Introductions

Often students say they have trouble writing introductions to their papers and ask for advice on how to write a good one. My first answer to this is that I also have difficulty writing introductions at times, and when I do, I just go ahead and start writing the body of my essay first. I can always go back and add an introduction later.

While the introduction comes first in your paper, it does not necessarily have to come first in your writing process, particularly if writing intros is something you struggle with.

Having said that, it is also true that a good introduction is a very important part of any essay. The introduction is your first chance to make a connection with your readers, get them interested in your topic, and preview for them your position on that topic. Write a good introduction, and you will have your readers interested and focused by the time they get to the body of your paper. Write a poor or flat introduction, and your readers might already be bored and disengaged by paragraph two.

What makes a good introduction?

The answer to this question depends, to a large extent, on the nature of your writing project. For example, if you were writing a speech to be delivered to a large group on a general interest topic, you might start it off with a joke or funny story in order to break the ice and set the audience at ease. Conversely, in an academic paper on a serious topic, you would not want to joke around; instead, you might begin with a quote from a famous figure that relates to your discussion to come. Even though these two introductory strategies might seem very different from each other, in fact they are really variations on the same basic idea:

Begin your essay in a way that gets your readers interested. The only rule for the first sentence of your paper should be this: It must make your readers want to read the second sentence. (Apply this same rule to the rest of the sentences in your introduction; they all count.)

Once you have generated reader interest, the remainder of your introduction should get your readers ready for your discussion to come by focusing in solidly on your topic. Usually this includes stating your thesis, or your position on the topic.

Some methods for starting your essay in an interesting, engaging way include:

Beginning with a relevant, historic, or provocative quote

Posing a question or problem that your essay will then seek to resolve

Immersing your readers in a story or "scene" that relates to your topic

Leading off with a specific example of a person or event related to your topic

How long does the introduction have to be?

This is another question that cannot be answered in a general sense. The length of your introduction, and the amount of detail in it, depends on the length and scope of your writing project. For example, for a brief, two-page paper, a four- or five-sentence introduction may be all that one needs. On the other hand, introductions to scholarly books can run 30 or 40 pages or more. So what is the right length for your introduction? It should be as long as it needs to be to get your reader engaged, state your position on your topic, and preview the discussion to come.

Where can I find some concrete strategies for introduction writing?

Check out some of these links:

http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/introductions.html (From the University of North Carolina's writing center. A solid page that gives not only good strategies, but also examples of typically weaker introductions that you want to avoid.)

http://www.csuohio.edu/writingcenter/introcnc.html (This page, from Cleveland State University, includes examples of good introductions and conclusions.)