We’ll also brief you on a few essay introduction examples.
The introduction of your essay needs to grab your reader’s attention right away. If it doesn’t, the admissions committee won’t want to read the rest of your essay and you’ll have lost them already. As the college essay counts for a significant part of your overall application, the introduction is crucial for your success.
Introductions that transition from general to specific — commonly known as the funnel structure — often start with a broader perspective of the topic that will be used to establish a context for the more focused argument that the author will present.
Shared Context
Statements about the topic that the author presents as common knowledge or non-controversial, which the reader will readily accept as true without extensive evidence or argument.
Writing a good hook takes some work. Try to think of how you would summarize your essay or the personal experience you are highlighting. What was the key lesson you learned? What is at the centre of your motivations? Try writing this topic sentence a few different ways and read it aloud to see how it sounds.
The introduction to an essay consists of three main parts: 1.
Try not to start your college essay introduction with a cliché or a quote. Cliches have been read thousands of times by admissions officers, and they want to see something unique and interesting, not the same old things. And using a quote to start your essay isn’t a good idea, since it is meant to be written in your own words, not someone else’s.
The shared context often involves a claim or claims that are evidently true, which the "motive" and "thesis" will then challenge or even contradict.
Topic or Purpose
The introductory paragraph should leave the reader with a clear comprehension of the specific subject area that your essay will examine.
What I remember most from the night my entire life collapsed was the brightness of the stadium lights overhead. Not the chaos of the crowd or the faces staring down at me, talking over me. I was deaf to all that. The lights were so blinding, so distracting. And I kept thinking, over and over, ‘don’t take me out of the game’. Thoughts that would be strangely prophetic later, in the hospital, when they told me I wouldn’t be able to play the rest of the season, or maybe ever again. My entire life, my expected future, flew off a cliff. In those coming months, I would learn what it really means to start over, to pick yourself back up and keep playing the game.
A good essay introduction catches the reader’s attention and explains what your essay is about. Here’s what an essay introduction outline should look like:
Below is a perfect example of a persuasive essay introduction.
You’ll deliver general information about your subject by answering these questions in several brief sentences. Then, move on to the thesis statement. Use an “upside-down triangle” method when a hook is at the top of your introduction; then, provide a larger explanation of the theme and end with a specific claim. Every following sentence from your introduction has to be narrower than the previous one. It allows you to lead your reader gradually to the central part of your essay. Having a structured essay outline can greatly assist in organizing these elements effectively.
Here is a good essay introduction example for a synthesis essay.
This part of your essay introduction is the most important, as it provides your readers with a concise summary of your essay’s main idea that will be discussed in the body paragraph. A good thesis statement should be clear, accurate, and disclosed in one sentence at the end of your introductory section.
Here are some downloadable essay introduction examples:
Essays that transition from specific to general often start with an anecdote, quote, fact or detail from the text that can be used to introduce readers to the broader issues the essay will tackle.
College Essay Introduction Examples
When the first sentences are ready and include a hook, it’s time to give your audience a better understanding of what you will analyze in your essay. In this part, you must list your essential points in the same order you’ll disclose in the body paragraph and move on to your thesis statement. In this part of your introduction, try to answer the following questions:
Let’s take a look at this heritage essay introduction example:
It’s advisable to keep your college essay introduction short and concise. It should make up about 10% of your essay’s word count, so in some cases this is quite short!