How to Write an Introductory Paragraph for an Essay

Writing introductions can be made easier with a few simple steps.

The introduction is the most crucial part of an essay for the reader. A good introduction pulls the reader in and makes him want to keep reading. As a result of this pressure, writers often find it difficult to compose a successful introduction paragraph. By following a few simple steps, the writing process becomes much easier. A well-written introduction should include the following three elements: an attention getter, a brief overview of the subject matter, and a thesis statement.

Things You'll Need

• Paper
• Pen
• or
• Word processor

Instructions

1. Take a moment to think about your subject matter. What first interested you about this subject? Use this as a starting point for composing your attention getter. Consider if there is an interesting fact, statistic, or reference to a current event that you can use to gain readers' attention. The attention getter needs to welcome your reader to the essay and pique his interest.

2. Support your attention getter with background information. The "meat" of your introduction paragraph should consist of facts and information that the reader needs before continuing on to the rest of your essay. Here you also need to convince your audience that the topic you address is important. For example, if you were writing about the African rain forests, you would need to tell your reader why their existence is important and what benefits they offer humankind.

3. Compose your thesis sentence. A thesis sentence acts as a road map for your reader. It should connect to the information you have already given and state the goal of your essay. What is your essay attempting to prove? Rather than being a fact or a description, like your earlier sentences, a thesis sentence generally takes a stance on an issue. The thesis sentence should be a statement you can confirm and support with the essay's body paragraphs. Below is an example:

   "Whether through character foils or the fantastic duplication of a character, Fyodor Dostoevsky utilized the double to explore the human psyche and give depth to the tribulations of his protagonists."

4. Continue to write the rest of your paper, keeping an eye on your thesis and how each point in your essay supports that statement.

5. Reread your introduction paragraph in light of the essay you have now composed. Does your introduction relate to the information you convey in the rest of the work? Is your thesis sentence properly supported? Or, have you found that while writing, some of your ideas changed? If so, edit your introduction to reflect those changes.

Tips & Warnings

• Becoming a good writer does not happen overnight. The more practice you have writing introductions, as well as essays, the better your writing abilities will become.

References

• "A Writer's Reference"; Diana Hacker; 2007
• Purdue: The Purdue Online Writing Lab