Drum Roll, Please
The introduction is to your essay as a drum roll is to the culmination of an event. Ignore the fact that it is a corny analogy and truly consider the relationship between an introduction and a drum roll. The introduction builds up to your thesis, preparing your reader for the official statement of your stance on the issue at hand; a drum roll builds up to a punch line or an anticipated event.
If you write a truly great essay, as in focused and solidly supported, make sure your introduction paragraph contributes to the greatness. In other words, if your essay is great, the first few sentences should indicate as much to the reader.
The introduction eases your reader into the subject and transitions smoothly into the thesis. This fade into focus does not need to occupy a large amout of space, however. Hook the reader, finish the thought, transition into thesis and that's all! Employ the tools below to help you write your introduction.
But first, one general piece of advice. In any introduction, make the first word exciting. Instead of beginning your essay with "There," "It,"or some other pronoun, rearrange the first sentence so that the first word is more interesting and specific.
Present an Issue and then a Solution or Point of View
This concept involves first introducing the concept (1) and then presenting your solution (2). The solution or your point of view could even become the thesis with the brief presentation of the subject as your introduction.
EXAMPLE:
Even the average American, who somehow manages to drive to and from work and pay the bills, suffers from today’s exorbitant gas prices (1). But the worst part of it all: there are alternatives. America could certainly dedicate more funding to public transportation and alternative fuel research (2). Perhaps America would not only eliminate a corrupt industry but also avert future oil crises. (2-point Thesis)
Quotation
Does a famous quotation pop into your head upon considering your subject? Are you having trouble thinking of an impressive start to your essay? Insert a pertinent quotation at the beginning of the introduction. Again, a PERTINENT quotation.
EXAMPLE:
“Literature adds to reality, it does not simply describe it. It enriches the necessary competencies that daily life requires and provides; and in this respect, it irrigates the deserts that our lives have already become,” as observed by author C.S. Lewis. Unfortunately, people fail to realize the wealth of knowledge contained between the seemingly trivial pages of a novel. Thus, they resort to spending time on more “worthy” tasks, such as playing video games or surfing the Internet. If society insists on reducing direct human interaction, it should at least enjoy solitude buried in a book.
Note how I took a sentence or two to relate the quotation to the subject and then transition into my thesis statement.
Interesting Fact
Rather straightforward concept. This tool works in the same manner as using a quotation: place the interesting fact first then transition into the thesis.
EXAMPLE:
Only one in five high school students sleep an optimal nine hours, according to the poll conducted by the National Sleep Foundation in 2006. Although many adults may argue that they sleep a mere seven hours, the biological clock of a teenager requires a longer time to rejuvenate muscles and thoroughly prepare the body for another day…
Be sure to cite the source of your fact either through parenthetical citation or a quick mention of the source, as I did above, if you do not have a work cited page to accompany your essay.
Descriptive Anecdote
This form of introduction involves describing a relevent event, situation, place, time, etc. In writing such an introduction, be creative. Remember all of those great rhetorical devices such as metaphors, similes, and imagery? USE THEM, and BE ORIGINAL about it. And do not forget your vocabulary; rack your brain for the perfect word. BE SPECIFIC. Take a look at this list of words and avoid them unless absolutely necessary.
EXAMPLE:
My footsteps resonated through the downstairs hall like the echoes of a voice lost in a desolate cave (simile). Up the stairs I trekked into my darling room, where I stood amidst a sea of worn beige carpet. The lilac walls whispered (personification) silvery tones of sweet dreams and childish fantasies, gently persuading me not to leave. I sucked air into my lungs, attempting to repress a sob to no avail; the blubbering began. Giggles, slumber parties, Barbie dolls, imaginary friends, all squirreled away into the walls I once called home. I scorned my parents’ and sisters’ reassurances; they had no idea how miserable I would be in Orlando. How I would manage living in another city, let alone in the midst of the school year, I could not fathom. (Thesis)