Creating Engaging Introductions for Your Personal Narrative Essay Engaging introductions are so crucial to effective writing. Think of it this way you have about 15 seconds and 50 words to The essay introduction paragraph is the first impression that your reader has of your work, so it's important to start it off on the right foot. The main purpose of an introduction is to give the reader a brief overview of the topic at hand and then address how you plan Estimated Reading Time: 9 mins Feb 19, · The introductory paragraph of any paper, long or short, should start with a sentence that piques the interest of your readers. In a well-constructed first paragraph, that first sentence leads into three or four sentences that provide details about the subject you address in the body of your essay
Essay Introductions | UMGC
The essay introduction paragraph is the first impression that your reader has of your work, essay introduction paragraph, so it's important to start it off on the right foot, essay introduction paragraph. The main purpose of an essay introduction paragraph is to give the reader a brief overview of the topic at hand and then essay introduction paragraph how you plan on addressing the question or proving your point.
Exactly how it's written or what needs to be in there heavily depends on the length of the essay and type. But the sample essay introduction paragraphs showed should be enough guidance to get you going in the right direction. This section of the Ultius essay writing guide is going to go over the most common and best type of introduction: the funneling method, essay introduction paragraph.
When you write your essay introduction paragraph, make sure your paragraph is essay introduction paragraph and contains just the right amount of information. To keep your writing focused, select a length for your introduction and stick to it when you draft your essay. Exactly how long should your introduction be? This will depend on the total length of your paper and the essay type. For essays that are longer than ten pages, essay introduction paragraph, you will most likely need a longer introduction paragraph to fully introduce your topic.
Technical essays or research-intensive essays might also require additional length to clearly explain complex topics, essay introduction paragraph. In both cases, essay introduction paragraph, your introductory paragraph still should not exceed one full double-spaced page. If you are writing an essay that is shorter than five pages and that is introducing a very simple subject, it essay introduction paragraph better to limit your introduction to half of a double-spaced page.
Once you have decided on your paragraph length, essay introduction paragraph, you can organize your paragraph so that it fits within the selected parameters. This style for writing an intro is exactly as it sounds: it funnels from broad to specific. The subject matter of each sentence therefore gets more specific as you go, essay introduction paragraph.
So, a five page essay should have an introduction that is roughly one page. Anything less than 5 pages should not be more than 1 paragraph. It may seem tempting to include a longer introduction with more essay introduction paragraph but this isn't a good idea as your professor can sniff it out and it will reduce the overall quality of your writing. Define key terms or give important background information. To see how the funneling method works, think about how you would write your paragraph line-by-line.
When you use the funneling method, you will start with a broad statement for your opening sentence. The key is to make a general statement about the essay topic in your sentence. Here is an example of a broad sentence that could be used to introduce an essay on the War on Terrorism:. This sentence serves as a broad opening because it addresses the topic, essay introduction paragraph, the War on Terror, without being too specific in its focus.
The second step in the funneling method is to narrow your topic to a specific time or place. Tip: Use freewriting to generate ideas for topics.
Write down any ideas you have that relate to the topic and just write about them for a few minutes. This sentence of the essay introduction focuses the topic by specifying that the topic addresses the time period following September 11, It also narrows down the place by signaling that the paper will focus on United States foreign policy.
The third step in the funneling method is to define key terms or provide important background information. This sentence fulfills this step by defining the concept of terrorism:. Keep in essay introduction paragraph that it might take several sentences to provide the necessary definitions and background information to your reader. For this step, it is important to consider everything that your reader will need to know to understand your topic and appreciate the argument in your thesis.
Tip: Having a difficult time focusing your thoughts? Take a break and write down the main points you are trying to make and compare it to the structure of your introduction. If you're going off topic, essay introduction paragraph, you need to keep things concise. After you have carefully brought your reader up to speed on the background of your topic, the final step of the funneling method is to write your thesis statement.
The thesis statement, the last part of the essay introduction, simply highlights the arguments that you will make in your essay. The following sentence is a thesis statement for our War on Terror topic:. As this example demonstrates, the thesis statement can be written in one sentence. While the thesis can essay introduction paragraph written in multiple sentences, it is advisable to keep it as short as possible to avoid confusing your reader.
By following the four steps of the funneling method, essay introduction paragraph, you will introduce your reader to your topic, essay introduction paragraph, specify the focus of your topic, clarify any confusing terms, essay introduction paragraph present the argument of your essay. Essay introduction paragraph you use the funneling method, you ensure that every sentence is put to good use in your essay introduction.
A bored professor might rush through grading your essay or overlook your main points, essay introduction paragraph, which could cause you to receive a lower grade. Using an attention grabber will engage your reader and make your essay more enjoyable. When you begin your introduction paragraph with a thought-provoking question it forces the reader to pause and consider the answer. By asking questions in your essay introduction, you force your reader to pay closer attention to your writing.
If you use this strategy, just be sure to keep your question simple and related to the topic of the essay. Quotations in your introductory paragraph will stand out simply because the voice of the person who is quoted will contrast with your writing style. Who the quotation is from is often more important than what the quotation is saying.
When you select a quotation, be sure to quote renowned figures. For example, if you were writing an essay on the Supreme Court, a quote from a Supreme Court justice would be more interesting to your reader than a quote from an unknown law professor. Tip: Unclear on how to effectively integrate quotes and citations?
Visit our page on essay quotes and citations for further explanation. A hook is an interesting statement that piques the interest of your reader. Startling statistics are among the most effective hooks. For example, if your paper is on obesity, essay introduction paragraph, you might include a shocking statistic that demonstrates the high prevalence of obesity in the United States.
When you open your essay with an interesting fact, essay introduction paragraph, you can return to your hook and refer to it in the body of your essay.
An effective hook can be referred essay introduction paragraph repeatedly in order to regain the attention of your reader. It takes practice to write an effective hook, but once you get it down, essay introduction paragraph, you will keep your reader hanging on to your essay until the very last essay introduction paragraph. Many times, it is more effective to show rather than tell your reader the importance of your topic.
An anecdote is a story that can be used to illustrate a point that you are trying to make in your introductory paragraph. For example, if you want to explain the importance of cancer research, you might begin your introduction with a story about a cancer survivor who benefited from treatment.
An essay on the importance of fraud protection laws might begin with a story about a senior citizen who was swindled out of his retirement savings by a con artist. A carefully selected anecdote can appeal to the emotions of your reader and increase their interest in your topic.
Though any one of the attention grabbers will improve your essay introduction, you should use a combination of attention grabbers to really strengthen the impact. In longer introductions, several well-placed attention grabbers will keep your professor awake and interested in your essay. Ultius is the trusted provider of content solutions for consumers around the world. You read that right —We're giving away free scholarship money! Our next drawing will be held soon. Apply today for your chance to win!
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More info Learn more about us Blog Future writers Explore further. The Funneling Method 1. Start with a broad statement 2. Essay introduction paragraph down to a time and place 3, essay introduction paragraph.
Define key terms or give important background information 4. Thesis statement. Ultius Writing Services Writing essays can be hard, and Ultius is here to help. Tested Daily Click to Verify. About The Author This post was written by Ultius. Navigation Writer Options How it Works Pricing Samples. Services Custom Writing Editing Business Documents. Company About Sitemap Legal. Terms Privacy Fair Use. Free Money For College!
Introduction Paragraph for an Essay - Basic Overview
, time: 10:06Essay Introduction Paragraph | How to Write an Essay Intro | Ultius
Mar 01, · An introduction paragraph is the first paragraph of an essay, paper, or other type of academic writing. Argumentative essays, book reports, research papers, and even personal essays are common types of writing that require an introduction paragraph Feb 04, · How to write an essay introduction Step 1: Hook your reader. Your first sentence sets the tone for the whole essay, so spend some time on writing an Step 2: Give background information. Next, give your reader the context they need to understand your topic and argument. Step 3: The essay introduction paragraph is the first impression that your reader has of your work, so it's important to start it off on the right foot. The main purpose of an introduction is to give the reader a brief overview of the topic at hand and then address how you plan Estimated Reading Time: 9 mins
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