how to do a essay introduction

How to Write an Essay Introduction (with Examples)   

The introduction of an essay plays a critical role in engaging the reader and providing contextual information about the topic. It sets the stage for the rest of the essay, establishes the tone and style, and motivates the reader to continue reading. 

Table of Contents

What is an essay introduction , what to include in an essay introduction, how to create an essay structure , step-by-step process for writing an essay introduction , how to write an essay introduction paragraph with paperpal – step -by -step, how to write a hook for your essay , how to include background information , how to write a thesis statement .

• Argumentative Essay Introduction Example: 
• Expository Essay Introduction Example 

Literary Analysis Essay Introduction Example

Check and revise – checklist for essay introduction , key takeaways , frequently asked questions .

An introduction is the opening section of an essay, paper, or other written work. It introduces the topic and provides background information, context, and an overview of what the reader can expect from the rest of the work. 1 The key is to be concise and to the point, providing enough information to engage the reader without delving into excessive detail. 

The essay introduction is crucial as it sets the tone for the entire piece and provides the reader with a roadmap of what to expect. Here are key elements to include in your essay introduction: 

• Hook : Start with an attention-grabbing statement or question to engage the reader. This could be a surprising fact, a relevant quote, or a compelling anecdote. 
• Background information : Provide context and background information to help the reader understand the topic. This can include historical information, definitions of key terms, or an overview of the current state of affairs related to your topic. 
• Thesis statement : Clearly state your main argument or position on the topic. Your thesis should be concise and specific, providing a clear direction for your essay. 

Before we get into how to write an essay introduction, we need to know how it is structured. The structure of an essay is crucial for organizing your thoughts and presenting them clearly and logically. It is divided as follows: 2  

• Introduction:  The introduction should grab the reader’s attention with a hook, provide context, and include a thesis statement that presents the main argument or purpose of the essay.  
• Body:  The body should consist of focused paragraphs that support your thesis statement using evidence and analysis. Each paragraph should concentrate on a single central idea or argument and provide evidence, examples, or analysis to back it up.  
• Conclusion:  The conclusion should summarize the main points and restate the thesis differently. End with a final statement that leaves a lasting impression on the reader. Avoid new information or arguments. 

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to write an essay introduction: 

• Start with a Hook : Begin your introduction paragraph with an attention-grabbing statement, question, quote, or anecdote related to your topic. The hook should pique the reader’s interest and encourage them to continue reading. 
• Provide Background Information : This helps the reader understand the relevance and importance of the topic. 
• State Your Thesis Statement : The last sentence is the main argument or point of your essay. It should be clear, concise, and directly address the topic of your essay. 
• Preview the Main Points : This gives the reader an idea of what to expect and how you will support your thesis. 
• Keep it Concise and Clear : Avoid going into too much detail or including information not directly relevant to your topic. 
• Revise : Revise your introduction after you’ve written the rest of your essay to ensure it aligns with your final argument. 

Unsure of how to start your essay introduction? Leverage Paperpal’s Generative AI templates to provide a base for your essay introduction. Here’s an example of an essay outline generated by Paperpal.  

Use the generated essay outline as your base for the introduction. If you’re stuck writing, you can use Paperpal’s Predictive AI writing features to continue writing. 

Use Paperpal’s Preditive AI writing features to maintain your writing flow

This is one of the key steps in how to write an essay introduction. Crafting a compelling hook is vital because it sets the tone for your entire essay and determines whether your readers will stay interested. A good hook draws the reader in and sets the stage for the rest of your essay.  

• Avoid Dry Fact : Instead of simply stating a bland fact, try to make it engaging and relevant to your topic. For example, if you’re writing about the benefits of exercise, you could start with a startling statistic like, “Did you know that regular exercise can increase your lifespan by up to seven years?” 
• Avoid Using a Dictionary Definition : While definitions can be informative, they’re not always the most captivating way to start an essay. Instead, try to use a quote, anecdote, or provocative question to pique the reader’s interest. For instance, if you’re writing about freedom, you could begin with a quote from a famous freedom fighter or philosopher. 
• Do Not Just State a Fact That the Reader Already Knows : This ties back to the first point—your hook should surprise or intrigue the reader. For Here’s an introduction paragraph example, if you’re writing about climate change, you could start with a thought-provoking statement like, “Despite overwhelming evidence, many people still refuse to believe in the reality of climate change.” 

Write essays 2x faster with Paperpal. Try for free  

Including background information in the introduction section of your essay is important to provide context and establish the relevance of your topic. When writing the background information, you can follow these steps: 

• Start with a General Statement:  Begin with a general statement about the topic and gradually narrow it down to your specific focus. For example, when discussing the impact of social media, you can begin by making a broad statement about social media and its widespread use in today’s society, as follows: “Social media has become an integral part of modern life, with billions of users worldwide.” 
• Define Key Terms : Define any key terms or concepts that may be unfamiliar to your readers but are essential for understanding your argument. 
• Provide Relevant Statistics:  Use statistics or facts to highlight the significance of the issue you’re discussing. For instance, “According to a report by Statista, the number of social media users is expected to reach 4.41 billion by 2025.” 
• Discuss the Evolution:  Mention previous research or studies that have been conducted on the topic, especially those that are relevant to your argument. Mention key milestones or developments that have shaped its current impact. You can also outline some of the major effects of social media. For example, you can briefly describe how social media has evolved, including positives such as increased connectivity and issues like cyberbullying and privacy concerns. 
• Transition to Your Thesis:  Use the background information to lead into your thesis statement, which should clearly state the main argument or purpose of your essay. For example, “Given its pervasive influence, it is crucial to examine the impact of social media on mental health.” 

A thesis statement is a concise summary of the main point or claim of an essay, research paper, or other type of academic writing. It appears near the end of the introduction. Here’s how to write a thesis statement: 

• Identify the topic:  Start by identifying the topic of your essay. For example, if your essay is about the importance of exercise for overall health, your topic is “exercise.” 
• State your position:  Next, state your position or claim about the topic. This is the main argument or point you want to make. For example, if you believe that regular exercise is crucial for maintaining good health, your position could be: “Regular exercise is essential for maintaining good health.” 
• Support your position:  Provide a brief overview of the reasons or evidence that support your position. These will be the main points of your essay. For example, if you’re writing an essay about the importance of exercise, you could mention the physical health benefits, mental health benefits, and the role of exercise in disease prevention. 
• Make it specific:  Ensure your thesis statement clearly states what you will discuss in your essay. For example, instead of saying, “Exercise is good for you,” you could say, “Regular exercise, including cardiovascular and strength training, can improve overall health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.” 

Examples of essay introduction 

Here are examples of essay introductions for different types of essays: 

Argumentative Essay Introduction Example:  

Topic: Should the voting age be lowered to 16? 

“The question of whether the voting age should be lowered to 16 has sparked nationwide debate. While some argue that 16-year-olds lack the requisite maturity and knowledge to make informed decisions, others argue that doing so would imbue young people with agency and give them a voice in shaping their future.” 

Expository Essay Introduction Example  

Topic: The benefits of regular exercise 

“In today’s fast-paced world, the importance of regular exercise cannot be overstated. From improving physical health to boosting mental well-being, the benefits of exercise are numerous and far-reaching. This essay will examine the various advantages of regular exercise and provide tips on incorporating it into your daily routine.” 

Text: “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee 

“Harper Lee’s novel, ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,’ is a timeless classic that explores themes of racism, injustice, and morality in the American South. Through the eyes of young Scout Finch, the reader is taken on a journey that challenges societal norms and forces characters to confront their prejudices. This essay will analyze the novel’s use of symbolism, character development, and narrative structure to uncover its deeper meaning and relevance to contemporary society.” 

• Engaging and Relevant First Sentence : The opening sentence captures the reader’s attention and relates directly to the topic. 
• Background Information : Enough background information is introduced to provide context for the thesis statement. 
• Definition of Important Terms : Key terms or concepts that might be unfamiliar to the audience or are central to the argument are defined. 
• Clear Thesis Statement : The thesis statement presents the main point or argument of the essay. 
• Relevance to Main Body : Everything in the introduction directly relates to and sets up the discussion in the main body of the essay. 

Write strong essays in academic English with Paperpal. Try it for free

Writing a strong introduction is crucial for setting the tone and context of your essay. Here are the key takeaways for how to write essay introduction: 3  

• Hook the Reader : Start with an engaging hook to grab the reader’s attention. This could be a compelling question, a surprising fact, a relevant quote, or an anecdote. 
• Provide Background : Give a brief overview of the topic, setting the context and stage for the discussion. 
• Thesis Statement : State your thesis, which is the main argument or point of your essay. It should be concise, clear, and specific. 
• Preview the Structure : Outline the main points or arguments to help the reader understand the organization of your essay. 
• Keep it Concise : Avoid including unnecessary details or information not directly related to your thesis. 
• Revise and Edit : Revise your introduction to ensure clarity, coherence, and relevance. Check for grammar and spelling errors. 
• Seek Feedback : Get feedback from peers or instructors to improve your introduction further. 

The purpose of an essay introduction is to give an overview of the topic, context, and main ideas of the essay. It is meant to engage the reader, establish the tone for the rest of the essay, and introduce the thesis statement or central argument.  

An essay introduction typically ranges from 5-10% of the total word count. For example, in a 1,000-word essay, the introduction would be roughly 50-100 words. However, the length can vary depending on the complexity of the topic and the overall length of the essay.

An essay introduction is critical in engaging the reader and providing contextual information about the topic. To ensure its effectiveness, consider incorporating these key elements: a compelling hook, background information, a clear thesis statement, an outline of the essay’s scope, a smooth transition to the body, and optional signposting sentences.  

The process of writing an essay introduction is not necessarily straightforward, but there are several strategies that can be employed to achieve this end. When experiencing difficulty initiating the process, consider the following techniques: begin with an anecdote, a quotation, an image, a question, or a startling fact to pique the reader’s interest. It may also be helpful to consider the five W’s of journalism: who, what, when, where, why, and how.   For instance, an anecdotal opening could be structured as follows: “As I ascended the stage, momentarily blinded by the intense lights, I could sense the weight of a hundred eyes upon me, anticipating my next move. The topic of discussion was climate change, a subject I was passionate about, and it was my first public speaking event. Little did I know , that pivotal moment would not only alter my perspective but also chart my life’s course.” 

Crafting a compelling thesis statement for your introduction paragraph is crucial to grab your reader’s attention. To achieve this, avoid using overused phrases such as “In this paper, I will write about” or “I will focus on” as they lack originality. Instead, strive to engage your reader by substantiating your stance or proposition with a “so what” clause. While writing your thesis statement, aim to be precise, succinct, and clear in conveying your main argument.  

To create an effective essay introduction, ensure it is clear, engaging, relevant, and contains a concise thesis statement. It should transition smoothly into the essay and be long enough to cover necessary points but not become overwhelming. Seek feedback from peers or instructors to assess its effectiveness. 

References  

• Cui, L. (2022). Unit 6 Essay Introduction.  Building Academic Writing Skills . 
• West, H., Malcolm, G., Keywood, S., & Hill, J. (2019). Writing a successful essay.  Journal of Geography in Higher Education ,  43 (4), 609-617. 
• Beavers, M. E., Thoune, D. L., & McBeth, M. (2023). Bibliographic Essay: Reading, Researching, Teaching, and Writing with Hooks: A Queer Literacy Sponsorship. College English, 85(3), 230-242. 

Paperpal is a comprehensive AI writing toolkit that helps students and researchers achieve 2x the writing in half the time. It leverages 21+ years of STM experience and insights from millions of research articles to provide in-depth academic writing, language editing, and submission readiness support to help you write better, faster.  

Get accurate academic translations, rewriting support, grammar checks, vocabulary suggestions, and generative AI assistance that delivers human precision at machine speed. Try for free or upgrade to Paperpal Prime starting at US$19 a month to access premium features, including consistency, plagiarism, and 30+ submission readiness checks to help you succeed.  

Experience the future of academic writing – Sign up to Paperpal and start writing for free!  

Related Reads:

• How to Write a Good Hook for Essays, with Examples
• What are Journal Guidelines on Using Generative AI Tools
• How to Use AI to Enhance Your College Essays and Thesis
• Powerful Academic Phrases to Improve Your Essay Writing 

Similarity Checks: The Author’s Guide to Plagiarism and Responsible Writing

Types of plagiarism and 6 tips to avoid it in your writing , you may also like, dissertation printing and binding | types & comparison , what is a dissertation preface definition and examples , how to write a research proposal: (with examples..., how to write your research paper in apa..., how to choose a dissertation topic, how to write a phd research proposal, how to write an academic paragraph (step-by-step guide), maintaining academic integrity with paperpal’s generative ai writing..., research funding basics: what should a grant proposal..., how to write an abstract in research papers....

• PRO Courses Guides New Tech Help Pro Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade Sign In
• EDIT Edit this Article
• EXPLORE Tech Help Pro About Us Random Article Quizzes Request a New Article Community Dashboard This Or That Game Happiness Hub Popular Categories Arts and Entertainment Artwork Books Movies Computers and Electronics Computers Phone Skills Technology Hacks Health Men's Health Mental Health Women's Health Relationships Dating Love Relationship Issues Hobbies and Crafts Crafts Drawing Games Education & Communication Communication Skills Personal Development Studying Personal Care and Style Fashion Hair Care Personal Hygiene Youth Personal Care School Stuff Dating All Categories Arts and Entertainment Finance and Business Home and Garden Relationship Quizzes Cars & Other Vehicles Food and Entertaining Personal Care and Style Sports and Fitness Computers and Electronics Health Pets and Animals Travel Education & Communication Hobbies and Crafts Philosophy and Religion Work World Family Life Holidays and Traditions Relationships Youth
• Browse Articles
• Learn Something New
• Quizzes Hot
• Happiness Hub
• This Or That Game
• Train Your Brain
• Explore More
• Support wikiHow
• About wikiHow
• Log in / Sign up
• Education and Communications
• College University and Postgraduate
• Academic Writing

How to Write an Essay Introduction

Last Updated: January 15, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Jake Adams and by wikiHow staff writer, Jennifer Mueller, JD . Jake Adams is an academic tutor and the owner of Simplifi EDU, a Santa Monica, California based online tutoring business offering learning resources and online tutors for academic subjects K-College, SAT & ACT prep, and college admissions applications. With over 14 years of professional tutoring experience, Jake is dedicated to providing his clients the very best online tutoring experience and access to a network of excellent undergraduate and graduate-level tutors from top colleges all over the nation. Jake holds a BS in International Business and Marketing from Pepperdine University. There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 4,237,919 times.

The introduction of your essay serves two important purposes. First, it gets your reader interested in the topic and encourages them to read what you have to say about it. Second, it gives your reader a roadmap of what you're going to say and the overarching point you're going to make – your thesis statement. A powerful introduction grabs your reader's attention and keeps them reading.

Sample Essay Hooks & Introductions

Hooking Your Reader

• If you're writing a paper for a class, don't automatically assume your instructor is your audience. If you write directly to your instructor, you'll end up glossing over some information that is necessary to show that you properly understand the subject of your essay.
• It can be helpful to reverse-engineer your audience based on the subject matter of your essay. For example, if you're writing an essay about a women's health issue for a women's studies class, you might identify your audience as young women within the age range most affected by the issue.

• For this hook to be effective, your fact needs to be sufficiently surprising. If you're not sure, test it on a few friends. If they react by expressing shock or surprise, you know you've got something good.
• Use a fact or statistic that sets up your essay, not something you'll be using as evidence to prove your thesis statement. Facts or statistics that demonstrate why your topic is important (or should be important) to your audience typically make good hooks.

• For example, if you were writing an essay proposing a change to drunk driving laws, you might open with a story of how the life of a victim was changed forever after they were hit by a drunk driver.

• For example, if you're writing an essay about a public figure, you might include an anecdote about an odd personal habit that cleverly relates back to your thesis statement.
• Particularly with less formal papers or personal essays, humorous anecdotes can be particularly effective hooks.

• For example: "What would you do if you could play God for a day? That's exactly what the leaders of the tiny island nation of Guam tried to answer."
• If your essay prompt was a question, don't just repeat it in your paper. Make sure to come up with your own intriguing question.

• Broad, sweeping generalizations may ring false with some readers and alienate them from the start. For example, "everyone wants someone to love" would alienate someone who identified as aromantic or asexual.

Creating Your Context

• Use an appropriate transitional word or phrase, such as "however" or "similarly," to move from your specific anecdote back out to a broader scope.
• For example, if you related a story about one individual, but your essay isn't about them, you can relate the hook back to the larger topic with a sentence like "Tommy wasn't alone, however. There were more than 200,000 dockworkers affected by that union strike."

• For example, if your thesis relates to how blackface was used as a means of enforcing racial segregation, your introduction would describe what blackface performances were, and where and when they occurred.
• If you are writing an argumentative paper, make sure to explain both sides of the argument in a neutral or objective manner.

• Definitions would be particularly important if your essay is discussing a scientific topic, where some scientific terminology might not be understood by the average layperson.
• Definitions also come in handy in legal or political essays, where a term may have different meanings depending on the context in which they are used.

• If you're using 2 or 3 sentences to describe the context for your thesis, try to make each sentence a bit more specific than the one before it. Draw your reader in gradually.
• For example, if you're writing an essay about drunk driving fatalities, you might start with an anecdote about a particular victim. Then you could provide national statistics, then narrow it down further to statistics for a particular gender or age group.

Presenting Your Thesis

• For example, a thesis for an essay on blackface performance might be "Because of its humiliating and demoralizing effect on African American slaves, blackface was used less as a comedy routine and more as a way of enforcing racial segregation."
• Be assertive and confident in your writing. Avoid including fluff such as "In this essay, I will attempt to show...." Instead, dive right in and make your claim, bold and proud.
• Your outline should be specific, unique, and provable. Through your essay, you'll make points that will show that your thesis statement is true – or at least persuade your readers that it's most likely true.

• If you've created an outline for your essay, this sentence is essentially the main subjects of each paragraph of the body of your essay.
• For example, if you're writing an essay about the unification of Italy, you might list 3 obstacles to unification. In the body of your essay, you would discuss details about how each of those obstacles was addressed or overcome.
• Instead of just listing all of your supporting points, sum them up by stating "how" or "why" your thesis is true. For example, instead of saying, "Phones should be banned from classrooms because they distract students, promote cheating, and make too much noise," you might say "Phones should be banned from classrooms because they act as an obstacle to learning."

• To figure out if you need a transition sentence, read the introduction and the first paragraph out loud. If you find yourself pausing or stumbling between the paragraphs, work in a transition to make the move smoother.
• You can also have friends or family members read your easy. If they feel it's choppy or jumps from the introduction into the essay, see what you can do to smooth it out.

Bringing It All Together

• If you're writing your essay for a class assignment, ask your instructor for examples of well-written essays that you can look at. Take note of conventions that are commonly used by writers in that discipline.
• Make a brief outline of the essay based on the information presented in the introduction. Then look at that outline as you read the essay to see how the essay follows it to prove the writer's thesis statement.

• For shorter essays under 1,000 words, keep your introduction to 1 paragraph, between 100 and 200 words.
• Always follow your instructor's guidelines for length. These rules can vary at times based on genre or form of writing.

• As you write your essay, you may want to jot down things you want to include in your introduction. For example, you may realize that you're using a particular term that you need to define in your introduction.

• Delete any filler or unnecessary language. Given the shortness of the introduction, every sentence should be essential to your reader's understanding of your essay.

• The first sentence or two should be your hook, designed to grab your reader's attention and get them interested in reading your essay.
• The next couple of sentences create a bridge between your hook and the overall topic of the rest of your essay.
• End your introduction with your thesis statement and a list of the points you will make in your essay to support or prove your thesis statement.

Expert Q&A

• If you are answering or responding to an assigned question, make sure you've interpreted the question correctly. The quality of your writing is irrelevant if your essay doesn't answer the question. Thanks Helpful 7 Not Helpful 1
• Have friends or family members read your essay and provide you with feedback. If you're writing for a class, you might want to exchange essays with another classmate and give each other feedback on your work. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 1

Tips from our Readers

• Reread your intro after writing each section to make sure both the intro and section are relevant to each other and to the paper.
• A sharp, descriptive title is sometimes just as important as an intro!

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/audience/
• ↑ http://advice.writing.utoronto.ca/planning/intros-and-conclusions/
• ↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/how-to-write-an-introduction/
• ↑ https://www.esu.edu/writing-studio/guides/hook.cfm
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/introductions/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/cliches/
• ↑ Jake Adams. Academic Tutor & Test Prep Specialist. Expert Interview. 20 May 2020.
• ↑ https://library.sacredheart.edu/c.php?g=29803&p=185917
• ↑ https://writingcenter.uagc.edu/introductions-conclusions
• ↑ https://lsa.umich.edu/sweetland/undergraduates/writing-guides/how-do-i-write-an-intro--conclusion----body-paragraph.html
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/transitions/
• ↑ https://advice.writing.utoronto.ca/planning/intros-and-conclusions/

About This Article

Start your introduction with a relevant story, fact, or quote that will engage readers. Then, add 2-3 sentences of background information to give your essay context, and include important dates, locations, or historical moments where applicable. Finally, include your thesis statement, which is a specific, arguable, and provable statement that answers a question about your essay topic. For example, your thesis might read: "In the modern age, online dating apps like Tinder provide a wider variety of romantic options than young people have ever had before." For more tips and examples on how to craft your thesis and put your introduction together, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

• Send fan mail to authors

Reader Success Stories

Dec 11, 2016

Did this article help you?

Jul 11, 2020

Teighan Vickrey

Mar 18, 2018

Apr 27, 2017

Arturo Rueda

Mar 21, 2016

Featured Articles

Trending Articles

Watch Articles

• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell or Share My Info
• Not Selling Info

Get all the best how-tos!

Sign up for wikiHow's weekly email newsletter

Introductions

What this handout is about.

This handout will explain the functions of introductions, offer strategies for creating effective introductions, and provide some examples of less effective introductions to avoid.

The role of introductions

Introductions and conclusions can be the most difficult parts of papers to write. Usually when you sit down to respond to an assignment, you have at least some sense of what you want to say in the body of your paper. You might have chosen a few examples you want to use or have an idea that will help you answer the main question of your assignment; these sections, therefore, may not be as hard to write. And it’s fine to write them first! But in your final draft, these middle parts of the paper can’t just come out of thin air; they need to be introduced and concluded in a way that makes sense to your reader.

Your introduction and conclusion act as bridges that transport your readers from their own lives into the “place” of your analysis. If your readers pick up your paper about education in the autobiography of Frederick Douglass, for example, they need a transition to help them leave behind the world of Chapel Hill, television, e-mail, and The Daily Tar Heel and to help them temporarily enter the world of nineteenth-century American slavery. By providing an introduction that helps your readers make a transition between their own world and the issues you will be writing about, you give your readers the tools they need to get into your topic and care about what you are saying. Similarly, once you’ve hooked your readers with the introduction and offered evidence to prove your thesis, your conclusion can provide a bridge to help your readers make the transition back to their daily lives. (See our handout on conclusions .)

Note that what constitutes a good introduction may vary widely based on the kind of paper you are writing and the academic discipline in which you are writing it. If you are uncertain what kind of introduction is expected, ask your instructor.

Why bother writing a good introduction?

You never get a second chance to make a first impression. The opening paragraph of your paper will provide your readers with their initial impressions of your argument, your writing style, and the overall quality of your work. A vague, disorganized, error-filled, off-the-wall, or boring introduction will probably create a negative impression. On the other hand, a concise, engaging, and well-written introduction will start your readers off thinking highly of you, your analytical skills, your writing, and your paper.

Your introduction is an important road map for the rest of your paper. Your introduction conveys a lot of information to your readers. You can let them know what your topic is, why it is important, and how you plan to proceed with your discussion. In many academic disciplines, your introduction should contain a thesis that will assert your main argument. Your introduction should also give the reader a sense of the kinds of information you will use to make that argument and the general organization of the paragraphs and pages that will follow. After reading your introduction, your readers should not have any major surprises in store when they read the main body of your paper.

Ideally, your introduction will make your readers want to read your paper. The introduction should capture your readers’ interest, making them want to read the rest of your paper. Opening with a compelling story, an interesting question, or a vivid example can get your readers to see why your topic matters and serve as an invitation for them to join you for an engaging intellectual conversation (remember, though, that these strategies may not be suitable for all papers and disciplines).

Strategies for writing an effective introduction

Start by thinking about the question (or questions) you are trying to answer. Your entire essay will be a response to this question, and your introduction is the first step toward that end. Your direct answer to the assigned question will be your thesis, and your thesis will likely be included in your introduction, so it is a good idea to use the question as a jumping off point. Imagine that you are assigned the following question:

Drawing on the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass , discuss the relationship between education and slavery in 19th-century America. Consider the following: How did white control of education reinforce slavery? How did Douglass and other enslaved African Americans view education while they endured slavery? And what role did education play in the acquisition of freedom? Most importantly, consider the degree to which education was or was not a major force for social change with regard to slavery.

You will probably refer back to your assignment extensively as you prepare your complete essay, and the prompt itself can also give you some clues about how to approach the introduction. Notice that it starts with a broad statement and then narrows to focus on specific questions from the book. One strategy might be to use a similar model in your own introduction—start off with a big picture sentence or two and then focus in on the details of your argument about Douglass. Of course, a different approach could also be very successful, but looking at the way the professor set up the question can sometimes give you some ideas for how you might answer it. (See our handout on understanding assignments for additional information on the hidden clues in assignments.)

Decide how general or broad your opening should be. Keep in mind that even a “big picture” opening needs to be clearly related to your topic; an opening sentence that said “Human beings, more than any other creatures on earth, are capable of learning” would be too broad for our sample assignment about slavery and education. If you have ever used Google Maps or similar programs, that experience can provide a helpful way of thinking about how broad your opening should be. Imagine that you’re researching Chapel Hill. If what you want to find out is whether Chapel Hill is at roughly the same latitude as Rome, it might make sense to hit that little “minus” sign on the online map until it has zoomed all the way out and you can see the whole globe. If you’re trying to figure out how to get from Chapel Hill to Wrightsville Beach, it might make more sense to zoom in to the level where you can see most of North Carolina (but not the rest of the world, or even the rest of the United States). And if you are looking for the intersection of Ridge Road and Manning Drive so that you can find the Writing Center’s main office, you may need to zoom all the way in. The question you are asking determines how “broad” your view should be. In the sample assignment above, the questions are probably at the “state” or “city” level of generality. When writing, you need to place your ideas in context—but that context doesn’t generally have to be as big as the whole galaxy!

Try writing your introduction last. You may think that you have to write your introduction first, but that isn’t necessarily true, and it isn’t always the most effective way to craft a good introduction. You may find that you don’t know precisely what you are going to argue at the beginning of the writing process. It is perfectly fine to start out thinking that you want to argue a particular point but wind up arguing something slightly or even dramatically different by the time you’ve written most of the paper. The writing process can be an important way to organize your ideas, think through complicated issues, refine your thoughts, and develop a sophisticated argument. However, an introduction written at the beginning of that discovery process will not necessarily reflect what you wind up with at the end. You will need to revise your paper to make sure that the introduction, all of the evidence, and the conclusion reflect the argument you intend. Sometimes it’s easiest to just write up all of your evidence first and then write the introduction last—that way you can be sure that the introduction will match the body of the paper.

Don’t be afraid to write a tentative introduction first and then change it later. Some people find that they need to write some kind of introduction in order to get the writing process started. That’s fine, but if you are one of those people, be sure to return to your initial introduction later and rewrite if necessary.

Open with something that will draw readers in. Consider these options (remembering that they may not be suitable for all kinds of papers):

• an intriguing example —for example, Douglass writes about a mistress who initially teaches him but then ceases her instruction as she learns more about slavery.
• a provocative quotation that is closely related to your argument —for example, Douglass writes that “education and slavery were incompatible with each other.” (Quotes from famous people, inspirational quotes, etc. may not work well for an academic paper; in this example, the quote is from the author himself.)
• a puzzling scenario —for example, Frederick Douglass says of slaves that “[N]othing has been left undone to cripple their intellects, darken their minds, debase their moral nature, obliterate all traces of their relationship to mankind; and yet how wonderfully they have sustained the mighty load of a most frightful bondage, under which they have been groaning for centuries!” Douglass clearly asserts that slave owners went to great lengths to destroy the mental capacities of slaves, yet his own life story proves that these efforts could be unsuccessful.
• a vivid and perhaps unexpected anecdote —for example, “Learning about slavery in the American history course at Frederick Douglass High School, students studied the work slaves did, the impact of slavery on their families, and the rules that governed their lives. We didn’t discuss education, however, until one student, Mary, raised her hand and asked, ‘But when did they go to school?’ That modern high school students could not conceive of an American childhood devoid of formal education speaks volumes about the centrality of education to American youth today and also suggests the significance of the deprivation of education in past generations.”
• a thought-provoking question —for example, given all of the freedoms that were denied enslaved individuals in the American South, why does Frederick Douglass focus his attentions so squarely on education and literacy?

Pay special attention to your first sentence. Start off on the right foot with your readers by making sure that the first sentence actually says something useful and that it does so in an interesting and polished way.

How to evaluate your introduction draft

Ask a friend to read your introduction and then tell you what they expect the paper will discuss, what kinds of evidence the paper will use, and what the tone of the paper will be. If your friend is able to predict the rest of your paper accurately, you probably have a good introduction.

Five kinds of less effective introductions

1. The placeholder introduction. When you don’t have much to say on a given topic, it is easy to create this kind of introduction. Essentially, this kind of weaker introduction contains several sentences that are vague and don’t really say much. They exist just to take up the “introduction space” in your paper. If you had something more effective to say, you would probably say it, but in the meantime this paragraph is just a place holder.

Example: Slavery was one of the greatest tragedies in American history. There were many different aspects of slavery. Each created different kinds of problems for enslaved people.

2. The restated question introduction. Restating the question can sometimes be an effective strategy, but it can be easy to stop at JUST restating the question instead of offering a more specific, interesting introduction to your paper. The professor or teaching assistant wrote your question and will be reading many essays in response to it—they do not need to read a whole paragraph that simply restates the question.

Example: The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass discusses the relationship between education and slavery in 19th century America, showing how white control of education reinforced slavery and how Douglass and other enslaved African Americans viewed education while they endured. Moreover, the book discusses the role that education played in the acquisition of freedom. Education was a major force for social change with regard to slavery.

3. The Webster’s Dictionary introduction. This introduction begins by giving the dictionary definition of one or more of the words in the assigned question. Anyone can look a word up in the dictionary and copy down what Webster says. If you want to open with a discussion of an important term, it may be far more interesting for you (and your reader) if you develop your own definition of the term in the specific context of your class and assignment. You may also be able to use a definition from one of the sources you’ve been reading for class. Also recognize that the dictionary is also not a particularly authoritative work—it doesn’t take into account the context of your course and doesn’t offer particularly detailed information. If you feel that you must seek out an authority, try to find one that is very relevant and specific. Perhaps a quotation from a source reading might prove better? Dictionary introductions are also ineffective simply because they are so overused. Instructors may see a great many papers that begin in this way, greatly decreasing the dramatic impact that any one of those papers will have.

Example: Webster’s dictionary defines slavery as “the state of being a slave,” as “the practice of owning slaves,” and as “a condition of hard work and subjection.”

4. The “dawn of man” introduction. This kind of introduction generally makes broad, sweeping statements about the relevance of this topic since the beginning of time, throughout the world, etc. It is usually very general (similar to the placeholder introduction) and fails to connect to the thesis. It may employ cliches—the phrases “the dawn of man” and “throughout human history” are examples, and it’s hard to imagine a time when starting with one of these would work. Instructors often find them extremely annoying.

Example: Since the dawn of man, slavery has been a problem in human history.

5. The book report introduction. This introduction is what you had to do for your elementary school book reports. It gives the name and author of the book you are writing about, tells what the book is about, and offers other basic facts about the book. You might resort to this sort of introduction when you are trying to fill space because it’s a familiar, comfortable format. It is ineffective because it offers details that your reader probably already knows and that are irrelevant to the thesis.

Example: Frederick Douglass wrote his autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave , in the 1840s. It was published in 1986 by Penguin Books. In it, he tells the story of his life.

And now for the conclusion…

Writing an effective introduction can be tough. Try playing around with several different options and choose the one that ends up sounding best to you!

Just as your introduction helps readers make the transition to your topic, your conclusion needs to help them return to their daily lives–but with a lasting sense of how what they have just read is useful or meaningful. Check out our handout on  conclusions for tips on ending your paper as effectively as you began it!

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Douglass, Frederick. 1995. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, Written by Himself . New York: Dover.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Make a Gift

• Link to facebook
• Link to linkedin
• Link to twitter
• Link to youtube
• Writing Tips

How to Write an Excellent Essay Introduction

• 3-minute read
• 27th September 2022

Love it or hate it, essay writing is a big part of student life. Writing a great essay might seem like a daunting task, especially when you’re staring at a blank document, but there are formulas you can follow to make sure your paper hits the mark.

When you plan your essays , don’t neglect your introduction! It might seem like a trivial part of the paper, but it can make it or break it. A badly written introduction can leave your reader feeling confused about the topic and what to expect from your essay.

To help your writing reach its full potential, we’ve put together a guide to writing an excellent essay introduction.

How to Write an Essay Introduction

An essay introduction has four main steps:

●  Hook your reader

●  Provide context

●  Present your thesis statement

●  Map your essay

Hook Your Reader

The first part of your introduction should be the hook. This is where you introduce the reader to the topic of the essay. A great hook should be clear, concise, and catchy. It doesn’t need to be long; a hook can be just one sentence.

Provide Context

In this section, introduce your reader to key definitions, ideas, and background information to help them understand your argument.

Present Your Thesis Statement

A thesis statement tells the reader the main point or argument of the essay. This can be just one sentence, or it can be a few sentences.

Map Your Essay

Before you wrap up your essay introduction, map it! This means signposting sections of your essay. The key here is to be concise. The purpose of this part of the introduction is to give your reader a sense of direction.

Here’s an example of an essay introduction:

Hook: Suspense is key for dramatic stories, and Shakespeare is well-known and celebrated for writing suspenseful plays.

Context: While there are many ways in which Shakespeare created suspension for his viewers, two techniques he used effectively were foreshadowing and dramatic irony. Foreshadowing is a literary device that hints at an event or situation that is yet to happen. Dramatic irony is a literary technique, originally used in Greek tragedy, by which the full significance of a character’s words or actions is clear to the audience or reader, although it is unknown to the character.

Find this useful?

Subscribe to our newsletter and get writing tips from our editors straight to your inbox.

Thesis statement: Foreshadowing and dramatic irony are two powerful techniques that Shakespeare used to create suspense in literature. These methods have been used to keep the reader intrigued, excited, or nervous about what is to come in many of his celebrated works.

Essay mapping: In this essay, I will be detailing how Shakespeare uses foreshadowing and dramatic irony to create suspense, with examples from Romeo and Juliet and Othello.

Pro tip: Essays take twists and turns. We recommend changing your introduction as necessary while you write the main text to make sure it fully aligns with your final draft.

Proofread and Editing

Proofreading is an essential part of delivering a great essay. We offer a proofreading and editing service for students and academics that will provide you with expert editors to check your work for any issues with:

●  Grammar

●  Spelling

●  Formatting

●  Tone

●  Audience

●  Consistency

●  Accuracy

●  Clarity

Want 500 words of your work proofread completely free of charge?

Share this article:

Post A New Comment

Got content that needs a quick turnaround? Let us polish your work. Explore our editorial business services.

5-minute read

Free Email Newsletter Template (2024)

Promoting a brand means sharing valuable insights to connect more deeply with your audience, and...

6-minute read

How to Write a Nonprofit Grant Proposal

If you’re seeking funding to support your charitable endeavors as a nonprofit organization, you’ll need...

9-minute read

How to Use Infographics to Boost Your Presentation

Is your content getting noticed? Capturing and maintaining an audience’s attention is a challenge when...

8-minute read

Why Interactive PDFs Are Better for Engagement

Are you looking to enhance engagement and captivate your audience through your professional documents? Interactive...

7-minute read

Seven Key Strategies for Voice Search Optimization

Voice search optimization is rapidly shaping the digital landscape, requiring content professionals to adapt their...

4-minute read

Five Creative Ways to Showcase Your Digital Portfolio

Are you a creative freelancer looking to make a lasting impression on potential clients or...

Make sure your writing is the best it can be with our expert English proofreading and editing.

Awesome Guide on How to Write an Essay Introduction

The introduction of your essay is important because it hooks your audience, and lays out your ideas. If it fails to engage, your hard work might go unnoticed. But, how can you create an introduction that successfully sets the tone for your entire paper? Well, you need to follow these key steps:

• Start with a compelling hook—an interesting fact, a thought-provoking question, or a brief story.
• Give some background information to help readers understand the topic.
• Clearly state your thesis, outlining the main points you’ll discuss in your essay. 

Now, let’s read on for more detailed explanations and tips on building a strong introduction.

What is Essay Introduction

The essay introduction is the first thing your reader sees, setting the tone and style of your writing. More importantly, it gives background information to explain what your essay is about.

Structurally, the introduction does three main things. First, it explains why your topic is important and gets your reader interested. Then, it states your thesis—the main point you're making in your essay. Finally, it outlines what you'll talk about in the rest of your essay.

Usually, your opening hooks your reader and keeps them engaged by including a surprising fact, an interesting question, or a story. This keeps your reader focused and ready to understand your ideas.

How Long Should an Introduction Be?

There's usually no strict rule on its length. You can adjust it based on the total length of the paper. For example, in a shorter essay with five paragraphs, keep the introduction concise, fitting it into one section. However, for a longer paper, such as a 40-page essay, the introduction may span several paragraphs or even pages.

While there are no exact rules, experienced writers suggest that your introduction should typically be around 8% to 9% of your essay's total word count.

If you order our coursework writing services , we'll definitely meet your requirements for the length of the introduction.

What Makes a Good Introduction

An effective introduction goes beyond the essential elements. Here's how to write yours:

• Specificity: Instead of generic hooks, use details directly related to your topic. A surprising statistic, a relevant historical event, or even a thought-provoking quotation can grab the reader's attention and establish your focus.
• Clarity: Strive for conciseness and precision. Avoid overly complex sentences or jargon. Aim for clear, direct language that immediately conveys your meaning.
• Intrigue: Don't simply announce your thesis. Instead, build anticipation. Phrase it in a way that sparks curiosity and compels the reader to continue reading to discover your analysis.

Read a detailed guide on how to critique an article to gain more academic insight.

Still Can't Think of a Perfect Intro?

Let’s ditch the tired "In this essay..." openers and spark some fireworks, not trigger yawns!

Essay Introduction Techniques - How to Write Essay Introduction

Here are five key steps from our custom writer to guide you in crafting a strong introduction:

• Engage Your Reader from the Start - Instead of a predictable opening, capture your reader's interest with these techniques:
• Challenge assumptions. For instance, "Can democracy survive in the digital age if social media platforms prioritize engagement over truth?"
• Use a relevant statistic to highlight the significance of your essay's theme. For example, "Did you know 80% of online information is demonstrably false?"
• Personalize your topic with a compelling story. For instance, "The image of a lone polar bear on a shrinking ice floe symbolizes the urgency of climate change."
• Provide Meaningful Background: Briefly explain why your topic matters and its broader implications:
• Historical Context: "Privacy rights debates trace back to John Locke's arguments for personal autonomy."
• Social Context: "Automation raises concerns about job displacement and the need for workforce retraining."
• Craft a Focused Thesis Statement - Your thesis should clearly state your main argument:
• Clear and Direct: Avoid ambiguity by clearly stating what you aim to prove or analyze.
• Consider a Counterintuitive Thesis: Challenge common beliefs to offer a fresh perspective. For example, "Globalization can exacerbate inequalities between nations, despite its economic benefits."
• Map Your Argument Clearly - Provide a concise preview of your main points:
• Outline the key points you'll explore in a logical order. For example, "First, we'll discuss the psychological effects of social media addiction. Then, we'll analyze its economic factors. Finally, we'll propose solutions to mitigate its impact."
• Revise Thoroughly - After drafting your introduction, revise for clarity and conciseness:
• Ensure every word contributes to clarity.
• Identify and refine awkward phrasing or unclear sections.

If you are struggling with demanding subjects in the legal field, you can always get professional assistance from our law essay writing service .

Essay Introduction Example

Here's an example that demonstrates how to put the tips we discussed into action. Drawing inspiration from this example can help create introductions that inform and captivate.

"Did you know that studies predict robots could replace up to 80% of jobs in the next two decades? This rapid automation offers both opportunities and challenges. While some view it as a path to a more efficient future, others fear widespread job loss and increased inequality. This essay explores automation's impact on the workforce, discussing economic benefits and social concerns. We'll examine how technology can create new jobs and support workers facing displacement. Ultimately, can we use automation to build a future that benefits everyone?"

Explanation:

• Surprising Fact: The statistic about job replacement grabs attention.
• Context: Briefly explains automation's importance and potential impact.
• Counterintuitive Thesis: Challenges the idea that automation is universally beneficial.
• Preview: Outlines key arguments on economic benefits and social concerns.
• Engaging Question: Encourages readers to consider the essay's exploration.

Find out how to write a term paper in our separate article.

What is a Good Introduction Example?

Here are some more examples illustrating the key elements that contribute to a strong introduction:

Intriguing Question : "Has social media become a breeding ground for misinformation, eroding trust in traditional news sources?"

Providing Context: "The ongoing debate about gun control in the United States is a complex issue with deep historical roots and far-reaching social implications. On one hand, proponents of gun rights emphasize the importance of self-defense and Second Amendment protections. On the other hand, advocates for stricter gun control measures highlight the alarming rise in mass shootings and the need to prioritize public safety."

Delivering a Clear Thesis: "While the Second Amendment guarantees the right to bear arms, stricter gun control regulations, including background checks and limitations on assault weapons, are essential to curb gun violence in the United States."

Essay Introduction Checklist

Follow this checklist from our custom dissertation writing service to make sure your introduction is well-developed. Aim for a score of 9 points or higher for a technically strong introduction. 

Get Help With Your ESSAY INTRO!

Address to our professional writers to get help with your homework.

What is Short Essay Introduction?

How is a good introduction, how do i start my essay introduction.

Daniel Parker

is a seasoned educational writer focusing on scholarship guidance, research papers, and various forms of academic essays including reflective and narrative essays. His expertise also extends to detailed case studies. A scholar with a background in English Literature and Education, Daniel’s work on EssayPro blog aims to support students in achieving academic excellence and securing scholarships. His hobbies include reading classic literature and participating in academic forums.

is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

• Updated writing techniques, examples and definitions
• Added FAQs and checklist
• LibGuides: Essay writing: Introductions . (2019). Hull.ac.uk. https://libguides.hull.ac.uk/essays/intros  
• Essay Introductions | UMGC . (n.d.). University of Maryland Global Campus. https://www.umgc.edu/current-students/learning-resources/writing-center/writing-resources/writing/essay-introductions  

How to write an essay: Introduction

• What's in this guide
• Introduction
• Essay structure
• Additional resources

The Introduction

An in troduction generally does three things. The first part is usually a general comment that shows the reader why the topic is important, gets their interest, and leads them into the topic. It isn’t actually part of your argument. The next part of the introduction is the thesis statement . This is your response to the question; your final answer. It is probably the most important part of the introduction. Finally, the introduction tells the reader what they can expect in the essay body. This is where you briefly outline your arguments .

Here is an example of the introduction to the question - Discuss how media can influence children. Use specific examples to support your view.

Pathways and Academic Learning Support

• << Previous: Essay structure
• Next: Body >>
• Last Updated: Nov 29, 2023 1:55 PM
• URL: https://libguides.newcastle.edu.au/how-to-write-an-essay

How To Write An Essay

Essay Introduction

Writing an Essay Introduction - Step by Step Guide

Published on: Dec 26, 2020

Last updated on: Jul 23, 2024

People also read

How To Write An Essay - "The Secret To Craft an A+ Essay"

Learn How to Title an Essay Like a Professional Writer

How to Write an Essay Outline Like a Pro

Essay Format - An Easy Guide & Examples

What is a Thesis Statement, and How is it Written? - Know Here

Arguable and Strong Thesis Statement Examples for Your Essay

200+ Creative Hook Examples: Ready, Set, Hook

A Guide to Writing a 1000 Word Essay for School or College

All You Need to Know About a 500-word Essay

Different Types of Essay: Definition With Best Examples

Transition Words for Essays - An Ultimate List

Jumpstart Your Writing with These Proven Strategies on How to Start an Essay

Learn How to Write a Topic Sentence that Stands Out

A Guide to Crafting an Impactful Conclusion for Your Essay

Amazing Essay Topics & Ideas for Your Next Project (2024)

Explore the Different Types of Sentences with Examples

Share this article

Many students struggle with writing essay introductions that grab the reader's attention and set the stage for a strong argument.

It's frustrating when your well-researched essay doesn't get the recognition it deserves because your introduction falls flat. You deserve better results for your hard work!

In this guide, you’ll learn how to create engaging essay introductions that leave a lasting impression. From catchy opening lines to clear thesis statements, you'll learn techniques to hook your readers from the very beginning.

So, read on and learn how to write the perfect catchy introduction for your essay.

On This Page On This Page -->

What is a Good Essay Introduction?

An introduction is good if it gives a clear idea of what an essay is about. It tells the reader what to expect from the type of academic writing you are presenting. 

However, it should strike a balance between being informative and engaging, avoiding excessive detail that may lead to confusion.

A strong introduction is engaging, attractive, and also informative. It’s important to note that an essay introduction paragraph should not be too short or too long.

Remember, the introduction sets the stage for the body of your essay. So, keep it concise and focused while hinting at the critical elements you'll explore in more depth later.

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That's our Job!

How to Write an Essay Introduction?

Crafting an effective essay introduction is essential for capturing your reader's attention and setting the tone for your entire piece of writing. To ensure your introduction is engaging and impactful, you can follow an introduction format.

Here is the essay introduction format that will help you write an introduction for your essay easily. 

1. Hook Sentence 

A hook sentence is a must for the introductory part of an essay. It helps to keep the reader engaged in your content and seek the reader’s attention.  It is an attention-grabbing sentence that develops the interest of the reader. It develops the anxiousness of reading the complete essay.

You can use the following as the hook sentence in your essay introduction:

• A famous quotation
• An interesting fact
• An anecdote

All of the above are attention-grabbing things that prove to be perfect for a hook sentence.

Not sure how to create an attention-grabbing hook statement? Check out these hook statement examples to get a better idea!

2. Background Information 

Once you have provided an interesting hook sentence, it's time that you provide a little background information related to your essay topic.

The background information should comprise two or three sentences. The information should include the reason why you chose the topic and what is the expected scope of the topic. 

Also, clarify the theme and nature of your essay. 

3. Thesis Statement 

A thesis statement is a significant element of not just the introduction but also the whole essay. It is a statement that gives an overview of your complete essay. 

It should be written in such a way that the reader can have an idea about the whole purpose of your essay. 

Before you write a thesis statement for your essay, try looking into some thesis statement examples. It will help you write a meaningful statement for your essay. 

A thesis statement is mentioned after the background information and before the last sentence of the introductory paragraph. The last sentence of the introduction is a transitional sentence. 

Need more information on crafting an impactful thesis statement? Read this insightful guide on writing a thesis statement to get started!

4. Transition Sentence 

To end the introduction paragraph in a good way, a transition sentence is used. This sentence helps to relate the introduction to the rest of the essay. 

In such a sentence, we mention a hint about the elements that we will be discussing next.

Check out this list of transition words to write a good transition sentence.

Essay Introduction Template

Essay Introduction Starters

The introduction of your essay plays a crucial role in captivating your readers and setting the tone for the rest of your paper. 

To help you craft an impressive introduction, here are some effective essay introduction phrases that you can use:

• "In today's society, [topic] has become an increasingly significant issue."
• "From [historical event] to [current trend], [topic] has shaped our world in numerous ways."
• "Imagine a world where [scenario]. This is the reality that [topic] addresses."
• "Have you ever wondered about [question]? In this essay, we will explore the answers and delve into [topic]."
• "Throughout history, humanity has grappled with the complexities of [topic]."

Here are some more words to start an introduction paragraph with:

• "Throughout"
• "In today's"
• "With the advent of"
• "In recent years"
• "From ancient times"

Remember, these words are just tools to help you begin your introduction. Choose the words that best fit your essay topic and the tone you want to set.

Essay Introduction Examples

To help you get started, here are some examples of different essay types:

Argumentative Essay Introduction Examples

In an argumentative essay, we introduce an argument and support the side that we think is more accurate. Here is a short example of the introduction of a short argumentative essay. 

Reflective Essay Introduction Examples

A writer writes a reflective essay to share a personal real-life experience. It is a very interesting essay type as it allows you to be yourself and speak your heart out.

Here is a well-written example of a reflective essay introduction.

Controversial Essay Introduction Examples

A controversial essay is a type of expository essay. It is written to discuss a topic that has controversy in it. 

Below is a sample abortion essay introduction

Here are some more examples:

Essay introduction body and conclusion

Heritage Day essay introduction

Covid-19 essay introduction body conclusion

Tips for Writing an Essay Introduction

The following are some tips for what you should and should not do to write a good and meaningful essay introduction.

• Do grab the reader's attention with a captivating opening sentence.
• Do provide a clear and concise thesis statement that outlines the main argument of your essay.
• Do give a brief overview of the key points you will discuss in the body paragraphs.
• Do use relevant and engaging examples or anecdotes to support your introduction.
• Do consider the tone and style that best suits your essay topic and audience.
• Do revise and edit your introduction to ensure it flows smoothly with the rest of your essay.
• Don't use clichés or overused phrases as your opening line.
• Don't make your introduction overly lengthy or complex .
• Don't include unnecessary background information that doesn't contribute to the main idea.
• Don't introduce new information or arguments in the introduction that will be discussed later in the body paragraphs.
• Don't use informal language or slang unless it aligns with the essay's purpose and audience.
• Don't forget to proofread your introduction for grammar and spelling errors before finalizing it.

Remember to follow the do's and avoid the don'ts to create an impactful opening that hooks your readers from the start.

Now you know the steps and have the tips and tools to get started on creating your essay’s introduction. However, if you are a beginner, it can be difficult for you to do this task on your own. 

This is what our professional essay writing service  is for! We have a team of professional writers who can help you with all your writing assignments. Also, we have a customer support team available 24/7 to assist you. 

Place your order now, and our customer support representative will get back to you right away. Try our essay writer ai today!

Barbara P (Literature, Marketing)

Barbara is a highly educated and qualified author with a Ph.D. in public health from an Ivy League university. She has spent a significant amount of time working in the medical field, conducting a thorough study on a variety of health issues. Her work has been published in several major publications.

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That’s our Job!

Keep reading

Legal & Policies

• Privacy Policy
• Cookies Policy
• Terms of Use
• Refunds & Cancellations
• Our Writers
• Success Stories
• Our Guarantees
• Affiliate Program
• Referral Program
• AI Essay Writer

Disclaimer: All client orders are completed by our team of highly qualified human writers. The essays and papers provided by us are not to be used for submission but rather as learning models only.

Essay Papers Writing Online

A comprehensive guide to crafting an engaging introduction for your essay.

Writing an essay introduction is like creating a doorway into your paper – it’s the first thing your reader will encounter and can make a lasting impression. A captivating introduction sets the tone for your entire essay and entices the reader to keep reading. To craft an introduction that grabs attention and piques curiosity, consider these tips.

First and foremost, start with a hook that draws the reader in. This could be a thought-provoking question, a surprising fact, a vivid anecdote, or a compelling quote. The key is to make your introduction engaging and relevant to your topic to intrigue the reader from the outset.

Additionally, provide a brief overview of what the essay will cover. Give the reader a roadmap of the main points you will discuss in the following sections. This helps set expectations and gives the reader a sense of direction, making them more likely to stay engaged throughout the essay.

Engage Your Readers

One of the most important goals of your essay introduction is to engage your readers right from the start. You want to grab their attention and make them curious about what you have to say. Here are some strategies to help you engage your readers:

• Start with a compelling hook that draws your readers in. This could be an interesting fact, a thought-provoking question, a relevant quote, or a powerful anecdote.
• Make sure your introduction is relevant to your topic and sets the stage for the rest of your essay. Your readers should know what to expect and why your topic is important.
• Show your readers why they should care about your topic. Make it clear how your essay relates to their lives, interests, or concerns.
• Use language that is clear, concise, and engaging. Avoid jargon or overly complex sentences that could confuse or alienate your readers.
• Consider creating a sense of mystery or suspense in your introduction to make your readers want to keep reading to find out what happens next.

Create a Hook

One of the most effective ways to capture your reader’s attention right from the start is by creating a strong hook in your essay introduction. A hook is a compelling opening line or statement that intrigues the reader and entices them to continue reading. There are several types of hooks you can use, such as a thought-provoking question, a startling statistic, a powerful quote, or a vivid description.

When crafting your hook, think about what will resonate with your audience and draw them into your essay. Consider using a hook that relates to your topic or thesis statement to provide a preview of what’s to come in your writing. Remember, the goal of a hook is to make your introduction engaging and set the stage for the rest of your essay.

Ask a Thought-Provoking Question

One effective way to grab the reader’s attention in your essay introduction is to pose a thought-provoking question. This strategy invites the reader to engage with the topic on a deeper level and encourages them to continue reading to discover the answer.

For example, you could start your essay with a question like, “Have you ever wondered what drives humans to explore the unknown?” This type of question piques curiosity and sets the stage for a discussion that will captivate the reader.

By incorporating a thought-provoking question into your introduction, you can draw your audience in and set the tone for a compelling essay that will keep them engaged from start to finish.

Establish Relevance

One crucial element of a captivating essay introduction is establishing relevance. It’s essential to grab the reader’s attention by connecting your topic to something timely, relatable, or thought-provoking. Consider starting with a relevant fact, statistic, or anecdote that sets the stage for your essay’s main argument. By highlighting the importance of your topic from the outset, you can pique the reader’s curiosity and motivate them to continue reading.

Connect to the Topic

When crafting the introduction to your essay, it’s essential to establish a clear connection to the topic you will be discussing. The opening sentences should provide a glimpse into the main theme of your essay and grab the reader’s attention right from the start.

Consider starting with an intriguing fact, a thought-provoking question, or a relevant quotation that relates directly to your topic. This will help set the tone for the rest of your essay and pique the reader’s curiosity to continue reading.

By connecting your introduction to the topic at hand, you can lay a solid foundation for the rest of your essay and ensure that your readers remain engaged throughout the piece.

Provide Background Information

Before diving into the main points of your essay, it’s important to provide some background information on the topic. This can help set the stage and give your readers a better understanding of the context in which your essay is situated. You can include relevant facts, statistics, historical background, or any other information that will help establish the foundation for your arguments. By offering background information, you can grab the reader’s attention and prepare them for the insights and arguments you will present in the rest of your essay.

Set the Tone

One crucial aspect of crafting a captivating essay introduction is setting the right tone. The tone of your introduction should reflect the overall theme and mood of your essay. Consider whether your essay is serious, lighthearted, persuasive, or informative, and tailor the tone accordingly.

By setting the right tone in your introduction, you can establish a connection with your readers and make them more likely to engage with your ideas. Whether you choose a formal or casual tone, make sure it aligns with the purpose of your essay and the expectations of your audience.

Related Post

How to master the art of writing expository essays and captivate your audience, convenient and reliable source to purchase college essays online, step-by-step guide to crafting a powerful literary analysis essay, unlock success with a comprehensive business research paper example guide, unlock your writing potential with writers college – transform your passion into profession, “unlocking the secrets of academic success – navigating the world of research papers in college”, master the art of sociological expression – elevate your writing skills in sociology.

• U.S. Locations
• UMGC Europe
• Learn Online
• Find Answers
• 855-655-8682
• Current Students

Essay Introductions

Explore more of umgc.

• Writing Resources

Contact The Effective Writing Center

E-mail:  writingcenter@umgc.edu

Write an introduction that interests the reader and effectively outlines your arguments.

Every essay or assignment you write must begin with an introduction. It might be helpful to think of the introduction as an inverted pyramid. In such a pyramid, you begin by presenting a broad introduction to the topic and end by making a more focused point about that topic in your thesis statement. The introduction has three essential parts, each of which serves a particular purpose.

The first part is the "attention-grabber." You need to interest your reader in your topic so that they will want to continue reading. You also want to do that in a way that is fresh and original. For example, although it may be tempting to begin your essay with a dictionary definition, this technique is stale  because it has been widely overused. Instead, you might try one of the following techniques:

Offer a surprising statistic that conveys something about the problem to be addressed in the paper.

Perhaps you can find an interesting quote that nicely sums up your argument.

Use rhetorical questions that place your readers in a different situation in order to get them thinking about your topic in a new way.

If you have a personal connection to the topic, you might use an anecdote or story to get your readers emotionally involved.

For example, if you were writing a paper about drunk drivers, you might begin with a compelling story about someone whose life was forever altered by a drunk driver: "At eighteen, Michelle had a lifetime of promise in front of her. Attending college on a track scholarship, she was earning good grades and making lots of friends. Then one night her life was forever altered…"

From this attention grabbing opener, you would need to move to the next part of the introduction, in which you offer some relevant background on the specific purpose of the essay. This section helps the reader see why you are focusing on this topic and makes the transition to the main point of your paper. For this reason, this is sometimes called the "transitional" part of the introduction.

In the example above, the anecdote about Michelle might capture the reader's attention, but the essay is not really about Michelle. The attention grabber might get the reader thinking about how drunk driving can destroy people's lives, but it doesn't introduce the topic of the need for stricter drunk driving penalties (or whatever the real focus of the paper might be).

Therefore, you need to bridge the gap between your attention-grabber and your thesis with some transitional discussion. In this part of your introduction, you narrow your focus of the topic and explain why the attention-grabber is relevant to the specific area you will be discussing. You should introduce your specific topic and provide any necessary background information that the reader would need in order to understand the problem that you are presenting in the paper. You can also define any key terms the reader might not know.

Continuing with the example above, we might move from the narrative about Michelle to a short discussion of the scope of the problem of drunk drivers. We might say, for example: "Michelle's story is not isolated. Each year XX (number) of lives are lost due to drunk-driving accidents." You could follow this with a short discussion of how serious the problem is and why the reader should care about this problem. This effectively moves the reader from the story about Michelle to your real topic, which might be the need for stricter penalties for drinking and driving.

Finally, the introduction must conclude with a clear statement of the overall point you want to make in the paper. This is called your "thesis statement." It is the narrowest part of your inverted pyramid, and it states exactly what your essay will be arguing.

In this scenario, your thesis would be the point you are trying to make about drunk driving. You might be arguing for better enforcement of existing laws, enactment of stricter penalties, or funding for education about drinking and driving. Whatever the case, your thesis would clearly state the main point your paper is trying to make. Here's an example: "Drunk driving laws need to include stricter penalties for those convicted of drinking under the influence of alcohol." Your essay would then go on to support this thesis with the reasons why stricter penalties are needed.

In addition to your thesis, your introduction can often include a "road map" that explains how you will defend your thesis. This gives the reader a general sense of how you will organize the different points that follow throughout the essay. Sometimes the "map" is incorporated right into the thesis statement, and sometimes it is a separate sentence. Below is an example of a thesis with a "map."

"Because drunk driving can result in unnecessary and premature deaths, permanent injury for survivors, and billions of dollars spent on medical expenses,  drunk drivers should face stricter penalties for driving under the influence." The underlined words here are the "map" that show your reader the main points of support you will present in the essay. They also serve to set up the paper's arrangement because they tell the order in which you will present these topics.

In constructing an introduction, make sure the introduction clearly reflects the goal or purpose of the assignment and that the thesis presents not only the topic to be discussed but also states a clear position about that topic that you will support and develop throughout the paper. In shorter papers, the introduction is usually only one or two paragraphs, but it can be several paragraphs in a longer paper.

For Longer Papers

Although for short essays the introduction is usually just one paragraph, longer argument or research papers may require a more substantial introduction. The first paragraph might consist of just the attention grabber and some narrative about the problem. Then you might have one or more paragraphs that provide background on the main topics of the paper and present the overall argument, concluding with your thesis statement.

Below is a sample of an introduction that is less effective because it doesn't apply the principles discussed above.

An Ineffective Introduction

Everyone uses math during their entire lives. Some people use math on the job as adults, and others used math when they were kids. The topic I have chosen to write about for this paper is how I use math in my life both as a child and as an adult. I use math to balance my checkbook and to budget my monthly expenses as an adult. When I was a child, I used math to run a lemonade stand. I will be talking more about these things in my paper.

In the introduction above, the opening line does not serve to grab the reader's attention. Instead, it is a statement of an obvious and mundane fact. The second sentence is also not very specific. A more effective attention grabber may point out a specific, and perhaps surprising, instance when adults use math in their daily lives, in order to show the reader why this is such as important topic to consider.

Next the writer "announces" her topic by stating, "The topic I have chosen to write about…" Although it is necessary to introduce your specific topic, you want to avoid making generic announcements that reference your assignment. What you have chosen to write about will be evident as your reader moves through the writing. Instead, you might try to make the reader see why this is such an important topic to discuss.

Finally, this sample introduction is lacking a clear thesis statement. The writer concludes with a vague statement: "I will be talking more about these things in my paper."  This kind of statement may be referred to as a "purpose statement," in which the writer states the topics that will be discussed. However, it is not yet working as a thesis statement because it fails to make an argument or claim about those topics. A thesis statement for this essay would clearly tell the reader what "things" you will be discussing and what point you will make about them.

Now let's look at how the above principles can be incorporated more effectively into an introduction.

A More Effective Introduction

"A penny saved is a penny earned," the well-known quote by Ben Franklin, is an expression I have never quite understood, because to me it seems that any penny—whether saved or spent—is still earned no matter what is done with it. My earliest memories of earning and spending money are when I was ten years old when I would sell Dixie cups of too-sweet lemonade and bags of salty popcorn to the neighborhood kids. From that early age, I learned the importance of money management and the math skills involved. I learned that there were four quarters in a dollar, and if I bought a non-food item—like a handful of balloons—that I was going to need to come up with six cents for every dollar I spent. I also knew that Kool-Aid packets were 25 cents each or that I could save money and get five of them for a dollar. Today, however, money management involves knowing more than which combinations of 10-cent, five-cent, and one-penny candies I can get for a dollar. Proper money management today involves knowing interest rates, balancing checkbooks, paying taxes, estimating my paycheck, and budgeting to make ends meet from month-to-month.

In the first line the writer uses a well-known quotation to introduce her topic.

The writer follows this "attention-grabber" with specific examples of earning and spending money. Compare how the specific details of the second example paint a better picture for the reader about what the writer learned about money as a child, rather than this general statement: "As a child, I used math to run a lemonade stand." In the first introduction, this statement leaves the reader to guess how the writer used math, but in the second introduction we can actually see what the child did and what she learned.

Notice, too, how the reader makes the transition from the lessons of childhood to the real focus of her paper in this sentence: "Today, however, money management involves knowing…."

This transition sentence effectively connects the opening narrative to the main point of the essay, her thesis: "Proper money management today involves knowing  interest rates, balancing checkbooks, paying taxes, estimating my paycheck, and budgeting to make ends meet from month-to-month ." This thesis also maps out for the reader the main points (underlined here) that will be discussed in the essay.

Our helpful admissions advisors can help you choose an academic program to fit your career goals, estimate your transfer credits, and develop a plan for your education costs that fits your budget. If you’re a current UMGC student, please visit the Help Center .

Personal Information

Contact information, additional information.

By submitting this form, you acknowledge that you intend to sign this form electronically and that your electronic signature is the equivalent of a handwritten signature, with all the same legal and binding effect. You are giving your express written consent without obligation for UMGC to contact you regarding our educational programs and services using e-mail, phone, or text, including automated technology for calls and/or texts to the mobile number(s) provided. For more details, including how to opt out, read our privacy policy or contact an admissions advisor .

Please wait, your form is being submitted.

By using our website you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more about how we use cookies by reading our  Privacy Policy .

What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

How to Start a College Essay to Hook Your Reader

Do you know how to improve your profile for college applications.

See how your profile ranks among thousands of other students using CollegeVine. Calculate your chances at your dream schools and learn what areas you need to improve right now — it only takes 3 minutes and it's 100% free.

Show me what areas I need to improve

What’s Covered:

What is the purpose of the college essay introduction, tips for getting started on your essay, 6 effective techniques for starting your college essay.

• Cliche College Essay Introduction to Avoid

Where to Get Your Essay Edited for Free

Have you sat down to write your essay and just hit a wall of writer’s block? Do you have too many ideas running around your head, or maybe no ideas at all?

Starting a college essay is potentially the hardest part of the application process. Once you start, it’s easy to keep writing, but that initial hurdle is just so difficult to overcome. We’ve put together a list of tips to help you jump that wall and make your essay the best it can be.

The introduction to a college essay should immediately hook the reader. You want to give admissions officers a reason to stay interested in your story and encourage them to continue reading your essay with an open mind. Remember that admissions officers are only able to spend a couple minutes per essay, so if you bore them or turn them off from the start, they may clock out for the rest of the essay.

As a whole, the college essay should aim to portray a part of your personality that hasn’t been covered by your GPA, extracurriculars, and test scores. This makes the introduction a crucial part of the essay. Think of it as the first glimpse, an intriguing lead on, into the read rest of your essay which also showcases your voice and personality. 

Brainstorm Topics

Take the time to sit down and brainstorm some good topic ideas for your essay. You want your topic to be meaningful to you, while also displaying a part of you that isn’t apparent in other aspects of your application. The essay is an opportunity to show admissions officers the “real you.” If you have a topic in mind, do not feel pressured to start with the introduction. Sometimes the best essay openings are developed last, once you fully grasp the flow of your story.

Do a Freewrite

Give yourself permission to write without judgment for an allotted period of time. For each topic you generated in your brainstorm session, do a free-write session. Set a time for one minute and write down whatever comes to mind for that specific topic. This will help get the juices flowing and push you over that initial bit of writer’s block that’s so common when it comes time to write a college essay. Repeat this exercise if you’re feeling stuck at any point during the essay writing process. Freewriting is a great way to warm up your creative writing brain whilst seeing which topics are flowing more naturally onto the page.

Create an Outline

Once you’ve chosen your topic, write an outline for your whole essay. It’s easier to organize all your thoughts, write the body, and then go back to write the introduction. That way, you already know the direction you want your essay to go because you’ve actually written it out, and you can ensure that your introduction leads directly into the rest of the essay. Admissions officers are looking for the quality of your writing alongside the content of your essay. To be prepared for college-level writing, students should understand how to logically structure an essay. By creating an outline, you are setting yourself up to be judged favorably on the quality of your writing skills.

1. The Scriptwriter

“No! Make it stop! Get me out!” My 5-year-old self waved my arms frantically in front of my face in the darkened movie theater.

Starting your essay with dialogue instantly transports the reader into the story, while also introducing your personal voice. In the rest of the essay, the author proposes a class that introduces people to insects as a type of food. Typically, one would begin directly with the course proposal. However, the author’s inclusion of this flashback weaves in a personal narrative, further displaying her true self.

Read the full essay.

2. The Shocker

A chaotic sense of sickness and filth unfolds in an overcrowded border station in McAllen, Texas. Through soundproof windows, migrants motion that they have not showered in weeks, and children wear clothes caked in mucus and tears. The humanitarian crisis at the southern border exists not only in photographs published by mainstream media, but miles from my home in South Texas.

This essay opener is also a good example of “The Vivid Imaginer.” In this case, the detailed imagery only serves to heighten the shock factor. While people may be aware of the “humanitarian crisis at the southern border,” reading about it in such stark terms is bound to capture the reader’s attention. Through this hook, the reader learns a bit about the author’s home life; an aspect of the student that may not be detailed elsewhere in their application. The rest of the essay goes on to talk about the author’s passion for aiding refugees, and this initial paragraph immediately establishes the author’s personal connection to the refugee crisis.

3. The Vivid Imaginer

The air is crisp and cool, nipping at my ears as I walk under a curtain of darkness that drapes over the sky, starless. It is a Friday night in downtown Corpus Christi, a rare moment of peace in my home city filled with the laughter of strangers and colorful lights of street vendors. But I cannot focus. 

Starting off with a bit of well-written imagery transports the reader to wherever you want to take them. By putting them in this context with you, you allow the reader to closely understand your thoughts and emotions in this situation. Additionally, this method showcases the author’s individual way of looking at the world, a personal touch that is the baseline of all college essays.

Discover your chances at hundreds of schools

Our free chancing engine takes into account your history, background, test scores, and extracurricular activities to show you your real chances of admission—and how to improve them.

4. The Instant Plunger

The flickering LED lights began to form into a face of a man when I focused my eyes. The man spoke of a ruthless serial killer of the decade who had been arrested in 2004, and my parents shivered at his reaccounting of the case. I curiously tuned in, wondering who he was to speak of such crimes with concrete composure and knowledge. Later, he introduced himself as a profiler named Pyo Chang Won, and I watched the rest of the program by myself without realizing that my parents had left the couch.

Plunging readers into the middle of a story (also known as in medias res ) is an effective hook because it captures attention by placing the reader directly into the action. The descriptive imagery in the first sentence also helps to immerse the reader, creating a satisfying hook while also showing (instead of telling) how the author became interested in criminology. With this technique, it is important to “zoom out,” so to speak, in such a way that the essay remains personal to you.

5. The Philosopher 

Saved in the Notes app on my phone are three questions: What can I know? What must I do? What may I hope for? First asked by Immanuel Kant, these questions guide my pursuit of knowledge and organization of critical thought, both skills that are necessary to move our country and society forward in the right direction.

Posing philosophical questions helps present you as someone with deep ideas while also guiding the focus of your essay. In a way, it presents the reader with a roadmap; they know that these questions provide the theme for the rest of the essay. The more controversial the questions, the more gripping a hook you can create. 

Providing an answer to these questions is not necessarily as important as making sure that the discussions they provoke really showcase you and your own values and beliefs.

6. The Storyteller

One Christmas morning, when I was nine, I opened a snap circuit set from my grandmother. Although I had always loved math and science, I didn’t realize my passion for engineering until I spent the rest of winter break creating different circuits to power various lights, alarms, and sensors. Even after I outgrew the toy, I kept the set in my bedroom at home and knew I wanted to study engineering.

Beginning with an anecdote is a strong way to establish a meaningful connection with the content itself. It also shows that the topic you write about has been a part of your life for a significant amount of time, and something that college admissions officers look for in activities is follow-through; they want to make sure that you are truly interested in something. A personal story such as the one above shows off just that.

Cliche College Essay Introductions to Avoid

Ambiguous introduction.

It’s best to avoid introductory sentences that don’t seem to really say anything at all, such as “Science plays a large role in today’s society,” or “X has existed since the beginning of time.” Statements like these, in addition to being extremely common, don’t demonstrate anything about you, the author. Without a personal connection to you right away, it’s easy for the admissions officer to write off the essay before getting past the first sentence.

Quoting Someone Famous

While having a quotation by a famous author, celebrity, or someone else you admire may seem like a good way to allow the reader to get to know you, these kinds of introductions are actually incredibly overused. You also risk making your essay all about the quotation and the famous person who said it; admissions officers want to get to know you, your beliefs, and your values, not someone who isn’t applying to their school. There are some cases where you may actually be asked to write about a quotation, and that’s fine, but you should avoid starting your essay with someone else’s words outside of this case. It is fine, however, to start with dialogue to plunge your readers into a specific moment.

Talking About Writing an Essay

This method is also very commonplace and is thus best avoided. It’s better to show, not tell, and all this method allows you to do is tell the reader how you were feeling at the time of writing the essay. If you do feel compelled to go this way, make sure to include vivid imagery and focus on grounding the essay in the five senses, which can help elevate your introduction and separate it from the many other meta essays.

Childhood Memories

Phrases like “Ever since I was young…” or “I’ve always wanted…” also lend more to telling rather than showing. If you want to talk about your childhood or past feelings in your essay, try using one of the techniques listed earlier (such as the Instant Plunger or the Vivid Imaginer) to elevate your writing.

CollegeVine has a peer essay review page where peers can tell you if your introduction was enough to hook them. Getting feedback from someone who hasn’t read your essay before, and thus doesn’t have any context which may bias them to be more forgiving to your introduction, is helpful because it mimics the same environment in which an admissions officer will be reading your essay. 

Writing a college essay is hard, but with these tips hopefully starting it will be a little easier!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

APA Style Guide 7th Edition--Frequently Asked Question and Updates: Introduction and Link to APA 7th

• Introduction and Link to APA 7th
• APA 7th Edition--New Changes--Quick Guide
• Other Citation Styles and APA 6th edition
• Searching and APA 7th edition Presentation for EMBA Students
• APA 7th Ed.--Information for Nursing Students
• Libguide editors
• Other APA Libguides

APA Style Guide--7th Edition --Introduction

The APA (American Psychological Association) Style is used by many researchers,   scholars,  students and publishers around the world.  Fields from psychology, social work, communications, education and other disciplines  used the style for dissertations, theses, research papers and articles.     Using a style guide helps writers present their ideas in a clear, concise and organized manner.  When you learn how to format your papers based on a style guide you are better able to credit sources, present tables and figures consistentl y, and use correct grammar and sentence structure.  The 7th edition of  The Publication Manual of the American  Psychological Association is the  recent revision of the style guide.  This guide attempts to answer some of the Frequently Asked Questions regarding this new edition .  

http://mypanther-lib.pvamu.edu/record=b1453375~S1

• APA 7th edition changes-- short Powerpoint presentation

APA 7th edition Powerpoint presentation

Helpful links

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Seventh Edition (2020)

https://apastyle.apa.org/products/publication-manual-7th-edition

APA Style Blog

https://apastyle.apa.org/blog?_ga=2.112121158.331217480.1573758839-970069031.1573758839

APA Style--Paper format guidelines

https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/paper-format/

APA Style—In Text Citation guidelines

https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/citations/

APA Style--References guidelines

https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/references/

APA Style--Tables and Figures

https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/tables-figures/

APA Style—Punctuation

https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/punctuation/

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association 7th Edition--Frequently Asked Questions

When will students need to use the 7th edition of APA?

The American Psychological Association anticipates that most people will start using the 7th edition in the spring of 2020 or thereafter. It’s best to check with your professor or check the website of the journal you want to get published in to see which APA guidelines you should follow.

What if I already started a paper in 6 th edition?

The publishers realize it make take a while to get everyone accustomed to using the new edition.  If you have started a paper using the 6 th edition, generally speaking, you should finish it with the same style.  However, always ask your professor or publisher if you need to make an adjustment.  

What are some of the changes in the 7 th edition?

• New guidance on research methods, ethical compliance and data sharing.
• The title page, running head and heading formats are changed, as well as font specifications for accessibility.
• Journal Article Reporting Standards (JARS) are updated.
• Inclusive and bias-free language is the new standard, and APA’s new publication manual contains a separate chapter on this topic.
• Changes to the mechanics of style, including the placement of periods, quotation marks, abbreviations, more flexibility for lettered, numbered and bulleted lists.
• More than 40 new samples of tables and figures are included.
• The accessible use of color in figures is discussed.
• There is more guidance on plagiarism, self-plagiarism, levels of citation and unethical writing practices.
• There are over 100 examples of APA style references, with detailed explanations.
• Chapter 11 presents expanded legal reference guidelines from The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation.
• Chapter 12 provides guidance on the publication process for new researchers and authors.

Introducing the APA 7th Ed.

What's New with APA 7th Edition

• Next: APA 7th Edition--New Changes--Quick Guide >>
• Last Updated: Aug 31, 2024 8:53 AM
• URL: https://pvamu.libguides.com/APA

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 519, MS 1040, Prairie View, Texas 77446 Physical Address: L.W. Minor St. / University Drive, Prairie View, Texas 77446 Reference: (936) 261-1535, Circulation: (936) 261-1542 Email:

University of Notre Dame Undergraduate Admissions Tips from Counselors Home › Apply › Tips from Counselors › Tackling the Personal Essay: Tips from a Notre Dame Admissions Counselor Published: August 30, 2024 Author: Zach Klonsinski If you ask almost any admissions professional which part of reading applications is their favorite, it’s likely their answer will be a resounding, “The essays!” Essays are where we get to engage with students’ hopes, fears, dreams, life experiences (and more) in their authentic voice. We are humbled every year getting to “meet” all the incredible young people who are applying to Notre Dame through their essays! Yet, writing an essay introducing yourself can be really hard. Maybe you’ve never done so before, or you haven’t for a really long time, and often it will seem really awkward. That’s OK! It feels hard because it is–or at least it can be. Don’t worry, though! I love sharing tips with applicants about the personal essay that will hopefully help you see it as an opportunity to learn more about yourself and then share that discernment with the colleges who will be fortunate enough to receive your application! Getting started The easiest way to get started is by simply brainstorming! I love using pen and paper (I’m anti-pencil, though I realize that may be a divisive opinion). The physical materials help me feel less constrained by technology, though you may find the technology comforting. Use bulleted lists or short phrases to capture ideas, life experiences, values, and more. Every day, set aside five minutes to write about yourself or your college discernment process without stopping to think. Where does your mind lead you when you get out of your own way? Ask your friends and family to help you identify values that are important to you or things that make you.. well… you! Often it’s easier to highlight and say nice things about someone else than it is ourselves, so lean on those who know you well! Group these collective nuggets to see if any patterns or stories emerge. Do you see any prompts on your application that align with your brainstorming? The Common Application, for example, has seven to choose from, including a make your own prompt! Start writing on one that makes you pause, as that means you might have something to say! Don’t be afraid to go longer than your word count or to use an atypical form of writing. While that specific level of chaos may not work for you, I always recommend staying away from sentences and avoiding constraining yourself while writing because… Editing is more than spelling and grammar! When we want to “edit” something, it can be tempting to start–and just as quickly end–with spell check. (Yes, your essay should have proper spelling and grammar, but please know we are not reading your essay with a red pen “grading” every single comma.) What is far more important–though also far more intimidating–is your essay’s content. What really improved my writing actually had nothing to do with me–rather, it was finding trusted editors to give me honest and constructive feedback. While it’s tempting to have your best friend or family member read your essay, I’ve found my best editors possess a strong rhetorical mind, ask thoughtful questions, and are not afraid to tell me when something isn’t working the way I think it is. This may describe someone close to you, but maybe not. Maybe there’s a classmate or teacher who you have always admired, even if you don’t know them that well. Editing is an incredibly vulnerable process; don’t be afraid to lean into that vulnerability! I promise that a strong editor who works with your voice and style–rather than rewriting your essay how they would have–will help bring forth an authentic essay you didn’t even realize you could write! Speaking of, authenticity will lead to your best essay The best application essay is the one that helps us get to know you. Period. Full stop. Any topic can be a good topic, any topic can be a bad topic. At the end of the day, the topic you choose to write about is only a gateway to help us get to know you! Let’s think of it another way. Say you printed out your essay at your school, without your name or other identifying information on it, and someone who knows you picked it up and read it. If they said, “I bet this is (your name)’s essay,” I can already tell you’re on the right track. There’s something truly you about it! Where can I find more about writing application essays? I’m so glad you asked! On our On-Demand Sessions webpage , you can find a number of helpful recorded sessions from our College Application Workshop series. One of them, co-presented by yours truly, is called “Crafting the Perfect College Essay”. My colleague Maria Finan and I present our own tips and tricks for about 20 minutes and then take questions from a virtual audience for the remainder of the 45 minute session. I invite you to check it out, as well as the other sessions we have recorded! Ready to Write Your App Essays? Advice from an Admissions Counselor on the Notre Dame Supplement Zach Klonsinski is a senior assistant director with the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. He is the regional counselor for Minnesota, Missouri (Kansas City), Wisconsin, Rwanda, Kenya, France, Portugal, Spain, Andorra, Monaco, and China - Beijing Read Zach's profile. Essay Editor How to End a College Essay: Strategies and Examples Writing a college essay takes skill, but making a strong college essay conclusion is often the most important part. A great ending can make a big impact on your readers and bring your main ideas together. This guide will walk you through four strategies that will help you create impactful conclusions that resonate with your audience. 1. Writing a Memorable College Essay Conclusion The conclusion of your essay is your last chance to strengthen your main points and leave a lasting impression. A well-written ending can make your whole essay better and more memorable. Successful Essay Ending Examples Here are some great ways to end an essay: Share a thoughtful idea that connects to your main point, giving a sense of closure and understanding. Quickly go over your main points, showing them in a new way. Discuss why your topic matters beyond just your essay. Link back to your introduction, making your writing feel complete. Example:  "When I started looking into how music affects the brain, I didn't know I'd find a connection to my grandmother's struggle with Alzheimer's. I learned that songs people know well can often bring back memories for patients, even when they have trouble talking. This discovery changed how I see music's power and gave me a new way to connect with my grandmother. When we hum her favorite songs together, I see hints of recognition in her eyes, reminding me that sometimes, big scientific ideas can have very personal effects." Common Mistakes in Ending an Essay Avoid these problems when writing your college essay conclusion: Adding new ideas: Your conclusion should bring together existing points, not introduce new information. Just repeating your main point: While it's important to remind readers of your main idea, simply saying it again word-for-word doesn't work well. Using overused phrases: Don't use expressions like "In conclusion" or "To sum up." Stopping too suddenly: Make sure your conclusion gives a feeling of completion and doesn't leave readers hanging. Aithor's advanced language model can help you write compelling conclusions that avoid these common mistakes and enhance the overall impact of your essay. 2. Thought-Provoking Questions: A Powerful Way to End an Essay Ending an essay with a question that makes people think can get your readers interested and encourage them to keep thinking about your topic. This approach leaves a strong impression and can make your essay more memorable. "After looking at how social media changes how we see ourselves, we're left with an important question: Can we find a way to share our lives online while still living them fully offline? Maybe the answer isn't choosing between the online and real worlds, but learning how to connect well in both." When using this method, make sure your question is: Related to your essay's main topic Open-ended, encouraging deeper thought Not easy to answer with just "yes" or "no" 3. How to End Your College Essay with a Call to Action A call to action (CTA) in your conclusion can encourage your readers to do something based on the ideas you've talked about. This works well for essays about social issues, environmental problems, or personal growth topics. "In this essay, we've looked at the problem of plastic in our oceans. Now, it's time to help fix it. Start by replacing one single-use plastic item you use every day with something you can use again. It could be as simple as using a reusable water bottle or bringing your own bags to the store. Tell your friends and family what you're doing. By taking these small steps, we're not just making less waste; we're starting a chain reaction that can lead to cleaner oceans and a healthier planet." When writing a CTA for your college essay conclusion, make sure it's: Clear and easy to write Directly related to your essay's main points Something your readers can actually do Aithor can assist you in writing perfect calls to action that connect with your readers and fit well with your essay's content. 4. Personal Anecdotes: An Engaging Essay Ending Ending an essay with a personal story can help your readers feel connected to you and strengthen your main message. This approach makes your writing more relatable and human. "Last summer, I helped at a local animal shelter. One day, they brought in an older, scruffy dog named Max. For weeks, people passed him by, always choosing younger, cuter puppies instead. I started spending extra time with Max, and slowly, his playful side came out. When a family finally took him home, the happiness on their faces – and Max's wagging tail – showed me how important it is to give every living thing a chance. This taught me more about patience, unfair judgments, and the power of second chances than any book ever could." When using a personal story to end your college essay: Make sure it relates to your main topic Keep it short and powerful Use clear language to paint a picture for your readers Tips on How to End a College Essay To write a strong conclusion, think about these extra tips on how to end a college essay: Wrap up your main points clearly while suggesting how they might apply to other things or future ideas to keep your readers thinking. Make sure your conclusion sounds like the rest of your essay for a smooth, polished finish. Don't weaken your arguments by sounding unsure in your conclusion. Be extra careful with grammar and punctuation in your conclusion, as it's the last thing your readers will remember. Write your conclusion to connect with your specific readers, whether they're college admissions staff, teachers, or other students. Write a short and powerful conclusion that drives your main points home without repeating too much or using too many words. Remember, your conclusion is your last chance to make a strong impression. Take your time to write it carefully, making sure it ties together your main points and shows why your essay matters. For those wondering how to end a reflection paper, Aithor can help you improve your college essay conclusion, making sure it's polished, powerful, and fits your specific needs. This top writing tool can help you refine your essay ending examples and give you guidance on how to end a reflection paper or any other type of school writing. Related articles Plagiarism: 7 types in detail. Your professor says that it is necessary to avoid plagiarism when writing a research paper, essay, or any project based on the works of other people, so to say, any reference source. But what does plagiarism mean? What types of it exist? And how to formulate the material to get rid of potential bad consequences while rendering original texts? Today we try to answer these very questions. Plagiarism: Aspect in Brief Plagiarism is considered to be a serious breach, able to spoil your successful ... Top 10 Use Cases for AI Writers Writing is changing a lot because of AI. But don't worry — AI won't take human writers' jobs. It's a tool that can make our work easier and help us write better. When we use AI along with our own skills, we can create good content faster and better. AI can help with many parts of writing, from coming up with ideas to fixing the final version. Let's look at the top 10 ways how to use AI for content creation and how it can make your writing better. What Is AI Content Writing? AI content writin ... Can Plagiarism Be Detected on PDF? Plagiarism has been a challenge for a long time in writing. It's easy to find information online, which might make some people use it without saying where it came from. But plagiarism isn't just taking someone else's words. Sometimes, we might do it by accident or even use our own old work without mentioning it. When people plagiarize, they can get into serious trouble. They might lose others' trust or even face legal problems. Luckily, we now have tools to detect plagiarism. But what about PDF ... How To Write Essays Faster Using AI? Creating various topical texts is an obligatory assignment during studies. For a majority of students, it seems like a real headache. It is quite difficult to write a smooth and complex work, meeting all the professors' requirements. However, thanks to modern technologies there appeared a good way of getting a decent project – using AI to write essays. We'd like to acquaint you with Aithor, an effective tool of this kind, able to perform fine and elaborated texts, and, of course, inspiration, i ... Paraphrasing vs Plagiarism: Do They Really Differ? Academic assignments require much knowledge and skill. One of the most important points is rendering and interpreting material one has ever studied. A person should avoid presenting word-for-word plagiarism but express his or her thoughts and ideas as much as possible. However, every fine research is certain to be based on the previous issues, data given, or concepts suggested. And here it's high time to differentiate plagiarism and paraphrasing, to realize its peculiarities and cases of usage. ... What is Citation and Why Should You Cite the Sources When Writing Content When we write something for school, work, or just for fun, we often use ideas and facts from other places. This makes us ask: what is a citation in writing? Let's find out what this means and why it's really important when we write. What is Citation? Citation in research refers to the practice of telling your readers where you got your information, ideas, or exact words from. It's like showing them the path to the original information you used in your writing. When you cite something, you us ... How to Write a Dialogue in an Essay: Useful Tips A correct usage of dialogues in essays may seem quite difficult at first sight. Still there are special issues, for instance, narrative or descriptive papers, where this literary technique will be a good helper in depicting anyone's character. How to add dialogues to the work? How to format them correctly? Let's discuss all relevant matters to master putting conversation episodes into academic essays. Essay Dialogue: Definition & Purpose A dialogue is a literary technique for presenting a con ... What Is Self-Plagiarism & How To Avoid It Have you ever thought about whether using your own work again could be seen as copying? It might seem strange, but self-plagiarism is a real issue in school and work writing. Let's look at what this means and learn how to avoid self-plagiarism so your work stays original and ethical. What is self-plagiarism? Self-plagiarism, also called auto-plagiarism or duplicate plagiarism, happens when a writer uses parts of their old work without saying where it came from. This isn't just about copying w ... Have a language expert improve your writing Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free. Knowledge Base How to structure an essay: Templates and tips How to Structure an Essay | Tips & Templates Published on September 18, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023. The basic structure of an essay always consists of an introduction , a body , and a conclusion . But for many students, the most difficult part of structuring an essay is deciding how to organize information within the body. Instantly correct all language mistakes in your text Upload your document to correct all your mistakes in minutes Table of contents The basics of essay structure, chronological structure, compare-and-contrast structure, problems-methods-solutions structure, signposting to clarify your structure, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about essay structure. There are two main things to keep in mind when working on your essay structure: making sure to include the right information in each part, and deciding how you’ll organize the information within the body. Parts of an essay The three parts that make up all essays are described in the table below. Part Content Order of information You’ll also have to consider how to present information within the body. There are a few general principles that can guide you here. The first is that your argument should move from the simplest claim to the most complex . The body of a good argumentative essay often begins with simple and widely accepted claims, and then moves towards more complex and contentious ones. For example, you might begin by describing a generally accepted philosophical concept, and then apply it to a new topic. The grounding in the general concept will allow the reader to understand your unique application of it. The second principle is that background information should appear towards the beginning of your essay . General background is presented in the introduction. If you have additional background to present, this information will usually come at the start of the body. The third principle is that everything in your essay should be relevant to the thesis . Ask yourself whether each piece of information advances your argument or provides necessary background. And make sure that the text clearly expresses each piece of information’s relevance. The sections below present several organizational templates for essays: the chronological approach, the compare-and-contrast approach, and the problems-methods-solutions approach. Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check. The chronological approach (sometimes called the cause-and-effect approach) is probably the simplest way to structure an essay. It just means discussing events in the order in which they occurred, discussing how they are related (i.e. the cause and effect involved) as you go. A chronological approach can be useful when your essay is about a series of events. Don’t rule out other approaches, though—even when the chronological approach is the obvious one, you might be able to bring out more with a different structure. Explore the tabs below to see a general template and a specific example outline from an essay on the invention of the printing press. Thesis statement Discussion of event/period Consequences Importance of topic Strong closing statement Claim that the printing press marks the end of the Middle Ages Background on the low levels of literacy before the printing press Thesis statement: The invention of the printing press increased circulation of information in Europe, paving the way for the Reformation High levels of illiteracy in medieval Europe Literacy and thus knowledge and education were mainly the domain of religious and political elites Consequence: this discouraged political and religious change Invention of the printing press in 1440 by Johannes Gutenberg Implications of the new technology for book production Consequence: Rapid spread of the technology and the printing of the Gutenberg Bible Trend for translating the Bible into vernacular languages during the years following the printing press’s invention Luther’s own translation of the Bible during the Reformation Consequence: The large-scale effects the Reformation would have on religion and politics Summarize the history described Stress the significance of the printing press to the events of this period Essays with two or more main subjects are often structured around comparing and contrasting . For example, a literary analysis essay might compare two different texts, and an argumentative essay might compare the strengths of different arguments. There are two main ways of structuring a compare-and-contrast essay: the alternating method, and the block method. Alternating In the alternating method, each paragraph compares your subjects in terms of a specific point of comparison. These points of comparison are therefore what defines each paragraph. The tabs below show a general template for this structure, and a specific example for an essay comparing and contrasting distance learning with traditional classroom learning. Synthesis of arguments Topical relevance of distance learning in lockdown Increasing prevalence of distance learning over the last decade Thesis statement: While distance learning has certain advantages, it introduces multiple new accessibility issues that must be addressed for it to be as effective as classroom learning Classroom learning: Ease of identifying difficulties and privately discussing them Distance learning: Difficulty of noticing and unobtrusively helping Classroom learning: Difficulties accessing the classroom (disability, distance travelled from home) Distance learning: Difficulties with online work (lack of tech literacy, unreliable connection, distractions) Classroom learning: Tends to encourage personal engagement among students and with teacher, more relaxed social environment Distance learning: Greater ability to reach out to teacher privately Sum up, emphasize that distance learning introduces more difficulties than it solves Stress the importance of addressing issues with distance learning as it becomes increasingly common Distance learning may prove to be the future, but it still has a long way to go In the block method, each subject is covered all in one go, potentially across multiple paragraphs. For example, you might write two paragraphs about your first subject and then two about your second subject, making comparisons back to the first. The tabs again show a general template, followed by another essay on distance learning, this time with the body structured in blocks. Point 1 (compare) Point 2 (compare) Point 3 (compare) Point 4 (compare) Advantages: Flexibility, accessibility Disadvantages: Discomfort, challenges for those with poor internet or tech literacy Advantages: Potential for teacher to discuss issues with a student in a separate private call Disadvantages: Difficulty of identifying struggling students and aiding them unobtrusively, lack of personal interaction among students Advantages: More accessible to those with low tech literacy, equality of all sharing one learning environment Disadvantages: Students must live close enough to attend, commutes may vary, classrooms not always accessible for disabled students Advantages: Ease of picking up on signs a student is struggling, more personal interaction among students Disadvantages: May be harder for students to approach teacher privately in person to raise issues An essay that concerns a specific problem (practical or theoretical) may be structured according to the problems-methods-solutions approach. This is just what it sounds like: You define the problem, characterize a method or theory that may solve it, and finally analyze the problem, using this method or theory to arrive at a solution. If the problem is theoretical, the solution might be the analysis you present in the essay itself; otherwise, you might just present a proposed solution. The tabs below show a template for this structure and an example outline for an essay about the problem of fake news. Introduce the problem Provide background Describe your approach to solving it Define the problem precisely Describe why it’s important Indicate previous approaches to the problem Present your new approach, and why it’s better Apply the new method or theory to the problem Indicate the solution you arrive at by doing so Assess (potential or actual) effectiveness of solution Describe the implications Problem: The growth of “fake news” online Prevalence of polarized/conspiracy-focused news sources online Thesis statement: Rather than attempting to stamp out online fake news through social media moderation, an effective approach to combating it must work with educational institutions to improve media literacy Definition: Deliberate disinformation designed to spread virally online Popularization of the term, growth of the phenomenon Previous approaches: Labeling and moderation on social media platforms Critique: This approach feeds conspiracies; the real solution is to improve media literacy so users can better identify fake news Greater emphasis should be placed on media literacy education in schools This allows people to assess news sources independently, rather than just being told which ones to trust This is a long-term solution but could be highly effective It would require significant organization and investment, but would equip people to judge news sources more effectively Rather than trying to contain the spread of fake news, we must teach the next generation not to fall for it Here's why students love Scribbr's proofreading services Discover proofreading & editing Signposting means guiding the reader through your essay with language that describes or hints at the structure of what follows.  It can help you clarify your structure for yourself as well as helping your reader follow your ideas. The essay overview In longer essays whose body is split into multiple named sections, the introduction often ends with an overview of the rest of the essay. This gives a brief description of the main idea or argument of each section. The overview allows the reader to immediately understand what will be covered in the essay and in what order. Though it describes what  comes later in the text, it is generally written in the present tense . The following example is from a literary analysis essay on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein . Transitions Transition words and phrases are used throughout all good essays to link together different ideas. They help guide the reader through your text, and an essay that uses them effectively will be much easier to follow. Various different relationships can be expressed by transition words, as shown in this example. Because Hitler failed to respond to the British ultimatum, France and the UK declared war on Germany. Although it was an outcome the Allies had hoped to avoid, they were prepared to back up their ultimatum in order to combat the existential threat posed by the Third Reich. Transition sentences may be included to transition between different paragraphs or sections of an essay. A good transition sentence moves the reader on to the next topic while indicating how it relates to the previous one. … Distance learning, then, seems to improve accessibility in some ways while representing a step backwards in others. However , considering the issue of personal interaction among students presents a different picture. If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools! Ad hominem fallacy Post hoc fallacy Appeal to authority fallacy False cause fallacy Sunk cost fallacy College essays Choosing Essay Topic Write a College Essay Write a Diversity Essay College Essay Format & Structure Comparing and Contrasting in an Essay  (AI) Tools Grammar Checker Paraphrasing Tool Text Summarizer AI Detector Plagiarism Checker Citation Generator The structure of an essay is divided into an introduction that presents your topic and thesis statement , a body containing your in-depth analysis and arguments, and a conclusion wrapping up your ideas. The structure of the body is flexible, but you should always spend some time thinking about how you can organize your essay to best serve your ideas. An essay isn’t just a loose collection of facts and ideas. Instead, it should be centered on an overarching argument (summarized in your thesis statement ) that every part of the essay relates to. The way you structure your essay is crucial to presenting your argument coherently. A well-structured essay helps your reader follow the logic of your ideas and understand your overall point. Comparisons in essays are generally structured in one of two ways: The alternating method, where you compare your subjects side by side according to one specific aspect at a time. The block method, where you cover each subject separately in its entirety. It’s also possible to combine both methods, for example by writing a full paragraph on each of your topics and then a final paragraph contrasting the two according to a specific metric. You should try to follow your outline as you write your essay . However, if your ideas change or it becomes clear that your structure could be better, it’s okay to depart from your essay outline . Just make sure you know why you’re doing so. Cite this Scribbr article If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator. Caulfield, J. (2023, July 23). How to Structure an Essay | Tips & Templates. Scribbr. Retrieved September 3, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/academic-essay/essay-structure/ Is this article helpful? Jack Caulfield Other students also liked, comparing and contrasting in an essay | tips & examples, how to write the body of an essay | drafting & redrafting, transition sentences | tips & examples for clear writing, "i thought ai proofreading was useless but..". I've been using Scribbr for years now and I know it's a service that won't disappoint. It does a good job spotting mistakes” How to Write an Essay Outline: Examples, FAQs & Tips An essay outline is a structured plan that organizes the main points and supporting details of an essay before writing. It guides the flow of ideas and ensures that each section of the essay is logically connected and coherent. In this article, we'll walk you through the steps to build a strong essay outline. You'll discover how to define your thesis, arrange your main points, and structure your outline for clarity and effectiveness. If you're still having trouble putting your outline together after reading this, EssayService can provide expert help to make sure your essay is well-structured and persuasive! Basic Elements of an Essay An essay begins with an introduction, which is followed by one or more body paragraphs that expand on the points introduced. It ends with a conclusion that restates the thesis and summarizes the main ideas from the body paragraphs. Introduction The introduction of an essay introduces the topic and engages the reader from the start. It usually starts with a hook—a statement or question that grabs attention. After the hook, some background information is given to provide context for the topic. The introduction ends with a thesis statement, which clearly presents the main argument or purpose of the essay. This section not only introduces the topic but also outlines what the essay will cover, setting the tone for what follows. Avoid these pitfalls: Don't try to cover too much ground in your introduction. Avoid vagueness. Be specific and precise in your language. Body Paragraphs The body of the essay is where your main ideas and arguments take shape. Each paragraph should open with a topic sentence that clearly states the main point. This is followed by supporting details like evidence, examples, and analysis that back up the topic sentence. Smooth transitions between paragraphs are key to maintaining a logical flow throughout the essay. Together, the body paragraphs build and support the thesis by adding depth and detail to your argument. Remember these tips for effective body paragraphs: Begin each paragraph with a clear and concise topic sentence. Use specific examples, facts, or quotes to support your point. Explain why the evidence is important and how it relates to your argument. The conclusion of an essay wraps up the argument and reinforces the thesis. It usually starts by restating the thesis and reflecting on the discussion and evidence presented in the body paragraphs. A brief summary of the main points follows, highlighting the key arguments made throughout the essay. The conclusion should close with a final thought or call to action, leaving the reader with something to think about or a sense of closure. The aim is to make a lasting impression that emphasizes the importance of the essay's conclusions. Remember these tips: Briefly recap the key arguments you've made. Leave the reader with a thought-provoking final sentence or a call to action. Don't introduce any new ideas or arguments in your conclusion. How to Write an Essay Outline? Now, let's dive into the heart of this article and show you how to write an essay outline in just four smart steps: Determining your thesis and key arguments Organizing points into sections Adding supporting details Drafting a rough outline Determine Your Thesis and Key Arguments Your thesis should present a specific point of view or a central idea that your essay will support or explore. Here's how to identify your thesis: Ask a question: What is the main point you want to convey? Brainstorm: Jot down ideas related to your topic. Refine your ideas: Narrow down your focus and develop a clear argument. Once you have your thesis, identify the main points that support it. These points should be logical, relevant, and comprehensive. Divide your thesis: Break down your thesis into its key components. Create a mind map: Visually organize your ideas. Ask yourself questions: What are the main reasons for your argument? What evidence supports your claims? Group Main Ideas into Sections The best way to organize your main points when writing an essay outline depends on the specific topic and purpose of your essay. Experiment with different arrangements to find the one that works best for you. Here are some strategies for organizing your main points: Use this when Example Chronological Order Your essay is about a sequence of events or a process. An essay about the history of the French Revolution could be organized chronologically, starting with the causes and ending with the aftermath. Spatial Order Your essay is describing a physical space or object. An essay about the architecture of the Colosseum could be organized spatially, moving from the exterior to the interior. Order of Importance Your main points vary in significance. An essay arguing for stricter gun control laws might begin with the most compelling argument and end with the least compelling. Compare and Contrast Order Your essay examines similarities and differences between two or more things. An essay comparing the philosophies of Plato and Aristotle could be organized by alternating between points of similarity and difference. Add Details to Each Main Idea When working on your essay outline, remember to choose supporting details that are relevant, specific, and convincing. The more evidence you can provide, the stronger your arguments will be. Consider these tips for developing supporting details for each one. Provide examples: "For example, the Great Depression led to a significant increase in homelessness and poverty." Cite expert opinions: "As the renowned historian, Eric Hobsbawm, once said, 'The French Revolution was a watershed moment in European history.'" Make comparisons and contrasts: "While both cats and dogs make excellent pets, cats are generally more independent, while dogs are more social." Offer definitions: "A democracy is a form of government in which the people have the power to elect their leaders." Make a Rough Outline Once you've developed supporting details for each main point, you're ready to create a draft outline. This outline will serve as a roadmap for your essay, guiding you through the writing process. Here's a basic outline template: Background information Thesis statement Body Paragraph 1 Topic sentence Supporting detail 1 Supporting detail 2 Supporting detail 3 Body Paragraph 2 Body Paragraph 3 Restate thesis Summarize key points Final thought Remember to: Use consistent formatting: Indent supporting details. Label sections clearly: Use Roman numerals for main points and letters for supporting details. Be flexible: Adjust your outline as needed to accommodate new ideas or changes in your argument. Essay Outline Examples Now that you have an understanding of the basic structure of an essay outline let's explore some specific examples tailored to different essay genres. Remember, these are just templates, and you should feel free to adapt each essay outline example to fit your unique needs and writing style. Argumentative Essay Outline I. Introduction Hook: A captivating opening sentence to grab the reader's attention. Background information: Relevant context to the topic. Thesis statement: A clear and concise statement of your argument. II. Body Paragraph 1 Topic sentence: The main point of this paragraph. Supporting evidence: Facts, statistics, examples, or expert opinions to support your argument. Explanation: Analysis of the evidence and its relevance to your thesis. III. Body Paragraph 2 Topic sentence: The second main point of your argument. Supporting evidence: Facts, statistics, examples, or expert opinions. IV. Body Paragraph 3 Topic sentence: The third main point of your argument. V. Counterargument Acknowledge opposing viewpoint: Briefly mention a counterargument. Refute counterargument: Provide evidence or reasoning to disprove the opposing viewpoint. VI. Conclusion Restate thesis: Reiterate your main argument. Summarize key points: Briefly recap the main supporting points. Final thought: Leave the reader with a memorable and impactful statement. Expository Essay Outline A. Hook: Start with an engaging statement or fact to grab the reader's attention. B. Background Information: Provide context or background information necessary for understanding the topic. C. Thesis Statement: Clearly state the main point or purpose of the essay. A. Topic Sentence: Introduce the main idea of the paragraph. B. Explanation/Detail: Provide a detailed explanation or description of the first point. C. Evidence/Example: Include evidence or examples to support the explanation. D. Analysis: Explain how the evidence or example supports the topic sentence. B. Explanation/Detail: Provide a detailed explanation or description of the second point. B. Explanation/Detail: Provide a detailed explanation or description of the third point. V. Conclusion A. Restate Thesis: Restate the thesis in a new way, summarizing the main points of the essay. B. Summary of Main Points: Briefly summarize the key points discussed in the body paragraphs. C. Final Thought: End with a concluding statement that reinforces the significance of the topic or provides a closing thought. Persuasive Essays Outline Background information: Provide context or history related to your topic. Thesis statement: Clearly state your argument or position. Main argument: Present your strongest argument in support of your thesis. Supporting evidence: Use facts, statistics, examples, or expert opinions to back up your argument. Counterargument: Briefly acknowledge an opposing viewpoint. Rebuttal: Refute the counterargument with evidence or reasoning. Main argument: Present your second strongest argument in support of your thesis. Main argument: Present your third strongest argument in support of your thesis. Restate thesis: Briefly rephrase your argument. Summarize key points: Recap the main supporting arguments. Call to action: Encourage the reader to take a specific action or adopt a particular viewpoint. Final Words As we sum up this article, let's recap the main steps for writing an outline: Determine the main argument or purpose of your essay. Break down your thesis into key ideas or arguments. Group related ideas together under clear headings. Include evidence, examples, and explanations for each main point. Arrange everything in a logical order, ensuring a smooth flow from one section to the next. To ensure your writing is well-structured and effective, rely on EssayService, which is here to help with any type of essay. Frequently asked questions Linford, J. (2014). Essay Planning: Outlining with a Purpose What Is an Outline? How Do I Develop an Outline? https://www.sjsu.edu/writingcenter/docs/handouts/Essay%20Planning%20-%20Outlining.pdf ‌ Writing an Outline for your essay | MacOdrum Library . (n.d.). Library.carleton.ca . https://library.carleton.ca/guides/help/writing-outline-your-essay She was flawless! first time using a website like this, I've ordered article review and i totally adored it! grammar punctuation, content - everything was on point This writer is my go to, because whenever I need someone who I can trust my task to - I hire Joy. She wrote almost every paper for me for the last 2 years Term paper done up to a highest standard, no revisions, perfect communication. 10s across the board!!!!!!! I send him instructions and that's it. my paper was done 10 hours later, no stupid questions, he nailed it. Sometimes I wonder if Michael is secretly a professor because he literally knows everything. HE DID SO WELL THAT MY PROF SHOWED MY PAPER AS AN EXAMPLE. unbelievable, many thanks New posts to your inbox! Stay in touch Pardon Our Interruption As you were browsing something about your browser made us think you were a bot. There are a few reasons this might happen: You've disabled JavaScript in your web browser. You're a power user moving through this website with super-human speed. You've disabled cookies in your web browser. A third-party browser plugin, such as Ghostery or NoScript, is preventing JavaScript from running. Additional information is available in this support article . To regain access, please make sure that cookies and JavaScript are enabled before reloading the page. General Philosophy Philosophical Writing: An Introduction, 5th Edition ISBN: 978-1-394-19340-0 August 2024 Wiley-Blackwell Digital Evaluation Copy A. P. Martinich Philosophical Writing helps students to think clearly and analytically, improve their essay-writing skills, and present their knowledge and thoughts in a precise and coherent manner. Acclaimed for its accessible, highly practical approach, this bestselling textbook emphasizes what students should do in crafting a philosophical essay, as well as other types of essays that analyze concepts across a variety of disciplines. Tracing the evolution of a good philosophical essay from the draft stage to completion, the book's eleven chapters are purpose-built to serve the needs of a wide range of students, with levels ranging from elementary to moderately advanced. Philosophical Writing includes numerous essay examples, techniques for outlining and composing, guidance on evaluating philosophical essays, useful appendices, a glossary, a full-featured companion website, and more. Now in its fifth edition, Philosophical Writing is fully updated with enhanced language and improved explanations throughout. Two entirely new chapters delve into the intricacies of belief networks and explore the properties of sound interpretations, supported by a wealth of new exercises and discussion questions. Written with clarity and humor by a leading analytic philosopher, Philosophical Writing: Helps students organize their beliefs, assess their interpretations, and critically evaluate the ideas of others Explains the basic concepts of logic and rhetoric, the structure of a philosophical essay, and the criterion of good philosophical writing Describes key tactics for analytic writing, such as definitions, analysis, counterexamples, and dialectical reasoning Discusses the concepts of author and audience as they apply to a student's philosophical writing Offers advice on common problems that students encounter when writing a philosophical essay Philosophical Writing: An Introduction, Fifth Edition, remains an ideal textbook for lower- and upper-division courses in philosophy, particularly introductory philosophy classes, as well as courses with significant writing components that cover logic, rhetoric, and analysis. A. P. MARTINICH is Vaughan Centennial Professor Emeritus in Philosophy at the University of Texas at Austin. He has published extensively on the philosophy of Thomas Hobbes and the philosophy of language. He is the author of A Hobbes Dictionary and Hobbes’s Political Philosophy , and the co-editor of A Companion to Analytic Philosophy and Analytic Philosophy: An Anthology . Ask a Librarian Research Guide for Online Communication Students Find Sources Citing & Writing APA Formatting & Style Guide From Purdue's OWL. APA Style Help Overviews, tutorials, and FAQs Online Writing Lab Organizing and Managing Citations Citation management software can help you manage your research and easily organize and format your citations in a wide variety of citation styles. Check out the links below for more information about these useful programs.  Citation Management Basics This guide provides an overview of citation management software options, including basic functions and the differences between the various options available, including EndNote, EndNote Web, and Zotero. Also provided is contact information for Purdue librarians available to provide citation management support for Purdue faculty, students, and staff. EndNote at Purdue This guide provides detailed how-to and FAQ for EndNote citation management software, the desktop version. EndNote Basic EndNote Basic is an online citation management program that is freely available for all Purdue users. This guide highlights how-to, key functions, and FAQ, as well as differences between the desktop and online versions of this product. Zotero Zotero is a free and open, web-based citation management program. This guide provides info on getting started and carrying out key functions, for students and instructors. It also includes video tutorials. Avoid Plagiarism Types of Plagiarism Plagiarism.org presents Plagiarism 101: What is Plagiarism? Citing Sources Plagiarism.org's useful guide to everything about citing sources. Avoiding Plagiarism Tips on how to summarize, paraphrase, and quote sources without plagiarizing from the Purdue OWL. Use the links on the left to navigate. << Previous: Find Sources Next: FAQ >> Last Edited: Aug 26, 2024 4:29 PM URL: https://guides.lib.purdue.edu/onlinecomm 242 IMAGES How to write an academic introduction / Academic English UK How to Write an Introduction For an Essay: Guide With Examples Introduction How to write an academic introduction / Academic English UK How to Write an Essay Introduction (with Pictures) How to Write an Essay Introduction: The Definitive Guide VIDEO Essay Introduction:How to Start Essay Introduction with a Quotation? How to Write an Essay Introduction How to Start an Essay: Tips for Writing a Strong Introduction Essay Introduction How to write an essay How to Write an Excellent Essay COMMENTS How to Write an Essay Introduction A good introduction paragraph is an essential part of any academic essay. It sets up your argument and tells the reader what to expect. How to Write an Essay Introduction (with Examples) Learn how to write an essay introduction that captures readers' attention and sets the stage for your argument or discussion. Discover tips and techniques on how to create a hook, provide a thesis statement, and outline the main points of your essay, ensuring the right start for your essay writing. How to Start an Essay: 7 Tips for an Essay Introduction Stuck on writing your essay introduction? Get our pro tips on how to start an essay that will hook your reader instantly. How to Write an Introduction, With Examples Knowing how to write an introduction paragraph is a great skill, not just for writers, but for students and researchers as well. Here, we explain everything you need to know to write the best introduction, such as what to include and a step-by-step process, with some introduction paragraph examples. Give your writing extra polish Grammarly helps you communicate confidently Write with Grammarly How to Write an Essay Introduction (with Pictures) Make a brief outline of the essay based on the information presented in the introduction. Then look at that outline as you read the essay to see how the essay follows it to prove the writer's thesis statement. 2. Keep your introduction short and simple. Introductions Introductions The introduction to an academic essay will generally present an analytical question or problem and then offer an answer to that question (the thesis). The Beginner's Guide to Writing an Essay To write a strong essay, you need an introduction, a main body organized into paragraphs, and a conclusion. See how it's done with examples. Introductions This handout explains the functions of introductions, offers strategies for writing effective ones, helps you check drafted ones, and provides examples. How to Write a Great College Essay Introduction Writing a great college essay introduction can make or break your application. Learn how to craft a distinctive and specific opening that hooks your reader and showcases your personality. Find examples and tips from Scribbr, the expert in academic writing. How to Write an Excellent Essay Introduction How to Write an Excellent Essay Introduction Love it or hate it, essay writing is a big part of student life. Writing a great essay might seem like a daunting task, especially when you're staring at a blank document, but there are formulas you can follow to make sure your paper hits the mark. How to Write an Essay Introduction College students write many papers, but what's the best way to compose an essay introduction? Learn how to come up with an interesting hook and thesis. How to Write an Essay Introduction Learn how to start an essay and grab your reader's. In this guide, we examine the introduction structure, its types and writing tips. How To Start a College Essay: 9 Effective Techniques Your college essay should grab a reader's attention. Learn how to start a college essay, with tips for making your college essay intro stand out. How to Write an Eye-Catching Essay Introduction A good essay introduction catches the reader's attention immediately, sets up your argument, and tells the reader what to expect. This video will walk you th... How to write an essay: Introduction An introduction generally does three things. The first part is usually a general comment that shows the reader why the topic is important, gets their interest, and leads them into the topic. It isn't actually part of your argument. The next part of the introduction is the thesis statement. This is your response to the question; your final answer. Learn How to Write an Essay Introduction with Examples Discover how to craft captivating essay introductions that engage your readers and set the stage for a compelling essay with our comprehensive guide. Tips for Crafting a Captivating Essay Introduction A Comprehensive Guide to Crafting an Engaging Introduction for Your Essay Writing an essay introduction is like creating a doorway into your paper - it's the first thing your reader will encounter and can make a lasting impression. A captivating introduction sets the tone for your entire essay and entices the reader to keep reading. To craft an introduction that grabs attention and piques ... Essay Introductions Every essay or assignment you write must begin with an introduction. It might be helpful to think of the introduction as an inverted pyramid. In such a pyramid, you begin by presenting a broad introduction to the topic and end by making a more focused point about that topic in your thesis statement. The introduction has three essential parts ... How to Start a College Essay to Hook Your Reader What is the Purpose of the College Essay Introduction? The introduction to a college essay should immediately hook the reader. You want to give admissions officers a reason to stay interested in your story and encourage them to continue reading your essay with an open mind. Introduction and Link to APA 7th The APA (American Psychological Association) Style is used by many researchers, scholars, students and publishers around the world. Fields from psychology, social work, communications, education and other disciplines used the style for dissertations, theses, research papers and articles. Using a style guide helps writers present their ideas in a clear, concise and organized manner. Tackling the Personal Essay: Tips from a Notre Dame Admissions Essays are where we get to engage with students' hopes, fears, dreams, life experiences (and more) in their authentic voice. We are humbled every year getting to "meet" all the incredible young people who are applying to Notre Dame through their essays! Yet, writing an essay introducing yourself can be really hard. How to End a College Essay: Strategies and Examples Writing a college essay takes skill, but making a strong college essay conclusion is often the most important part. A great ending can make a big impact on your readers and bring your main ideas together. This guide will walk you through four strategies that will help you create impactful conclusions that resonate with your audience. 1. PDF Student Paper Checklist (Beginner's Version) Do not use jargon, contractions, colloquialisms, or . creative literary devices. Use verb tenses. consistently across sentences and . paragraphs. Describe past research in the past or present perfect tense (e.g., "Researchers found" or "Researchers have found," not "Researchers find"). Use the active voice. as much as possible to make How to Structure an Essay The basic structure of an essay always consists of an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. But for many students, the most difficult part of structuring an essay is deciding how to organize information within the body. This article provides useful templates and tips to help you outline your essay, make decisions about your structure, and ... How to Write an Essay Outline: Steps and Templates Introduction. The introduction of an essay introduces the topic and engages the reader from the start. It usually starts with a hook—a statement or question that grabs attention. After the hook, some background information is given to provide context for the topic. Essay Introduction Paragraph Example (pdf) Essay Introduction Paragraph Example Crafting an essay on the topic of "Essay Introduction Paragraph Example" might initially seem like a straightforward task, but delving into the intricacies of creating an effective introduction can prove to be quite challenging. The difficulty lies in striking the right balance between capturing the reader's attention, providing a concise overview of the ... Philosophical Writing: An Introduction, 5th Edition Philosophical Writing helps students to think clearly and analytically, improve their essay-writing skills, and present their knowledge and thoughts in a precise and coherent manner. Acclaimed for its accessible, highly practical approach, this bestselling textbook emphasizes what students should do in crafting a philosophical essay, as well as other types of essays that analyze concepts ... PDF Introductions Learn how to write effective introductions for academic essays from this Harvard College Writing Center guide, with examples and tips. How To Write a Narrative Essay Outline? Template and Example The 5-paragraph narrative essay outline template is suitable for brief narratives because of its simplicity. It modifies the personal narrative outline examples to align with a more formal structure suitable for academic works. Here is the template for 5 paragraph narrative essay: Introduction: Hook, Background Information, Thesis Statements Research Guide for Online Communication Students A research guide tailored for students of the Brian Lamb School of Communication's online M.S. and Graduate Certificate Program in Strategic Communication Management. essay homework paper phd project resume review speech thesis