Introduction writing is easy
Textbooks make it look hard

 

Learning how to write an introduction need not be a big deal. It only looks like a big deal when you read about it in an English text. In real life — which means anything outside English class — it’s no biggie.

Most of what the opening paragraph needs to do it can do quickly by hints rather than by direct statements.

Opening essentials

English textbooks go on for pages telling students how to write an opener that will have readers drooling. Nothing wrong with that, I suppose, but I rarely need to have my readers drool. My students, too, find a drier approach works just fine.

Here’s what the first paragraph must do:

• Get readers' attention and direct it toward the thesis.

• Put the thesis in context.

• Set the tone for the essay.

• Define terms the reader needs to understand the thesis.

• State the essay's thesis at or near the end of the introduction.

Did you notice that that everything focuses on the thesis statement? That's the point you must get across to your students: every part of the paper should be about the thesis.

Some texts say students should indicate their purpose and their audience in their first paragraphs. Stating the thesis takes care of both those tasks.

Introduction is short

The essay body usually accounts for 80-90% of the paper's length. If the entire essay is to be 500 words, the first paragraph should be no more than 50 to 75 words long. In most cases that means one, two, or three sentences plus the thesis.

No evidence above the thesis

Evidence doesn’t belong in a paper ahead of the thesis. If you teach students to slot their evidence into their body paragraphs when they prepare their detailed essay plan (which English teachers call an outline), they shouldn't even be tempted to put evidence anywhere else.

Define without Webster

Occasionally students may need to define a term from their thesis that could be used in different ways. Defining a term doesn't mean quoting from a dictionary. That’s boring. It also opens students to plagiarism and copyright violations.

The usual way of defining a term in the introduction is to use some synonym in the introductory material prior to using the term in the thesis.

Sometimes readers need to know how a writer is using a particular term before they can understand the thesis.

For example, I was reviewing an historical novel set during the English Civil War. I knew if American readers saw the term "Civil War" they would immediately think of the American Civil War.

I replaced my first use of the term "Civil War" by "the religious conflict between Puritans and the British government." When I got to my thesis, readers understood which civil war I meant without any help from Webster.

Teaching tips

Don’t try to teach students to write an introduction until they have mastered body paragraph writing.

When you discuss opening paragraphs, teach only the essentials. Don’t ask for — certainly do not expect — creativity.

Instead, make sure all students know how to write an introduction that covers the basic information. Your bright students will go on to write sparkling openers without additional coaching from you, and you won't have turned off the less interested ones.