Tips for Writing the Introduction
The introduction may well be one of the most important sections of your essay and it is essential that it makes the best possible impression upon the reader. It should be well structured, free from grammatical errors and written with flair and a distinctive voice. There are also some specific elements which are usually included in the content of an introduction.
The main components to bear in mind are: content, structure and style.
Content
In brief, this list details most of the elements which should be included in an introduction:
Structure
Having decided upon the content, you can now break it up into as many paragraphs as you require. Bear in mind that the introduction for most dissertations is around two pages long and that an overly long introduction implies that you are unable to be focused or concise.
Each new paragraph should flow naturally and be connected with the final sentence of the previous paragraph. There should be a sense of introduction, main content and concluding paragraph within the introduction itself.
Style
Composing the very first sentence of a vast piece of work might seem like a daunting challenge. It can, however, be an opportunity to impress from the very beginning. Dive straight in and avoid clichés such as ‘in order to ascertain whether or not…’ or ‘this essay will examine…’.
Sparing use of personal anecdote can draw the reader in, but keep this to a minimum so that knowledge and factual understanding remain at the forefront of your introduction.
Remain focused and stick to the point. There is time enough in the main body of your essay to go into more detail. For a long piece of work the introduction works almost as a teaser, intriguing the reader and compelling them to read on.
Don’t state the obvious or generalize about large swathes of history or schools of thought. The introduction is not a story or a synopsis but rather an explanation.
Remember that your work should always be a joy to read, rather than a hard slog. Write with confidence, persuasively and with a wide range of vocabulary. Don’t let sentences with multiple clauses get too long and keep clarity of meaning at the forefront of your mind when writing.
Introduction writing is a skill which you will likely need to use multiple times throughout longer essays, when a reminder of previous findings and of the question in hand is helpful at the beginning of each new chapter.
If you would like some more guidance about how to write and structure a piece of writing, the professionals at Proofread My Essay can help you today!
The introduction may well be one of the most important sections of your essay and it is essential that it makes the best possible impression upon the reader. It should be well structured, free from grammatical errors and written with flair and a distinctive voice. There are also some specific elements which are usually included in the content of an introduction.
The main components to bear in mind are: content, structure and style.
Content
In brief, this list details most of the elements which should be included in an introduction:
- Justification of why your work brings something new to an existing debate
- Discussion of why the debate is an important or significant one
- Discussion of previous work which has been done in the area
- Statement of your intentions and objectives (‘I will analyse chronologically…’, ‘I intend to prove…’)
- Definition of the terms of your essay.
Structure
Having decided upon the content, you can now break it up into as many paragraphs as you require. Bear in mind that the introduction for most dissertations is around two pages long and that an overly long introduction implies that you are unable to be focused or concise.
Each new paragraph should flow naturally and be connected with the final sentence of the previous paragraph. There should be a sense of introduction, main content and concluding paragraph within the introduction itself.
Style
Composing the very first sentence of a vast piece of work might seem like a daunting challenge. It can, however, be an opportunity to impress from the very beginning. Dive straight in and avoid clichés such as ‘in order to ascertain whether or not…’ or ‘this essay will examine…’.
Sparing use of personal anecdote can draw the reader in, but keep this to a minimum so that knowledge and factual understanding remain at the forefront of your introduction.
Remain focused and stick to the point. There is time enough in the main body of your essay to go into more detail. For a long piece of work the introduction works almost as a teaser, intriguing the reader and compelling them to read on.
Don’t state the obvious or generalize about large swathes of history or schools of thought. The introduction is not a story or a synopsis but rather an explanation.
Remember that your work should always be a joy to read, rather than a hard slog. Write with confidence, persuasively and with a wide range of vocabulary. Don’t let sentences with multiple clauses get too long and keep clarity of meaning at the forefront of your mind when writing.
Introduction writing is a skill which you will likely need to use multiple times throughout longer essays, when a reminder of previous findings and of the question in hand is helpful at the beginning of each new chapter.
If you would like some more guidance about how to write and structure a piece of writing, the professionals at Proofread My Essay can help you today!