How to Write an Essay Introduction for a Book

If you want to know how to write an essay introduction for a book, there are a couple of things that you need to note that. Since the introduction is one of the most important aspect of your essay, you have to be careful while writing one.

For you to have an impressive introduction, it must address the “what,” how,” and “why,” of your topic. At first, the process of writing an essay introduction for a book might appear intimidating but with hard work and preparation, it is possible to write a compelling introduction.

If you do not know how to write an essay introduction for a book, this article will help you know how to write one with ease. This is because at one point, you will be expected to write one.

What is contained in the introduction?

Ideally, the introduction must have 5 things which include:

• Speaker
• Ocasssion
• Audience
• Purpose
• Subject

The order in which you place them does not matter so long as every aspect is included. This is commonly known as SOAPS intro.

• Speaker-This is what you are supposed to focus on. For instance, if writing about a book, the speaker is the title of the work and the author (Les Miserables, Victor Hugo.
• Occasion-This refers to events that surround the speaker. If writing about a book, this will include events from the writer’s life that inspired them into writing. Example: “Victor Hugo spend the majority of his life in exile during the period that immediately followed the reign of terror. He unquestionably hated society and spoke against it in Les Miserables. If writing about a person, occasion pertains to the duration they lived. For example: the Nazis hated Einstein and he became an America citizen. His works helped the allies in constructing an atomic bomb. He aided in the construction of the atomic bomb ending World War II.
• Audience– Consider to whom the work is directed towards. Hugo’s works were often directed at society. It is ideal to note audience is not always applicable as there are times when work is not directed towards anyone.
• Purpose-What was the purpose of the work to the author. For instance Victor Hugo wrote Les Miserables to pinpoint predicaments within society and demonstrate variance between virtuous and evil.
• Subject: This is the thesis statement and often, it should appear towards the end of your introduction. It contains details about your essay. For instance, in Einstein’s case, you can have a thesis like “Hugo’s masterpiece stands out as a reminder to us all that, no matter the consequences, good must prevail.”- writersense.blogspot.com.

Tips on how to write an essay introduction for a book

Anyone who knows how to write an essay introduction for a book knows it must have three things which include:

• Introductory statement
• A thesis
• A mapping of statement(s)

• Writing the introductory statement

Your introductory statement and subsequent sentences are part of the introduction. Introductory sentences that are poorly written include generalizations and content unrelated to the paper.

For instance, if you find you have any of the sentences below in your introductory sentences, you have done a poor job:

• Since time immemorial…
• Because this always…

Your introductory statement must have the capacity to draw your reader into your topic. In order to achieve this, consider using a direct quote (with citation), statistic or any other statement that is memorable. Once you master the art of writing the introductory paragraph you will perfect your writing skills.

• Writing the thesis

A thesis statement is also important when writing an essay introduction for a book. There are different kinds of thesis statements and though this is the case, your thesis must:

• Have a topic that is clear
• Assert an opinion that is debatable

Your thesis is supposed to be a representation of a complete thought and it should not be a question otherwise it beats the purpose. Additionally, you should not include phrases such as “I think” in your thesis. For instance, rather than saying “In my opinion, lower income families find taxes to be too high” you should say, “Lower-income families lack adequate earnings to take home because of the amount of taxes they have to pay.”

While writing your thesis statement avoid having ideas that are not related. In this case instead of saying “some ducks are migratory, as such, all birds travel south for the winter” say “Although many species of bird change their habitat throughout the year, Canada Geese are more migratory than chickadees or bluejays.

More importantly, while writing your thesis, avoid vague language that might leave the reader more confused and with questions. You have to keep practicing in order to include a great thesis in your introduction for a book.

• Writing the mapping statement

Oftentimes, students forget to include mapping statement(s) in the introduction. You should make sure that this does not happen as you work on your essay. Mapping statement states, the x statements you intend to include in the essay. Depending on the complexity of the book you are writing an essay about, the mapping statement can be one or several statements that support the thesis.

Examples of essay introductions for a book

Example 1- @ talentegg.ca.

Introductory statement: In 2010, $418.6 million in sales came from comic books in North America.

Thesis statement: Despite his status as an anti-hero, the Batman universe can be considered the most successful comic book franchise of all time.

Mapping statement: “The success of the Batman franchise can be attributed to the number of Batman comic books sold, the revenue gained from Batman merchandise, and lastly due to the success of the Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy.”

Example 2 – @ pritersens://we.blogspot.com:

“Victor Hugo, author of Les Miserables (writer) spent the majority of his life as an exile during the period that immediately followed the reign terror (occasion). Les Miserables pinpoints the problems in society and the rift between good and evil (purpose). Hugo’s masterpiece stands as a reminder to us all (Audience) that no matter the consequences, good must prevail (subject).”

Additional tips on how to write an essay introduction for a book

• The first sentence must be straightforward and should tell readers the book you are reading and the author.
• The second, third and fourth sentences are supposed to provide background on the story.
• The fifth sentence should conclude the first paragraph and provides smooth transition into second paragraph.
• Use a quote from the book to open the second paragraph. Picking the quote that is most memorable in the book is ideal as it provides the basis for moving forward.
• Find ways to engage the reader in the sentences that follow and ensure that they understand what you have learned from the book.
• Think of a great hook since the first sentence should serve the purpose of pulling your reader in. Ensure they have the desire to read the paper because they are either outraged, fascinated or even intrigued. Having a provocative statistic or saying can prove to be quite useful though it is important to ensure it is in line with the book.
• Always write an outline for the introduction and especially if you have lots of information you want to add to it. An outlines makes it possible for you to know how you will present the thesis statement. Also, you can provide information regarding a topic that readers need in order to understand your argument. For instance, if your analysis is on Shakespeare play, it is helpful to provide a very brief synopsis of what it is about and the major characters.
• Avoid making a direct announcement of your purpose. This does not mean that the introduction sentence or the thesis should be vague. It simply means you need to avoid statements such as “In this essay I will argue that…” or “The purpose of this essay is to prove…”

It’s our hope that from the above guidelines you now know how to write an essay introduction for a book.

However if you are struggling to write an essay introduction for a book or you need help with other academic tasks such as essays, term papers, research papers and dissertations you have come to the right place. We offer the best academic writing services online.

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You may also want to continue reading more guidelines on writing different academic papers or other non-related material. To do so, continue looking in this blog  where you will also find academic sample papers under different disciplines.

 

 

 

Sources

http://talentegg.ca/incubator/2011/10/23/essay-writing-part-3-how-to-form-a-proper-thesis-statement/

http://writersense.blogspot.com/2010/09/how-to-write-essay-introduction.html

http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/style-and-usage/help-writing-an-essay-on-a-book.html

http://talentegg.ca/incubator/2011/11/12/essay-writing-part-4-how-to-write-an-introduction/

http://www.wikihow.com/Write-an-Essay-Introduction