How to Write a Perfect Essay Introduction: Step-by-Step Guide
A great novel begins with a memorable quote while the gist of a news feature is summed up in the opening paragraph. It would follow, then, that an essay must have the perfect introduction. You will be doing it during your few years in the university, as it should be part of the curriculum. As a matter of fact, essay writing comprises about two third of your final mark (in a module). Imagine failing due to your atrocious grammar and wrong use of punctuation marks, but it won't happen anytime soon. (You'll learn from your mistakes after looking through your marked assignment. It would be your first.) It may not be the case with your essay introduction, as it should take more than trial and error.
You must come up with the perfect (essay) introduction, as this will be the indicator that the rest of your paper is worth the time. Your professor is doing his/her job (while reading your paper), but imagine that it would turn out to be a mark-or-break scenario. You would be relieved of being done with your coursework, so you won't mind a hard copy of your essays gathering dust on one corner of a faculty's room. (You won't even take it hard if your professors deleted the soft copy, as this should lessen the bulk of their inbox.) What if you would take your writing seriously? You ought to feel bad if no one would consider reading through your paper after glancing at the introduction. Your best effort may not be good enough. There's no need to cry a river. (No pun intended.)
An introduction must provide an overview of your essay. It should include relevant information to pique the interest of your readers. Your essay might turn out to be bland if you don't put your personal opinion into it.
A Step-by-Step Guide on How to Write an Essay Introduction
If you don't want to see your professor's disapproved look, then you should write that introduction sooner than you can hope for. Here's a step-by-step guide:
- You must figure out what your essay is really all about.
You'll spend more time (thinking about your introduction) if you don't know what your essay is all about. This won't be a daunting task, as your instructor will give you a short list of topics. You should think about it (before facing the computer screen). Another hint would be your opinion on the written material. It should be too early to reveal it on the introduction but give a hint or two (to your readers). It would set the tone of your paper, but you must keep on looking at it after you're done with the draft. It will ensure that you stick with the topic.
- Be straight to the point.
It would be right to provide your essay with a background, providing related information to spice up your paper. There can be danger of putting too many facts, as it will distract readers from your real intention. Keep this info to a minimum, with three sentences at the most. If you can't comply with it, you must consider putting it in the body (of your essay) instead. For instance, you're writing a paper on "Hamlet". Writing about Shakespeare's background won't do your essay any good, as the tragedy would hardly relate to the Bard's origin. Moreover, there's no need to pen several paragraphs on the setting of the play. (It should be a character-driven play, as the first page would suggest right away.)
- Don't go overboard.
As mentioned earlier, you don't have to tell all about your thoughts on a written text early on. A little would pique the curiosity of your readers, which would give you some assurance that they would read the rest of your paper. Avoid the cliches, which won't make your essay better than the others. You don't have to think of an introduction of five or more paragraphs (unless the book would have several subplots.) Proofreading would be the exception to this one.
Here are Some Helpful Tips to Streamline Your Writing Process
The journey doesn't necessarily begin with your essay introduction; if you can't write one, you can go back to it later. You already have an idea, broad yet vague at that point. It should give you ideas on how to work on the body (of your essay). This can help you avoid procrastination especially if you need more time for preparing for your tests.
There must not be any pressure on your part. It may be a fatal mistake to think of the others, as it won't be easy to do your (personal) best. Don't worry about grammatical errors and faulty sentence structure while composing the draft (of your essay introduction). Moreover, you don't have to be afraid of pushing buttons. (It's not final.) Choose that time of the day where you can think better (and probably write the longest). Stick to that routine unless you thrive on a flexible schedule.
You must learn to enjoy the process. It's easier said than done, as you would have less time for other things once the holiday is around the corner. Do your best without losing sight of getting good marks. (Passing should be acceptable, but education won't be cheap. It can be a source of pride to your parents. Think about it carefully.)
