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3 Tips For Writing an Effective Essay Introduction

Students typically don’t think too much about their introductions. For most individuals, they’re necessary paragraphs slapped on at the beginning of an essay, and that’s that. Not much thought or effort goes into them; they’re basically just there to tell the reader what the essay will be about. However, a good introduction can mean the difference between a high grade and a disappointing one. Introductions are your first opportunity to astound and intrigue your reader, so don’t take them lightly. First impressions mean everything, and this extends to your essay.

Unfortunately, people are usually in the dark about how to write an essay introduction. School classes don’t necessarily teach students how to craft effective introductions, so it’s important that students know some key tips to doing it themselves. These three tips should be enough to get you focused and prepared to write an excellent, mind-blowing and highly effective essay introduction:

  1. Catch your reader from the start. If you really want your essay to stand out, then you need to capture your reader’s attention from the first few words. Too often, students dive into their essay purpose or argument headfirst in a straightforward and (honestly) boring way. Essays aren’t just about communicating a solid answer; they’re also about making the reader genuinely interested in what you’re writing on. Your first several sentences should be catchy, funny, interesting or witty. This will inspire the reader to push past the introduction and read more on your essay.
  2. Be clear and organized. Even in the introduction, it’s important to make your intentions clear. Communicate your purpose for the paper in a way where any reader will understand your meaning. Also, the length of the introduction should be taken into consideration; typically, introductions should be a single paragraph. Not too lengthy, but not too short, either. You should also make sure the ending of your introduction is just as clear as the first sentence. Have an excellent lead-in to the rest of your essay the same way you had an excellent on to begin with.
  3. Go back and edit. After you’re composed the rest of your essay, don’t forget about your introduction. Return to the introduction periodically and make sure the thesis statement there always matches the body of your essay. Sometimes, the thesis of an essay can change slightly as the research and writing proceeds. It’s your job to make sure, from start to finish, that you introduction properly introduce your arguments and leads into your body and conclusion.