1. Writing an
Introduction
• Purpose
• How-To
• Mistakes to avoid
• Special Cases

2. Purpose
O An introduction prepares readers for what
is to follow by:
1. Engaging readers
2. Narrowing topic
3. Presenting background information
4. Presenting thesis

3. Which comes first???
Introduction Body?
Body Introduction?
Whichever you choose, you should have a
clear thesis in mind before you begin.

4. Engage Readers
O Brief story
O Relevant quotation
O Question commonly held belief
O Explain importance
O Pose provocative question
O Make a comparison

5. Narrow Topic
O Go from general to specific
Opening sentence
Background information
Thesis Statement

6. How Long????
O Short answer? It depends.
The longer your paper,
the longer your introduction.
Keep it in
proportion!!

7. The all important THESIS
STATEMENT
O Central idea of your paper
Is it suitable?
Is it specific?
Is it significant?

8. Mistakes to avoid
O Announcements
O Too long
O Nonacademic tone
O Unclear thesis
O Second person point of view`

9. Special Cases
Although the purpose of your paper and
your instructor’s requirements will dictate
much about your introduction, there are
some general points to be made about
specific assignments.

10. Narratives
O Writers may not want to state a thesis or
main point, since that limits the chance to
build suspense in the story.
O Instead, the introduction is often used to
explain the setting and introduce
characters.

11. Arguments
O Take a clear position on a debatable issue
and outline your direction for defending it.
O May acknowledge a counterargument.
O Writer’s authority is sometimes
established here.

12. Literary Analysis
In addition to engaging readers, this kind of
introduction should also:
O name the title and author of the work
being analyzed
O suggest why your paper is useful or
important

13. For more help with
crafting a thesis
statement, check out
our Mini Workshop on
Thesis Statements.
You may also find our
workshop on Writing
Effective Conclusions
to be helpful.