Basic Formula for An Essay Introduction Paragraph

General Essay Introduction Structure: 

1. Hook: opening sentence(s) of essay that sets up your topic==>something thematically connected 

2. Put the hook in context for thesis subject matter: transition from topic to specific subject matter

• Provides bridge of needed background information on thesis subject(s)

• Name  subject matter and other basic qualities of them relevant to essay

• Contextualize the subject matter based on essay prompt's purpose & your own essay theme of ideas

• use synonymous language from prompt 

3. If you don't use the context to lay out subtopics, then explicitly lay out the body paragraph ideas of essay in a succinct way 

• The most effective writing can combine #2's behaviors with #3
• Rather than thinking you need to fully state all of your ideas in full sentences, try to make a 1-2 sentence outline of subtopics. How?  Key words.

4. Finish off with the thesis statement.  

• Your thesis is another place where some of you like to include the subtopics within them. If so, okay. 

• Remember: the key is to know that when you write the subtopics into the thesis itself, it iss a rhetorical strategy, an option, and not as a "requirement."

\            Hook          /  

   \      Context       /    

     \   Subtopics   /      

       |   Thesis     |   

                 __________ Start Body Paragraphs 

     /     Point 1     \ 

   /      Reasoning     \   

/        Example          \