Writing An Introduction

ESSAY WRITING
Writing An Introductory Paragraph

How to Write an Introduction Paragraph in 3
Steps

It’s the roadmap to your essay, it’s the forecast for your argument, it’s...your
introduction paragraph, and writing one can feel pretty intimidating. The
introduction paragraph is a part of just about every kind of academic writing,
from persuasive essays to research papers. But that doesn’t mean writing one is
easy!

If trying to write an intro paragraph makes you feel like a Muggle trying to do magic,
trust us: you aren’t alone. But there are some tips and tricks that can make the
process easier--and that’s where we come in.

In this article, we’re going to explain how to write a captivating intro paragraph
by covering the following info:

• A discussion of what an introduction paragraph is and its purpose in an
essay

• An overview of the most effective introduction paragraph format, with
explanations of the three main parts of an intro paragraph

• An analysis of real intro paragraph examples, with a discussion of what
works and what doesn’t

• A list of four top tips on how to write an introduction paragraph

Are you ready? Let’s begin!

What Is an Introduction Paragraph?

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. Whether you’re writing a research paper for a science course or an
argumentative essay for English class, you’re going to have to write an intro
paragraph.

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So what’s the purpose of an intro paragraph? As a reader’s first impression of your
essay, the intro paragraph should introduce the topic of your paper.

Your introduction will also state any claims, questions, or issues that your paper
will focus on. This is commonly known as your paper’s thesis. This condenses the
overall point of your paper into one or two short sentences that your reader can
come back and reference later.

But intro paragraphs need to do a bit more than just introduce your topic. An intro
paragraph is also supposed to grab your reader’s attention. The intro
paragraph is your chance to provide just enough info and intrigue to make your
reader say, “Hey, this topic sounds interesting. I think I’ll keep reading this essay!”
That can help your essay stand out from the crowd.

In most cases, an intro paragraph will be relatively short. A good intro will be
clear, brief, purposeful, and focused. While there are some exceptions to this rule,
it’s common for intro paragraphs to consist of three to five sentences.

Effectively introducing your essay’s topic, purpose, and getting your reader invested
in your essay sounds like a lot to ask from one little paragraph, huh? In the next
section, we’ll demystify the intro paragraph format by breaking it down into
its core parts. When you learn how to approach each part of an intro, writing one
won’t seem so scary!

The 3 Main Parts of an Intro Paragraph

In general, an intro paragraph is going to have three main parts: a hook, context,
and a thesis statement. Each of these pieces of the intro plays a key role in
acquainting the reader with the topic and purpose of your essay.

Below, we’ll explain how to start an introduction paragraph by writing an effective
hook, providing context, and crafting a thesis statement. When you put these
elements together, you’ll have an intro paragraph that does a great job of making a
great first impression on your audience!

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Intro Paragraph Part 1: The Hook

When it comes to how to start an introduction paragraph, one of the most
common approaches is to start with something called a hook.

What does hook mean here, though? Think of it this way: it’s like when you start a
new Netflix series: you look up a few hours (and a few episodes) later and you say,
“Whoa. I guess I must be hooked on this show!”

That’s how the hook is supposed to work in an intro paragraph: it should get your
reader interested enough that they don’t want to press the proverbial “pause”
button while they’re reading it. In other words, a hook is designed to grab your
reader’s attention and keep them reading your essay!

This means that the hook comes first in the intro paragraph format--it’ll be the
opening sentence of your intro.

It’s important to realize that there are many different ways to write a good hook.
But generally speaking, hooks must include these two things: what your topic is,
and the angle you’re taking on that topic in your essay.

One approach to writing a hook that works is starting with a general, but
interesting, statement on your topic. In this type of hook, you’re trying to
provide a broad introduction to your topic and your angle on the topic in an
engaging way.

For example, if you’re writing an essay about the role of the government in the
American healthcare system, your hook might look something like this:

There's a growing movement to require that the federal government provide
affordable, effective healthcare for all Americans.

This hook introduces the essay topic in a broad way (government and healthcare)
by presenting a general statement on the topic. But the assumption presented in
the hook can also be seen as controversial, which gets readers interested in
learning more about what the writer--and the essay--has to say.

In other words, the statement above fulfills the goals of a good hook: it’s intriguing
and provides a general introduction to the essay topic.

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Intro Paragraph Part 2: Context

Once you’ve provided an attention-grabbing hook, you’ll want to give more context
about your essay topic. Context refers to additional details that reveal the
specific focus of your paper. So, whereas the hook provides a general
introduction to your topic, context starts helping readers understand what exactly
you’re going to be writing about

You can include anywhere from one to several sentences of context in your intro,
depending on your teacher’s expectations, the length of your paper, and complexity
of your topic. In these context-providing sentences, you want to begin narrowing
the focus of your intro. You can do this by describing a specific issue or question
about your topic that you’ll address in your essay. It also helps readers start to
understand why the topic you’re writing about matters and why they should read
about it.

So, what counts as context for an intro paragraph? Context can be any important
details or descriptions that provide background on existing perspectives, common
cultural attitudes, or a specific situation or controversy relating to your essay topic.
The context you include should acquaint your reader with the issues, questions,
or events that motivated you to write an essay on your topic...and that your
reader should know in order to understand your thesis.

For instance, if you’re writing an essay analyzing the consequences of sexism in
Hollywood, the context you include after your hook might make reference to the
#metoo and #timesup movements that have generated public support for victims of
sexual harassment.

The key takeaway here is that context establishes why you’re addressing your
topic and what makes it important. It also sets you up for success on the final
piece of an intro paragraph: the thesis statement.

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Intro Paragraph Part 3: The Thesis

The final key part of how to write an intro paragraph is the thesis statement. The
thesis statement is the backbone of your introduction: it conveys your argument
or point of view on your topic in a clear, concise, and compelling way. The
thesis is usually the last sentence of your intro paragraph.

Whether it’s making a claim, outlining key points, or stating a hypothesis, your
thesis statement will tell your reader exactly what idea(s) are going to be
addressed in your essay. A good thesis statement will be clear, straightforward,
and highlight the overall point you’re trying to make.

Some instructors also ask students to include an essay map as part of their thesis.
An essay map is a section that outlines the major topics a paper will address. So for
instance, say you’re writing a paper that argues for the importance of public
transport in rural communities. Your thesis and essay map might look like this:

Having public transport in rural communities helps people improve their economic
situation by giving them reliable transportation to their job, reducing the amount of
money they spend on gas, and providing new and unionized work.

The underlined section is the essay map because it touches on the three big things
the writer will talk about later. It literally maps out the rest of the essay!

So let’s review: Your thesis takes the idea you’ve introduced in your hook and
context and wraps it up. Think of it like a television episode: the hook sets the scene
by presenting a general statement and/or interesting idea that sucks you in. The
context advances the plot by describing the topic in more detail and helping
readers understand why the topic is important. And finally, the thesis statement
provides the climax by telling the reader what you have to say about the
topic.

The thesis statement is the most important part of the intro. Without it, your reader
won’t know what the purpose of your essay is! And for a piece of writing to be
effective, it needs to have a clear purpose. Your thesis statement conveys that
purpose, so it’s important to put careful thought into writing a clear and compelling
thesis statement.

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How To Write an Introduction Paragraph: Example and
Analysis

To show you how an intro paragraph works, let look at a very simple example
below.

Your task is to identify
Part 1 : the hook
Part 2 : the context
Part 3 : thesis statement

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