20 Composition: Stronger Introductions

What are the three parts of an introduction paragraph in an essay?

1. Hook – a sentence that tries to catch the attention of the reader
2. Background information – the information a reader needs to know to begin reading your essay; often this is context for your thesis statement
3. Thesis statement – the main idea of your essay; it includes a topic (the general subject) and a claim (what you want to say about your subject)

That is the order the items appear in an introduction. However, that’s not the best order to write them. Your thesis statement is the main idea or central theme of your whole essay. It’s what you want to tell your readers. So it’s best to start there. Then think about the background information. What do your readers need to know in order to understand the claim you are making in your thesis statement? Finally, create the hook that will catch your reader’s attention and get them interested in learning more about your topic.

Thesis statement

Your thesis statement is your main idea, and it’s the most important part of the whole essay. It needs to be clear, complete, and compelling (interesting). It usually comes at the end of the introduction paragraph.

A thesis statement has two parts:

• A topic (our general subject)
• A claim (what you want to say about your general subject)

Remember: It’s not enough to state only the topic. For example, imagine a thesis statement that says This essay will discuss resilience. That’s not very clear. What about resilience? Is it a good thing? Is it a bad thing? Is it difficult? Is it easy? Are you writing about the history of resilience? Or are you writing about the impact of resilience on your emotional health? A simple statement like that could lead to many different essays; it doesn’t help the reader focus on your message.

You need to make a clear claim about your topic. What do you want to say about resilience? For example: Resilience requires several elements to be effective.

That’s better. It’s more focused. But the reader is sure to ask next: “OK, but what are those elements?” That’s why it’s useful to preview the  major points of the essay. Think of it as a table of contents for your essay. For example: Three essential elements build a solid foundation for resilience: self-belief, improvisation, and optimism.

Read the example introduction once more and notice the thesis statement with topic, claim, and a preview of the major points of the essay:

• Mothers usually tell their children this sentence, “Your attitude of life will determine whether you are more mature or never mature, even if you get older.” Indeed, the path to success is never smooth or flat. It is not full of roses or bright sunshine, but always full of thorns and challenges that require us to overcome before we can reach the final destination. Therefore, in human life, there is always a need for resilience to achieve our dreams. More specifically, three essential elements build a solid foundation for resilience: self-belief, improvisation, and optimism.

A strong thesis statement will:

• Be specific, not vague or general.
• Suggest how the essay will be organized and preview the essay by introducing the major points.
• Challenge readers with a point of view that can be debated and can be supported with evidence.
• Use an authoritative voice without “announcing” what you are doing.

Compare and contrast these examples:

Background information

Before you can make your important thesis statement, however, you need to include enough information to help your readers understand your claim. The background information in your essay should help your reader to understand enough of the how, who, what, where, when, and why to think about your thesis statement. The background information should also connect your hook and your thesis statement. All three pieces need to work together.

Read the example introduction again and notice the background information:

• Mothers usually tell their children this sentence, “Your attitude of life will determine whether you are more mature or never mature, even if you get older.” Indeed, the path to success is never smooth or flat. It is not full of roses or bright sunshine, but always full of thorns and challenges that require us to overcome before we can reach the final destination. Therefore, in human life, there is always a need for resilience to achieve our dreams. More specifically, three essential elements build a solid foundation for resilience: self-belief, improvisation, and optimism.

Notice how the author leads the reader from a familiar saying to the thesis with a claim about the topic: attitude > life > challenges > three parts of resilience

The hook

In many high schools around the world, students are often taught that starting an essay with a question is a good technique for catching their reader’s attention. It is, but it is used much too often. In U.S. colleges, instructors expect you to show more individuality and creativity in how you write their hooks. In fact, there are many techniques for writing a good hook. Here are just a few examples:

Read this example introduction from a student essay and notice its hook:

• Mothers usually tell their children this sentence, “Your attitude of life will determine whether you are more mature or never mature, even if you get older.” Indeed, the path to success is never smooth or flat. It is not full of roses or bright sunshine, but always full of thorns and challenges that require us to overcome before we can reach the final destination. Therefore, in human life, there is always a need for resilience to achieve our dreams. More specifically, three essential elements build a solid foundation for resilience: self-belief, improvisation, and optimism.