This introduction to a short expository essay leads into the topic (the invention of the printing press) and states the main point the essay will explain (the effect of this invention on European society).
To write a good hook, avoid overly broad statements or long, dense sentences. Try to start with something clear, concise and catchy that will spark your reader’s curiosity.
A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay. Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.
A good introduction paragraph is an essential part of any academic essay. It sets up your argument and tells the reader what to expect.
Checklist: Essay introduction
This introduction to a literary analysis essay, about Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, starts by describing a simplistic popular view of the story, and then states how the author will give a more complex analysis of the text’s literary devices.
You have a strong introduction - now make sure the rest of your essay is just as good.
In many ways, the invention of the printing press marked the end of the Middle Ages. The medieval period in Europe is often remembered as a time of intellectual and political stagnation. Prior to the Renaissance, the average person had very limited access to books and was unlikely to be literate. The invention of the printing press in the 15th century allowed for much less restricted circulation of information in Europe, paving the way for the Reformation.
Everything in the introduction is relevant to the main body of the essay.
Setting the parameters of the essay is important. You can’t possibly cover everything on a topic - and you are not expected to - so you need to tell your reader how you have chosen to narrow the focus of your essay.
B usiness leadership has been described as the ‘ability to influence, motivate and enable others to contribute to the effectiveness and success of the organisations of which they are members’ (House, Hanges, Javidan, Dorfman, & Gupta, 2004, p. 63). Whether this ability is something a person is born with, or whether it is something that a person can learn, has been the subject of considerable debate. Kambil (2010) has outlined two categories of leadership attributes that help to frame the discussion: 'traits' (mostly innate) and 'skills' which can be developed through experience or training. This essay will draw on the trait theory of leadership to argue that that leaders are first born, but then must be made. While good business leaders share certain traits that are essential to success, including ‘curiosity, courage, perseverance, personal ethics and confidence’ (Kambil, 2010, p.43), they also need learnable skills, such as communication, negotiation and conflict resolution, that are only developed through practice. A potential leader should develop their natural traits as well as learn and practise skills which will help them to persuade, equip and inspire others to realise their vision.
Provide an overview of how you are approaching the essay. This usually involves providing details of case studies you’ll use and/or outlining the most important points you are going to make.
The purpose of the introduction is to give your reader a clear idea of what your essay will cover. It should provide some background information on the specific problem or issue you are addressing, and should clearly outline your answer. Depending on your faculty or school, ‘your answer’ may be referred to as your position, contention, thesis or main argument. Whatever term is used, this is essentially your response to the essay question, which is based on the research you have undertaken.
Limit the scope of your discussion
State your position on the topic (also referred to as your main argument, or contention, or thesis statement). Make sure that you are directly answering the question (and the whole essay question if there is more than one part!).
This might also be an appropriate place to introduce the reader to key terms and provide definitions, if required.
Don’t be tempted to start your essay with a grand generalisation, for instance: ‘War has always been a problem for humanity….’, or ‘Since the beginning of time…’. Instead, make sure that your initial sentence relates directly to the problem, question or issue highlighted by the essay topic.
The introduction usually starts by providing some background information to your particular topic, so the reader understands the key problem being addressed and why it is an issue worth writing about. However, it is important that this is brief and that you only include information that is directly relevant to the topic.
- An opening hook to catch the reader’s attention.
- Relevant background information that the reader needs to know.
- A thesis statement that presents your main point or argument.
Everything in the introduction is relevant to the main body of the essay.
You can use the checklist below to make sure your introduction does everything it’s supposed to.
To write a good hook, avoid overly broad statements or long, dense sentences. Try to start with something clear, concise and catchy that will spark your reader’s curiosity.
Well done!
- It gives your writing direction and focus.
- It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.
I have introduced the topic with necessary background information.
Without a clear thesis, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.
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.
Now, let’s answer the question “how to make an interesting hook?” There are several different strategies you can use to create a powerful hook:
- Make each sentence in your introduction a bit more narrow and specific than each previous one. This simple trick will help you draw your reader(s) into the main part of your paper gradually.
- Let’s say you are writing a paper about the importance of a good work-life balance. In this case, you can use a question like “Have you ever thought of how a good work-life balance can influence different spheres of your life?” or another hook, then you can continue on by providing general facts and statistics, and finally, you can narrow down your topic to match your thesis statement.
Although no strict rules apply, experienced writers recommend that your introductory paragraph(s) be between 8% and 9% of your essay's total word count.
- Cliches
- Dictionary definitions
- Generalizations
- Sweeping statements that include words like “everywhere”, “always”, etc.
The 5 Types of Hooks for Writing
Answering these questions in 2-3 sentences each will help you ensure that you provide your readers with complete information about the topic of your essay. However, be sure to keep these sentences concise and straight to the point.
- A shocking fact
- An anecdoteВ
- A question
- A short summary
- A quote
If you are wondering how to write an introduction in the best possible way, you should pay special attention to formulating your core statement.
"Gladiator Warrior Gear Weapons" by ArtCoreStudoes. Used under CC0. Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/gladiator-warrior-gear-weapons-1931077/
While your introduction paragraph might be the first of the paragraphs you write, this is not the only way to do it. You can choose to write your introduction after you have written the rest of your essay. This way, you will know what you have argued, and this might make writing the introduction easier. Either approach is fine. If you do write your introduction first, ensure that you go back and refine it once you have completed your essay.
Every essay needs to begin with an introductory paragraph. It needs to be the first paragraph the marker reads.
The 1967 Referendum sought to amend the Australian Constitution in order to change the legal standing of the indigenous people in Australia. The fact that 90% of Australians voted in favour of the proposed amendments has been attributed to a series of significant events and people who were dedicated to the referendum’s success. The success of the 1967 Referendum was a direct result of the efforts of aboriginal leaders such as Charles Perkins, Faith Bandler and the Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders. The political activity of key aboriginal figures and the formation of activism organisations focused on indigenous resulted in a wider spread of messages to the general Australian public. The generation of powerful images and speeches has been frequently cited by modern historians as crucial to the referendum results. The significance of these people is evident when examining the lack of political representation the indigenous people experience in the early half of the 20th century.
What is an ‘introduction paragraph’?
The success of the 1967 Referendum was a direct result of the efforts of aboriginal leaders such as Charles Perkins, Faith Bandler and the Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders.
Australian soldiers’ opinion of the First World War changed from naïve enthusiasm to pessimistic realism as a result of the harsh realities of modern industrial warfare.
Finally, explain any important key words, phrases or concepts that you’ve used in your hypothesis, you’ll need to do this in your elaboration sentences.