The introduction to your essay is your reader’s first impression of it. So, it’s important that you make it a good one.
But what is a “good introduction”? It’s one that grabs your readers attention, makes them interested in your topic and inspires them to want to read more.
Here are some tips on how to write the best possible introduction to your essay:
Consider writing your introduction last
Sometimes, you don’t know how to start your essay until you’ve already written it. After presenting your arguments and including all the supporting details for your thesis statement, it may be easier for you to go back and choose the best way to introduce what you’ve just written.
Or write a draft intro
If you absolutely must write the introduction first, that’s fine too. Remember, you can always go back and rework it in the final editing process after you have a better idea of the direction you wish to take.
Choose your intro technique
There are some tried and trued tricks for introducing a topic in an interesting way. Here are some of the all-time favorites:
- Tell an anecdote. An anecdote is a story that serves as an example of the topic you plan to write about. It has to be a true story and it should be intriguing enough to raise the interest of your reader.
- Use a quote. An inspiring quote can be a powerful way to introduce your topic. Quotes that are written by famous people or experts on the subject have the extra benefit of loaning credibility to your intro.
- Cite a statistic. Sometimes numbers can speak volumes about an issue and really drive home the importance of a specific topic. If I told you, “It’s important that we pay attention to climate change”, how strongly would you respond? But if I told you, “By 2030, 30 American cities including New York City, New Orleans and Los Angeles will all be underwater if we don’t pay attention to climate change,” then I probably have your attention. Be careful not to make up statistics or facts. Make sure your sources for the stats you quote are credible.
Perfect your thesis statement
An important part of your introduction is your thesis statement. Usually the last sentence of the opening paragraph, this is where you distill your topic into a single sentence that tells your reader your stance on the topic and exactly what you plan to talk about in your essay. Your thesis statement should pronounce an opinion and it should be as specific as possible.
- For example: “Global warming could pose serious problems for the future.” This is a weak statement because it’s too general and also doesn’t really claim a position.
- Here’s a better example: “Global warming threatens to endanger human and animal populations through spread of disease, starvation and climatic instability.” Now you have a sentence that states an opinion and also lets the reader know exactly what you plan to talk about in your essay.
Edit your intro
Whether you wrote your introduction first or last, it’s important to edit it after you finish writing your first draft. After putting so much effort into writing and refining it, you don’t want to spoil it with grammar or spelling mistakes. Also check for awkward phrasing and make sure it fits with the rest of your essay.
Your essay should hold your reader’s attention with an interesting story, quote or statistic. It should also define the topic you plan to discuss with a well-written thesis statement. These elements will help you write a great introduction to any essay, every time. Good luck and happy writing!