You are now ready to detail any information that the audience needs to know in order to understand the argument you are about to present. The topic of your essay will highly depend on what information you give but you might include one or any of the following:
- Geographical, social or historical context
- A definition of an unusual phrase or term
- A brief summary of studies or research on the topic
It is important not to go into too much detail at this stage as this will be done later on in the body of the essay. For now, you are simply introducing your reader to the topic.
A thesis statement is used for three purposes: to inform the reader of your stance on the topic, to detail what the essay is going to be about and to show the main point of the essay. It should be made up of one or two sentences and be written in a clear and concise manner.
Examples Of Introduction Paragraphs
Let’s now take a look at two examples of well written introduction paragraphs as a way of gaining a further understanding of what they should look like. The first example is taken from Mary Ziegler’s How to catch a river crab.
As someone who has always been a crabber (meaning someone who catches crabs, not someone who complains a lot), I can say with confidence that any person with patience as well as a huge love for the river automatically qualifies to become a crabber. That being said, if you wish you 1st crabbing experience to be successful, you have to come prepared.
Our next example is a passage taken from My Trans-oceanic midlife crisis written by Roz Savage.
In the March of 2006 I found mysefl at the age of 38 being divorced with no children, no home and completely alone on a small rowing boat on the Atlantic ocean. I had not had a hot dinner in 2 months. I hadn’t had any contact with humans for weeks due to the fact the satellite phone wasn’t working. All of the oars had broken, and had been patched with duct tape and splints. I had got tendinitis of the shoulder as well as sores on my backside. I could not have been any more happy.
A good introduction paragraph will set the tone for an essay and deliver information on what the essay will be about. It will also engage the reader and encourage them to keep reading. There are certain steps that you need to follow in order to write your introductory paragraph and it should be made up of three things: a hook, information on the essay topic and a thesis statement.