Anecdotes can be true or fictional. They can also be personal or about someone else. The story should be short enough to tell in a few sentences.

You may end up introducing the main ideas of your essay during this portion of your introduction.

A thesis statement is a single sentence that defines a specific point or idea about a broader topic that your entire paper is built around. The connection between your thesis statement and the anecdote you used should be obvious to the reader. If the thesis statement does not fit into the introduction as it currently stands, you may need to use more supporting evidence to lead into the thesis or change the anecdote you use.

These introductions are usually used for papers written about a historical time period or topic, a historical critique of a piece of literature, or a long-standing problem that people throughout the ages have tried to address.

These pieces of information should not only provide context about the topic, but should also indirectly present the general topic itself. In doing this, you will demonstrate the the reader how your topic fits into the historical account you present in your introduction.

A thesis statement is a single sentence that defines a specific point or idea about a broader topic that your entire paper is built around. With this type of introduction, your thesis statement should cause the reader to view the historical facts you just presented in a specific light or through a specific lens. In effect, your thesis statement should tell the reader why the facts you presented before it are important to keep in mind.

In the case of a story, you do not need to focus on specific details or give away the ending. You simply need to introduce the basic, overall theme of the story and provide information about the conflict the main character faces.

Connect your summary to the theme in a naturally, sensible manner. For instance, if writing an essay about a coming-of-age story, you should introduce the coming-of-age theme with something like, “The broken friendships and family drama Jimmy has to go through serve as his passage into adulthood. ”

In a sense, you will be narrowing down your broad topic into a more focused, specific thought by slowly presenting ideas that narrow the reader’s field of vision until all that reader sees about that literary work are the ideas presented in your paper.

A thesis statement is a single sentence that defines a specific point or idea about a broader topic that your entire paper is built around. With this type of introduction, you need to choose a thesis that makes sense within the context of your summary and supporting evidence. If the thesis still seems out of place, go back and rewrite your supporting evidence until the connection your thesis has to the summary of the literary work makes sense.

When choosing a question, you can ask something universal, surprising, or rhetorical.

The additional questions you ask should gradually narrow the topic down into something smaller and more specific. For example, start with the question, “Why does the grass always seem greener on the other side?” After that, you can ask, “What is it about the human mind that perceives what one does not have as something more desirable than what one does have?” Your final question could then be, “Is this state of being a societal, psychological, or spiritual problem?”

Doing this also clues the reader into the approach you intend to take on the question or questions at hand.

A thesis statement is a single sentence that defines a specific point or idea about a broader topic that your entire paper is built around. You do not need to give the reader a clear, definite answer to the question you ask, but if you narrowed your topic down using the three-question method, you should consider using terms or ideas from the final question in your thesis.

The quotation can be a famous saying, words from someone famous, a snippet from song lyrics, or a short poem. Do not insert a hanging quote. A “hanging quote” refers to a quotation that has no introduction or no explanation after it. In other words, the sentence with your quotation in it must contain other content aside from the quotation itself.

Note that unless the quotation is anonymous, you must always state who is responsible for it. This context will also introduce the topic of your paper and lead into supporting details that can introduce your thesis.

A thesis statement is a single sentence that defines a specific point or idea about a broader topic that your entire paper is built around. The thesis statement for this type of introduction will need to make sense in regards to the quotation you used. You should not use a general quotation that touches on the overall, broad topic but has nothing to do with the specifics of your thesis.

When you state this mistaken belief, make sure to clarify that this belief is inaccurate.

This sentence should introduce the general topic of the paper and open the path for your thesis statement.

These pieces of supporting evidence usually correspond to the main ideas you will cover in the body paragraphs of your essay.

A thesis statement is a single sentence that defines a specific point or idea about a broader topic that your entire paper is built around. In some ways, your thesis statement will be like a direct foil or mirror image of the misconception you are addressing. The two will be directly connected yet directly opposite one another.

Introduce the topic in your first sentence. In the sentences that follow, elaborate on the topic by introducing facts or ideas that you intend to use as main points or major sections of your essay.

Phrases to avoid include: “In this essay, I will write about. . . ” “This essay will discuss. . . ” “In this essay, you will learn about. . . ” Stating your topic in such precise terms creates a stiff, unnatural flow of words. You should strive to make the tone of your introduction professional yet conversational so that the reader can fall into your writing more naturally.

A thesis statement is a single sentence that defines a specific point or idea about a broader topic that your entire paper is built around. The portion of your introduction leading to the thesis will often narrow down the topic gradually until you can naturally introduce your specific thesis.

The only time that this type of introduction tends to work is when the writer is writing for an audience already interested in the topic. If the topic is strictly factual and not open to much subjective interpretation, then a declarative introduction might be proper. When you write an essay, you should fact-check everything and know who your audience is. It should not be boring. It should be relatable to people. The introduction should appeal to the audience.