What to include in an essay introduction

The introduction is one of the most important parts of your paper. It is the first thing your reader sees and is the first and often only chance you have to get your reader interested in your topic and what you have to say. The introduction is where you define your topic and outlines what you are going to cover in your paper. There is a lot to remember when it comes to writing the introduction, so here are some tips to keep in mind as you write this important part of your paper.

Include an attention grabber. The first thing you want to do is make your topic interesting and show your reader that they should read your paper. Find some interesting, fun, or intriguing way to start the paper. Include a powerful quote, give a shocking statistic, or tell a one or two sentence story to set the tone. If you can grab your reader’s attention at the start, they are more likely to read your paper and pay attention to what you have to say.

Include a brief definition. Never assume your reader knows the topic you are writing about. Give a brief definition to make sure you and your reader are on the same page as you begin your paper. You do not want to give detailed definitions and spend a lot of your word count on this part of the paper, but it is very necessary. In most cases, one or two sentences should be enough to adequately define your topic.

Include a brief outline or overview. In your introduction you need to give a brief outline or overview of the different points you are going to talk about. You have told your reader what the topic is, and now you need to let them know some of the specific things you are going to address before the paper is done. This helps the reader know what to expect and will also help to get them interested and excited to learn more about the topic.

Include a thesis statement. This is one of the most important parts of your introduction. A thesis statement is basically a single sentence that summarizes the entirety of your paper. If you had to tell someone what your paper is about in just one sentence that would be your thesis. This needs to be a strong and well thought out so it can support your paper.

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