How to write an introduction to an essay

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Content

Steps
Part 1 of 3: Introduction to the Different Types of Essays
Part 2 of 3: Essay outline
Part 3 of 3: Applying Special Strategies
Tips
Warnings

It is very important to write the first paragraph or several paragraphs of the essay correctly. This will help you not only interest the reader, but also set the tone for the entire text that follows. Strictly speaking, there is no single right way to start an essay. You can write essays on a wide variety of topics, and you can start in a variety of ways. However, the best introductions have similarities. If you take them into account, you will be able to work out the introduction better. Let's get started!

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Introduction to the Different Types of Essays

1 If you give any arguments in your essay, summarize them in the introduction. There are no two identical essays (apart from cases of plagiarism), however, there are general principles that will help you make the essay as effective as possible, no matter what purpose you pursue.For example, if you are trying to convince the reader of something in your essay, you may find it helpful to summarize your thoughts in the first paragraph or in the first few paragraphs of the introduction. This will help the reader understand how you will support your thoughts.
- For example, if you are opposed to the introduction of a new sales tax, you might include in the introduction this phrase: “The introduction of this tax is a serious mistake from a financial point of view. This tax will expose the low-income segments of the population to an unbearable financial burden and have a negative impact on the local economy. This essay will provide evidence that can dispel all doubts about the incorrectness of such a step. " This will allow the reader to immediately see what the essay is about, and it will help you substantiate your point of view from the very first paragraph.
2 If you're writing a fiction, try to grab the reader's attention. Fiction texts are filled with emotion much more than all other texts. In such writings, it is appropriate to start with metaphors. If you try to write something fun or memorable in the first few phrases, you can get the reader interested in your work. Since fiction texts do not imply such a rigid structure as in analytical essays (that is, planning a structure, formulating a goal), here you will have more freedom of expression.
- For example, if you are writing a gripping story about a girl who is hiding from the authorities' persecution, you can start with a vivid image: “The sound of sirens burst into the smoky rooms of a cheap hotel. Red and blue lights flashed like the cameras of photojournalists. Sweat mixed with rusty water on the grip of her pistol. Here is the introduction!
- It's important to note that the first few sentences can be interesting even if they don't have a lot of action. Tolkien's The Hobbit begins like this: “There was a hole in the ground, and a hobbit lived in the hole. The burrow was not at all dirty and not at all damp; no worms swarmed in it, slugs did not crawl on the walls, no - it was dry and warm in the hole, it smelled nice, there was something to sit on and what to eat - in a word, the hole belonged to a hobbit, and therefore, of course, it was cozy in in all respects. " This raises several questions at once. Who is the hobbit? Why does he live in a burrow? The reader will read on to find out everything.
3 If you're writing art and entertainment text, tie some details to the main theme. Work in this area (writing reviews of films, books, and so on) has fewer rules and requirements than writing technical texts, but the introduction to an essay, even in such texts, can be more interesting when using the technique of overlapping details. You can make the beginning frivolous, but still describe the main topic of the essay or point it out with small but important details.
- For example, if you are writing a review analyzing Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master, you might start like this: “There is one little episode in this film that is hard to forget. When Joaquin Phoenix speaks with his youthful love for the last time, water suddenly breaks through the screen that separates the characters, hugs the girl and kisses her. It's beautiful and weird at the same time, but this scene captures very well the intricate theme of love in the film. " By mentioning such a small but effective moment, you will be able to make the reader understand what will be discussed next, in an unusual way.
4 If you're writing a technical or scientific essay, don't go overboard. Not all writing needs to be exciting. Wits and fantasies have no place in the world of serious analytical, technical, and scientific writing. Such texts serve a practical purpose: they inform the reader about serious and important issues.Since these texts pursue only an informative purpose (and sometimes are designed to convince the reader of something), they should not use jokes, vivid images or anything else that is not directly related to the task at hand.
- For example, if you are writing an analytical essay on the pros and cons of ways to protect metal from corrosion, you should start like this: “Corrosion is an electrochemical process in which metal is decomposed by the environment. Since this poses a threat to the integrity of metal objects and structures, various methods have been developed to protect the metal from corrosion. " Such a start will be simple and to the point. There is no room for sophisticated style or verbal tinsel.
- Remember that essays written in this style often have a summary of the main points preceding the body. Learn to write abstract.
5 If you are a journalist, write the most important first. Journalistic essays differ from other styles: they usually emphasize facts rather than opinions of the author, so the introductory phrases in such essays will be more descriptive (they will not have arguments or the desire to convince the reader of something). In serious objective journalism, authors are required to put the most important information in the first sentence so that the reader can learn about the essence of the article immediately after reading the title.
- For example, if you are a journalist who has been assigned to write a report on a fire, you can start it like this: “Four residential buildings on Vishneva Street were hit by a massive fire caused by a fire in the wiring. Five adults and one child were taken to a nearby hospital with injuries sustained in the fire, but no one was killed. " By starting with the most important information, most readers will immediately get the information they need.
- More details and context can be added in the following paragraphs so that readers who are ready to read the entire article can get more detailed information.

Part 2 of 3: Essay outline

1 Start with a sentence that will interest your reader. The topic of the essay interests you because you are the author of this essay, but the reader will not necessarily treat it the same way. Typically, readers are very selective about what they are willing to pay attention to and what they are not. If the first paragraph doesn't impress them, they won't read any further, so it is very important to start your essay with a sentence that immediately grabs the reader's attention. If this sentence is logically linked to the rest of the text, there is nothing wrong with using it as bait.
- Don't worry if you can't come up with a hook right off the bat to catch the reader! Many authors leave the first sentence at the end, as it is easier to come up with when the text of the essay is ready.
- Try to start with a curious and little-known fact or statistic. For example, if you’re writing about the growing problem of obesity among children around the world, you might start like this: “Contrary to the popular belief that obesity among children is only a problem for the wealthy and spoiled Westerners, the WHO report states that more than 30% of preschoolers in developing countries are overweight or obese. "
- You can also start with a stunning description or picture, if appropriate in your essay. Try to start your summer vacation essay like this: "When I felt the heat of the sun penetrating through the dense crowns, and heard the cry of monkeys somewhere in the distance, I realized that I was in an amazing place."
2 Lead readers to the essence of the essay. A good first sentence can grab the reader's attention, but if you don't continue to develop the thought, he will give up reading in the middle. The first sentence should be followed by one or two more phrases that will logically link the first sentence and the main text. Typically, these sentences are a continuation of the first phrase and broaden the context.
- For example, if you are writing about obesity, you might continue like this: "Childhood obesity is a serious problem that affects both rich and poor countries." This sentence will explain the importance of the problem described in the first sentence and place it in a broader context.
- In the case of the essay about the holidays, you can write the following continuation: "I found myself in the thickest of the jungle of the Tortuguero National Park, and there I discovered all the facets of the word" delusion "." This sentence explains to the reader where the original image came from, and brings it to the essence of the essay, hinting that the author is both lost and in some way mistaken.
3 Tell the reader what your essay is about. More often than not, essays are not just descriptions. They cannot exist just to to report something to you in simple words. As a rule, the author of an essay has a specific goal. The essay can be aimed at making the reader change his mind about a question. The writer may also seek to convince the reader to do something for a specific reason, or want to shed light on something that is usually misunderstood. He may also want to just tell a story that makes the reader think. Whatever the intention of the writer, in the introduction he should explain to the reader what the purpose of this essay is. Thanks to this, the reader will be able to understand whether he should read the entire text or not.
- Going back to the obesity example, you can sum it up like this: "The purpose of this essay is to analyze current trends in obesity among children around the world and make recommendations to combat this problem." This will explain exactly what your goal is and the reader will know exactly what to expect.
- The essay on the holidays can be continued like this: “This is a story about a summer spent in Costa Rica. About summer, which nothing could stop it from turning: not spider bites, not rotten bananas, not the disease known as “Montezuma's revenge”. " This will let the reader know what he is about to learn about traveling to another country, while hinting at what happened to the author and what will be discussed in the main part of the essay.
4 Sketch out the structure of the essay if desired. Sometimes, during the introduction phase, it is important to think about how exactly you plan to reach your goal. It can be helpful to break your essay into distinct, clear sections to help the reader understand the text more easily. If you are a student or learner, this skill will come in handy too, because many educators require it. However, it is not worth listing all the points of the essay in the essay. It also happens, especially if the essay is written in simple language about something frivolous, that listing parts makes the text machine-readable. Most likely, this will scare off the reader, because he will immediately have a lot of information in front of him.
- In the case of the obesity essay, you can continue like this: "This essay addresses three health issues: the growing availability of high-calorie foods, lack of exercise, and the growing popularity of immobile leisure activities." If your essay is written clearly and to the point, listing the main points will not be a bad idea, as it will help the reader immediately understand how the main text of the essay relates to the introduction.
- At the same time, in the essay about the holidays, do so not worth it... Since we have already decided that this essay will be light and unobtrusive, it would be strange to write something like this: "Having explored urban life in the capital of San Jose and rural life in the jungle of Tortuguero, I have changed as a person." Is not terrible sentence, but it does not fit well with all the sentences that precede it, because it has a rigid structure, which is not needed here.
5 Formulate the main position of the essay, if necessary. A guideline is one sentence that describes a key statement in an essay as accurately and concisely as possible.When writing some essays as a study paper or part of a standard exam, have a main point in the introduction necessarily... Even if you do not have such requirements, it will be helpful to clearly articulate the main thesis of the work. Usually the main point is placed near the end of the first paragraph, although there are no hard and fast rules.
- Since this essay on obesity is about an important topic and you will write in simple, non-descriptive language, the main point can be formulated as follows: "Based on the analysis of research data, this essay will provide recommendations on possible ways to reduce obesity." Such a thesis will explain to the reader in a few words what the purpose of the essay is.
- In an essay on vacations, this is not required. Since the mood, the story and the description of something personal are more important here, a straightforward phrase like: "This essay describes my vacation in Costa Rica in detail" - will sound stiff and inappropriate.
6 Set the right tone for your essay. The introduction should not only explain what will be discussed, but also tell how exactly you will talk about it. Your writing style is another factor that can attract or repel your reader. Keeping your introduction simple, enjoyable, and relevant to the topic will make your readers more likely to read everything to the end than if the text is confusing, you will jump from topic to topic, and the tone of the story will be uneven.
- Pay attention to the suggestions we used in the examples above. Both the obesity essay and the vacation essay have their own style, and both texts are written in understandable language that suits these topics. The obesity essay is a serious topic and is an analytical text related to a medical problem, so the proposals can be strict and to the point. An essay about vacations is a fascinating text about amazing adventures that have had a significant impact on the author, therefore the proposals are lighter weight, and they have many interesting details that reflect the author's desire to get acquainted with new things.
7 Cut down! One of the most important rules about introductions is that the shorter the introductory part, the better. If you can provide all the important information in five sentences instead of six, then do so. If you can replace a difficult and incomprehensible word with a simple and common one, replace it (for example, it is better to correct “initiate” with “start”). If you can convey to the reader the meaning of the phrase in 10 words, not 12, do so. If you have the opportunity to make the introduction shorter without losing the quality and clarity of the text, always choose the short version. Remember that the introduction brings the reader to the point of your essay and is not the essay itself, so do not stretch out the introduction.
- As mentioned above, you need to strive for brevity, but you should not shorten the introduction so that it becomes incomprehensible and illogical. For example, in an essay on obesity, do not abbreviate the phrase "Childhood obesity is a serious problem that affects rich and poor countries alike," to "Obesity is a big problem." The second sentence does not reflect the whole essence of the problem. Your essay is about increasing obesity among children around the world, not obesity in general.

Part 3 of 3: Applying Special Strategies

1 Try writing an introduction at the end of your entire work. When it comes time to start writing an essay, many authors forget that there is no rule that requires you to write an introduction first. You can start with any part of the essay, including the middle and the ending, provided that you manage to combine everything into a finished text.
- If you're not sure where to start, or don't know what your essay will be about, try skipping the introduction and moving on to other parts.You will still have to write it, but after you complete the main part, it will be easier for you to sketch out the intro.
2 Think about ideas. At times, even the best authors run out of ideas. If you find it difficult to write an introduction, try writing down all the possible ideas you have at a fast pace. They are not necessarily good, but they can push you into very good thought.
- Try to write everything. This exercise involves the fixation of absolutely any thoughts and words. Write sentences like a stream of consciousness to stir yourself up. The end result may turn out to be complete nonsense, but if this exercise gives you even a little inspiration, you can consider it helpful.
3 Correct the text. It is almost impossible to write the text the first time. A good writer knows that you cannot turn in a text without re-reading it several times. The checker allows you to spot spelling and grammatical errors, correct blurry phrases, omit unnecessary information, and much more. This is especially important in the introduction, as small mistakes at the beginning of the text can negatively affect your reputation, so always check your essays carefully.
- Let's say your essay has a minor grammatical mistake in the first sentence. Despite the fact that this error is minor, the fact that it ended up in such an important place may lead the reader to the idea that the writer is negligent in his duties or simply is not a professional. If you get paid for writing (or grades), you shouldn't take that risk.
4 Ask the other person for their opinion. No writer writes in a vacuum. If you're not feeling inspired, try talking to someone you respect to see what that person thinks in the prologue of your essay. Since this person will not be as interested in your work as you are, they can give you helpful advice and point out things that you forgot to think about because you were passionate about writing an introduction.
- Do not be afraid to ask the opinions of teachers, teachers, and other people who have given you an assignment to write an essay. Usually, people take these requests as a sign that you are serious about the assignment. In addition, these people will already have an idea of what they expect from your work, so they can give you advice on content and form that will meet their expectations.

Tips

Know what you are writing about; vary offers and designs. There is nothing worse than a bunch of boring sheets of text. It is important to arouse the interest of the reader. If you yourself do not understand a given topic, the reader will also not understand anything, and this will lead to a bad rating.
When choosing a topic for a term paper or dissertation, try narrowing or expanding the topic, or changing a topic that seems useless.
Be polite and respectful when seeking advice. Your best bet is to seek advice from the instructor who asked you to write your essay.
Excellent students often turn to teachers for help.
If you don't do a good job, your instructor can improve your grade if you ask for help while writing.
Edit the text so you don't have to rewrite everything. Any essay with any punctuation, spelling and grammatical errors can be corrected.