What does an introduction require? An introduction serves as the foundation for the essay. The introduction provides the reader with the information they will need to understand the information presented throughout the rest of the essay (Purdue University Global, n.d.-a). An introduction contains the hook, relevant background information about the topic, and the thesis statement. Understanding the purpose of each part of the introduction will help students identify the topic, central point, and outline the essay for the reader, while providing a clear structure for the writer to follow. 

The Hook: Grabbing the Reader’s Attention

The first thing the introduction needs to do is get the reader’s attention. This sentence is called the “hook”. The hook aims to get the reader’s attention and introduce the paper’s topic (Purdue University Global, n.d.-a). For example, a common essay topic is to identify a change that can be made in your community. In this example, the hook sentence introduces the problem, in this case, street cleaning: 

The Wrightwood, OH neighborhood keeps a maintenance schedule for communal areas that covers all of the community’s shared needs except street cleaning.

This sentence introduces the reader to the subject (the Wrightwood neighborhood) and the essay’s topic (regular street cleaning). Once the reader is drawn into the topic, the writer should create context by providing background information.

Background Information on the Topic

Once the hook establishes the topic, the following sentences should only provide relevant background information. Providing background information allows the reader to understand the subject of the essay by providing context for the reader. Avoid putting in specific information, such as numbers and statistics – save this information for the body paragraphs (Purdue University Global, n.d.-a). Instead, tell the reader what the problem is, how it affects the community, and the proposed solution to the problem (the thesis). In the example, the sentences following the hook should give background information, such as maintenance schedules and how they benefit the entire community. It should also highlight the discrepancy with the lack of street cleaning and how it affects the neighborhood. This can be done in a few sentences, given the straightforward nature of the topic:

The Wrightwood, OH neighborhood keeps a maintenance schedule for communal areas that covers all of the community’s shared needs except street cleaning. Though the homeowners’ association has made efforts to solve issues of pests with new trash cans, arranged for discounted landscape maintenance, and designated a home to hold large deliveries for neighbors, they have yet to address the issues that arise from dirty and littered street gutters. None of those resolutions addresses the problems arising from collecting trash, leaves, and other debris in the gutters.

Crafting the Thesis Statement

Once the background information about the topic is given, the reader is ready for the thesis statement. While background on the topic was given earlier, the thesis statement provides the reader with the essay’s main idea (Purdue University Global, n.d.-b). Though a thesis statement can be presented in a few ways, the basic structure used is the two-part thesis statement. The first part of this statement is the central claim or point of the essay. It provides a specific point or claim about the topic established in the rest of the introduction. The second part of the thesis provides the reasons for your point or claim. 

The Wrightwood, OH neighborhood keeps a maintenance schedule for communal areas that covers all of the community’s shared needs except street cleaning. Though the homeowners’ association has made efforts to solve issues of pests with new trash cans, arranged for discounted landscape maintenance, and designated a home to hold large deliveries for neighbors, they have yet to address the issues that arise from dirty and littered street gutters. None of those resolutions addresses the problems arising from collecting trash, leaves, and other debris in the gutters. The Wrightwood homeowners’ association should put street cleaning services in the budget because doing so will remove trash from the street gutter, deter pests, and improve the overall appearance of the neighborhood. 

In the thesis statement example above, everything that comes before “because” provides the main point of the thesis; everything that comes after is the reasons that support the main claim. The purpose of the rest of the essay is to support the main claim by explaining each of the three reasons in detail. Removing trash from the gutter, deterring pests, and improving the neighborhood’s appearance should all have at least one paragraph explaining how they support the main idea.

Understanding the parts of an introduction paragraph will help students clarify their essay’s topic and main points and create context for the thesis statement. The main parts of the introduction are the hook, relevant background information, and the thesis statement. The hook sentences should make the overall topic clear. After the reader is drawn in, the introduction should create context for the reader by providing relevant background information about the topic. The thesis statement generally comes after, provides the essay’s central point, and lets the reader know what the essay is about. Once this foundation is established for the essay, students can create an outline for the body of the essay. Once the outline is created, students can use the outline to draft the essay by filling in the appropriate parts of the outline structure with the proper information. 

References 

Purdue University Global. (n.d.-a). Introductions and conclusions. https://campus.purdueglobal.edu/article/introductions-and-conclusions

Purdue University Global. (n.d.-b). Thesis statements. https://campus.purdueglobal.edu/article/thesis-statements