Starting an argumentative essay is often much harder than writing it in general. A perfect paper needs a strong introduction that states a clear stance and hooks the reader in a creative and meaningful way. Often, students who lack skills in academic writing find it hard to come up with a good introduction. And, of course, this can feel very frustrating.
If you find yourself staring at a blank page and having no clue how to start, don’t give up just yet! There are a few proven and time-tested tricks that will help you get on the right track and ensure success. Read on to find out how to create an argumentative essay introduction with ease!
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Delegate
When you have no clue how to start a paper, but it’s due soon, pushing yourself too hard can have the opposite effect. Thus, if you feel tired, unmotivated, lack knowledge of the subject, and generally don’t know how to handle the task, sometimes, it’s better to ask for help. Turning to a trusted paper writing service might be the answer to your struggles. Reliable service with a large pool of qualified writers will help you craft a perfect essay with no effort.
This way, you will reduce stress, save time, and have a guarantee of a high grade. Often, it will work much better than trying to handle the task on your own, not knowing what exactly you are doing.
Take Time to Brainstorm
While asking for paper writing help is an easy and stress-free way to nail your essay, you can, of course, go the hard way and learn how to create a perfect introduction on your own. If you choose this path, the first tip for success is to take some time to brainstorm your ideas.
Getting straight to writing might seem like a good way to save time. But, in most cases, it is counter-productive if you don’t know what you are going to talk about in your paper yet. Thus, taking some time to analyze the topic and generate ideas is a good way to kick off the process.
Research, Research, and… Research
It shouldn’t be a secret to you that an A-level paper is a well-researched paper, especially if it’s an argumentative essay that needs a solid base of facts and argumentation to prove your stance. Nevertheless, many students don’t start their research before they get to the main body of their text. After all, it is the main body where you will be presenting your ideas and supporting facts. But that’s a mistake.
We recommend doing the research before you get to crafting your introduction. The reason for this is simple – the more you know about your topic and what is going to be in the main body of your paper, the easier it will be to formulate your thesis and craft a compelling opening clause. Conducting thorough research in advance will let you write without stressing out.
Create a Powerful Hook
After you brainstorm ideas and conduct research, you can get to writing your first paragraph. At this stage, the first thing you should do is find a great essay hook.
In a nutshell, a hook is the first sentence of your opening clause that serves a single purpose – to ignite interest in readers. It is a sentence that grabs attention and makes your audience want to learn more. There are many different types of hooks that can be used.
From a rhetorical question to a shocking statement or anecdote – anything that evokes emotions and sparks interest will work. Find something that fits best in the overall context of your essay and use it to grab the reader’s attention.
Write Your Intro
When you have a hook, you can move on to the rest of your opening paragraph. The first thing you need to know at this stage is how long is a perfect introduction for an essay. Traditionally, for all papers under 3,000 words, it should be just one paragraph, three-five sentences long. For more complex and lengthy essays, you might opt for longer introductions. But, generally, it is better to keep it concise.
The next thing you have to keep in mind is the structure of this paragraph. You already know that it begins with a hook. After this, you have to include the following:
- Topic introduction;
- Topic importance statement;
- Background information;
- Thesis statement.
Use this list as a structure for your opening clause. Keep all sentences concise and straight to the point, and pay special attention to your thesis. Apart from the hook, which creates the first impression, a thesis statement is another vital element of an introduction. It has to be clear and logical and, most importantly, go in line with the ideas you are going to present in your paper.
Pro Tip: If you are writing your introduction before the main body, your thesis will likely change as you develop your ideas and supporting arguments. That’s okay. So, don’t forget to go back to your thesis after you finish the paper and refine it so that it fits perfectly in the overall context.
Write Introduction After You Finish the Essay
If the tips given above don’t help and you are still unsure how to start your paper, here is a trick that always works great. Write the rest of the essay first and only then get back to the opening paragraph.
When you already have a completed text, it can be much easier to create an opening clause that fits logically. Try this tip, and you can be surprised by how helpful it can be!
The Bottom Line
Working on argumentative essays is never easy. Such papers are research-heavy and require lots of time and dedication to doing everything right. Yet, students often find writing introductions for such papers the most challenging part of the process.
Hopefully, this guide will set you up for success and help you start your paper with ease!
