3000

A few questions on writing essay introductions

How do you start?

Background info, meaning of terms; structure of the essay; introduce the debate related to

the question; state the aims of the essay;

Do not give conclusions or full summary of essay. Do not give detail of studies; Do not say

you are going to attempt to answer!

Gap? More usually for a research study or dissertation rather than an essay.

What is the purpose of an essay introduction?

To set the scene for the reader, and let them know how you will answer the essay question -

where you are going to take them in the essay; how you will develop it. Menu or road map.

But not where they are going to get to eventually.

What are the key elements of an introduction? Explain your answer

Key – initial information for the reader – setting the scene and letting them know what will

be covered and in what order. In other words, how you plan to answer the question.

How long should it be? (eg number of paragraphs)

One or two paragraphs normally in a 3000 word essay. More than a page or so and you are

using up precious space that could be given to the main body of the assignment.

How much detail should you include? Explain your answer

Very little unless it seems crucial to the reader’s understanding of later sections.

The reader should be able to guess the title of your essay from the Introduction. If they

cannot do that, you have not been clear enough.

Key to a good essay: apply your own Theory of Mind ability. Always think about what your

reader needs to know, and in what order. Do not write for the lecturer who taught you.

Write for a ‘naïve reader’.