How to Write an Introduction

How to Write an Introduction / Thesis

Step One: Thesis

Your thesis is more than a general statement about your main idea. It needs to establish a clear position you will support with balanced proofs (logos, pathos, ethos).

A good thesis is specific:

[Weak] James Joyce’s Ulysses is very good.

[Good] James Joyce’s Ulysses helped create a new way for writers to deal with the unconscious.

A thesis is NOT an announcement of the subject:

[Weak] My subject is the incompetence of the Supreme Court.

[Good] The Supreme Court made a mistake when it ruled in 2010 that corporations can give unlimited amounts of money to political candidates.

A thesis is NOT a statement of absolute fact:

[Weak] Jane Austen is the author of Pride and Prejudice.

Step Two: The Purpose of the Introduction

You know your introduction needs a clear thesis statement. But what else do you put in the paragraph? To answer that question, think about the purpose of an introduction:

• Introduce your topic
• Create interest
• Provide necessary (but limited) background information
• Preview the rest of your essay

Your thesis statement will identify your main idea and preview the rest of your essay. Remember that this can be either one or two sentences. You will probably place your thesis at the end of your introduction paragraph. You can use the other sentences in your introduction to introduce your topic, create interest, and provide necessary (but limited) background information.

Step Three: Technique

The introduction is the broad beginning of the paper that answers three important questions:

• What is this?
• Why am I reading it?
• What do you want me to do?

You should answer these questions by doing the following:

Set the context – provide general information about the main idea, explaining the situation so the reader can make sense of the topic and the claims you make and support

State why the main idea is important – tell the reader why s/he should care and keep reading. Your goal is to create a compelling, clear, and convincing essay people will want to read and act upon

State your thesis/claim – compose a sentence or two stating the position you will support with logos (sound reasoning: induction, deduction), pathos (balanced emotional appeal), and ethos (author credibility).

[Excerpted and adjusted from the Purdue Owl Writing Lab]

Examples of Good Introductions