THE INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH

The paragraph that begins an essay causes students the most trouble, yet carries the most importance. Although its precise construction varies from genre to genre (and from essay to essay), good introductory paragraphs generally accomplish the same tasks and follow a few basic patterns. I have listed some of them below, but keep in mind that what follows are guidelines, not immutable templates.

Tasks: The introductory paragraph to a short essay usually attempts to do three things:

• Introduce the topic with some indication of its inherent interest or importance, and a clear definition of the boundaries of the subject area
• Indicate the structure and/or methodology of the essay, often with the major sections of the essay or its structural principle clearly stated
• State the thesis of the essay, preferably in a single, arguable statement with a clear main clause

Not every essay does all three in the first paragraph, and the degree to which an essay declares its structure or methodology may vary widely, depending on how necessary that information will be to the readers. Sometimes, the entire first paragraph will serve no other purpose than to generate interest in the subject or raise a question, leaving the other tasks for the second paragraph. However, this kind of opening requires a lot of skill, and you can lose your readers in the second and third paragraphs if do not make your purpose clear.

Patterns: The standard pattern for an introductory paragraph follows the order of the tasks outlined above. Below is an outline of that pattern, written as if it were the first section of a formal outline of the entire essay:

I: Introduction
A. The topic
1. Its boundaries
2. Why it is interesting
B. Structure and/or Methodology
1. The essay’s main sections (structure)
2. Why they come in that order (structural principle)
3. How the author plans to draw the necessary conclusions from the information available (methodology)
C. The Thesis Statement (usually a single sentence)
1. Its premise (the general claim about the information available)
2. Its conclusion (the consequences of the first claim)

Not every essay contains every element in precisely this order, but most good essays cover all of them, either explicitly or implicitly. In longer and more scholarly essays, the structure/methodology section should be longer, or can even be its own paragraph. It should also include some mention of the essay’s position within the field as a whole.


Your introductory paragraph is extremely important. It sets the tone for the entire paper and introduces your reader to your argument. In almost all cases, you want to be sure the paragraph has the following components: a thesis statement and a preview of how you will make your argument.

Some of the most common problems with introductory paragraphs are:

1) No thesis statement. Remember that your thesis statement needs to be an argument, not simply a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ response to the question. What will you argue? Within the thesis statement or in the next sentence you must say something about why you are making that argument. Also, be bold and direct about your thesis. OWN it. Don’t beat around the bush with lots of qualifying statements.

2) No indication to the reader how the argument will be made. In addition to the WHAT question (what will you argue?), there is the HOW question. How will you make your argument? Your introductory paragraph should say something about the logic, evidence or points you will present in support of your thesis.

3) Opening the paper with a discussion of the nature of the universe. Don’t start your paper with huge, sweeping statements about the world. Cut to the chase. What material are you engaging? Who is making what arguments? What do you have to say about those arguments?

4) Sloppy punctuation. Don't frustrate your reader by forgetting to proofread for basic grammar problems. USE THE APOSTROPHE for possessives (i.e., Thompson's book, not Thompsons book). But don’t use apostrophes to say the possessive "its." LEARN HOW TO USE THE COMMA. If you aren’t sure when to use a comma, refer to a style manual or go to the Writing Center technical assistance website.

5) Imprecise word choices. You always want to avoid words that are vague (such as "problematic") but this is particularly true for the introductory paragraph. Your reader will immediately have questions about your meaning. Be as specific as possible. Instead of writing, "Foster’s argument is problematic," (which doesn’t tell your reader very much) think about what aspect of Foster’s argument has a problem and what sort of problem it is. Is it inaccurate? Is it naïve? Inconsistent? Incoherent? Ridiculous?

6) Overuse of quotations. It is usually best not to begin or end your introductory paragraph with a quotation. You weaken your argument by relying on someone else’s words so early on in the paper. If you do quote in the first paragraph, make sure it is short and to the point.