Writing an impactful essay, be it for college applications or for a semester project, can be quite intimidating for all those who do not have a flair for writing.
However, there is help available, and there are trained experts at Essaypro who can help you with all your essay writing issues.
How to Write a Good Introduction to Grab Your Reader’s Attention
If you wish to master the art of writing a great essay all by yourself you must first focus on the introduction. An introduction or the hook of the essay is what captures the imagination of the readers and motivates them to continue reading the essay.
So, this blog post will give you some quick tips on perfecting the introduction of your next essay.
1. Start With A Story
A story or an anecdote is a simple way to succinctly convey to the reader what your entire essay is going to be about. For instance, if the topic of your essay is “Is the invention of cryptocurrency a game-changer in the financial world?” you can start with a story about how crypto helps solve the problems of conventional currencies.
Always remember that anecdotes can be true or fictional. So, you can write up one of your own experiences as an anecdote, or you can create a fictional story that fits well with the theme of the essay.
However, it is important to remember that the story should be short and come straight to the point, or the reader will be lost in the story itself. In other words, if the entire essay is a thousand words, the story should in no case exceed seventy-five to hundred words.
2. A Historical Review
A historical review is another great way to start an essay. A historical review lets the reader know that the writer has profound knowledge of the topic of the essay.
For instance, if the topic of the essay is: ”The diplomatic relations between Russia and the United States,” an overview of the past history of the nations will be a very captivating introduction for the essay. In the introduction, you can give an idea of how the two countries have had a long battle due to differences in their core ideologies.
You can also mention that the United States has always been a champion of liberalism, and Russia has been a champion of communism. And finally you must also talk about the end of the Cold War era and how post that United States became a supreme power. Such a historical introduction is not only informative but it is also a great way to build up on the later parts of the essay.
However, whenever you are writing a historical introduction it is vital that you are factually correct. So, if you are allowed to seek help from sources like books or from the internet, then conduct a thorough search to get the correct information before you can start writing a historical review.
3. Start With A Relevant Quotation
A relevant quotation from a famous person is another way to hook the readers to your essay. For instance, if the topic of the essay is about the importance of education, then you can start with a quote like “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.”
This simple quote gives out the real value of education. It tells your readers that educating a man is a way to empower them and make them realize their worth. It drives the message that education is the way to help a man out of their misery.
Likewise, if the topic of the essay is on the value of democracy then you can start with a quote like: “Dictatorships are one-way streets. Democracy boasts two-way traffic.”
This simple quote is very effective, and it instantly gives out the virtues of a democratic setup and also gives out the vices of a non-democratic setup. Thus, a quote is a simple yet one of the most effective ways of starting an essay. But when you are writing a quotation, the quote must be relevant, and it should be self-explanatory.
4. Start By Asking A Question
Asking a question in an introduction also grapes the attention of the reader. But ask a question in such a way that the entire body of the essay helps answer the question that you have asked in the introduction.
5. Give Some Points For Or Against A Topic
Giving a few points for or against a particular topic works best in the case of argumentative essays. The body of an argumentative essay usually has two parts: one part speaks for the topic, and the other part speaks against it, so the introduction has a gist of the points that you will eventually make.
For instance, for a topic like “Should social media be censored” you can give two points in favor and two against the topic. But if you are planning to write an argumentative essay with only one perspective then the introduction should have a gist of only that side of the argument.
Conclusion
Most people who are experts at writing an essay will tell you that the introduction is the single most important factor that decides how good an essay is. So, if you to score good grades for your essay assignment, work hard to write a captivating introduction.
It can be challenging for beginners to write a catchy introduction in one go, but with practice, you can acquire the requisite skill set. It also helps when you read a lot, as you can easily remember good quotations and other relevant points that will make your writing worth reading.
And if you still find it challenging to write a good introduction on your own, you can always get help from a professional agency that hires expert writers.