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LEARNING TO WRITE IN ENGLISH: Essays
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Introduction
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1. The Purpose of the Introduction
Introductions are important for the purpose of:
Conveying the subject matter of the paper
Implying the structure that your essay is going to take
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2. The Content of the Introduction
Define the question in your own terms. Ask yourself:
Are you setting any limits on the scope of your answer?
An example of this is if the question asks for an assessment of something vague, like 'in modern times' to what time frame are you limiting your discussion:
since the middle of the 20th century
since the 1990s,
since the turn of the millennium?
If you are asked about theories, are you going to limit your discussion to particular theorists?
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3. The Structure of the Introduction
You don't always have to write an introduction first. In fact, many students prefer launching right into the body of the essay before they tackle introductions and conclusions.
After you have written the body of your essay, summarize each paragraph in relation to how your argument progresses. Consider how many arguments run through the body of your essay and list them briefly using key phrases to sum them up.
If you have trouble with writing the first sentence of a term essay, look at the opening sentences in published textbooks to see how it is done there.
Sentence 1.
Define the question in your own terms. Play back
the title to the examiner by explaining what the title means, what
angle you will take, and so on. If there is room for ambiguity in
the title (does it include x as well as y) say so, and state your
interpretation.
Sentence 2.
Explain the way in which you intend to tackle
the question, the model systems you intend to cover, the particular
controversies that shed light on the issue, the lines of argument
you are going to pursue.
Sentence 3.
Indicate the particular method of argument or
type of evidence you are going to employ and how they relate to
each other and the title.
Sentence 4.
Very briefly, give a flavor of the conclusion
you are going to reach. A simple formula for the last line of your
introduction could be: Through discussing (the importance/significance/development)
of A, B and C, this paper will show…D.
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