There is no secret that modern students have to deal with loads of essays on an everyday basis. This form of writing assignment is used during the admissions process, exams, and as a part of casual homework. So if you want to succeed in college, you have to know how to handle such tasks like a pro.
While essay writing has always felt rather challenging to young people, there is a part of it that is the most confusing and troublesome – an introduction. The first paragraph of your paper is what drives attention and makes the first impression on the reader. Fail it, and you will likely fail the entire assignment. So how do you get it right? Read on, and we will give you the top six tips on how to write the best introductions for your essays!
Consider Getting Help
If you are not well-versed in writing essays yet and there is a possibility to get some expert help, do it! Modern students have the opportunity to pay for papers at a reliable service like PaperWriter and get the burden off their shoulders. Getting this kind of help has many benefits. Obviously, the first perk is that you get your task done quickly and to the highest standard, which means that you will be granted a high grade.
But even that’s not all. Delegating your papers to experts is also a great way to hone your own skills. Using academic help services, you have the possibility to chat with experienced writers and ask questions. On top of that, you receive a flawless paper that deserves the highest grade, which you can use as an example for your future assignments. So it’s a win-win deal.
Brush Up on the Basics
If you have to write an essay on your own, you should first brush up on the basics before getting straight to your intro paragraph. In a nutshell, the first paragraph of your paper consists of three main elements:
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General Comment
The first part typically provides general info on the topic, its importance, and background information. This is the part where you have to grab the reader’s attention.
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Thesis Statement
After the general part, you need to provide a thesis statement. In a nutshell, it is a response to the main question of your paper. It should give readers an idea of what you will be arguing about, and it’s the most important element as it has to align with the rest of the content.
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A Brief Outline of What’s to Come
Finally, the last part tells the reader what they will find in the essay body. However, note that it should only give some general idea and not go into too much detail.
So, these are the parts that you should involve in your introduction. Now, let’s move on to other tips.
Use a Hook
When creating the first few sentences of your opening clause, keep in mind that this is where you have to get the reader interested. The easiest way to do this is to use a compelling hook.
Basically, a hook is an opening statement (which is typically the first sentence) that strives to make your audience read on. It can be a quote, statistic or fact, anecdote, and even a question – whatever feels like a good fit. Use this trick to open your essay the right way.
Avoid Cliches
There are plenty of cliche openers widely used in different types of essays. If you don’t have much experience in handling such tasks, it can feel like using some cliches is a good idea. But, trust us, it never is!
When working on an essay introduction, you have to remember that it is your opportunity to reflect on your own ideas, experiences, and knowledge. Thus, there is no one-size-fits-all formula to do it. So you should really stay away from cliches that will make your work look like thousands of others that a teacher or admissions officer has seen before.
Don’t Give Too Much Away
As you already know, your first paragraph has to provide some general and background information on the topic and also give a brief outline of what the reader will discover in the body. This is true; you do need to include this all in your first paragraph. But don’t give too much away!
This is one of the best tips for writing an outstanding introduction. Your task is to give the reader a general idea of what will be going on in the rest of the paper and, at the same time, leave an element of mystery. Your readers should never be able to guess the entire trajectory of the content by simply looking at your opening clause. Your goal is to make them read to the end. So don’t neglect this tip!
Go Back to Your Intro After You Finish the Essay
Many experts recommend writing an introduction after you complete the body and conclusion of the paper. This tactic makes pretty good sense because this way, you will already have all the information you want to share in the opening clause. So be sure to consider this tip.
In any case, even if you start with an opener, be sure to get back to it after you finish writing. As you write and revise your paper, you should be able to discover new opportunities to make your intro more engaging and compelling.
The Bottom Line
Regardless of the type of essay you are dealing with, an introduction is one of its most important parts. It captures attention, creates a smooth transition to the body of the work, and sets the right tone for the entire text. So if you want to handle academic writing like a pro, you have to know how to create excellent introductions.
Hopefully, this guide and the tips we shared here will get you on the right track. Use them to make your essays flawless and score high grades with ease!
