Introductions

UW-Madison ESL Program

Unit 4: Fundamentals of Academic Essay Writing

33 Introductions

Preview Questions:

Why are introductions important?
What are the components of an effective introduction?

Overview

Introductions (and conclusions) are often considered difficult sections of an essay to write. In fact, some writers prefer to write their introductions after they have written their essay. Keep in mind that you may want to revise your introduction and conclusion at the same time in order to maintain consistency to the start and finish of your essay.

Effective introductions have three functions

engage your reader using opening statements
introduce your topic and provide connecting information
state your thesis (usually the last sentence of the introduction)

Example of an introduction (from the Model Essay on peer feedback)

The process of writing academic papers involves many steps: exploring a topic through reading and writing, narrowing a topic, organizing the ideas, writing multiple drafts, getting feedback and making revisions. Over multiple drafts, the writer refines his/her ideas in part by getting feedback from readers. In a classroom, the teacher and the classmates, or peers, can serve as easily accessible readers. Peer feedback, also called peer review or peer response, is widely used in writing classes for both native speakers and English as a Second Language (ESL) students. Peer review benefits both the writer and the reviewer, and it can be just as useful as teacher feedback.

Analysis of the introduction

In the first two sentences the writer starts the introduction by identifying, in a general way, the writing process. The writer then moves to a more specific aspect of the writing process, peer review.
In sentences three and four, the writer defines peer review and provides some background information including context; for this essay, the context is peer review for ESL students. This connecting information helps the reader understand what the purpose of the essay will be, which is to suggest that peer review is as effective as teacher feedback.
The thesis statement is the last sentence in the introduction. Notice how the introduction provides a preliminary understanding of the three supporting points.

Function 1: Engage your reader

The first one or two sentences of an introduction should get the reader interested in the topic. These are called “opening statements” because they start the essay and show what the essay will be about. Some common ways to write an opening statement are listed below:

Describe a problem or issue:
Explain a problem connected to the topic and give a little background so the reader understands why it is important.
Give a short historical review:
Explain something that happened in the past and show how it relates to the situation today.
Use a quotation, fact, or statistic:
Start with a quote from an expert or an interesting number or fact from a source. Make sure it clearly connects to the topic and is cited correctly.
Define an important term:
Explain a key word or idea that helps the reader understand the topic better.
Move from general to specific:
Begin with a broad idea (for example, “Many college students…”) and then move slowly toward the specific topic of the essay.

Unlike magazine writing, which often tries to “grab attention” with dramatic opening lines, academic writing is more objective and direct. Avoid starting with proverbs (“Every coin has two sides”), questions (“Why do students come to the United States to study?), or personal stories (“When I was a high school student”) because these sound too informal for college writing. Instead, begin with relevant information that helps the reader understand your topic.

Function 2: Provide connecting information

After the opening statements, you should provide additional explanation that connects the opening statements with the thesis statement. You might include background information or develop an aspect that you raised in the opening statement. You might include a definition, provide a brief history, or in some way, help the reader understand your topic as you move towards the thesis.

Function 3: State your thesis

At the end of your introduction, write your thesis statement, which will serve as a “road map” to help the reader navigate your paper’s content and organization.

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