The first paragraph, or the introductory one, of an essay is usually the most important part of the work that must be absolutely "perfect". Not only is it an opportunity to capture the reader's attention, but it also represents the possibility of setting the objectives of the essay from the point of view of tone and content. Strictly speaking, there is no one "right" way to start an essay - precisely because it is possible to write essays on countless subjects, but it is also possible to start an essay in multiple ways. However, for the most part a good opening has some requirements which, if taken into consideration, can greatly improve the introduction of the essay, which otherwise risks being lacking. Keep reading the article from Step 1 to find out more!
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Establish the Sage's Action Plan
Step 1. Start with an attention-grabbing sentence
While the essay may (or certainly may not) be interesting for you, the author, it doesn't necessarily mean it is for the reader. Readers in general are a bit fussy about what they read and don't read. If an article doesn't immediately catch their attention in the first paragraph, there's a good chance they won't move forward. Therefore, it wouldn't be a bad idea to start an essay with a sentence that grabs the reader's attention from the start. As long as the first sentence is logically connected to the rest of the article, it is not at all a shame to grab attention from the beginning.
- It would be wise to start with a tempting and little-known fact or statistic to grab the reader's attention. For example, if we were to write an essay on the growing danger of childhood obesity around the world, we might start like this: "Contrary to the widespread notion that childhood obesity is a problem only for rich and spoiled Westerners, WHO reports that in 2012 over 30% of preschool children in developing countries were overweight or obese."
- On the other hand, if it fits the essay more logically, it is advisable to start with a particularly compelling image or description. For a summer vacation essay, you might start like this: "When I felt the Costa Rican sun filtering through the jungle canopy and heard howler monkeys in the distance, I knew I had found a very special place."
Step 2. Draw the reader to the "heart" of the essay
The first sentence, when it is singular, can catch the reader's attention, but if it does not continue to drag it into the work, it can easily lose interest. Follow the first sentence with a thought or two that logically connect the "hook" that grabs the reader's attention in the first sentence to the rest of the essay as a whole. Often, these sentences develop in a narrow field starting from the first sentence and give the possibility to insert the synthetic description that you initially present in a sort of broader context.
- For example, in the essay on obesity we could follow the first sentence like this: "Indeed, childhood obesity is a growing problem that is increasingly affecting rich and poor countries." This sentence explains the urgency of the problem described in the first sentence and provides a broader context.
- As for the holiday essay, we can follow the first sentence with something like: "I was in the heart of the jungle of Tortuguero National Park and I was completely lost." This sentence tells the reader where the image described in the first sentence comes from and leads him into the rest of the essay, playing with the sense - which it will eventually reveal - in which the narrator is "lost".
Step 3. Tell the reader what the essay is about
Most of the time the essays are not merely descriptive - they do not say what it consists of in simple, fact-based terms. Usually, they have a specific purpose beyond that, which can be anything. The essay may aim to change the reader's mind on a certain topic, to get him to move for a specific cause, to shed light on something not well understood, or simply to tell a story that piques interest. In any case, the fundamental purpose of the first passage of an essay is to tell the reader what the purpose of the essay is. In this way, the reader can choose whether to continue or not.
- In the obesity essay we could summarize things by proceeding like this: "The purpose of this essay is to analyze current trends in childhood obesity rates around the world and recommend specific policy initiatives to combat the rise of this problem." By doing so, what the essay intends to do is clearly and distinctly stated. There is no confusion.
- Regarding the holiday essay, we could try something like this: "This is the story of my summer in Costa Rica, a summer that neither spider bite nor rotten plantains nor Giardia could prevent it from becoming an experience that it would change my life. " This thought tells the reader that he will be dealing with a travel report written by a person in a foreign country, while giving an idea of how the author will play with specific details he has in store within the essay.
Step 4. Choose whether to outline the structure of the essay
Sometimes, it is appropriate to take a step forward in the introduction to describe how the essay plans to achieve its purpose. It can be useful if the essay can be easily divided into distinct sections, in such a way as to make it easier for the reader to grasp the topic. It is also helpful to know what to do if you are a student, as some teachers may require it. However, specifically outlining the different parts of the essay in the introduction is not always a good idea. In some cases, especially in essays with an ironic character, it might appear a bit mechanical and you risk intimidating the reader by presenting too much information from the beginning.
- In the essay on obesity, we could continue like this: "This essay addresses three main concerns regarding global health: the increasing availability of high-calorie food, the decline in exercise and the burgeoning popularity of sedentary recreational activities." In a straightforward research essay like this one, outlining the main topics of discussion is a good idea, because it allows the reader to immediately understand the justificatory pattern into which the purpose of the essay explained in the previous sentence falls.
- On the other hand, about the holiday essay, probably would not be the case to look at it in this way. Since we have established that the essay will be lighthearted and playful, it would seem a bit bizarre to continue, for example, like this: "By tasting both city life in the capital San Jose and the rural jungle life of Tortuguero, I changed as a person. during my trip ". This is not a terrible phrase, but it does not flow in the sense of the others used so far, because it gives life to a rigid and not very articulated structure in which nothing else is needed.
Step 5. If necessary, include the thesis
The thesis is a single statement that demonstrates the "validity" of the essay in the clearest and most concise way possible. Some essays, especially those written in five paragraphs intended for academic circuits or as part of standardized exams, require a thesis in the opening paragraph. Even essays who do not require compliance with this rule can take advantage of the synthetic power of a thesis that knows how to outline the objective of the text. In general, the thesis is included at or near the end of the first paragraph, although there are no hard and fast rules as to where it should be in particular.
- In the essay on obesity, since we are dealing with a serious topic and we have to write in a direct and detached way, we could be quite frank about the thesis: "By analyzing the data of the surveys at our disposal, this essay aims to identify specific policy initiatives as likely pathways to reduce global obesity ". This thesis communicates to the reader in a nutshell exactly what the purpose of the essay is.
- We probably couldn't include a single thesis in the holiday essay. Since we are more interested in laying the foundation of a mood, telling a story and illustrating personal arguments, a direct and detached statement such as "This essay describes my summer vacation in Costa Rica in great detail" will appear. strangely forced and useless.
Step 6. Set an appropriate tone for the essay
In addition to being a space to discuss the topic of the essay, the first paragraph is also a space to determine how you intend to talk about it. The way you write - your voice - plays a role in encouraging (or discouraging) readers to read the essay. If the tone is clear, pleasant, and appropriate to the topic at first, the reader will be more likely to continue than they would be if the tone were confusing, noticeably inconsistent from sentence to sentence, or did not match the overall theme.
Take a look at the phrases in the above essays. Note that while the author's voice is very different in the obesity essay and the holiday essay, both are clearly written and appropriate to the theme. The obesity essay is a serious, analytical text dealing with a public health issue, so it makes sense for the sentences to be a bit detached and precise. On the other hand, the holiday essay speaks of a fun and exciting experience that had a major effect on the author, so it is conceivable that the sentences are a little more playful, contain exciting details and convey the sense of wonder of the Writer
Step 7. Get to the point
One of the most important rules in an introduction is that the shorter it is, the better it is almost always. If you can convey all the information you need to give in five sentences instead of six, do it. If you can use a simple, common word instead of a more difficult one (for example, "beginning" vs. "incipit"), go for it. If you can convey the message of the sentence in ten words instead of twelve, do so. Wherever you can make introductory passages shorter without sacrificing quality or clarity, do it. Remember that the opening part is to draw the reader into the heart of the essay, but it does not represent the heart of the essay itself, so keep it short.
As mentioned before, even if you have to work hard to be concise, it is not necessary to reduce the introduction so much that it is incomprehensible or illogical. For example, in the essay on obesity we must not shorten the sentence: "Indeed, childhood obesity is a global problem that is increasingly affecting rich and poor countries" … in: "In fact, obesity is really a big problem". The second does not explain the whole story - the essay is about the incidence of childhood obesity in a global and growing way, not about obesity being bad for you in general
Part 2 of 3: Adapting the Introduction to the Essay
Step 1. Concerning argumentative essays, summarize the topic
While every essay is unique (aside from illegally copied ones), a few strategies can help you set your work on a specific type of writing. For example, if you write an argumentative essay - which is produced to support a specific argument with the hope of convincing the reader - it may be helpful to summarize the main thesis in the introductory paragraph (or introductory paragraphs) of the work. In this way you will give the reader a brief account of the logical criterion you intend to use to support the main thesis.
For example, if we are arguing against introducing a local sales tax, we might include something like this in the first paragraph: "The sales tax proposal profiles a regressive and irresponsible tax system. on sales it puts a disproportionate tax burden on the poor and has a distinctly negative effect on the local economy, this essay undoubtedly intends to demonstrate these points ". This approach immediately tells the reader what are the main topics that will be covered, making the main thesis grounded from the start
Step 2. In regards to creative writing, try to get attention
Creative writing and fiction can be more emotionally charged than other types of writing. For this type of essay, you can usually get away with starting with a metaphor. By making an effort to be thrilling or unforgettable in the first few sentences, you can draw readers into the text. Also, since creative writing doesn't require the more mechanical aspects of argumentative writing (such as illustrating the structure of the essay, stating the purpose, etc.), there is room here to be creative.
- For example, if we write a short and compelling story about a girl on the run from the law, we might start with some exciting images: "The sirens echoed through the cigarette smoke-baked walls of the motel. It flashed, like paparazzi cameras, blue. on the shower curtain. The sweat mingled with the rust-colored water on the barrel of the gun. " Now this story sounds exciting!
- It's also worth noting that the first few sentences can be compelling without being action-packed. Consider the first few lines of J. R. R. Tolkien of The Hobbit: "In a hole in the earth lived a hobbit. It was not an ugly, filthy and wet hole, full of worms and soaked with stink, nor a bare, barren and dry hole, with nothing to sit on or to to eat: it was a hole-hobbit, that is to say, comfortable ". This introduction immediately raises fascinating questions: What is a hobbit? Why do you live in a hole? The reader must keep reading to find out!
Step 3. Regarding artistic and entertainment writing, link specific details to the overall theme
Writing in the arts and entertainment industry (such as movie reviews, book reports, etc.) contains fewer rules and expectations than technical writing, but beginning essays written in this style can always take advantage of a strategy global. In these cases, even if you can get by with a little playfulness at the beginning of the essay, it is usually wise to make sure to describe the overall theme of the work or emphasize specific small details.
For example, if we were to write a review and analysis of P. T. Anderson The Master, we might start like this: "There is a moment in The Master that is short, but hard to forget. Speaking to his teenage mistress for the last time, ex-military Joaquin Phoenix suddenly cries through the window. he separates from her and embraces the girl in a passionate kiss. It is both a beautiful and perverse moment, and perfectly emblematic of the twisted representation of love that the film presents. " This opening uses a compelling little moment from the film to convincingly enlighten the reader on the essay's main theme
Step 4. For technical and scientific essays, stay detached
Of course, not all writing can be fiery and thrilling. Verve and imagination have no place in the world of severe analytical, technical and scientific writing. These types of writing exist for practical purposes: to inform interested people about serious and specific topics. Since the purpose of this kind of essay is to be purely informative (and occasionally persuasive), you shouldn't include jokes, colorful pictures, or anything else that isn't directly related to the job being done.
- For example, if we were to write an analytical essay on the strengths and weaknesses of different methods of protecting metals from corrosion, we could start like this: "Corrosion is an electrochemical process by which metals react with their environment and degrade. Since it is a major problem for the structural integrity of metal objects and structures, several methods of protection against corrosion have been developed. " Such a start is frank and straight to the point. No time is wasted on style or ostentation.
- Note that essays written in this style often contain abstracts or summaries before the essay itself which succinctly tell the reader what the essay is about broadly speaking. Read How to Write an Abstract to learn more.
Step 5. Regarding journalism, address the most important information first
A journalistic writing essay differs somewhat from other types. In journalism, we usually focus purely on the facts of a story, rather than the opinion of the writer, so the introductory passages of a journalistic essay can tend to be quite descriptive, rather than argumentative, persuasive, etc. In serious and objective journalism the writer is often encouraged to put the most important information in the first sentence, so that the reader can be made aware of the essentials of a story by quickly reading the title.
- For example, if we have the task of talking about a fire, we could start the article like this: "On Saturday evening, four apartments in via Vittorio Emanuele were engulfed by a serious electrical fire. Although there were no deaths, five adults and a child were taken to hospital for injuries sustained in the stake ". Starting with the essentials, we'll give most readers the information they want to know right away.
- In the following paragraphs, we will be able to elaborate on the details and context concerning the event so that readers who have read the first part can learn more.
Part 3 of 3: Using Introductory Strategies
Step 1. Try writing your introduction last, rather than at the beginning
When it comes time to start the essay, many authors forget that there is no rule that says you have to write the beginning of the essay first. In fact, it's plausible to start anywhere that fits your goals, including the middle and final, as long as it ultimately connects to the essay as a whole. If you're not sure how to get started or don't even know exactly what the essay will be about, try skipping the beginning for now. Eventually you will write it down, but once you have everything else down, you can get a better idea of the subject than when you started.
Step 2. Collect ideas
Sometimes, even the best writers run out of ideas. If you have trouble even starting the introduction, try brainstorming. Take a blank sheet of paper and throw the ideas over and over again as they come to you. They don't necessarily have to be good ideas - sometimes seeing what you definitely wouldn't use inspires you with ideas you would definitely use.
It is advisable to also try a similar exercise called free writing. In this case, start writing something - anything - and continue following the stream of consciousness in order to unleash your energies. The end result doesn't have to make sense, but if there's a little core of inspiration between your ravings, this work will prove useful
Step 3. Review, review, review
The first drafts that do not need to be refined through modifications and revisions are very, very rare. A good writer never knows how to present a text without examining it at least once or twice. Revisions and changes allow you to spot spelling and grammar errors, correct parts of the text that are unclear, omit unnecessary information, and much more. It is particularly important from the beginning of the work, where otherwise minor errors can negatively reflect on the figure of the author, so be sure to thoroughly review the beginning of the essay.
For example, consider an essay where the first sentence contains a small grammar error. Even if the mistake is minor, the fact that it occurs in a prominent place can lead the reader to believe that the writer is distracted or unprofessional. If you write for money (or to get some qualifications), it's a risk you definitely don't have to take
Step 4. Get another person's opinion
No writer writes empty. If you feel uninspired, try talking to someone whose opinion you respect to get their point of view on starting your essay. Since this other person is not as involved in your work as you are, they may be able to offer you an outside perspective and highlight the things you cannot see precisely because you were focused on writing the beginning of the essay perfectly..
Don't be afraid to connect with teachers, professors, and other types of people who can show you how to proceed. More often than not, these people take asking for advice as an indication that you have serious intentions about writing the essay. Plus, since they most likely have an idea of what the final product should look like, they can give you tips to help you write the essay exactly how they want
Advice
- Make sure you can write enough on a topic and mix up the sentences a bit. Nothing is worse than reading one boring piece after another. Excitement is key, but if you can't get into the topic, the reader won't be able to and this will result in low judgment.
- Review is your friend. Save your work so you don't have to rewrite it all over again. Any type of essay, regardless of bad punctuation, spelling or grammar, can be easily corrected.
- When choosing a topic, write your thesis. If you can't, you will probably need to narrow or broaden the topic or change an unusable topic.
- Anyone who has all good grades probably gets some help from a teacher or professor.
- When asking for review help, be polite and respectful. The best person to ask for a hand is the teacher or professor who assigned you the essay topic.
- If you do poorly in the essay, the teacher or professor may be tempted to lower your grade.
