What is the best way to start a great essay?
The introduction to an essay is one of the most critical parts. The intro determines if a reader is going to keep reading through to the end or not. This is why students should know how to create a great introduction to their essays. There’s no universally accepted way to start an essay, but there are some tips to keep in mind. Here is the best way to start a great essay.
How to Write a Great Intro
Introductions are intended to pull readers in and grab their attention. The right introduction lays the foundation of the argument for the essay. Openings give off the first impression of a piece, and everyone knows how much first impressions matter. No one wants to have to read an essay where the introduction makes no sense and is filled with spelling and grammar mistakes. Here’s how you should structure your introduction for the best results;
Tailor the Introduction to the Essay Type
Different essay types have their own construction, structure, intent, and tone. You should recap the argument for a persuasive essay, be interesting for a creative piece, be clinical for a technical or scientific essay, and offer information on the subjects with a compare and contrast essay. How you start the essay can depend entirely on what kind of essay you write.
Set the Tone
Essays are written for an audience, meaning that they should be written with the audience in mind. What is the best way to present information to your audience? Should it be formal or informal? Informative or descriptive? Strict or friendly? You need to write with confidence and be assertive if you are writing to persuade the audience. If you are talking about something less serious, such as your dream job, then you can have a friendlier tone.
Include a Hook
Every essay should have some kind of hook that encourages people to keep reading. This hook should evoke an emotional response or ask a question of the reader. You can use attention-grabbing statistics or a related quote as the hook. Ask yourself what would make the reader keep reading.
Offer Relevant Background Information
There’s a chance that the audience will be unfamiliar with your chosen topic. That’s why you should include some relevant background information to bring readers up to speed. Offer some context to the audience by introducing a broad thought and narrowing it down to your thesis.
Only Include Relevant Information
Don’t include information you aren’t sure about and never, under any circumstances, should you include misinformation and made-up “facts.” Always be sure to cite your sources when you can. Offering sources and showing your researching ability makes the paper more authoritative and makes the reader trust you more.
Avoid Using Cliches
You should never begin a piece with cliches like a direct quote, a rhetorical question, or a definition. These ideas are outdated and are sure to turn off anyone reading the essay.
Move on to the Thesis
You should move on to the thesis with a clear and concise sentence that explains your stance on the essay topic. Offer an outline and examples that will continue to support your argument for the rest of the paper.
The final sentence of the introduction should lead nicely into the start of the body. The average introduction paragraph is four sentences long at the most. Keep the introduction short and simple and to the point.