An essay’s introduction can easily prove to be the most problematic part of an entire essay. Primarily because it is the very first part of your essay, that the reader comes across, which is why it needs to be perfect. A perfect introduction is the one that excellently gives an insight into what your paper has to offer and how well you have covered the topic of your essay. It should do a good enough job of engaging and convincing the reader to stay till they have finished reading the entire thing.

Any introduction that does not do a good enough job of elucidating the thesis cannot be called an acceptable introduction. So how can we make sure that we write an excellent introduction and not one that makes our mentors jump off the 12^th floor?

Here are a few things that can be considered while writing an introduction:

1- Figure out who your audience is:

The beginning few sentences of your introduction should be able to rope the reader in to reading the whole thing. You need to arouse them to an extent that their intrigue makes them stick till the very end. You shouldn’t automatically assume that the only audience is your instructor. If your focus for instance is on medicine, assume that doctors might me reading it at some point so organize the introduction accordingly.

2- Make it Relevant:

Provide a relevant background and only go with the information that provides context into what you would be discussing in your paper. A relevant personal experience can serve that purpose fittingly. Or it can be an anecdote that is amusing and relatable at the same time.

3- Make a point around a thought provoking question:

To get the reader into actively initiate brainstorming about your topic, this is another approach that can be used. For instance, “Is there any cure for our condition?” “This is exactly what the cancer patients tried to answer during the medicine trials”

4- Persuade your audience to read it to the full:

The main purpose of the whole introduction should be to ultimately convince the audience to read it till the very end. They should be able to connect it with their lives and find some kind of relevance with it. They must become intrigued as to what you have to offer to prove your point. If you’re able to make them stay, that is a big win and consider the mission achieved.

For instance, “Will this drug prove to be the silver lining that these terminally ill cancer patients have been scrambling for?” The rest of the body following the introduction should lead the reader searching for answers to the above question.

All in all, a good introduction is always fresh, intriguing, interesting and free of clichés. It should also provide a brief overview of what the reader must expect throughout the large essay, for if they don’t find what they are looking for, they might get disinterested and unwilling to read further.