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Importance of an Introduction
Importance of an Introduction
A correctly written introduction paragraph gives enough background information on the essay topic to provide the reader with sufficient context to understand the argument. The enumeration of specific points to be addressed in the essay tell the reader what points will be utilized to make the essay’s argument. Then, the thesis clearly states what the argument of the essay is and broadly summarizes why that argument is being made.
Topic Sentence
Topic Sentence
The first sentence is what initially gets the reader interested in reading the paper in the first place. A well-written opening sentence introduces the subject the essay or writting assingment will analyze.
Background Information
Background Information
The background information section gives the reader the basic facts and the context they need to understand the argument that will be presented. This background information section is essential because it provides the reader with the frame of reference necessary to understand the writer’s argument and evaluate the issue being discussed.
Thesis
Thesis
A well-written thesis states what the essay will argue and the reasons why the essay will argue that side. It gives the reader the author’s point of view and what the author will attempt to prove throughout the essay.
Common Introduction Errors
Common Introduction Errors
The first common error students often make is writing questions, especially in the first sentence. Questions in an opening paragraph or sentence have merit in less formal writing styles such as narratives because they catch the reader's attention. However, in a formal argumentative paper, your points should be clear and concise. Questions are not clear or concise ways of communicating an argument.
The second error students commit is a lack of enumeration of specific points. The specific points to be addressed in the essay should be stated immediately before the thesis. While you should not go into detail on these points in the opening paragraph, they provide a preview of how the argument will be carried out. It is important for the reader to receive this preview because it is easier to understand an argument's details when you have a general roadmap of the argument to be made.
The third error students perpetrate is not being specific enough in the background information. This background information is only supposed to be about 3-4 sentences long. Students often start off too broad and as a result it takes many more sentences than 3 or 4 to get to and through the information necessary to the reader's understanding. If your background information stretches for 6 or 7 sentences, you can likely be more specific and concise.
The fourth common error is the use of technical and difficult vocabulary in the introduction. You need to assume that your reader has only layman's knowledge of your topic prior to reading the essay. The background information section is the opportunity to increase their knowledge where relevant, so save the jargon, if at all necessary, for later stages of the paper after the background has been discussed already.
A final error often made is turning the thesis into a run-on sentence that includes more than the basic argument being made. Keep your thesis brief, you have another 1500 words to explain and expound on it. Clearly state what you will be arguing and move into your body paragraphs to explain the thesis.
Example Student Introduction with Edits
Example Student Introduction with Edits
The commercial fishing industry has grown exponentially within the last century, causing an interruption in the natural flow of energy within ecosystems and communities. This growth is mainly sourced from the increased demand for fish by the world’s quadrupled population over the last one hundred years and the increased incorporation of fish in the average person's diet in most countries. Despite this major growth which has been able to supply food, jobs, and economic growth, what problems has the industry's growth created? Overfishing is leading to the endangerment and extinction of various species of fish, directly affecting local communities which rely on fish for food and income. The endangerment of these fish also disrupts the natural balance of aquatic ecosystems, altering the ocean’s natural ability to regulate itself as well as its ability to take in carbon, making the ocean more acidic. Additionally, unsustainable practices, such as bottom trawling and excessive fuel use, employed by large fishing corporations contribute to the overall carbon emissions released. This essay will argue that industrial fishing promotes and perpetuates unsustainable practices disrupting ocean ecosystems, the communities which rely on those ecosystems for their livelihood, and ocean carbon cycling, leading to increased carbon emissions and contributing to the ongoing climate crisis.
Introduction Checklist
Introduction Checklist
Topic Sentence
The topic sentence announces the topic that is to be analyzed. The topic sentence should provide the reader with a general idea of what the topic is about. Students should avoid using quotes, examples, or anecdotes for the topic sentence because "hooks" are inappropriate in professional settings. Writers should not use cliches in the introduction such as "In today's world" because cliches are unoriginal and vague. Students should try to be concise and specific when writing a topic sentence to provide a clear focus for the essay. The purpose of a topic sentence is to convey the general idea of a topic and can be used to establish the focus of the essay. Additionally, the topic sentence should work to establish the thesis statement.
Background Information
The background information provides context to the argument and a reason for the reader to care about the topic. The information should help the reader understand the argument of the essay. Background information should be specific and concise to effectively communicate to the reader. Students should avoid making broad statements because general statements do not help the reader understand the specific argument. Background information can be historical context, current events, or an explanation of the topic. Summaries of texts can also be used because background information includes relevant information about a topic. Evidence can also be considered part of the background information because evidence helps the reader understand the subject. Students should write the background information under the assumption that the reader is a layman. The background information is essential to the introduction because it allows the reader to understand what the argument is about.
Specific Points
The introduction should include specific arguments that will be made in the essay to show the reader what points the student will prove or argue. Specific points provide structure to the essay by outlining what the body paragraphs will contain. An example of a specific point in the introduction is: "Overfishing is leading to the endangerment and extinction of various species of fish, directly affecting local communities which rely on fish for food and income." Topic sentences of body paragraphs can be used for the specific points in the introduction because the topic sentences are specific arguments that the student will make. Specific points preview the argument made in the essay, provide structure to the essay, help the reader anticipate the rest of the essay and understand the significance of the argument made.
Evidence to be Examined
Evidence in the introduction includes concrete examples that will be analyzed in the body paragraphs. The evidence is introduced to the reader to help them understand what evidence will be examined. For example: "Additionally, unsustainable practices, such as bottom trawling and excessive fuel use, employed by large fishing corporations contribute to the overall carbon emissions released." Evidence that is used in the introduction should be relevant to the argument made and should help the reader understand how the evidence is related to the topic. Concrete examples are examples of evidence that is used in the introduction. Students can examine evidence in the introduction and support the specific points and thesis using evidence. Evidence is essential to the introduction because readers can better understand the connection between evidence and analysis. While most of the analysis of evidence should be done in the body paragraphs, evidence can be used in the introduction paragraph to support the thesis statement and compel the reader to support the student's argument.
Thesis
The thesis presents the claim and arguments of the essay. In ENGL145, the thesis must begin with "This essay will present the argument that...", which is clear and concise to the reader. The thesis should be specific because it will directly inform the reader of what the student is trying to argue and help the student organize their essay. For example: "This essay will argue that industrial fishing promotes and perpetuates unsustainable practices disrupting ocean ecosystems, the communities which rely on those ecosystems for their livelihood, and ocean carbon cycling, leading to increased carbon emissions and contributing to the ongoing climate crisis." The thesis needs to present an argument and needs to be direct. Students should not write thesis statements using broad or general statements because the student would be making a weak argument. The thesis statement typically is written at the end of the introduction to provide a clear focus for the paper. The main purpose of a thesis is to help the reader understand the main argument of the essay and the significance of the argument as well.
Works Cited
Works Cited
"Argumentative Essays" Purdue Online Writing Lab, https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/essay_writing/argumentative_essays.html Accessed 7 June 2023
“Introductions & Conclusions.” UAGC Writing Center, writingcenter.uagc.edu/introductions-conclusions. Accessed 2 June 2023.
“Introductions” UNC Writing Center,
https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/introductions/ Accessed 5 June 2023
Specht, Doug. The Media and Communications Study Skills Student Guide, University of Westminster Press, 2019, pp. 69-88, JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv11cvxcf.9. Accessed 5 June 2023.
“Writing Successful Introductory Paragraphs.” Writing Successful Introductory Paragraphs | Writing Handouts | Resources for Faculty | Writing Resources | Brandeis University, www.brandeis.edu/writing-program/resources/faculty/handouts/writing-successful-introductory-paragraphs.html. Accessed 5 June 2023.
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