Why you Need an Example of an Essay Introduction
An essay introduction is the first paragraph of your essay, which comes before the body paragraphs. The intro plays a major role in essay writing and needs more attention. However, not every writer is good at piecing together an appealing introduction paragraph. A good way of overcoming this is getting a good example of an essay introduction that will help you spice your first paragraph.
If you have problems, finding excellent essay intros or drafting own, then you need this handout out like yesterday. In this guide, you will get detailed tips and strategies of essay intro writing plus selected examples to equip you with practical skills. Read on and better your writing.
What you should know before using an example of an essay introduction
An essay introduction acts like a road map of your work. It serves an immense role that no essay is complete without an introduction paragraph.
Briefly, a good essay introduction does the following:
- It identifies the topic– It answers the ‘what’ question
- It gives context– it places your essay into perspective by giving the background information
- Gives focus– Orients the reader to know what to expect
- Grabs readers’ attention– A well-done intro pique the audience to read on
- Gives thesis statement– Thesis is the backbone of every essay. It states the argument, which you intend to defend throughout in the essay.
It is clear that an essay introduction sets the stage for the writing process and largely determines the success of your assignment. Importantly, every essay has a unique introduction paragraph and no known single formula generates essay introductions.
But with the guidelines and examples in this handout, you should be able to draft appealing intros for all your essays. Below is an example of an essay introduction to help you reflect on the above introductory remarks before we move on.
Examples of an Essay Introduction
Sample #1: Essay Introduction
“Gun control remains a debatable issue in the United States in a bid to tame spiraling cases of crime. Taming gun violence would have significant impact on children and families. Thousands of women and children are vulnerable to gunfire and helplessly die when gunmen go on rampage. It goes without saying that gun owners remain a threat to individual and national security”.
This intro is an excerpt of Impact of Legalization of Guns. The writer sets the pace of the essay by contextualizing the topic and wetting the readers’ appetite. From the paragraph, you really want to read the arguments for and against gun control.
Putting together such an introductory paragraph does not require any magic. You too can master the art; simply make this companion every time you have writing assignment.
Important parts of an essay introduction
A standard essay introduction has three main parts. These are:
- Opening statement
- Supporting Statements
- Thesis Statement
Let us look at each of these elements in details.
Writing your Opening Statement
It is the first statement you put down after the topic. Use an interesting approach to win the attention of the reader. Try any of the following recommended ways of winning your audience:
Use startling information. Begin with information that will shock the audience. While this information does not have to foreign to the reader, use true and verifiable details. It could be a fact that brings out the point you are making in a more explicit way. In case you use such information, follow it with one or two sentences, which give an explanation.
Use anecdotes. As you look for an example of an essay introduction, always remember that people are always reading texts or watching movies because they love interesting stories. Use anecdotes to grab your readers.
An anecdote is a short interesting story. Ensure the anecdote is brief, to the point and relevant to your topic of discussion. It is an effective essay opener especially for writers who have mastered it.
Dialogue. You do not have to identify the speakers even though your point should be clear to the audience. Two or three exchanges are enough. Remember to explain the dialogue.
Summary information. The reader wants to know your argument. Offer a general explanation of terms to lead the reader to your thesis statement. Start with general explanations as you narrow down to the specifics until you get to your thesis.
Piecing together your supporting statements
Do not leave any statement hanging. Give explanation where necessary to ensure that the reader gets your point clearly.
Supporting statements clear doubt and prepare the audience for the flesh of the issues you are highlighting in the introduction. Make this to be your appetizer so that the reader has every reason to read on.
Avoid giving excess supporting information in your intro. If the reader gets the entire argument in the introductory paragraph, there would be no need to transit to the body paragraph.
Examine the following example of an essay introduction before we focus on the practical details of a thesis statement.
The following introduction is from a well-written essay, Race and Media. It says:
[Opening statement]: Native Americans always see African-Americans as non-US citizens because the form the largest population percentage. [Supporting statements]: For this reason, African-Americans are perceived to be immigrants who settled in America at the convenience of rich Americans. Because of this segregation, Black Americans continue to fight and protect their rightful social position in the American society. Owing to these efforts, several institutions in America agree with the non-bias practices when addressing public matters. [Thesis Statement]: However, the media is biased on these issues, even though it has played a significant role in shaping the American society.
In the above intro, it is possible to highlight important elements, which help to hold the attention of the reader. Pick on any topic, try developing standard intros, and see if they conform to this standard.
The role of the thesis statement in an essay introduction
What is a thesis statement?
Thesis statement is usually the last sentence of your introduction. However, this does not make it a lesser element of your introduction. It acts as the backbone of your essay, as it states your main argument. A good thesis statement will tell the difference between a thoughtful research and mere compiling of facts.
Formulating an excellent thesis statement for your introduction
If you have your intro ready or a good example of an essay introduction, try reading the last sentence and see if it sounds like a thesis. At minimum, a thesis statement should have the following attributes.
- Be contestable– It should present an argument, to which parties can reasonably disagree. Make it provocative so that you take a stance and defend it throughout the essay.
- Should be specific. Your thesis should prove a single point without discussing everything. Narrow down to a particular issue.
- Asserts your conclusion It gives the conclusion depending on the evidence in the essay. Be flexible and adjust your thesis statement at any time since your evidence and entire paper may take a completely different direction from what you initially had in mind.
- Provides the reader with direction
- It is devoid of vague language
- Does not use the first person
Mistakes to avoid when looking for a good example of an essay introduction
Whether you are in need of an example of an essay introduction or you are ready to pen your intro, it is important to avoid the following pitfalls. Go over the list and see the mistakes that are hindering you from scoring high in written assignments.
Change your intro later. Most students draft their introductory paragraphs before working on body paragraph. There is no problem in this. However, always go back to your intro once you have done your conclusion and see if it matches with the rest of your essay. It is possible to have an excellent tentative intro that becomes obsolete by the time you are through with the conclusion.
Avoid fluff. Filler words have no space in your intro. Remember you do not have a second chance to impress your reader. Every word in your intro should add value to the rest of the paper.
Keep it short and simple. Your intro should be offer background information to orient the reader. Avoid getting into deep specifics of the paper at this stage. Grab the interest of the reader and allow them space to breathe as they read on.
Do not announce your purpose directly. Do not be vague but avoid statements like “The purpose of my essay is to…” or in this essay, I will…
Do you need more examples of an essay introduction? Here are some more you can refer to:
- Impact of Legalization of Gay Marriage
- We Can Live Without Petroleum
- Ethics and Channel Stuffing
With this handout, writing essay introduction should not challenge you. Practice and make this guide your friend.
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References:
http://owll.massey.ac.nz/assignment-types/essay-introduction.php
http://www.wikihow.com/Write-an-Essay-Introduction
http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/introductions/
http://www.writing.utoronto.ca/advice/planning-and-organizing/intros-and-conclusions
http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/courses/elc/Sample/Advanced/unit1/u1_l1a_1.htm
http://unilearning.uow.edu.au/essay/4bii.html
http://lklivingston.tripod.com/essay/intro.html