How to write a well written Introduction

First impressions First impressions are so important. How many times have you heard that? It is true that the first impression—whether it’s a first meeting with a person or the first sentence of a paper—sets the stage for a lasting opinion. The introductory paragraph of any paper, should start with a sentence that piques the interest of your readers.

Introduction In a typical introduction the writer gives background information that provides details about the subject. All of these sentences build up to your thesis statement.

Your first sentence To get your paper off to a great start, you should try to have a first sentence that engages your reader. Think of your first sentence as a hook that draws your reader in. It is your big chance to be so clever that your reader can not stop. As you researched your topic, you probably discovered many interesting anecdotes, quotes, or trivial facts. This is exactly the sort of thing you should use for an engaging introduction. Consider these ideas for creating a strong beginning.

Surprising fact Surprising fact: The pentagon has twice as many bathrooms as are necessary. The famous government building was constructed in the 1940s, when segregation laws required that separate bathrooms be installed for people of African descent. This building is not the only American icon that harkens back to this embarrassing and hurtful time in history. Across the United States there are many examples of leftover laws and customs, and they reflect the racism that once permeated American society.

Curiosity Curiosity: A duck’s quack does not echo. Some people might find a deep and mysterious meaning in this fact …

Definition Definition: A homograph is a word with two or more pronunciations. Produce is one example … If you use a definition you must cite it!

What next… After you have created an engaging intro sentence you need to have details that tells what the overall goal of your paper will be. These details should be about 5 sentences

Sample Introduction Teenagers in many American cities have been involved in more gangs in the last five years than ever before. These gangs have been committing a lot of violent crimes. The victims of these crimes are both gang members and people outside of gangs. It is affecting the lives of the people in the community. Students cannot walk to school without being afraid. Many people do not want to travel to certain areas of the city because of the danger from this problem.  For this terrible situation to stop, it is going to take a combined effort on the part of many people. Excellent, supervised after-school programs, more jobs available for teens, and healthy family relationships will go a long way towards ending this crisis of gang violence in society today.