Writing Effective Introduction Paragraphs for Academic Essays: A Guide, Study notes of Technical English

Download Writing Effective Introduction Paragraphs for Academic Essays: A Guide and more Study notes Technical English in PDF only on Docsity! Created by: Grant Morley for the University of the Fraser Valley’s Academic Success Centre (2017-2018) 1. Davis, R., Davis, L. K., Stewart, K. L., Bullock, C. J. (2013). Essay writing for Canadian students with readings (7th ed.). Toronto, ON: Pearson. A Guide for Writing Introduction Paragraphs for Academic Essays This guide will cover the following information to help you create introduction paragraphs for academic essays: Contents WHAT IS AN INTRODUCTION? WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? ............................................................................... 1 THE GENERAL STRUCTURE OF AN INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................... 1 THE INTRODUCTION’S DIFFERENT COMPONENTS ....................................................................................... 2 FAQs AND TIPS FROM PEER TUTORS ............................................................................................................ 3 SAMPLE INTRODUCTION PARAGRAPH ......................................................................................................... 4 WHAT IS AN INTRODUCTION? WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? The introduction paragraph is the first paragraph in the paper. This paragraph presents the thesis of the paper – the main claim or assertion the author is making through the presentation of supporting information. In addition, this paragraph establishes the context of the paper (Davis, Davis, Stewart, & Bullock (2013)1. This context should be presented in a manner that is neither so broad that it includes irrelevant information not presented in the body, nor so specific that it goes into too much detail about the information discussed in the body. This paragraph is essential for clear and organized writing. By providing an appropriate context and an effective thesis sentence, the introduction allows the writer to narrow the scope of their paper and helps with ensuring all information and claims relate back to the thesis. Some strategies for creating introductions are discussed below. THE GENERAL STRUCTURE OF AN INTRODUCTION There are many models for how introduction paragraphs should be written, what they should include, and their specific formatting. If in doubt about the exact format and/or contents, refer to the professor’s specific preferences. However, when writing for academic purposes, the inverted triangle model is the most frequently used structure (see diagram on page 2). This method presents the introduction in a deductive structure (general to specific) (Davis et al., 2013). 2 THE INTRODUCTION’S DIFFERENT COMPONENTS General Statement The general statement is intended to be a broad (but not overly broad) statement that introduces the general paper topic. Specific and More Specific Statements These start providing the reader with essential background information required to understand your paper topic and the general context in which your paper fits. Introduce only some of the essential information without going into too much detail, as that is the purpose of the paper’s body. If applicable to the assignment or purpose of writing, it can be a good idea to use this section to establish a problem that your paper will address. Thesis Broadly defined, the paper’s thesis is your assertion. It is the main claim you are making that will be supported in the body of your paper. The exact format and characteristics of the thesis will vary depending on the type of paper you are writing. Davis et al. (2013) explain that thesis statements are tailored to specific types of writing, including persuasive, research, argumentative, and analysis papers. When writing the paper, use the thesis statement to check that the content in the paper’s body is developing the assertion you made. Paper Organization The last section of the introduction paragraph should outline how your paper is organized. While this element may be omitted depending on the nature and length of the paper, it is especially useful when writing larger, more complex papers that include multiple sections. This provides the reader with a general idea of how the paper is laid out and the topics that will be discussed. Combined with the use of effective topic sentences in the paper’s body, this part of the introduction contributes to the paper’s overall organization and clarity. General Statement Specific Statement More Specific Statement Thesis Organization