Writing Successful Introductory Paragraphs Essays - Writing

Writing Successful Introductory Paragraphs In the most abstract sense, the function of an introductory paragraph is to move the reader from the world of daily life into the textual and analytical space of an essay. In a more concrete sense, an introduction performs three essential functions: 1) it clearly and specifically states the topic or question that you will address in your essay; 2) it motivates topic or question that the essay will examine; and 3) it states, clearly and directly, your position on this topic or question (i.e. your thesis). Conceptual Components Persona - While reading your introduction, your reader will begin to make assumptions about you as an author. Be sure to project yourself as a thoughtful, knowledgeable, and nonbiased writer capable of dealing effectively with the complexities and nuances of your topic. Your introduction should set the tone that will remain consistent throughout your essay. In addition to emphasizing the uniqueness of your approach to your subject matter, you should seek to draw your reader into your essay with the gracefulness of your prose and the rational demeanor you project as a writer. Contextualization - In addition to stating the topic and scope of your analysis, your introduction should provide your readers with any background or context necessary to understand how your argument fits into the larger discourse on the subject. The details you use to orient your reader with your topic should be woven throughout the structural components of your introduction listed below. Structural Components Opener - In addition to grabbing the reader's attention, the opening sentence of an essay sets up the structure of the introductory paragraph. You want to create movement among your ideas, which is best done by moving either from the particular to the general or from the general to the particular. Essays which move from the particular to the general often begin with an anecdote, quotation, fact, or detail from the text that can be used to introduce readers to the larger issues the essay will address. Introductions that move from the general to the particular-typically referred to as the funnel structure-often begin with a wider view of the topic that will be used to establish a context for the more localized argument that the author will present. Topic or Purpose - The introductory paragraph must leave the reader with a clear understanding of the specific subject area that your essay will investigate. Defining your essay's scope in this way often requires distinguishing your specific focus from the larger discourse on your topic. Though this is not always essential, many essays include a purpose statement that tells the reader directly: "this paper examines..." or "the aim of this essay is to..." Motive - The motive is a specific sentence, usually near the middle of your introduction, that clarifies for the reader why your thesis is interesting, non-obvious, and/or contestable. In essence, your motive answers the question "so what?" that a reader might ask of your thesis. Because they show that the truth about a subject is not as clear as it might seem, motive statements often employ terms of reversal-"yet," "but," "however," &c.-that reflect a departure from the obvious. Thesis Statement - The thesis statement is the central claim your essay will make about your chosen topic. Since the topic area must first be described and motivated, the thesis statement is usually placed near the end of the introduction. Roadmap - Though this is often unnecessary in shorter papers, essays that are long (7+ pages) or especially complex are often easier for the reader to understand if the author offers some preview of the essay's structure at the beginning of the paper. In especially long essays (20+ pages), this outline of the essay's structure may demand a paragraph of its own (usually the second paragraph).