1. General rules discussed:
Introduction Example unpicked with students. How does Priestley present Eric in An Inspector Calls?
Interestingly, Eric (the son of Mr & Mrs Birling) is presented by Priestley as fairly useless. The play charts the downfall of the family due to the appalling way they treat Eva Smith. Ironically, Eric seems most shaken by the Inspector’s visit. He is seen as a lazy thieving drunk, a womaniser and as a fairly pathetic character throughout the play.
Rules unpicked in this example
Use adverbs to position yourself as an authority on the subject you are writing about & Offer adverbs to provide strength to your reasoning 
Use the writers name 
Give your own point of view objectively and without using I (to maintain an academic style) 
Give the opinion while saying what happens in the story 
You can use terminology in the introduction E,g. Irony 
Use a rule of three or a list to to introduce the events you will discuss in the essay (also use this to help you structure your essay as you write) 
General rules discussed:
Avoid using quotes from the play in the introduction 
Stick to sentences for the introduction 
Keep the introduction closely focused on the question