Whether you're writing an essay for class, answering an essay question on a test, crafting a college application, or writing any other type of essay-style work, your introduction paragraph is one of the most important you'll write.. Use a Surprising Fact. This article will describe a few common ones, as well as some that you might not have seen. Stating your topic in such precise terms creates a stiff, unnatural flow of words. How do you start an introduction paragraph? The thesis statement. Because ideas develop, change, and grow as you work with them, keep returning to your introductory paragraph and thesis. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. The length of the introduction will vary depending on the type of research paper you are writing. and Examples for Writing Thesis Statements. 3 Items Needed in an Introductory Paragraph 1. This article has been viewed 49,525 times. We begin by discussing how we would write thesis statements for debates that students would understand without much research. For instance, if writing an essay about a coming-of-age story, you should introduce the coming-of-age theme with something like, “The broken friendships and family drama Jimmy has to go through serve as his passage into adulthood.”. Historical Review Determine if a historical review could be helpful. Note that unless the quotation is anonymous, you must always state who is responsible for it. Connect your summary to the theme in a naturally, sensible manner. This article contains several suggestions on how to begin your introduction depending on what kind of paper you're writing. The thesis sentence always follows the same formula: Restate the prompt, topic 1, topic 2, and topic 3. You could look up "introduction paragraph examples" on Google or ask a friend to see theirs. Begin with the thesis statement. How can I get an example of an introductory paragraph? I always begin teaching students how to write an introduction paragraph by asking students to define their view. Then, finish your intro paragraph with a thesis statement that relates directly to your first sentence, and that explains what the central argument of your paper should be. Once again make the connection between your thesis and this piece of evidence. Transition Statement - A sentence that transitions from your attention grabber to your thesis statement. If you want to go into more detail, write five or six. Copyright © 2000-2020 Internet4Classrooms, LLC All rights reserved. By the end of your paper, be certain that the content of your introduction and thesis statement matches the overall message of your essay. An introduction to an essay means you are introducing a complete overview or gateway to the rest of the essay. Leading off the topic sentence, you should now tell the reader a little more about … We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Craft an introductory paragraph in which a thesis statement(s) clearly presents the topic of the documented essay. A “hanging quote” refers to a quotation that has no introduction or no explanation after it. If the thesis statement does not fit into the introduction as it currently stands, you may need to use more supporting evidence to lead into the thesis or change the anecdote you use. Anecdotes can be true or fictional.