to see you want to expand your creative writing abilities. I appreciate Deborah’s reply; please consider it. I was wondering what writing style you were referring to; there are fiction, non-fiction, academic, reports, formal, and personal letters involving suitable introductions.
If you wish, please reply with specifics. It will be an honor for me to respond.
My suggestion for whichever above is to visit a public library or terrific bookstore and read scores of introductions by authors. Seek the best examples, especially the bestsellers that hook readers. To be safe, please avoid copyright violations, not even a suggestion of the act, but you’re aware of that.
I am practicing employing dialogue as an introduction, as in my short story, “The Rain Plunder.” Using variations is advisable. I wish you the best.
I am glad to see you want to expand your creative writing abilities. I appreciate Deborah’s reply; please consider it. I was wondering what writing style you were referring to; there are fiction, non-fiction, academic, reports, formal, and personal letters involving suitable introductions.
If you wish, please reply with specifics. It will be an honor for me to respond.
My suggestion for whichever above is to visit a public library or terrific bookstore and read scores of introductions by authors. Seek the best examples, especially the bestsellers that hook readers. To be safe, please avoid copyright violations, not even a suggestion of the act, but you’re aware of that.
I am practicing employing dialogue as an introduction, as in my short story, “The Rain Plunder.” Using variations is advisable. I wish you the best.
Ann-Marie Giglio
Freelance writer and author
12
Answers
Monterey, California
Updated
Ann-Marie’s Answer
Hi Sophie,
When I’m writing an essay or research paper, I like to draft the middle first—all the points I want to make. Then, I draft the conclusion (the point of your argument/paper), and finally, I write the introduction because only then do I know what my audience is about to read.
When I’m writing an essay or research paper, I like to draft the middle first—all the points I want to make. Then, I draft the conclusion (the point of your argument/paper), and finally, I write the introduction because only then do I know what my audience is about to read.
deborah kania, bfa, mba
Marketing
65
Answers
New Bern, North Carolina
Updated
deborah’s Answer
Hello Sophie! Great question. In an introduction, you will be informing readers of what you will be writing about. The introduction could have the following sentences in this order.
First sentence will grab the readers attention, and want them to read on.
Background - what does reader need to know before reading the rest of the paper.
Topic - what is/are the main ideas of the paper?
Then, your "thesis statement" which is your argument, explanation or analysis related to the topic
Finally, a sentence that that transitions to the first paragraph.
I included a website resource to show you examples.
I hope this answer is helpful to you.
https://www.yourdictionary.com/articles/examples-strong-intro-paragraphs
First sentence will grab the readers attention, and want them to read on.
Background - what does reader need to know before reading the rest of the paper.
Topic - what is/are the main ideas of the paper?
Then, your "thesis statement" which is your argument, explanation or analysis related to the topic
Finally, a sentence that that transitions to the first paragraph.
I included a website resource to show you examples.
I hope this answer is helpful to you.
deborah recommends the following next steps: