How to Write an Eye-Catching Essay Introduction | Scribbr 🎓
Scribbr
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msaynBwwxkA

Transkript (automatisch erstellt)

0:00 The introduction paragraph is the first part of your essay, and it's important to start strong.
0:05 A great introduction grabs your reader’s interest and tells them what to expect. You can write one in 4 steps, just keep watching!
0:13 Hi, I’m Jessica from Scribbr, here to help you achieve your academic goals. Step 1, hook your reader
0:23 Your first sentence sets the tone for the whole essay. This sentence is often called the “hook”, because you want to catch your reader and
0:30 reel them in! Avoid long, dense sentences — start with something clear, concise and catchy that will
0:38 spark curiosity. So we’re writing an essay about the history of the Braille writing system.
0:43 We want to start by saying something like: Sure, that tells us what the essay’s about, but it’s a bit plain and boring.
0:52 Let’s try turning it into a hook: The invention of Braille was a major turning point in the history of disability.
0:59 That’s more like it - instead of just stating our topic, we’re making a bold claim about its place in history and linking it to relevant social themes.
1:09 The phrase “turning point” hints at the big changes we’re going to discuss, without giving too much away just yet.
1:18 What does your introduction sentence look like? Pique my interest in the comment below!
1:22 I’m curious! Step 2, give background information
1:25 Next, give your reader the background they need to understand your argument. Depending on the subject of your essay, this might include:
1:35 Describing the historical or social context Defining key terms Introducing relevant theories or research Setting up the different sides of a debate
1:45 But don’t overdo it here - save your evidence and interpretation for the main body of the essay.
1:51 In our Braille example, we first introduce the topic The writing system of raised dots used by visually impaired people was developed by
2:00 Louis Braille in nineteenth-century France. and then sketch the social context that the essay will address.
2:07 In a society that did not value disabled people in general, blindness was particularly stigmatized, and lack of access to reading and writing was a significant barrier to social participation.
2:21 The idea of tactile reading was not entirely new, but existing methods based on sighted systems were difficult to learn and use.
2:29 Step 3, present your thesis statement Now it’s time to narrow your focus and show exactly what you want to say about the topic.
2:37 This is your thesis statement—a sentence or two that sums up your overall argument. It’s the most important part of your introduction, because it defines the focus of your whole
2:48 essay. A thesis isn’t just a statement of fact, but a claim that requires evidence and explanation.
2:56 The goal is to clearly convey your own position in a debate or your central point about a topic, and to indicate the reasoning behind it.
3:05 So, the main point of our essay is to show why Braille was such an important invention. The thesis statement sums up the two stages of our argument - the innovation of a writing
3:16 system made for blind people, and the social changes it facilitated: As the first writing system designed for blind people’s needs, Braille was a groundbreaking
3:21 new accessibility tool. It not only provided practical benefits, but also helped change the cultural status of
3:24 blindness. More about thesis stat ements in our next video on this playlist, but don't head on
3:28 over just yet.. We got 1 more step to go!
3:32 Step 4, map your essay's structure Particularly in longer essays, it’s helpful to end the introduction by signposting what
3:40 will be covered in each part. Keep it concise and give your reader a clear sense of the direction your argument will
3:47 take. In our example, we map out the three main parts of the essay: the pre-Braille situation,
3:53 the development of the invention, and the consequences. This essay begins by discussing the situation of blind people in nineteenth-century Europe.
3:55 It then describes the development of Braille and its gradual acceptance within blind education. Subsequently, it explores the wide-ranging effects of this invention on blind people’s
3:57 social and cultural lives. By the way, even though the introduction comes at the start of your essay, you don’t have
4:04 to write it first - if you’re stuck, feel free to work on the rest of the essay and come back to it later.
4:10 Just make sure you’ve got your thesis statement to guide you - click this video next to learn how to write a strong one!
4:15 I'll see you there!