Stellar Introductions

The introduction is the most important part of the essay. It is the first impression a professor receives of a student's ability to write. It introduces the essay's topic. And most importantly, it contains the thesis--the student's argument and the organizational framework for the entire essay.

Naturally, the introduction is the most difficult part of the essay to write. How does one begin a stellar introductory paragraph? And what should it look like when it is finished?

A good introduction is usually short and always concise. That said, it should always contain AT LEAST four (4) sentences, the amount required for a full-length academic paragraph. Students in the past have tried to argue this point, claiming that two sentences can do the job. Too bad they can't. One sentence is the thesis statement, which means the other sentence must fully introduce the topic and give the professor that oh-so-crucial first impression. No single sentence can effectively achieve both of those objectives. So, prepare to write four or more.

Also, it's called a thesis STATEMENT, not statements. Never split up a cohesive thesis statement into more than one sentence just to achieve the required number of sentences. It will not bode well for thee and thy grade.

The first sentence of any paragraph is called the topic sentence. The topic sentence introduces the topic, or focus, of that paragraph. In the case of the introduction, the topic sentence introduces the subject of your essay. The topic sentence should be more general in substance than the thesis statement, which introduces your argument.

Review:
topic sentence = essay topic (general)
thesis statement = argument about topic (specific)

Now that you have introduced the subject of your essay, what comes next? How about some background information? Let me demonstrate:

Mountain lions are creatures that naturally prefer to avoid confrontations with other non-prey animals (topic). In recent decades, however, shrinking habitats have forced mountain lions into areas populated by humans (history). As a result, mountain lions are attacking humans at increasing rates every year in an attempt to protect their territory (background). Lawmakers can help solve this problem by setting aside more land for wildlife reservations, providing more funding to national parks to educate the public on wildlife safety, and enforcing hunting restrictions on reserved land (thesis).

As you can see, each sentence flows into the next, providing relevant information that introduces the essay's argument. This is what a stellar introduction looks like.

Let's look at another example:

American novelist and nineteenth century writer Nathaniel Hawthorne was the first writer to apply artistic judgment to Puritan society. There were many transcendentalists during Hawthorne's time period, but his works showed little optimism and self-confidence. Most of his works were written from a Puritan preoccupation. With a series of short stories and novels that brought back the life of New England's Puritan past, Hawthorne achieved one of the most distinguished literary careers of the nineteenth century.

With words like "transcendentalist" and "preoccupation", you can't go wrong, can you? However, this paragraph is missing two very important elements. Can you guess what the are?

Answer:
1. flow
2. a thesis statement!

Sure, the vocabulary sounds great, but what will this essay address? How Hawthorne applied artistic judgment? How Hawthorne differed from his fellow transcendentalists? How he captured the Puritan lifestyle in his works? I can't tell! But with a little revision, this can become a stellar intro.

Nineteenth century American novelist Nathaniel Hawethorne produced many popular works based on Puritan themes. He was the first writer to apply artistic judgment to Puritan society by reconstructing the harsh images and bleak landscape associated with New England's Puritan past. Although considered a transcendentalist like many of his contemporaries, Hawthorne's work lacked optimism and, in some cases, seemed short on self-confidence by comparison. However, Hawthorne's preoccupation with Puritan themes earned him one of the most distinguished literary careers of the nineteenth century. The themes Hawthorne focused on most frequently in his works include religion, women in society, and retribution.

With a little extra information and some smooth transitions, this introduction now flows logically toward a clearly defined thesis.

Remember, at least four sentences:

1.Topic
2. Background/History
3. Background/History
4. Thesis statement