How to Begin an Essay Properly: Essay Introduction

Just as any written academic assignment, an essay has its distinct structure to be followed. Except conducting detailed research on the given topic, a student is supposed to organize ideas in a logical text and develop an essay introduction with a strong thesis. In fact, introduction not only presents your paper but also sets the pace and, to a great extent, defines the overall impression. Therefore, as a writer, you will have to pay special attention to it. A good introduction should clearly identify the topic, give sufficient background, and present the main focus of your research. Remember that it should be both informative and appealing. Most importantly, your reader should get engaged and interested.

Since there are no two similar essays, there is no one-size-fits-all formula explaining how to write an essay introduction that will hit the target. Nevertheless, you can make use of the valuable tips provided below.

General Recommendations and Advice from Buy-Custom-Essays.org

  1. If you do not know where to start, it will be beneficial to check some essay introduction examples. You can ask your professor or surf the Internet for some samples that will help you get a general idea of what you are supposed to do.
  2. Do not spend too much time on introduction at the initial stage of the writing process. It is always better to recheck and polish this part once the paper is ready. In such a manner, you will be able to make sure the introduction fully reflects your research.
  3. It might be reasonable to leave writing your essay introduction for later. Many students get down to introduction only when the essay body and even conclusion are complete.
  4. An introduction should not be too long. In most cases, all the necessary information can be effectively presented in one paragraph. Of course, your introduction can be a bit longer, but make sure your decision is reasonable and justified. In fact, the length of introduction directly depends on the complexity and type of your assignment. In such a manner, a thirty-page dissertation may require two pages of introduction, but a five-page essay for sure will not.
  5. Most students do not know how to start an essay introduction and what should go first. Typically, some general and background information is given at the beginning. However, be careful not to dive deep. Do not waffle! Get to your main point as soon as possible!
  6. As a rule, an introduction essay is supposed to have a thesis statement; most usually, it appears at the end of this paragraph. However, it is not a not-to-break rule. You can put your thesis at the beginning of your introduction and proceed with outlining the structure and logic of your argument. The longer your paper is, the more useful such a road map becomes.

The Most Common Errors to Avoid

While preparing an introduction for essay, make sure to avoid some common mistakes and pitfalls:

  1. Use dictionary definitions in your introduction only as the last resort. Such logic has already become a bad academic cliché. For sure, it has nothing to do with fresh writing and creative approach, which are crucial.
  2. Do not copy-paste instructions provided by your professor.
  3. The introduction should be neither too general nor too specific. Any in-depth explanations, facts, evidence, analysis, etc. are parts of the body, and it is where they should be.

How to Write a Good Essay Introduction?

Below, there are some strategies that will help you capture the readers’ attention and make your introduction both interesting and effective:

  1. Any startling facts or statistic will help you get out your message and prove the importance of your research problem.
  2. You can give some expert opinions; however, avoid any threadbare quotes.
  3. Make your thesis argue against some popular misperception.

Provide a general background in order to help the reader grab the topic.

address img