student of the year essay introduction

Self-introduction for Students [With Sample Intros]

• Updated on Jan 13, 2023

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You would want to make a good impression on your friends when you introduce yourself on the first day in class at your school or college – or at some other gathering. Wouldn’t you?

A small note before we dive into thick of things: Self-introductions can be context-driven, implying that because of unique situation you’re in, you may have to customize some part of the introduction. So, feel free to add or subtract to what’s covered here.

What to include in self-introduction?

Is there a format (for the introduction) to follow? The organizer, for example, may ask to include your name, place you come from, and your hobbies in the introduction.

If there is a format, follow it, but feel free to venture into areas that aren’t included in the format if they provide a more complete picture of yours.

You may include following in your introduction:

1. The start

You can start with the obvious – your name.

But that’s a common start. You can be bit innovative by starting with an attention-grabber. Watch the beginning of this video on marketing to get a feel of what I’m saying (watch the first 15 seconds):

Neil didn’t start with his name. He started with things that will grab people’s attention immediately and came to his name later on.

You can follow the same strategy to stand out among your classmates, most of whom would be following the standard ‘name first’ approach. You can start with a unique experience or a peculiar fact about your city or your uncommon hobby. The first sample intro (later in the post) follows this strategy.

More resources on conversations and introductions:

• How to introduce yourself in different settings?
• How to say ‘thank you’?
• How to respond when someone asks ‘how are you’?

2. Where are you from?

Mention the city you come from. You may add a sentence or two about the city as well if there is something interesting to talk about. Maybe the city is known for historic monuments. Maybe it’s known for natural resources.

And if you’ve lived in multiple cities, you may briefly mention the names and, as mentioned above, a sentence or two on the most interesting of them.

3. Where did you last attend the school?

If you recently moved to a new school (or college) and are introducing yourself there, you can briefly talk about your last school. Are there any interesting facts about your last school? If yes, mention them. Maybe it was established a long, long time ago. Maybe it has produced few famous alumni.

If you’re continuing in the same school, you may mention how many years you’ve been studying there.

4. Interests, hobbies, and achievements

What are your interests and hobbies?

Playing a sport? Traveling? Hiking? Reading? Kite flying? Or something unusual, say bull fighting?

Go into details if you’ve pursued the hobby with serious interest. For example, if you’re into reading, mention what genres you read, your favorite books, your favorite author, and how reading has affected you.

Don’t forget to mention your participation in extracurricular activities in school, if you did. Don’t forget to mention any significant achievements you’ve had?

5. Which stream/department/subject have you enrolled in?

You can briefly talk about which subjects (math, science, arts, commerce, biology, and so on) you’ve picked or you intend to pick in future. Optionally, you may also mention why you made the choice you have. Was it because you love it? Was it because it’ll help you achieve your career goals?

If you’re a college student, you can mention the department you’ve enrolled in. Are you in Arts, Commerce, Mechanical Engineering, Science, or Economics?

This doesn’t apply though if you’re introducing yourself to students who’re all from the same stream/department/subject.

6. Do you’ve clarity on interests/goals you want to pursue in future?

If you’re in K-12, you may not have seriously evaluated what career path you want to follow, and that’s fine. But if you’ve certain career aspiration and if you want to talk about it, you can. Some want to become engineer. Some, astronaut. Some, doctor. Some, model. Speak out what you aspire to become.

Most college students though have more concrete idea on post-college career. If you’ve decided the career path you want to pursue after college, you can share it with your classmates. You never know few of your classmates harboring same career aspirations may just approach you to be friends. You may also mention professional clubs you want to join to hone your skills.

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7. Where can you help others?

If you’ve a strength others in your class can benefit from, feel free to share it. For example, if you’re good in dancing, you can offer to teach the ropes to anyone interested. If you’re strong in a particular subject that is part of your syllabus, you can offer to help others in that subject.

If people know of your strengths, they’ll readily approach you when they need help. This is an easy way to make friends in college. And if you think helping others may be a time waster, you should remember that you too may need help in areas where others are stronger.

This is also a good stage – by offering help – to finish your intro. (See the first sample intro.)

Should I talk about my family?

Avoid it unless the format of the intro requires you to talk about your family as well. You need not go into what your parents do and which class your siblings study in.

Should I mention my last year’s grades?

You shouldn’t unless specifically asked to or others are mentioning it. Top grades can lend a snobbish air to your intro, even if you’re otherwise. Students may make an impression that you’re flaunting your grades, even if you aren’t.

Remember, the primary goal of your intro is to make friends, find people with shared interests.

Four do’s and don’ts when introducing yourself

1. listen to other intros.

Listen to intros that come before yours. If you can refer to someone else’s point or two seamlessly in your intro, you’ll impress people around.

2. Practice, but don’t cram

People often go blank on some of the points or get nervous when they stand up to speak. The best long-term way to overcome this is exposure to such speaking experiences . But in the immediate term, practice what you want to say few times (don’t cram though) to increase your odds of speaking with confidence.

3. Appear confident even if you’re not

After the presentations by executives and entrepreneurs (presumably confident speakers) as part of an executive program at Harvard University, Carmine Gallo , one of the judges, asked them how their presentations went. He heard following comments:

“I was so nervous. I was shaking.”

“I forgot what to say about a slide.”

“I stumbled over my words.”

“I totally lost my place.”

But, no one in the audience spotted those mistakes.

This phenomenon is called spotlight effect , which in nutshell means that people overestimate how much others are noticing their actions and appearance.

What’s the lesson?

If you’re nervous or you make few mistakes, don’t let them rattle you. Most won’t even notice them. Caroline Goyder captures this sentiment aptly in her book Find Your Voice: The Secret to Talking with Confidence in Any Situation :

When you dive into contribution [speaking], and move beyond the anxious competing, you realize that all the worry was such a waste of time. No one is ever judging you as harshly as you judge yourself. Because the truth is that most people are thinking about themselves.

But if you let nervousness and mistakes overpower you, you may make a mistake or display body language that will be noticed by all. And once you’re through the first few lines in your intro, your nerves will start easing.

So, stay composed and carry on. Many in the audience in fact wouldn’t even be listening to most introductions, as they would be busy silently rehearsing their own lines.

4. Make eye contact and be enthusiastic

Make eye contact with other students while speaking. Don’t fix your eyes on a familiar section of the audience. Move your eyes around. And, last but important, your voice and body language should show enthusiasm.

Here are few sample self-introductions for you to get a hang of how they’re done:

Sample self-introductions

Introduction 1

I once spent an entire night in a dense forest with a friend. Well, this act was not to show off how brave I was, but it was forced on me… by my foolishness. During a trek in [name of the region], I and a friend got too adventurous and strayed from our regular route despite instructions to the contrary by our trek guide. We got lost. We survived somehow (that’s a story for another day), but I haven’t given up on my adventure streak and love for outdoors.

Friends, I’m [your first name] and I love outdoors. I’ve been to treks in Himalayas on multiple occasions. These outdoor expeditions have also forced me to learn basic cooking. Well, I don’t boast of cooking dishes you’ll relish, but yes when you’re dying of hunger in the middle of night, you can count on me. I also love cycling long distances – 20+ kilometers in a stretch – and I can manage singing which some may find intolerable.

I’m from [name of the city]. It’s not a big place, but it somehow exists on the map. I’m really excited to be here. I look forward to having some fun, making friends, and building myself up for college. If you’re organizing any outdoor event in future, you can always count on me for help.

Thanks for giving me this opportunity to introduce myself.

Introduction 2

My name is [your first name]. I’m from [name of the city] where I finished my schooling last year from [name of the school]. Is there anyone here from my city? (Changes tack to engage with the audience.) OK, few.

I like watching movies, at least once a month. I play basketball on weekends and chess whenever I get time. I’m into reading thriller novels as well, Dan Brown being my favorite novelist.

I’m happy to step into college life, which provides more freedom and where, finally, I don’t have to come in a uniform. Post-college, I aspire to work in consulting industry.

I’m particularly strong in Excel worksheets and creating well-designed banners and documents. If anyone requires support in these areas, I’ll be glad to help. I look forward to meeting each one of you in the coming days.

Thanks. Have a great day.

Anil is the person behind content on this website, which is visited by 3,000,000+ learners every year. He writes on most aspects of English Language Skills. More about him here:

15 Comments

This really helped me… Thank you so so much.

Thank u….this is quite helpful to overcome my nervousness and get into action..Cheers?

Man, I was so nervous about my interview for school admission. But after reading this, I felt comfortable. Thanks, this was a great explanation.

It helped me a lot. Thank you so much. It was like I was the center of attraction. Thank you again.

Thanx…. It really helped on my first day of college.

Dude, this is another level. Thanks a lot.

Thanks a lot. It was useful. Now, I should be able to introduce my self without nerves ????

Thank you. Now I get some ideas for self intro and thank you for your brief explanation.

I was a little nervous about my varsity first introduction and my confidence increased after watching it.

Intro 2 was like fire…. It helped me a lot, thanx!!

Thanks, dude!!!! I am a school-level student and the introduction part really helped me.

I have a virtual introduction meeting with my seniors in college. I am so nervous about it. This piece is so helpful. Thanks.

Excellent. I like this a lot. I searched for this type of introduction on many websites, but this post is so interesting and good enough to impress my teacher and classmates.

My name is Yeabkal Solomon. I’m a first year student at Arba minch University. It helped me when I was gave my oral presentation.

I was very scared. I was really scared. Thank you very much for helping with the interview. It was very helpful for me

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Student Self Introduction: Benefits, Ti…

Student Self Introduction: Benefits, Tips, and What to Avoid [+5 Examples]

Hi everyone,

My name is [my name] and I write informative and well-researched content for Erudera. I have [number] years of experience when it comes to educational content, university studies, and anything related to writing. My experience has allowed me to be well-equipped to help students when it comes to their university-related concerns.

My hobbies include reading, writing, and researching. So, when I am outside of work (where I read, write, and research) I still read, write, and research! Since I have turned my passion into my work, it gives me great pleasure to compile helpful guides for people who have questions to ask.

Thank you for considering Erudera when it comes to questions related to education!

Here’s everything you need to know about student self introduction:

The Importance of a Good Student Self Introduction

A student self introduction is an opportunity for you to talk about yourself, your personality, highlight your strengths, hobbies, skills, and experience, clearly and confidently. Whether you are introducing yourself to the university admissions committee, your classroom, your instructors, or anyone else, really, a self introduction gives you the chance to help people see who you are as well as understand your goals and ambitions.

A few benefits of a good student self introduction include:

• You allow a good first impression. A powerful self introduction gives you a say in people’s first impression on you. If you are able to describe yourself and your personality clearly, people will create a good impression, which can open many doors in the academic, professional, or social scene.
• You highlight your best qualities. A bold student self introduction will allow you to highlight your best qualities. You will tell people about your strengths and your values. You will be able to talk about hobbies and interests, which will create the impression that you know yourself and what you want, and are willing to work for it.
• You convey self-confidence. Self confidence is important in any sphere of life. A good self introduction will help you convey this confidence to others. By highlighting all the important aspects of your personality, including how you overcame any failures or downfalls, you will convey that you are confident enough to tackle any obstacles, in any setting or situation.
• You pique curiosity. This goes without saying. A bold and powerful self introduction will pique curiosity. From your personality to your ambitions, people will want to know more about what you can offer. At the end of the day, confident individuals who can express themselves clearly will often pique people’s interest.

Quite interesting, huh? Keep reading to learn more on how to write a powerful student self introduction that conveys confidence and attracts curiosity.

How to Prepare a Good Student Self Introduction

Talking about oneself can be challenging, mostly because you do not know where to focus, which characteristics to highlight, and what exactly makes a, so called, impressive self introduction. Let’s get on it.

Here are a few tips on how to prepare a good self introduction as a student:

Always Greet and Smile Before Starting

A simple greeting and a warm smile will show good manners, a positive attitude, and respect. Showing respect is the key to a good first impression. Regardless of how good your self-introduction is, you will not leave a good impression if you are rude and inconsiderate.

Begin With Demographic Information

Yes, you should begin with your name, age, origin, education, and/or employment status. You will talk about these aspects of your life briefly but clearly. These will set the stage for what follows and will allow the audience to better understand your background and relate it to your hobbies, interests, and ambitions.

Talk About Skills and Experience

Talking about your skills is important because you want to let the audience know how and what you learned from your previous education and experience. This could include skills you learned during university studies, any internships, volunteer work, or employment experience you might have, it does not matter what or how long — what matters is the skills you gained.

Include Hobbies and Interests

Now, you want to continue with your hobbies and interests. Make sure you do not take too long talking about either, because you do not want the conversation/essay to focus solely on one aspect of your life — it will get boring. Talking about hobbies will give the audience an insight into your way of thinking and reasoning. It will also show a unique aspect of your personality.

For example, if you like reading, talk about reasons you like reading and the books you like to read. Similarly, if you like writing, talk about reasons you like writing and whether you like to write prose or poetry, fiction or nonfiction, and similar details like these ones. If you like sports, include the reasons you like sports and the types of sports you practice.

Discuss Achievements

Your achievements could be anything, from grades, awards, competitive results, honors, contributions to the community, perfect attendance, etc. Your achievements are not simply certificates and titles, they highlight the aspect of yourself that is committed, dedicated, and hard-working.

Remember to include these into the conversation, not in a boastful manner but rather to build up on your skills, values, and determination.

Mention Strengths and Weaknesses

Talking about your strengths and weaknesses lets the audience know how self-aware you are. You should begin talking about your strengths by mentioning something related to the university program you’re applying for. You want to mention something that makes you reliable and trustworthy when it comes to success in the field you have chosen to study.

When it comes to weaknesses, you want to be honest but strategic. However, not too honest in the sense that it will make the audience doubt your position/ability. You want to go with something unrelated to your area of interest. For example, you could mention that you struggle with, let’s say, flexibility — as in you have difficulty adapting to changes in plans.

Whatever you mention in terms of weaknesses, make sure you specify that you are working to improve them. List the steps you think will help you turn your weakness into a strength.

Show Your Unique Qualities

Do not be afraid to talk about what makes you stand out. If you’re a creative person, mention that you are creative. If you have emotional intelligence or empathy, mention this to the audience. Make sure to highlight how these unique qualities have helped you succeed up until now and why you think they are important.

Make Connections

Whatever you decide to mention in your student self-introduction, make sure to make a connection to the university/program. You can research the university’s mission, vision, and values and try to make a connection to how your strengths and values align with those of the university.

Provide Insights Into Your Likes

There are many things you can mention that will allow the audience to better understand you and your likes/dislikes. For example, some other things you could also include are:

• People who inspire you. You can talk about a person who inspires you. Someone who is your role model. Mention why they are important to you and the reasons why their ideals align with yours.
• Favorite books/movies/artists. By doing this, you have the chance to mention something that you like and give the audience an insight into your personality and your way of thinking and reasoning.

After completing your introduction, thank the audience for taking the time to listen to you. Make sure to give them the chance to ask any questions they might have.

Student Self Introduction: What to Avoid

Try to avoid the following during your self-introduction:

• Avoid being too casual/informal. Although feeling comfortable while doing your self-introduction is important, you should avoid using slang or informal language.
• Avoid being disrespectful. Be mindful of any comment that might come off as rude or disrespectful. This could also include body language. You should face the audience with an open body language, mind your tone, and avoid any comment that might be perceived as negative.
• Avoid repeating the contents of your CV. You should mention your experience and accomplishments, of course, but do not make the introduction only a repetition of your CV. Try to include extra details that connect your experience/skills/values to your university/area of interest. Provide context regarding how you gained your skills and why they are important to you.
• Avoid sharing too much personal information. While sharing your hobbies is relevant, you do not want to go on too long about it, especially if what you’re detailing is not relevant to the context of your area of interest.
• Avoid a super lengthy introduction. You do not want your introduction to sound like rambling. Be brief about anything you mention, from the experience to the hobbies. The ideal duration of a self introduction should be less than two minutes. So be mindful of what you include and how much time you allocate to each detail.

Practicing Student Self Introduction

Practice makes perfect, right? It really does. A self-introduction that you scribbled down quickly and did not practice will not be of lesser value than one you spent time preparing and practicing.

A few ways to practice your self-introduction include:

• Write it down in detail. Write your introduction down, either on paper or on your laptop. This will help you keep your introduction tidy and concise.
• Stand in front of a mirror and practice the contents of your introduction. By practicing your introduction out loud, you will see how long it’s taking, and you will have a chance to either shorten it or lengthen it.
• Record yourself. You can always record yourself to analyze your tone and delivery.
• Get a different perspective. You can ask someone you trust to listen to you and give you feedback. Someone else’s point of view can make you see things differently because one can get lost in all the writing and practicing. A fresh perspective can always help, especially in such cases.

Student Self Introduction: Three Examples

Example 1: college interview student self introduction.

My name is [your name], I was born and raised in [your hometown/country], and I am currently a senior at [your high school]. I am interested in pursuing a degree in [preferred major] at [university name]. Initially, thank you for allowing me to introduce myself.

During my high school years, I took an interest in [your academic area of interest]. In fact, I continuously took classes in this subject area because I wanted to challenge myself and learn more. In addition, I have gained skills such as problem-solving, time management, and leadership from extracurricular activities, such as [insert extracurricular activities]. I value these skills because I strongly believe they will help me be successful in my academic pursuits in [your preferred subject area].

I used my time management skills to also work on my hobbies and interests. Some of my hobbies include [your hobbies]. When I am not involved in my academic responsibilities, I am usually [your hobby] or [your other hobby]. What is especially interesting about these hobbies is that they help develop my soft skills, such as critical thinking and creativity.

I want to mention that creativity* and critical thinking* are two of my greatest strengths, which I can use both in real life as well in professional or academic settings. Up until now, they have been a great help to my accomplishments. One weakness I’d like to mention is flexibility*. I need some time to adjust to abrupt changes in plans. However, I am working hard to turn this weakness into a strength, by exposing myself to situations where I need to adapt quickly.

I am thrilled to continue my academic interests at [university name]. I am also certain that my skills, enthusiasm, and work ethic will make me a strong candidate for [preferred major]. Thank you for taking the time to listen to me and for considering my application. Please feel free to ask any questions you might have.

*hypothetical examples. you can easily adapt them to your self-introduction.

Example 2: Classroom Student Self Introduction

My name is [your name], and I come from [your hometown/country]. I am [your age], and I look forward to being a part of this classroom.

I am interested in [your hobbies], so when I am outside of the classroom and not engaged in academic activities, I usually engage in [your hobby] or [your hobby].

My favorite subjects in school are [your favorite subjects] and my favorite extracurricular activities include [insert extracurricular activities].

I am excited to be here with you and can’t wait for us to learn together. Please feel free to approach me with any questions you might have.

Thank you for listening to me!

Example 3: Student Self Introduction Letter to Teacher

Dear [Teacher’s Name],

I am writing this letter to introduce myself since I am one of your students this year.

My name is [your name], I come from [your hometown/country], and I am [your age]. I look forward to being in your class because I am always enthusiastic about learning more and curious about what your class has to offer.

I am a dedicated student who enjoys challenges. Some of my hobbies include [your hobbies]. Outside the classroom and when I am not involved in academic activities, I like to [your hobby] or [your hobby].

I also like being involved in extracurricular activities. Currently I have joined [your extracurricular activity] and [another extracurricular activity]. These activities help me get exposure to different areas of interest.

One of my strengths is curiosity* and hard work*. However, I would say one of my weaknesses is public speaking*. Nevertheless, I am working towards transforming this weakness into a strength, by staying more organized, practicing, and focusing on myself rather than the public. I believe I will overcome this in no time.

Thank you! I am excited for the year to come.

Frequently Asked Questions

Still have questions? Take a look at these frequently asked questions when it comes to student self introduction.

How Do I Start My Self Introduction?

Always start by introducing yourself. If you have not greeted the audience yet, start with a simple greeting then proceed to tell your name, surname, hometown, and age.

What Is the Best Self Introduction?

The best self introduction is one that is cohesive, radiates confidence, comfort, positivity. There is no one answer when it comes to a good self introduction. Just make sure to keep it brief, informative, and concise because you do not want to “bore” the audience.

However, you should not keep it too short, in that it feels like you’re rushing through it. Find a perfect balance according to the instructions in this article.

How Can I Introduce Myself in 10 Lines in English?

You can easily introduce yourself in 10 lines in English. Here’s how:

• In the first line , talk about your name, hometown, and age.
• In the second line , talk about the purpose of your self introduction.
• In the third line , talk about your experience and skills.
• In the fourth line , elaborate on these skills and show how they relate to the context.
• In the fifth line , talk about your hobbies and interests.
• In the sixth line , elaborate on these hobbies and show why you like your hobbies.
• In the seventh line , talk about your strengths.
• In the eighth line , talk about your weaknesses.
• In the ninth line, talk about what you’re doing to overcome your weaknesses.
• In the tenth line, conclude your introduction.

How Can I Introduce Myself More Confidently?

To sound more confident, you need to believe the things you are saying. This is one thing. Here are some other things to keep in mind when it comes to sounding more confident:

• Speak slowly and clearly.
• Have an open body language.
• Avoid filler words.
• Keep a friendly eye contact.
• Practice your self introduction.

Is 4 Minutes Too Long for ‘Tell Me About Yourself’?

It is recommended to complete your introduction in less than two minutes. However, this depends on several factors, such as how relevant the details you are including are, and whether or not the introduction is engaging.

How Do You Introduce Yourself Before Speech as a Student? [Example 4]

If you want to introduce yourself before a speech, as a student, here’s how you should do it:

• Greet the audience.
• Say your name, surname, and where you are from.
• Mention your skills and interests (to show credibility when it comes to the speech).
• Provide a short summary of what you will be talking about.
• Show you are open to taking questions (during/after the speech).

How Do You Introduce Yourself Online as a Student? [Example 5]

If you’re attending an online course and want to introduce yourself to your class, make sure to keep it brief and clear.

For example:

Hi everyone! My name is [your name]. I live in [city/country] but I am originally from [hometown]. It’s my first time attending an online course but I am sure we’ll have a great time together! I’m looking forward to learning and socializing with you. I wish you all good luck!

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How to Write an Introduction Paragraph in 3 Steps

General Education

It’s the roadmap to your essay, it’s the forecast for your argument, it’s...your introduction paragraph, and writing one can feel pretty intimidating. The introduction paragraph is a part of just about every kind of academic writing , from persuasive essays to research papers. But that doesn’t mean writing one is easy!

If trying to write an intro paragraph makes you feel like a Muggle trying to do magic, trust us: you aren’t alone. But there are some tips and tricks that can make the process easier—and that’s where we come in.

In this article, we’re going to explain how to write a captivating intro paragraph by covering the following info:  

• A discussion of what an introduction paragraph is and its purpose in an essay
• An overview of the most effective introduction paragraph format, with explanations of the three main parts of an intro paragraph
• An analysis of real intro paragraph examples, with a discussion of what works and what doesn’t
• A list of four top tips on how to write an introduction paragraph

Are you ready? Let’s begin!

What Is an Introduction Paragraph? 

An introduction paragraph is the first paragraph of an essay , paper, or other type of academic writing. Argumentative essays , book reports, research papers, and even personal  essays are common types of writing that require an introduction paragraph. Whether you’re writing a research paper for a science course or an argumentative essay for English class , you’re going to have to write an intro paragraph. 

So what’s the purpose of an intro paragraph? As a reader’s first impression of your essay, the intro paragraph should introduce the topic of your paper. 

Your introduction will also state any claims, questions, or issues that your paper will focus on. This is commonly known as your paper’s thesis . This condenses the overall point of your paper into one or two short sentences that your reader can come back and reference later.

But intro paragraphs need to do a bit more than just introduce your topic. An intro paragraph is also supposed to grab your reader’s attention. The intro paragraph is your chance to provide just enough info and intrigue to make your reader say, “Hey, this topic sounds interesting. I think I’ll keep reading this essay!” That can help your essay stand out from the crowd.

In most cases, an intro paragraph will be relatively short. A good intro will be clear, brief, purposeful, and focused. While there are some exceptions to this rule, it’s common for intro paragraphs to consist of three to five sentences . 

Effectively introducing your essay’s topic, purpose, and getting your reader invested in your essay sounds like a lot to ask from one little paragraph, huh? In the next section, we’ll demystify the intro paragraph format by breaking it down into its core parts . When you learn how to approach each part of an intro, writing one won’t seem so scary!

Once you figure out the three parts of an intro paragraph, writing one will be a piece of cake!

The 3 Main Parts of an Intro Paragraph

In general, an intro paragraph is going to have three main parts: a hook, context, and a thesis statement . Each of these pieces of the intro plays a key role in acquainting the reader with the topic and purpose of your essay. 

Below, we’ll explain how to start an introduction paragraph by writing an effective hook, providing context, and crafting a thesis statement. When you put these elements together, you’ll have an intro paragraph that does a great job of making a great first impression on your audience!

Intro Paragraph Part 1: The Hook

When it comes to how to start an introduction paragraph, o ne of the most common approaches is to start with something called a hook. 

What does hook mean here, though? Think of it this way: it’s like when you start a new Netflix series: you look up a few hours (and a few episodes) later and you say, “Whoa. I guess I must be hooked on this show!” 

That’s how the hook is supposed to work in an intro paragrap h: it should get your reader interested enough that they don’t want to press the proverbial “pause” button while they’re reading it . In other words, a hook is designed to grab your reader’s attention and keep them reading your essay! 

This means that the hook comes first in the intro paragraph format—it’ll be the opening sentence of your intro. 

It’s important to realize  that there are many different ways to write a good hook. But generally speaking, hooks must include these two things: what your topic is, and the angle you’re taking on that topic in your essay. 

One approach to writing a hook that works is starting with a general, but interesting, statement on your topic. In this type of hook, you’re trying to provide a broad introduction to your topic and your angle on the topic in an engaging way . 

For example, if you’re writing an essay about the role of the government in the American healthcare system, your hook might look something like this: 

There's a growing movement to require that the federal government provide affordable, effective healthcare for all Americans. 

This hook introduces the essay topic in a broad way (government and healthcare) by presenting a general statement on the topic. But the assumption presented in the hook can also be seen as controversial, which gets readers interested in learning more about what the writer—and the essay—has to say.

In other words, the statement above fulfills the goals of a good hook: it’s intriguing and provides a general introduction to the essay topic.

Intro Paragraph Part 2: Context

Once you’ve provided an attention-grabbing hook, you’ll want to give more context about your essay topic. Context refers to additional details that reveal the specific focus of your paper. So, whereas the hook provides a general introduction to your topic, context starts helping readers understand what exactly you’re going to be writing about

You can include anywhere from one to several sentences of context in your intro, depending on your teacher’s expectations, the length of your paper, and complexity of your topic. In these context-providing sentences, you want to begin narrowing the focus of your intro. You can do this by describing a specific issue or question about your topic that you’ll address in your essay. It also helps readers start to understand why the topic you’re writing about matters and why they should read about it. 

So, what counts as context for an intro paragraph? Context can be any important details or descriptions that provide background on existing perspectives, common cultural attitudes, or a specific situation or controversy relating to your essay topic. The context you include should acquaint your reader with the issues, questions, or events that motivated you to write an essay on your topic...and that your reader should know in order to understand your thesis. 

For instance, if you’re writing an essay analyzing the consequences of sexism in Hollywood, the context you include after your hook might make reference to the #metoo and #timesup movements that have generated public support for victims of sexual harassment. 

The key takeaway here is that context establishes why you’re addressing your topic and what makes it important. It also sets you up for success on the final piece of an intro paragraph: the thesis statement.

Elle Woods' statement offers a specific point of view on the topic of murder...which means it could serve as a pretty decent thesis statement!

Intro Paragraph Part 3: The Thesis

The final key part of how to write an intro paragraph is the thesis statement. The thesis statement is the backbone of your introduction: it conveys your argument or point of view on your topic in a clear, concise, and compelling way . The thesis is usually the last sentence of your intro paragraph. 

Whether it’s making a claim, outlining key points, or stating a hypothesis, your thesis statement will tell your reader exactly what idea(s) are going to be addressed in your essay. A good thesis statement will be clear, straightforward, and highlight the overall point you’re trying to make.

Some instructors also ask students to include an essay map as part of their thesis. An essay map is a section that outlines the major topics a paper will address. So for instance, say you’re writing a paper that argues for the importance of public transport in rural communities. Your thesis and essay map might look like this: 

Having public transport in rural communities helps people improve their economic situation by giving them reliable transportation to their job, reducing the amount of money they spend on gas, and providing new and unionized work .

The underlined section is the essay map because it touches on the three big things the writer will talk about later. It literally maps out the rest of the essay!

So let’s review: Your thesis takes the idea you’ve introduced in your hook and context and wraps it up. Think of it like a television episode: the hook sets the scene by presenting a general statement and/or interesting idea that sucks you in. The context advances the plot by describing the topic in more detail and helping readers understand why the topic is important. And finally, the thesis statement provides the climax by telling the reader what you have to say about the topic. 

The thesis statement is the most important part of the intro. Without it, your reader won’t know what the purpose of your essay is! And for a piece of writing to be effective, it needs to have a clear purpose. Your thesis statement conveys that purpose , so it’s important to put careful thought into writing a clear and compelling thesis statement. 

How To Write an Introduction Paragraph: Example and Analysis

Now that we’ve provided an intro paragraph outline and have explained the three key parts of an intro paragraph, let’s take a look at an intro paragraph in action.

To show you how an intro paragraph works, we’ve included a sample introduction paragraph below, followed by an analysis of its strengths and weaknesses.

Example of Introduction Paragraph

While college students in the U.S. are struggling with how to pay for college, there is another surprising demographic that’s affected by the pressure to pay for college: families and parents. In the face of tuition price tags that total more than $100,000 (as a low estimate), families must make difficult decisions about how to save for their children’s college education. Charting a feasible path to saving for college is further complicated by the FAFSA’s estimates for an “Expected Family Contribution”—an amount of money that is rarely feasible for most American families. Due to these challenging financial circumstances and cultural pressure to give one’s children the best possible chance of success in adulthood, many families are going into serious debt to pay for their children’s college education. The U.S. government should move toward bearing more of the financial burden of college education. 

Example of Introduction Paragraph: Analysis

Before we dive into analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of this example intro paragraph, let’s establish the essay topic. The sample intro indicates that t he essay topic will focus on one specific issue: who should cover the cost of college education in the U.S., and why. Both the hook and the context help us identify the topic, while the thesis in the last sentence tells us why this topic matters to the writer—they think the U.S. Government needs to help finance college education. This is also the writer’s argument, which they’ll cover in the body of their essay. 

Now that we’ve identified the essay topic presented in the sample intro, let’s dig into some analysis. To pin down its strengths and weaknesses, we’re going to use the following three questions to guide our example of introduction paragraph analysis: 

• Does this intro provide an attention-grabbing opening sentence that conveys the essay topic? 
• Does this intro provide relevant, engaging context about the essay topic? 
• Does this intro provide a thesis statement that establishes the writer’s point of view on the topic and what specific aspects of the issue the essay will address? 

Now, let’s use the questions above to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of this sample intro paragraph. 

Does the Intro Have a Good Hook? 

First, the intro starts out with an attention-grabbing hook . The writer starts by presenting  an assumption (that the U.S. federal government bears most of the financial burden of college education), which makes the topic relatable to a wide audience of readers. Also note that the hook relates to the general topic of the essay, which is the high cost of college education. 

The hook then takes a surprising turn by presenting a counterclaim : that American families, rather than students, feel the true burden of paying for college. Some readers will have a strong emotional reaction to this provocative counterclaim, which will make them want to keep reading! As such, this intro provides an effective opening sentence that conveys the essay topic. 

Does the Intro Give Context?

T he second, third, and fourth sentences of the intro provide contextual details that reveal the specific focus of the writer’s paper . Remember: the context helps readers start to zoom in on what the paper will focus on, and what aspect of the general topic (college costs) will be discussed later on. 

The context in this intro reveals the intent and direction of the paper by explaining why the issue of families financing college is important. In other words, the context helps readers understand why this issue matters , and what aspects of this issue will be addressed in the paper.  

To provide effective context, the writer refers to issues (the exorbitant cost of college and high levels of family debt) that have received a lot of recent scholarly and media attention. These sentences of context also elaborate on the interesting perspective included in the hook: that American families are most affected by college costs.

Does the Intro Have a Thesis? 

Finally, this intro provides a thesis statement that conveys the writer’s point of view on the issue of financing college education. This writer believes that the U.S. government should do more to pay for students’ college educations. 

However, the thesis statement doesn’t give us any details about why the writer has made this claim or why this will help American families . There isn’t an essay map that helps readers understand what points the writer will make in the essay.

To revise this thesis statement so that it establishes the specific aspects of the topic that the essay will address, the writer could add the following to the beginning of the thesis statement:

The U.S. government should take on more of the financial burden of college education because other countries have shown this can improve education rates while reducing levels of familial poverty.

Check out the new section in bold. Not only does it clarify that the writer is talking about the pressure put on families, it touches on the big topics the writer will address in the paper: improving education rates and reduction of poverty. So not only do we have a clearer argumentative statement in this thesis, we also have an essay map!  

So, let’s recap our analysis. This sample intro paragraph does an effective job of providing an engaging hook and relatable, interesting context, but the thesis statement needs some work ! As you write your own intro paragraphs, you might consider using the questions above to evaluate and revise your work. Doing this will help ensure you’ve covered all of your bases and written an intro that your readers will find interesting!

4 Tips for How To Write an Introduction Paragraph

Now that we’ve gone over an example of introduction paragraph analysis, let’s talk about how to write an introduction paragraph of your own. Keep reading for four tips for writing a successful intro paragraph for any essay. 

Tip 1: Analyze Your Essay Prompt

If you’re having trouble with how to start an introduction paragraph, analyze your essay prompt! Most teachers give you some kind of assignment sheet, formal instructions, or prompt to set the expectations for an essay they’ve assigned, right? Those instructions can help guide you as you write your intro paragraph!

Because they’ll be reading and responding to your essay, you want to make sure you meet your teacher’s expectations for an intro paragraph . For instance, if they’ve provided specific instructions about how long the intro should be or where the thesis statement should be located, be sure to follow them!

The type of paper you’re writing can give you clues as to how to approach your intro as well. If you’re writing a research paper, your professor might expect you to provide a research question or state a hypothesis in your intro. If you’re writing an argumentative essay, you’ll need to make sure your intro overviews the context surrounding your argument and your thesis statement includes a clear, defensible claim. 

Using the parameters set out by your instructor and assignment sheet can put some easy-to-follow boundaries in place for things like your intro’s length, structure, and content. Following these guidelines can free you up to focus on other aspects of your intro... like coming up with an exciting hook and conveying your point of view on your topic!

Tip 2: Narrow Your Topic

You can’t write an intro paragraph without first identifying your topic. To make your intro as effective as possible, you need to define the parameters of your topic clearly—and you need to be specific. 

For example, let’s say you want to write about college football. “NCAA football” is too broad of a topic for a paper. There is a lot to talk about in terms of college football! It would be tough to write an intro paragraph that’s focused, purposeful, and engaging on this topic. In fact, if you did try to address this whole topic, you’d probably end up writing a book!

Instead, you should narrow broad topics to  identify a specific question, claim, or issue pertaining to some aspect of NCAA football for your intro to be effective. So, for instance, you could frame your topic as, “How can college professors better support NCAA football players in academics?” This focused topic pertaining to NCAA football would give you a more manageable angle to discuss in your paper.

So before you think about writing your intro, ask yourself: Is my essay topic specific, focused, and logical? Does it convey an issue or question that I can explore over the course of several pages? Once you’ve established a good topic, you’ll have the foundation you need to write an effective intro paragraph . 

Once you've figured out your topic, it's time to hit the books!

Tip 3: Do Your Research

This tip is tightly intertwined with the one above, and it’s crucial to writing a good intro: do your research! And, guess what? This tip applies to all papers—even ones that aren’t technically research papers. 

Here’s why you need to do some research: getting the lay of the land on what others have said about your topic—whether that’s scholars and researchers or the mass media— will help you narrow your topic, write an engaging hook, and provide relatable context. 

You don't want to sit down to write your intro without a solid understanding of the different perspectives on your topic. Whether those are the perspectives of experts or the general public, these points of view will help you write your intro in a way that is intriguing and compelling for your audience of readers. 

Tip 4: Write Multiple Drafts

Some say to write your intro first; others say write it last. The truth is, there isn’t a right or wrong time to write your intro—but you do need to have enough time to write multiple drafts . 

Oftentimes, your professor will ask you to write multiple drafts of your paper, which gives you a built-in way to make sure you revise your intro. Another approach you could take is to write out a rough draft of your intro before you begin writing your essay, then revise it multiple times as you draft out your paper. 

Here’s why this approach can work: as you write your paper, you’ll probably come up with new insights on your topic that you didn’t have right from the start. You can use these “light bulb” moments to reevaluate your intro and make revisions that keep it in line with your developing essay draft. 

Once you’ve written your entire essay, consider going back and revising your intro again . You can ask yourself these questions as you evaluate your intro: 

• Is my hook still relevant to the way I’ve approached the topic in my essay?
• Do I provide enough appropriate context to introduce my essay? 
• Now that my essay is written, does my thesis statement still accurately reflect the point of view that I present in my essay?

Using these questions as a guide and putting your intro through multiple revisions will help ensure that you’ve written the best intro for the final draft of your essay. Also, revising your writing is always a good thing to do—and this applies to your intro, too!

What's Next?

Your college essays also need great intro paragraphs. Here’s a guide that focuses on how to write the perfect intro for your admissions essays. 

Of course, the intro is just one part of your college essay . This article will teach you how to write a college essay that makes admissions counselors sit up and take notice.

Are you trying to write an analytical essay? Our step-by-step guide can help you knock it out of the park.

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Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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How to write an Essay Introduction (5-Step Formula)

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

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One of my friends – a high-up professor in an English university – told me he can tell the grade a student will get within the first 90 seconds of reading a paper.

This makes the introduction the most important paragraph in your whole paper.

The introduction orients your reader to how well you understand academic writing, your skills in critical thinking, your ability to write professionally with minimal errors, and the depth of knowledge you have on the topic.

All in one fantastic paragraph! No pressure.

No wonder introductions are so difficult to write. If you’re like me, you find that you can sit and stare at a blank page as the moments tick by. You’re just not sure how to write an introduction!

After reading the top 30 online articles on how to write an essay introduction, I synthesized the five most common steps that universities give on how to write an introduction.

The five steps I am going to introduce to you in this paragraph are from my I.N.T.R.O. method. The intro method provides an easy-to-use acronym for how to write an introduction that the top universities recommend.

The INTRO method’s steps are:

• [I] Interest: Provide an opening sentence that shows why the topic is of interest to everyday human beings
• [N] Notify: Notify the reader of background or contextual information
• [T] Translate: Translate the essay topic or question by paraphrasing it
• [R] Report: Report on your position or argument
• [O] Outline: Provide an outline of the essay structure

Below, I go through each step one by one. Each step is designed to be written in order, although you may feel free to mix them up after you’ve written each sentence to make it feel and read just the way you like.

Use the INTRO method as a guide for how to write an introduction and get words down on paper. As I often argue on this website, just writing something is often the hardest part .

You may also find that some essay introductions work better without one or more of these 5 steps. That is okay, too. Use these 5 steps as advice on points to include in an introduction and adjust them as you need. You may find in your specific area of study you need to add or remove other sentences. Play around with your introduction until you feel comfortable with it.

So don’t be too hard on yourself: have a go at a draft of your introduction with no pressure to use it in the end. You’ll find by the time you’ve written these five sentences you’ll have the creative juices flowing and a compelling introduction will be down on paper in no time.

1. Interest

Provide an opening sentence that shows why the topic is interesting to everyday human beings

Nearly every source on how to write an introduction that I found online recommended that your first sentence be an engaging ‘hook’ . Most sources highlight that the ‘hook’ sentence should draw in the reader’s interest in order to make your piece stand out.

The marker wants to see if you understand why this topic is of interest is in the first place. They want to see if you ‘get it’ from the very start.

I also recommend that you view the hook as an opportunity to show why the topic is interesting to everyday human beings . This makes it relevant to your reader.

To show you understand why the topic is of interest in the first place, aim to do one of the following things:

• Show what makes the topic worth discussing. Your ‘Interest’ sentence might help show why someone should care about the topic. Will it affect our livelihoods? Will it harm us? Make our work lives easier? The more relatable this point is to real human lives, the better.
• Highlight the single most interesting point in the essay. You might notice that you have already pointed out this interesting ‘hook’ somewhere in your essay. Find that interesting, relatable point and make it the opening sentence of your introduction.
• Use an interesting fact or figure to show the topic’s importance. Percentages or real numbers about how many people are or would be impacted by the issue help to show the topic’s importance. This will create reader interest with a ‘wow’ factor.
• Show how the essay topic is relevant to today’s world. If you’re struggling to identify this interesting ‘hook’, go onto google and find news reports related to your topic. How has the topic made it into the news recently? The news report will help you to brainstorm why this topic is of interest to the everyday lives of real human beings.

However, do not overstate the issue. You should provide a clear, reasonable perspective in this first sentence rather than an over-the-top claim. For example, aim to avoid hyperbolic or overly emotional phrases:

To find out more about retracting over-the-top emotion and hyperbole, we have put together a guide on academic language that you may like to read.

To summarize, I recommend that your first step in how to write an introduction is to write a ‘hook’ sentence that focuses on why the topic is interesting to everyday human beings . Use sober, clear facts about the importance of the topic to real human lives to get yourself started.

Read Also: My Suggested Best Words to Start a Paragraph

Notify the reader of background or contextual information

Nearly every source I found also recommended that you provide brief ‘background’ or ‘contextual’ information.

‘Background’ or ‘contextual’ information shows your depth of knowledge and understanding of the topic.

Here are some examples of ‘context’ for a few topics:

Hopefully, you can see here that giving ‘context’ is a way of showing that you have a really strong or deep knowledge of the history or background story of the topic. This is your chance to differentiate your depth of knowledge from other students. A sentence or two giving some of this context also helps to show off your knowledge right from the start.

Most sources recommend only providing one or two sentences of background information. This will help you to show off your knowledge without stealing content from the body of your essay. The body of the essay will add depth and detail to your points in the introduction, so feel free to leave out examples and explanations beyond your engaging sentence or two: you will have time in the body of the essay to elaborate.

3. Translate

Translate the essay topic or question

This point was mentioned by more than half the websites I found giving advice on how to write an introduction.

Many universities recommend re-stating the essay topic or question in your own words. This helps your marker to see that you understand the topic and are directly addressing it.

Here are some examples of essay questions and ways you can re-state the essay question in your introduction:

Something to keep in mind is that you do not want to appear to be re-stating the essay question simply to take up extra words. We call this ‘padding’. An example of padding is when a student drops the essay question in as a question, word-for-word:

• How can knowledge about history help us to improve our lives in the future? This is the question that will be answered in this essay.
• This essay will answer the question “What is the lasting impact of European Colonisation in the 21 st Century?”

Do not drop the essay question into the introduction without paraphrasing or surrounding explanation. If you do this, your marker will think you’re just trying to add words to the introduction because you’re not sure of anything interesting to say

Report your position or argument

Most essays do not require you to take a stance on an issue.

Essays that do require you to take a stance are called either ‘argumentative essays’ or ‘persuasive essays’.

If you are writing a persuasive essay, you will need to include Step 4: Report. For this step, you’ll need to state where you stand on the issue:

Keep in mind that essays should never leave a reader confused. Essay writing is not like creative writing: your reader must always know what’s going to be said right from the start. When reading to gather information, readers don’t like to be surprised. They want the facts up-front. Therefore, your marker will expect to know what your stance is on the issue right from the introduction onwards.

Provide an outline of the Essay Structure

This last point on how to write an introduction is important and separates average students from top students.

Introductions should always highlight the key points that will be made in an essay. Academic writing should never surprise the reader.

The fact that steps 4 and 5 both highlight that you should orient your marker reinforces the importance of this. Always, always, guide your marker’s reading experience.

Your essay should signpost all key concepts, theories, and main sections that make up your essay. If an important point is made in the essay but not signposted in the introduction, you are likely to confuse your marker. A confused marker very rapidly lowers your mark.

Too often, students fail to outline key points of their essays in the introduction. Make a habit of signposting your key ideas, points, theories, or concepts you will cover in the introduction in order to gain marks.

It is always easier to write this outline once the essay plan is written. You will then be able to gather together the key points that you listed in your essay plan and include them in the introduction.

The outline of the essay structure can only be one or two sentences long. You can state as your last sentence in your introduction:

• “Firstly, this essay … then, …, and finally …”
• “The essay opens with …, then, …, and then closes with …”
• “After exploring …, … and …, this essay will conclude with …”

Try to outline the issues you will cover in order. Providing an orderly outline of your essay is very helpful for your reader.

Now, I know that some people don’t like this method. Let me reassure you with this study from Theresa Thonney in 2016. Thonney examined 600 top-ranking articles in fields including Literature, Music, Environmental Sciences, Nutrition, Inter-Cultural Studies, and more to see how many articles used this method. In other words, she completed a comprehensive study of whether professional, published authors use this method of orientating the reader to the structure of the article.

Thonney found that 100% of top-ranking articles she looked at in the Astronomy field used this method. 98% of articles in Sociology journals used this method. In fact, the field with the lowest amount of authors who use this method is Art, which had 76% of authors use this method. In other words, even the lowest result she found showed that three in every four professional authors use this method.

So, you should too.

Let’s sum point 5 up by reinforcing this very important rule: your marker should always be very clear about what they will read, and in what order, to improve their reading experience.

A short list of things to Avoid in Introductions

I want to conclude this post with an outline of some of the worst things you can do in an introduction. The introduction sets the scene, so you want to make a good impression. You don’t want your marker taking away marks due to one of these top mistakes:

• Rhetorical Questions.
• Vague padding.
• Dictionary definitions.

Sometimes, teachers also recommend avoiding referencing in introductions. I have colleagues who absolutely refuse to let students include references in their introductions. Personally, I think that’s absurd – if a reference is required, include it! However, check with your teacher on their personal preferences here as I know this is a point of contention in faculty lounges.

The introduction is important for creating a strong first impression, especially since markers often make up their mind about your grade very early on in the marking process.

Introductions are best written last. That way, you will be able to include all the signposting you need to do (step 5), have a good understanding of the context (step 2), and be more certain about what your stance is on the issue (step 4).

Here’s the five INTRO steps I’d encourage you to use every time:

Once you have written your introduction, it is a good idea to put it away for a few days and then come back to edit it with fresh eyes . Remember that grammar and punctuation are important in the introduction. You want to leave a good impression.

If you have a friend who can read the draft for you and give you tips, or if your teacher has drop-in hours, use them to get some tips on how to write an introduction, what sounds right, want sounds off, and how you might be able to improve your introduction.

Once you have written your introduction, you might want to have a look at our guidance on how to write conclusions in order to end your piece as strongly as you started! People often think conclusions are just like introductions. That’s not true. Conclusions are unique paragraphs, so head over to our guidance on conclusions now to get the support you need on writing the best conclusion you can.

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 25 Number Games for Kids (Free and Easy)
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 25 Word Games for Kids (Free and Easy)
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 25 Outdoor Games for Kids
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 50 Incentives to Give to Students

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• Writing Tips

How to Write an Excellent Essay Introduction

3-minute read

• 27th September 2022

Love it or hate it, essay writing is a big part of student life. Writing a great essay might seem like a daunting task, especially when you’re staring at a blank document, but there are formulas you can follow to make sure your paper hits the mark.

When you plan your essays , don’t neglect your introduction! It might seem like a trivial part of the paper, but it can make it or break it. A badly written introduction can leave your reader feeling confused about the topic and what to expect from your essay.

To help your writing reach its full potential, we’ve put together a guide to writing an excellent essay introduction.

How to Write an Essay Introduction

An essay introduction has four main steps:

●  Hook your reader

●  Provide context

●  Present your thesis statement

●  Map your essay

Hook Your Reader

The first part of your introduction should be the hook. This is where you introduce the reader to the topic of the essay. A great hook should be clear, concise, and catchy. It doesn’t need to be long; a hook can be just one sentence.

Provide Context

In this section, introduce your reader to key definitions, ideas, and background information to help them understand your argument.

Present Your Thesis Statement

A thesis statement tells the reader the main point or argument of the essay. This can be just one sentence, or it can be a few sentences.

Map Your Essay

Before you wrap up your essay introduction, map it! This means signposting sections of your essay. The key here is to be concise. The purpose of this part of the introduction is to give your reader a sense of direction.

Here’s an example of an essay introduction:

Hook: Suspense is key for dramatic stories, and Shakespeare is well-known and celebrated for writing suspenseful plays.

Context: While there are many ways in which Shakespeare created suspension for his viewers, two techniques he used effectively were foreshadowing and dramatic irony. Foreshadowing is a literary device that hints at an event or situation that is yet to happen. Dramatic irony is a literary technique, originally used in Greek tragedy, by which the full significance of a character’s words or actions is clear to the audience or reader, although it is unknown to the character.

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Thesis statement: Foreshadowing and dramatic irony are two powerful techniques that Shakespeare used to create suspense in literature. These methods have been used to keep the reader intrigued, excited, or nervous about what is to come in many of his celebrated works.

Essay mapping: In this essay, I will be detailing how Shakespeare uses foreshadowing and dramatic irony to create suspense, with examples from Romeo and Juliet and Othello.

Pro tip: Essays take twists and turns. We recommend changing your introduction as necessary while you write the main text to make sure it fully aligns with your final draft.

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Proofreading is an essential part of delivering a great essay. We offer a proofreading and editing service for students and academics that will provide you with expert editors to check your work for any issues with:

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How to Write a Great College Essay Introduction | Examples

Published on October 4, 2021 by Meredith Testa . Revised on August 14, 2023 by Kirsten Courault.

Admissions officers read thousands of essays each application season, and they may devote as little as five minutes to reviewing a student’s entire application. That means it’s critical to have a well-structured essay with a compelling introduction. As you write and revise your essay , look for opportunities to make your introduction more engaging.

There’s one golden rule for a great introduction: don’t give too much away . Your reader shouldn’t be able to guess the entire trajectory of the essay after reading the first sentence. A striking or unexpected opening captures the reader’s attention, raises questions, and makes them want to keep reading to the end .

Table of contents

Start with a surprise, start with a vivid, specific image, avoid clichés, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about college application essays.

A great introduction often has an element of mystery. Consider the following opening statement.

This opener is unexpected, even bizarre—what could this student be getting at? How can you be bad at breathing?

The student goes on to describe her experience with asthma and how it has affected her life. It’s not a strange topic, but the introduction is certainly intriguing. This sentence keeps the admissions officer reading, giving the student more of an opportunity to keep their attention and make her point.

In a sea of essays with standard openings such as “One life-changing experience for me was …” or “I overcame an obstacle when …,” this introduction stands out. The student could have used either of those more generic introductions, but neither would have been as successful.

This type of introduction is a true “hook”—it’s highly attention-grabbing, and the reader has to keep reading to understand.

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If your topic doesn’t lend itself to such a surprising opener, you can also start with a vivid, specific description.

Many essays focus on a particular experience, and describing one moment from that experience can draw the reader in. You could focus on small details of what you could see and feel, or drop the reader right into the middle of the story with dialogue or action.

Some students choose to write more broadly about themselves and use some sort of object or metaphor as the focus. If that’s the type of essay you’d like to write, you can describe that object in vivid detail, encouraging the reader to imagine it.

Cliché essay introductions express ideas that are stereotypical or generally thought of as conventional wisdom. Ideas like “My family made me who I am today” or “I accomplished my goals through hard work and determination” may genuinely reflect your life experience, but they aren’t unique or particularly insightful.

Unoriginal essay introductions are easily forgotten and don’t demonstrate a high level of creative thinking. A college essay is intended to give insight into the personality and background of an applicant, so a standard, one-size-fits-all introduction may lead admissions officers to think they are dealing with a standard, unremarkable applicant.

Quotes can often fall into the category of cliché essay openers. There are some circumstances in which using a quote might make sense—for example, you could quote an important piece of advice or insight from someone important in your life. But for most essays, quotes aren’t necessary, and they may make your essay seem uninspired.

If you want to know more about academic writing , effective communication , or parts of speech , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

Academic writing

• Writing process
• Transition words
• Passive voice
• Paraphrasing

 Communication

• How to end an email
• Ms, mrs, miss
• How to start an email
• I hope this email finds you well
• Hope you are doing well

 Parts of speech

• Personal pronouns
• Conjunctions

The introduction of your college essay is the first thing admissions officers will read and therefore your most important opportunity to stand out. An excellent introduction will keep admissions officers reading, allowing you to tell them what you want them to know.

The key to a strong college essay introduction is not to give too much away. Try to start with a surprising statement or image that raises questions and compels the reader to find out more.

Cliché openers in a college essay introduction are usually general and applicable to many students and situations. Most successful introductions are specific: they only work for the unique essay that follows.

In most cases, quoting other people isn’t a good way to start your college essay . Admissions officers want to hear your thoughts about yourself, and quotes often don’t achieve that. Unless a quote truly adds something important to your essay that it otherwise wouldn’t have, you probably shouldn’t include it.

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Write an introduction that interests the reader and effectively outlines your arguments.

Every essay or assignment you write must begin with an introduction. It might be helpful to think of the introduction as an inverted pyramid. In such a pyramid, you begin by presenting a broad introduction to the topic and end by making a more focused point about that topic in your thesis statement. The introduction has three essential parts, each of which serves a particular purpose.

The first part is the "attention-grabber." You need to interest your reader in your topic so that they will want to continue reading. You also want to do that in a way that is fresh and original. For example, although it may be tempting to begin your essay with a dictionary definition, this technique is stale  because it has been widely overused. Instead, you might try one of the following techniques:

Offer a surprising statistic that conveys something about the problem to be addressed in the paper.

Perhaps you can find an interesting quote that nicely sums up your argument.

Use rhetorical questions that place your readers in a different situation in order to get them thinking about your topic in a new way.

If you have a personal connection to the topic, you might use an anecdote or story to get your readers emotionally involved.

For example, if you were writing a paper about drunk drivers, you might begin with a compelling story about someone whose life was forever altered by a drunk driver: "At eighteen, Michelle had a lifetime of promise in front of her. Attending college on a track scholarship, she was earning good grades and making lots of friends. Then one night her life was forever altered…"

From this attention grabbing opener, you would need to move to the next part of the introduction, in which you offer some relevant background on the specific purpose of the essay. This section helps the reader see why you are focusing on this topic and makes the transition to the main point of your paper. For this reason, this is sometimes called the "transitional" part of the introduction.

In the example above, the anecdote about Michelle might capture the reader's attention, but the essay is not really about Michelle. The attention grabber might get the reader thinking about how drunk driving can destroy people's lives, but it doesn't introduce the topic of the need for stricter drunk driving penalties (or whatever the real focus of the paper might be).

Therefore, you need to bridge the gap between your attention-grabber and your thesis with some transitional discussion. In this part of your introduction, you narrow your focus of the topic and explain why the attention-grabber is relevant to the specific area you will be discussing. You should introduce your specific topic and provide any necessary background information that the reader would need in order to understand the problem that you are presenting in the paper. You can also define any key terms the reader might not know.

Continuing with the example above, we might move from the narrative about Michelle to a short discussion of the scope of the problem of drunk drivers. We might say, for example: "Michelle's story is not isolated. Each year XX (number) of lives are lost due to drunk-driving accidents." You could follow this with a short discussion of how serious the problem is and why the reader should care about this problem. This effectively moves the reader from the story about Michelle to your real topic, which might be the need for stricter penalties for drinking and driving.

Finally, the introduction must conclude with a clear statement of the overall point you want to make in the paper. This is called your "thesis statement." It is the narrowest part of your inverted pyramid, and it states exactly what your essay will be arguing.

In this scenario, your thesis would be the point you are trying to make about drunk driving. You might be arguing for better enforcement of existing laws, enactment of stricter penalties, or funding for education about drinking and driving. Whatever the case, your thesis would clearly state the main point your paper is trying to make. Here's an example: "Drunk driving laws need to include stricter penalties for those convicted of drinking under the influence of alcohol." Your essay would then go on to support this thesis with the reasons why stricter penalties are needed.

In addition to your thesis, your introduction can often include a "road map" that explains how you will defend your thesis. This gives the reader a general sense of how you will organize the different points that follow throughout the essay. Sometimes the "map" is incorporated right into the thesis statement, and sometimes it is a separate sentence. Below is an example of a thesis with a "map."

"Because drunk driving can result in unnecessary and premature deaths, permanent injury for survivors, and billions of dollars spent on medical expenses,  drunk drivers should face stricter penalties for driving under the influence." The underlined words here are the "map" that show your reader the main points of support you will present in the essay. They also serve to set up the paper's arrangement because they tell the order in which you will present these topics.

In constructing an introduction, make sure the introduction clearly reflects the goal or purpose of the assignment and that the thesis presents not only the topic to be discussed but also states a clear position about that topic that you will support and develop throughout the paper. In shorter papers, the introduction is usually only one or two paragraphs, but it can be several paragraphs in a longer paper.

For Longer Papers

Although for short essays the introduction is usually just one paragraph, longer argument or research papers may require a more substantial introduction. The first paragraph might consist of just the attention grabber and some narrative about the problem. Then you might have one or more paragraphs that provide background on the main topics of the paper and present the overall argument, concluding with your thesis statement.

Below is a sample of an introduction that is less effective because it doesn't apply the principles discussed above.

An Ineffective Introduction

Everyone uses math during their entire lives. Some people use math on the job as adults, and others used math when they were kids. The topic I have chosen to write about for this paper is how I use math in my life both as a child and as an adult. I use math to balance my checkbook and to budget my monthly expenses as an adult. When I was a child, I used math to run a lemonade stand. I will be talking more about these things in my paper.

In the introduction above, the opening line does not serve to grab the reader's attention. Instead, it is a statement of an obvious and mundane fact. The second sentence is also not very specific. A more effective attention grabber may point out a specific, and perhaps surprising, instance when adults use math in their daily lives, in order to show the reader why this is such as important topic to consider.

Next the writer "announces" her topic by stating, "The topic I have chosen to write about…" Although it is necessary to introduce your specific topic, you want to avoid making generic announcements that reference your assignment. What you have chosen to write about will be evident as your reader moves through the writing. Instead, you might try to make the reader see why this is such an important topic to discuss.

Finally, this sample introduction is lacking a clear thesis statement. The writer concludes with a vague statement: "I will be talking more about these things in my paper."  This kind of statement may be referred to as a "purpose statement," in which the writer states the topics that will be discussed. However, it is not yet working as a thesis statement because it fails to make an argument or claim about those topics. A thesis statement for this essay would clearly tell the reader what "things" you will be discussing and what point you will make about them.

Now let's look at how the above principles can be incorporated more effectively into an introduction.

A More Effective Introduction

"A penny saved is a penny earned," the well-known quote by Ben Franklin, is an expression I have never quite understood, because to me it seems that any penny—whether saved or spent—is still earned no matter what is done with it. My earliest memories of earning and spending money are when I was ten years old when I would sell Dixie cups of too-sweet lemonade and bags of salty popcorn to the neighborhood kids. From that early age, I learned the importance of money management and the math skills involved. I learned that there were four quarters in a dollar, and if I bought a non-food item—like a handful of balloons—that I was going to need to come up with six cents for every dollar I spent. I also knew that Kool-Aid packets were 25 cents each or that I could save money and get five of them for a dollar. Today, however, money management involves knowing more than which combinations of 10-cent, five-cent, and one-penny candies I can get for a dollar. Proper money management today involves knowing interest rates, balancing checkbooks, paying taxes, estimating my paycheck, and budgeting to make ends meet from month-to-month.

In the first line the writer uses a well-known quotation to introduce her topic.

The writer follows this "attention-grabber" with specific examples of earning and spending money. Compare how the specific details of the second example paint a better picture for the reader about what the writer learned about money as a child, rather than this general statement: "As a child, I used math to run a lemonade stand." In the first introduction, this statement leaves the reader to guess how the writer used math, but in the second introduction we can actually see what the child did and what she learned.

Notice, too, how the reader makes the transition from the lessons of childhood to the real focus of her paper in this sentence: "Today, however, money management involves knowing…."

This transition sentence effectively connects the opening narrative to the main point of the essay, her thesis: "Proper money management today involves knowing  interest rates, balancing checkbooks, paying taxes, estimating my paycheck, and budgeting to make ends meet from month-to-month ." This thesis also maps out for the reader the main points (underlined here) that will be discussed in the essay.

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Essay Introduction Examples

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Written by  Scribendi

Always have a road map for an essay introduction . Having a strong essay introduction structure is critical to a successful paper. It sets the tone for the reader and interests them in your work. It also tells them what the essay is about and why they should read it at all.

It shouldn't leave the reader confused with a cliffhanger at the end. Instead, it should generate interest and guide the reader to Chapter One. Using the right parts of an essay introduction can help with this.

Check out an effective essay introduction structure below. It’s a road map for writing an essay—just like the parts of essay introductions are road maps for readers.

Essay Introduction Structure

Attention-grabbing start

Outline of argument

Thesis statement

Some academics find the beginning the most difficult part of writing an essay , so our editors have created some examples of good essay introductions to guide you. Let's take a look at the samples below to see how the essay introduction structures come together. 

If you are unsure about your paper, our essay editors would love to give you some feedback on how to write an essay introduction. 

[1] According to Paul Ratsmith, the tenuous but nonetheless important relationship between pumpkins and rats is little understood: "While I've always been fascinated by this natural kinship, the connection between pumpkins and rats has been the subject of few, if any, other studies" (2008). [2] Ratsmith has been studying this connection, something he coined "pumpkinology," since the early 1990s. He is most well known for documenting the three years he spent living in the wild among pumpkins and rats. [3] Though it is a topic of little recent interest, the relationship has been noted in several ancient texts and seems to have been well understood by the Romans. Critics of Ratsmith have cited poor science and questionable methodology when dismissing his results, going so far as to call pumpkinology "rubbish" (de Vil, 2009), "stupid" (Claw, 2010), and "quite possibly made up" (Igthorn, 2009). [4] Despite these criticisms, there does appear to be a strong correlation between pumpkin patches and rat populations, with Ratsmith documenting numerous pumpkin–rat colonies across North America, leading to the conclusion that pumpkins and rats are indeed "nature's best friends" (2008).

Let's break down this example of a good essay introduction structure. The beginning hooks our attention from the get-go in section one. This is because it piques our curiosity. What is this strange relationship? Why has no one studied it? Then, section two gives us context for the topic. Ratsmith is an expert in a controversial field: pumpkinology. It's the study of the connection between pumpkins and rats. 

The second half of the paragraph also demonstrates why this is a good essay introduction example. Section three gives us the main argument: the topic is rarely studied because critics think Ratsmith's work is "rubbish," but the relationship between pumpkins and rats has ancient roots. Then section four gives us the thesis statement: Ratsmith's work has some merit.

The parts of an essay introduction help us chart a course through the topic. We know the paper will take us on a journey. It's all because the author practiced how to write an essay introduction. 

Let’s take a look at another example of a good essay introduction.

[1] Societies have long believed that if a black cat crosses one's path, one might have bad luck—but it wasn't until King Charles I's black cat died that the ruler's bad luck began (Pemberton, 2018). [2] Indeed, for centuries, black cats have been seen as the familiars of witches—as demonic associates of Satan who disrespect authority (Yuko, 2021). Yet, they have also been associated with good luck, from England's rulers to long-distance sailors (Cole, 2021). [3] This essay shows how outdated the bad luck superstition really is. It provides a comprehensive history of the belief and then provides proof that this superstition has no place in today's modern society. [4] It argues that despite the prevailing belief that animals cause bad luck, black cats often bring what seems to be "good luck" and deserve a new reputation.

This example of a good essay introduction pulls us in right away. This is because section one provides an interesting fact about King Charles I. What is the story there, and what bad luck did he experience after his cat passed away? Then, section two provides us with general information about the current status of black cats. We understand the context of the essay and why the topic is controversial.

Section three then gives us a road map that leads us through the main arguments. Finally, section four gives us the essay's thesis: "black cats often bring what seems to be 'good luck' and deserve a new reputation."

Still feeling unsure about how to write an essay introduction? Here's another example using the essay introduction structure we discussed earlier.

[1] When the Lutz family moved into a new house in Amityville, New York, they found themselves terrorized by a vengeful ghost (Labianca, 2021). Since then, their famous tale has been debunked by scientists and the family themselves (Smith, 2005). [2] Yet ghost stories have gripped human consciousness for centuries (History, 2009). Scientists, researchers, and theorists alike have argued whether ghosts are simply figments of the imagination or real things that go bump in the night. In considering this question, many scientists have stated that ghosts may actually exist. [3] Lindley (2017) believes the answer may be in the quantum world, which "just doesn’t work the way the world around us works," but "we don’t really have the concepts to deal with it." Scientific studies on the existence of ghosts date back hundreds of years (History, 2009), and technology has undergone a vast evolution since then (Lamey, 2018). State-of-the-art tools and concepts can now reveal more about ghosts than we've ever known (Kane, 2015). [4] This essay uses these tools to provide definitive proof of the existence of ghosts in the quantum realm. 

This example of a good essay introduction uses a slightly different strategy than the others. To hook the reader, it begins with an interesting anecdote related to the topic. That pulls us in, making us wonder what really happened to the Lutzs. Then, section two provides us with some background information about the topic to help us understand. Many people believe ghosts aren't real, but some scientists think they are.

This immediately flows into section three, which charts a course through the main arguments the essay will make. Finally, it ends with the essay's thesis: there is definitive proof of the existence of ghosts in the quantum realm. It all works because the author used the parts of an essay introduction well.

For attention-grabbing introductions, an understanding of essay introduction structure and how to write an essay introduction is required.

Our essay introduction examples showing the parts of an essay introduction will help you craft the beginning paragraph you need to start your writing journey on the right foot.

If you'd like more personalized attention to your essay, consider sending it for Essay Editing by Scribendi. We can help you ensure that your essay starts off strong.

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Self Introduction for Students: Examples, Tips, Things to Avoid

Pallavi Pradeep Purbey ,

Jun 12, 2024

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A self introduction for students is a concise, assured, and straightforward introduction. It describes the student's personality, and identity, and what details other people should be aware of.

A self-introduction is a brief statement or remark that a person gives to others to introduce themselves. It allows them to provide vital details about themselves, such as their name, background, hobbies, and objectives.

Learning how to introduce oneself is a crucial skill that every student must learn. This skill helps in building confidence and instills a sense of self-worth. Moreover, it explains the student's identity, and personality, and what attributes of the students should be known to the audience. A good self introduction for students will help them get new acquaintances and network with more people.

A student's self introduction includes the name and essential details about them. Besides, they also include facts creating an ideal impression of the person.

Table of Contents

What is Self Introduction?

Importance of a strong self introduction for students, key elements of self introduction for students.

• Examples of Self Introduction for Students 

Steps to Draft a Good Self Introduction for Students

• Important Tips for Self Introduction for Students

Best Practices for Self Introduction

Books for enhanced english.

A Self Introduction is a way of introducing oneself to others. It is a brief statement that gives an overview of who you are, where are you from, what you do, and other highlights required.

A person needs to introduce themselves when they are anchoring an event, starting a new job, joining an organization, or meeting new people in social gatherings. A Self Introduction typically includes one's name, profession, education, or field of study and a brief overview of their background and forum-based interests. 

Self Introduction for students means introducing and describing themselves in a justified manner while highlighting all their unique attributes. It is a good practice to be confident and clear enough while introducing themselves to others. A good Self Introduction for students must include the following:

• Start with a smile on your face and greet the person or audience to whom you are introducing yourself.
• Begin with your 'Name and Place' after the greeting. And if necessary, add family details to the introduction.
• Be brief about educational details, from sharing areas of interest and hobbies to ideas and inspiration.
• Share your prior experience (if any) and recreational activities.
• Give details about the skills.
• Share past experiences, and finally, express your gratitude.

Also Read: 10 Prioritization Techniques for Student Productivity

A good self introduction for students creates an everlasting impression, and people might be urged to listen to or talk to the person introducing themselves. It builds confidence and enhances one's ability to meet new people and present themselves well.

Moreover, a good self introduction helps make the atmosphere contended and comfortable to have a conversation. This, in turn, makes a good impression on others.

Knowing how to introduce ourselves helps "break the ice" when meeting new people in any place or situation. Only an individual can know who they are, and it is essential to convey the same to let others know about themselves.

By knowing ourselves, one might build enough confidence to face the world in any situation. Thus, one can work solely on producing a masterpiece and develop a positive approach to life.

Also Read: List of 10 Novels for Students to Read

Advantages of Self Introduction

Self Introduction for students helps build a persona and creates an impactful impression on the people one addresses. Students can grab attention and pique interest with a strong introduction. Below are the advantages of self introduction for students: 

• Helps build connections
• Enhances self-confidence
• Sharpens presentation skills
• Builds a favourable impression
• Enhances the ability to meet people
• Deep understanding
• Positive thinking
• Generates motivation
• Enhances communication skills
• One could learn and improve through Self Introduction

The students must note the key elements to be addressed while introducing themselves. The pointers are as follows:

• The students will have to mention their full names. 
• They have to mention their educational qualification and the institution in which it was pursued.
• If the student is introducing themselves during an interview, they will have to mention their short-term and long-term goals (one each).
• Practice short 1-minute self introductions to be more concise. 
• The students must conclude by being polite and summarizing a good word or two about the introduction experience.

Also Read: Skill Development Courses List for Students

Examples of Self Introduction for Students

Self Introduction for students is essential to have clear communication. The students should be able to communicate freely and make an effort to address the audience smartly. Below are the best self introduction example for students:

Example 1: Self Introduction for students during a college interview

Example 2: Self Introduction for students to a team

Example 3: Classroom Self Introduction for students

Example 1: Self Introduction for Students during a College interview

Good morning Sir/Ma'am,

I am Amogh, born and brought up in Bandra. Thank you for allowing me to introduce myself. I scored 77% in my school at Little Flowers Montessori English Medium High School. I scored 77.7% at SSWN Junior College.

I believe my strength is my attitude, and I like to take up challenges and think to accept both success and failure in a balanced way to move forward. I want to say that I don't leave any questions altogether as I believe in myself and my work.

My short-term goal is to find my area of interest in various clubs that the college organized. And my long-term goal is to get placed in a high-paying position and a holistic work environment that allows me to learn and implement my ideas. That's all about me, sir.

Thank you for providing me with such an excellent opportunity to introduce myself.

Example 2: Self Introduction for Students to a Team 

Good morning Ma'am/Sir,

I'm Shree, and it's my pleasure to introduce myself. I was born in Himachal Pradesh and grew up in Anandpur. I did my schooling at Little Flower Montessori English Medium High School and am now pursuing my B.Tech from CBT.

My strength is that I am always ready to take up new challenges and strive for excellence. This is because I believe success and failures are the best way to sculpt ourselves to reach our goals. And I believe in myself and my hard work and want fulfilment in everything.

My short-term goal is to achieve excellence in the skills I'm mastering. However, my long-term goal is to be a renowned Technical Engineer. That's all about me, sir. Thanks for allowing me to introduce myself.

Example 3: Classroom Self Introduction for Students

Hi everyone,

My name is Akhil, and I come from Anna Nagar, Chennai. I am 12 years old, and I look forward to being a part of this classroom. I am interested in coin collecting and collecting different-sized and shaped leaves, so when I am outside of the classroom and not engaged in academic activities, I usually engage in my hobby.

My favorite subjects in school are History and my favorite extracurricular activities include painting and pencil sketching.

I am excited to be here with you and can't wait for us to learn together. Please feel free to approach me with any questions you might have. Thank you for listening to me!

Also Read: 6 Coping Strategies For Student Mental Health

The students can get to know how to draft a good self introduction using the step-by-step guide given below:

• Step 1: Create an outline of the self introduction

The students must create a synopsis or outline of the self introduction with the crux of what points they are going to include in their self introduction. It will help them decide on what is worth saying and what is not.

• Where the student is from?
• Educational background (degree or class with the institution's name)
• Interests or Hobbies / Life goals (short and long-term)
• Why did the student choose to be there that day?
• Exciting call to action
• Ending greetings
• Step 2: Two points for each header in the outline

The students can write two points in different formats under each header mentioned in the outline. This practice will help them understand which format works better for them. The formats could be formal informal or semi-formal.

• Step 3: Selecting the points from each header

Once the students select the format (formal, informal, or semi-formal) they'll have to go with the same throughout the self introduction. It is important to stay on track to have an effective and good self introduction for students to make a confident first impression.

• Step 4: Check the tone of voice and grammar

The students ought to check their tone of voice since it will decide their image and personality in the long run. The self introduction has to be polite and attention-worthy. They can also use free online tools to check the grammar of the content to be spoken out. 

• Step 5: Speak it out loud

The students’ last step is to speak the self introduction out loud to decide on the timings, the sentence formation, the order of the points spoken during the self introduction etc. Speaking it out loud will help the students to add or remove points to make the self introduction more attractive.

Also Read: Top 10 Most Effective Stress Management Techniques for Students

Important Tips for Self Introduction for Students 

The self introduction for students must be impactful. The points expressed while giving the self introduction must be precise and clear.

It is not necessary to include every trivial information to fill in the gaps in the conversation. Find the list of points and tips for a self introduction for students to make an excellent first impression:

• Always greet: By wishing good morning or good evening, a person initiates a conversation and grabs the listeners' attention. It would be better if a student looked confident while starting a conversation.
• Have a purpose: It is necessary to have a better understanding of the motive behind the conversation. Always try to make the conversation impactful and engaging.
• Provide a name: Start by telling your name in a lively voice to make them remember the following words spoken by a particular person.
• Profession: Tell about your work experience, career, or anything related to work. Sometimes it's okay to exclude work experience in the self introduction for students. However, if there are any internships or part-time jobs, students can include those too.
• Location: Speak about your background and area of residence. One may include a native place and tell about its speciality to help them remember the site.
• Hobbies: One may tell them about hobbies, areas of interest, and activities one gets involved in. This can help to know about nature and lifestyle.
• Aims: Mention the objective of life and give a detailed description.
• Discuss achievements: Include one's achievements in the introduction, and mention what one has achieved till now. Besides, give 3-5 descriptive achievements in the introduction to make it look impactful.
• Favourite or ideal persons: Include one's perfect person in the introduction, and talk about the reason why they motivate you.
• Favourite things, colours, and movies: If the introduction is casual, students may feel free to tell their favourite movies and other favourite places, colours, etc.
• Strengths and weaknesses: Mention strengths and weaknesses in a self introduction. Mmake sure not to include major flaws, and give a detailed description of the strengths possessed. Remember not to hide your weaknesses and do not boast your strengths.
• Discuss likes and dislikes: One may include their personal preferences or dislikes in the introduction.
• Any life-changing point: Students may include life-changing moments if students want the listeners to engage in their talk.
• Differentiation: In one's introduction, students should speak about their uniqueness and what makes them stand out, which is the essential aspect of self introduction.
• Conclusion: In conclusion, offers an unforgettable answer to the question the spectators possibly will have when they listen to a public speech: what's in it for me? Describe how different life experiences molded your personality, which will be the perfect ending of the self introduction for students.
• Greeting: Say thank you and exit.

Also Read: 10 Tips for Staying Focused and Productive as A Student

Things to Avoid During Self Introduction for Students 

The students must know the things to avoid during self introduction to be projected for confidence and make a good first impression. Here’s a list of things to avoid during self introduction for students:

• Avoid being too casual or informal while being self introduction. 
• Avoid being disrespectful to the person opposite you. 
• Avoid a super lengthy introduction instead try a 1-minute self introduction. 
• Avoid repeating the contents of your CV or resume.
• Avoid sharing too much personal information.
• Avoid fidgeting while sitting or standing during self introduction.

The students must practice pointers before self-introducing in a public forum. These pointers and tips will help the students to be more conscious during their self introduction:

• Practice and prepare ahead of time before the actual self-introducing event.
• Pay attention to your body language and tone of voice during self introduction.
• Use simple and clear language while introducing yourself.
• Keep practising until you perfect the speech in front of the mirror to be more self-aware. 
• Keep eye contact with the group while introducing yourself. 
• Keep a timer while practising your self introduction and cut short the speech if necessary.

Also Read: 10 Healthy Habits for Students to Excel in Studies

To speak an impactful self introduction for students, they must utilize some resources. Students can always refer to and practice with books to improve their language skills. Below is the list of books for enhanced English:

Also Read: Smarter Study Tips for Students to Ace Their Management Exams

What is the time limit for self introduction for students?

How many points does a self introduction for students require?

What is the importance of self introduction for students?

What should be avoided in self introduction?

How to end a self introduction for students?

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How to Write an Essay Introduction

The introduction is arguably the most important part of an essay. It sets the tone for the entire piece, grabs the reader's attention, and lays out the main argument. A good introduction not only engages the reader but also guides them into the heart of your essay. UK Writings is an excellent write my essay company . For students who need help with refining their introduction writing skills, reading a UKWritings review can offer valuable insights into the reputation and reliability of this paper writing service. In this post, we'll explore some key tips and strategies to help you write a compelling and effective introduction for your essays.

Understand the Purpose of an Introduction

Before we dive into the specifics, it's essential to understand the primary purpose of an essay introduction. An introduction serves three main functions:

• Hook the reader: The introduction should pique the reader's interest, making them want to read further.
• Provide background information: It should provide context and background information necessary for the reader to understand the topic and the essay's main argument.
• State the thesis: The introduction should clearly present the essay's main argument or thesis statement.

Start With a Compelling Hook

The first few sentences of your introduction are crucial in capturing the reader's attention. You want to start with a compelling hook that piques their interest and makes them want to continue reading. Here are some effective ways to begin your introduction:

• Startling fact or statistic : Presenting a surprising or thought-provoking fact or statistic related to your topic can immediately grab the reader's attention. Example: "Every year, over 8 million tons of plastic end up in our oceans, posing a serious threat to marine life."
• Rhetorical question: Asking a thought-provoking question that relates to your topic can engage the reader and make them think about the issue. Example: "Have you ever wondered how our reliance on single-use plastics is impacting the environment?"
• Quotation : Using a relevant quotation from a respected source can add credibility and intrigue to your introduction. Example: "As Jane Goodall famously said, 'What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.'"
• Anecdote or personal story : A brief, relevant anecdote or personal story can help the reader connect with your topic on a more personal level. Example: "When I was a child, I remember being fascinated by the vibrant colors and intricate patterns of the coral reefs during a family vacation to the Great Barrier Reef."

Set the Context and Provide Background Information

After capturing the reader's attention with a compelling hook, your introduction should provide essential background information and context to help the reader understand the topic and its significance. This background information should be concise and relevant, setting the stage for your main argument without delving too deeply into details.

When providing background information, consider:

• Historical context: If your topic has a historical aspect, briefly explain the relevant historical events or circumstances.
• Definitions: Define any key terms or concepts that the reader might not be familiar with.
• Scope: Clarify the scope of your essay and the specific aspect or angle you'll be exploring.
• Significance: Explain why your topic is important or relevant and why the reader should care.

Example: "Plastic pollution has become a major environmental concern in recent decades. As our reliance on single-use plastics has increased, so too has the amount of plastic waste ending up in our oceans, landfills, and natural environments. This plastic pollution not only poses a threat to marine life but also has far-reaching consequences for human health and the planet's ecosystems."

State Your Thesis Statement

The thesis statement is the backbone of your essay, and it should be clearly stated in the introduction. Your thesis statement should concisely summarize the main argument or central idea of your essay. It should be specific, focused, and debatable, providing a clear roadmap for the rest of your essay.

When writing your thesis statement, consider:

• Main argument: What is the main point or argument you'll be making in your essay?
• Scope: What specific aspect or angle of the topic will you be focusing on?
• Significance: Why is your argument important or relevant?

Example: "Therefore, it is crucial that we take immediate and decisive action to reduce our reliance on single-use plastics and implement effective strategies to combat plastic pollution in our oceans and natural environments."

Structure and Transitions

While the content of your introduction is essential, the structure and flow are equally important. A well-organized introduction should have a logical progression, guiding the reader smoothly from the hook to the background information and finally to the thesis statement.

To achieve a cohesive structure, use appropriate transitions and signpost words to connect your ideas and guide the reader through your introduction. For example, you could use phrases like "In recent years," "Moreover," "Additionally," or "Therefore" to link your sentences and ideas together.

Example: "In recent years, plastic pollution has become a major environmental concern. Moreover, as our reliance on single-use plastics has increased, so too has the amount of plastic waste ending up in our oceans, landfills, and natural environments. Additionally, this plastic pollution not only poses a threat to marine life but also has far-reaching consequences for human health and the planet's ecosystems. Therefore, it is crucial that we take immediate and decisive action to reduce our reliance on single-use plastics and implement effective strategies to combat plastic pollution in our oceans and natural environments."

Length and Placement

While there is no strict rule on the length of an introduction, a general guideline is to keep it between 10-20% of the total word count of your essay. This ensures that your introduction is substantial enough to provide the necessary background and context without being too long or overwhelming.

It's also important to note that the introduction should be placed at the beginning of your essay, serving as the first section before the body paragraphs and conclusion.

Revise and Refine

Writing a strong introduction is an iterative process, and it's essential to revise and refine your introduction as you write and revise your essay. As you develop your ideas and arguments, you may need to adjust or refine your introduction to better align with the content and direction of your essay.

Don't be afraid to revise your introduction multiple times until you're satisfied that it accurately reflects the focus, tone, and main argument of your essay.

A well-written introduction is the key to capturing your reader's attention and setting the stage for a compelling and persuasive essay. By following these tips and strategies, you can create an introduction that hooks the reader, provides essential context, and clearly states your thesis statement. Remember to start with a compelling hook, provide relevant background information, create a focused thesis statement, maintain a logical structure, and revise and refine your introduction as needed. With a strong introduction in place, you'll be well on your way to writing a successful and impactful essay.

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How to Write a Compelling College Essay Introduction? + [Examples]

EssayEdge > Blog > How to Write a Compelling College Essay Introduction? + [Examples]

This article provides simple yet effective guidance on how to write a college essay introduction. You’ll learn what makes a great introduction and how it should be structured.

Additionally, it offers some examples of successful introductions and do’s and don’ts that will help ensure your intro “wows” the admissions officers and sets the stage for the rest of the essay.

A general rule to follow is this: Move your most compelling experience to the forefront and structure your essay around it.

Table of Contents:

What Makes a Great First Paragraph of an Essay?

The main components of a compelling introduction for a college essay include:

• An attention-grabbing first sentence that hooks the reader.
• A vivid yet short story that illustrates your insights and contains effective sensory information.
• An insightful pivot that serves as a bridge between the life experience you describe and the part where you elucidate the lessons you have learned about yourself, your growth, and the impact of the experience on your personality.

Here’s a Great Outline to Follow:

I. Introduction A. Attention-Grabber B. Personal Connection C. Purpose Statement D. Thesis Statement

How to Start a College Essay [With Examples & Explanations]

1. begin with an attention-grabber.

The opening sentence of your essay should function as a “ hook ,” capturing the reader’s attention and enticing them to continue reading. This sentence should offer intriguing details, pique the reader’s curiosity, or differentiate itself from the rest of the essay in some way.

These are the four most effective ways to do it:

• By Including an Anecdote or a Personal Story: A short personal insight or experience that relates to the broader theme of the essay and highlights your qualities. Example: “I quickly ran through my speech in my mind. While I waited to present, my hands shook from nervousness, and my entire body began to break out in a cold sweat. As I looked out at my fellow student senators of the Judiciary Committee, I forced myself to take a deep breath. Then I launched into talking about my proposed bill.” Why It Works: In this college essay intro, the author describes a relatable and high-stakes situation – giving a speech in front of peers – that immediately draws the reader in. It also reveals the author’s vulnerability, helping the reader connect with them personally and showing their determination and willingness to take on challenges.
• By Posing a Rhetorical Question: A question that makes a point rather than elicits a direct answer. It can also be used to emphasize a particular idea. Example: “Who would have ever imagined how far I would come from the days when I was just a quiet little boy with a humiliating speech disorder?” Why It Works: This question highlights the author’s personal growth and transformation, contrasting their past struggles with their present-day accomplishments. Additionally, it creates a sense of curiosity and anticipation, encouraging the reader to continue reading to learn more about the author’s story.
• By Making a Bold Statement: A b, assertive declaration that often challenges conventional thinking or presents a unique perspective. Example: “I hate to admit it, but I have been doing ballet for the past 10 years, and I am not very good at it.” Why It Works: By admitting their weakness or lack of skill in ballet, the author demonstrates vulnerability and humility, establishing a connection with the reader. The statement also suggests that the author is being honest and genuine about their abilities rather than trying to present themselves in an overly positive way. This helps build trust with the reader and makes the essay more credible and interesting to read.
• By Adding an Immersive Description: A descriptive scene that allows the reader to fully immerse into a specific moment or setting relevant to your essay. Example: “That’s another worm burner,’ my grandfather remarked, a smile creeping across his face as my fairway shot skipped, low and angrily, in the general direction of the hole. I looked down at where the ball had been; I had hit the top of the ball, a fluke that causes a speedy, low, and wimpy shot.” Why It Works: This immersive description uses vivid sensory details to transport the reader to the golf play scene and create a clear picture in their mind. The phrase “worm burner” is a colorful and memorable way to describe the type of shot the author hit, and the description of the shot skipping “low and angrily” helps to convey a sense of movement and emotion. The author’s action of looking down at where the ball had been and noticing that they hit the top of the ball adds a layer of self-reflection and analysis to the scene, making it more engaging for the reader.

2. Establish a Connection

And what better way to do it than through sharing a brief insight into your background or interests that relate to the story you’re about to tell?

Example: “I am who I am today because of what came after the split: my step-parents. Because I met them at such a young age, my step-parents influenced my personality just as much as my biological parents. In fact, people often tell me that I am ‘just like my dad,’ referring to my step-dad, or that I act ‘just like my mom,’ referring to my step-mom.”

Why It Works: In this example, the author shares a personal experience of growing up with step-parents and how it has shaped their personality. They also describe how people often comment on their similarities to their step-parents, which suggests a close and meaningful relationship. Such a personal connection will undoubtedly resonate with readers who have experienced significant life changes.

3. State the Purpose of Your Essay

In this part of your college essay starters, the committee will expect you to clearly explain why you’re writing this essay and what you want them to take away from it.

Example: “After three years’ of study in the U.S., I’ve decided to apply to Harvard Business School to pursue my dream of achieving high-quality college education to be competent and effective in the world of business.”

Why It Works: This statement clearly outlines the author’s goal of pursuing a college education to become competent in the world of business. The rest of the paragraph provides background for this goal, emphasizing their motivation and determination to move forward.

4. Present the Main Argument or Thesis Statement

This part of your introduction provides a roadmap for the reader. To be successful, it should succinctly summarize the central point you will argue or support throughout the rest of your essay.

Example: “It did not take me long to make up my mind – I wanted to pursue this path in college.”

Why It Works: This statement is clear, focused, and demonstrates the author’s potential for success in college – attributes committees often seek in applicants.

Expert tip: Include specific, descriptive adjectives in your introduction. This will help paint a detailed image in the admissions officer’s mind and make your writing more memorable.

Do’s and Dont’s of How to Start Your College Essay

Here are a few basic do’s and don’ts to help you write a b college admission essay that wins the committee’s hearts from the very first paragraph.

• Keep It Brief Ideally, limit your introduction to 80-150 words long or up to 20% of the word count of the entire college essay.
• Use Natural Language and Be Honest The admissions officers want to read your unique, authentic voice . Therefore, try to use language that feels natural and reflects your personality. Additionally, be honest in your writing, and only make assertions you can support with evidence. Example: “First, I have b leadership and entrepreneurial skills. My mom is a businesswoman, and she owns four companies in China. When I was a middle school student, she brought me to listen to the Harvard University MBA lesson. Even though I was just a child, I listened and learned how to manage my time, how to collect the necessary resources to reach a goal, how to set up a goal, and how to achieve it. I bring that knowledge with me, and I act more maturely than my peers. When I was a freshman in high school, I was a class monitor and secretary of the Committee X. When I went to college, I became a CFO of Company X. We earned $500K from that, which we donated to local homeless women.”
• Write It Last While the introduction appears at the beginning of the essay, writing it first is not always a good idea. If you find the introduction challenging or experience writer’s block, consider writing the rest of the essay first. Later, it will be much easier for you to return to the introduction and add a captivating yet relevant hook.
• Proofread Your Essay It’s especially important for the introductory part as it provides the first impression to the admissions officer. Any mistake in grammar, spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and use of vocabulary in the introduction would be similar to showing up late for an interview for a job and in ragged jeans. Not the kind of impression you want to make, right? Therefore, proofreading your introduction multiple times before sending it off is a definite must.

Here are some tips to make sure your introduction for college essay is mistake-free:

• Use Grammarly’s spell-checker tool.
• Ask your English teacher or friend to review your writing.
• Highlight all the necessary sentences in your introduction and eliminate those that will not alter the effectiveness of your introduction once omitted.
• Don’t Use Predictable Introductory Techniques The purpose of your introduction is to catch the attention of the admissions officer among the pool of other candidates’ works they have read. This means you must avoid vague sentences, cliches, and formulaic essay writing at all costs. Examples: “The obstacles I’ve experienced have played a significant role in shaping my identity and character.” “In my essay, I will tell you about…” Rather than that, try to be as imaginative as possible to tell your story in a different way, and the hard work will pay off. Example: “I’d like a cheeseburger,’ I stuttered as my friends and I approached the counter of our local Golden Arches franchise. ‘Except minus the burger and extra lettuce, please.’ While the person behind the counter at least tried to hide the look of disbelief, my friends openly questioned my sanity. This automatically launched me into explaining the reasons behind my pescetarian diet, which I enthusiastically described like a docent explaining a masterpiece to museum visitors. I believe that my diet is the culmination of my values and experiences, representing the impetus of who I am. It represents my values of compassion and ethics; it represents my courage to support non-conventional beliefs; and, most importantly, it represents my love for the environment and passion for sustainability.”
• Don’t Use Multi-Syllable Vocabulary Words Of course, you can include a few advanced words in your writing to impress the admissions officers. However, make sure not to overdo it. Otherwise, your introduction will not only sound unnatural but might also have adverse effects. Remember, the admissions officers want to read your unique, authentic voice in the first place. Examples : spectacular, conscientious, donnybrook, etc.
• Don’t Overwhelm Your Reader with Details or Irrelevant Data Your introduction should be clear, concise, focused, and relevant to the topic. Therefore, avoid including unnecessary or irrelevant information that doesn’t contribute to your main argument. Instead, stick to the essentials and make every word count. Summarizing your accomplishments, experiences, or qualifications will also do no good.

Handling Sensitive or Controversial Topics in a Personal Essay

Writing on a topic that’s too controversial or sensitive is always tricky, especially when it comes to college admissions. “Yes, I know that. But how should I start my college essay if it needs to address a topic I’d prefer to avoid?” you might ask.

First and foremost, try to take an honest look at that situation and turn it around so that it’s relatable and demonstrates your growth trajectory. Tell it in the kindest, most authentic way you can. Couple this with how this particular institution would fit that trajectory, and you’re halfway to success!

Another trick when writing about potentially sensitive topics is to be more general about the sensational parts (e.g., describing someone’s illness, injury, or disability). In other words, just provide enough information for the reader to understand what you are talking about, but don’t go into too much detail.

Example: “I grew up in a household where the term ’failure’ was defined as an opportunity to try again. Up until a week ago, this definition was simple for me to uphold. Whenever I failed, I was able to pinpoint where I went wrong and improve until I reached my goal. Then, on September 10, 2023, I received a call from my leader, James, who explained that my nine-month-old Golden Retriever, Toronto, was being career-changed due to anxiety issues stemming from a disability. This meant that he could never be a service dog and, instead, would be put up for adoption.”

A compelling college essay introduction is key to making your candidacy stand out, so there’s a lot of pressure to get it right. However, with proper preparation, creativity, genuineness, and truthfulness, you’ll nail the task!

Write straight into the emotional center of admissions officers, including vivid details that touch upon anything from sight to touch.

Write toward vulnerability. Open up. Share your feelings, thoughts, and opinions, and you’ll definitely make the admissions officer interested in what you have to say.

For more details on how to start a college essay, you can refer to the EssayEdge blog.

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The writer of the academic essay aims to persuade readers of an idea based on evidence. The beginning of the essay is a crucial first step in this process. In order to engage readers and establish your authority, the beginning of your essay has to accomplish certain business. Your beginning should introduce the essay, focus it, and orient readers.

Introduce the Essay.  The beginning lets your readers know what the essay is about, the  topic . The essay's topic does not exist in a vacuum, however; part of letting readers know what your essay is about means establishing the essay's  context , the frame within which you will approach your topic. For instance, in an essay about the First Amendment guarantee of freedom of speech, the context may be a particular legal theory about the speech right; it may be historical information concerning the writing of the amendment; it may be a contemporary dispute over flag burning; or it may be a question raised by the text itself. The point here is that, in establishing the essay's context, you are also limiting your topic. That is, you are framing an approach to your topic that necessarily eliminates other approaches. Thus, when you determine your context, you simultaneously narrow your topic and take a big step toward focusing your essay. Here's an example.

The paragraph goes on. But as you can see, Chopin's novel (the topic) is introduced in the context of the critical and moral controversy its publication engendered.

Focus the Essay.  Beyond introducing your topic, your beginning must also let readers know what the central issue is. What question or problem will you be thinking about? You can pose a question that will lead to your idea (in which case, your idea will be the answer to your question), or you can make a thesis statement. Or you can do both: you can ask a question and immediately suggest the answer that your essay will argue. Here's an example from an essay about Memorial Hall.

The fullness of your idea will not emerge until your conclusion, but your beginning must clearly indicate the direction your idea will take, must set your essay on that road. And whether you focus your essay by posing a question, stating a thesis, or combining these approaches, by the end of your beginning, readers should know what you're writing about, and  why —and why they might want to read on.

Orient Readers.  Orienting readers, locating them in your discussion, means providing information and explanations wherever necessary for your readers' understanding. Orienting is important throughout your essay, but it is crucial in the beginning. Readers who don't have the information they need to follow your discussion will get lost and quit reading. (Your teachers, of course, will trudge on.) Supplying the necessary information to orient your readers may be as simple as answering the journalist's questions of who, what, where, when, how, and why. It may mean providing a brief overview of events or a summary of the text you'll be analyzing. If the source text is brief, such as the First Amendment, you might just quote it. If the text is well known, your summary, for most audiences, won't need to be more than an identifying phrase or two:

Often, however, you will want to summarize your source more fully so that readers can follow your analysis of it.

Questions of Length and Order.  How long should the beginning be? The length should be proportionate to the length and complexity of the whole essay. For instance, if you're writing a five-page essay analyzing a single text, your beginning should be brief, no more than one or two paragraphs. On the other hand, it may take a couple of pages to set up a ten-page essay.

Does the business of the beginning have to be addressed in a particular order? No, but the order should be logical. Usually, for instance, the question or statement that focuses the essay comes at the end of the beginning, where it serves as the jumping-off point for the middle, or main body, of the essay. Topic and context are often intertwined, but the context may be established before the particular topic is introduced. In other words, the order in which you accomplish the business of the beginning is flexible and should be determined by your purpose.

Opening Strategies.  There is still the further question of how to start. What makes a good opening? You can start with specific facts and information, a keynote quotation, a question, an anecdote, or an image. But whatever sort of opening you choose, it should be directly related to your focus. A snappy quotation that doesn't help establish the context for your essay or that later plays no part in your thinking will only mislead readers and blur your focus. Be as direct and specific as you can be. This means you should avoid two types of openings:

• The history-of-the-world (or long-distance) opening, which aims to establish a context for the essay by getting a long running start: "Ever since the dawn of civilized life, societies have struggled to reconcile the need for change with the need for order." What are we talking about here, political revolution or a new brand of soft drink? Get to it.
• The funnel opening (a variation on the same theme), which starts with something broad and general and "funnels" its way down to a specific topic. If your essay is an argument about state-mandated prayer in public schools, don't start by generalizing about religion; start with the specific topic at hand.

Remember.  After working your way through the whole draft, testing your thinking against the evidence, perhaps changing direction or modifying the idea you started with, go back to your beginning and make sure it still provides a clear focus for the essay. Then clarify and sharpen your focus as needed. Clear, direct beginnings rarely present themselves ready-made; they must be written, and rewritten, into the sort of sharp-eyed clarity that engages readers and establishes your authority.

Copyright 1999, Patricia Kain, for the Writing Center at Harvard University

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Writing Prompt: Parent or Student of the Year

Posted on: 12-7-2012 by: Brian Wasko

Write a letter nominating one of your parents (or both) for a prestigious Parent of the Year award. Or, if you prefer, you may instead nominate a friend or sibling for the Student of the Year award. The letter will be read by a committee who will make its decision based on what you write.

The purpose of this assignment is to persuade . Do your best to convince the committee that your candidate is the best around. Think carefully about the points you want to make and provide details and examples to help support your case.

There’s no single right way to do this, but a tried and true method is the three-part paper: introduction — body — conclusion.

Use the first paragraph, the introduction, to grab the reader’s interest and to state your main idea (which will be something like, “Sally Smith should win the award for Parent of the Year.”)

The body of your paper is all the paragraphs between the introduction and the conclusion. The body will contain the reasons you believe your nominee should win the award . Come up with at least three good reasons and write about each of them in a separate paragraph. We call these reasons supporting points . A good supporting point for why Sally Smith should be Parent of the Year might be that she is exceptionally patient. So, one paragraph in the body of the paper would be about how patient she is. You’ll have to explain why you think she’s patient, of course, so the paragraph should talk about at least one or two situations that reveal her patience — like the time you dropped the Thanksgiving turkey on the carpet, and she didn’t kill you, for example. Do this for each supporting point — one paragraph per point.

Wrap up your paper with a concluding paragraph. Don’t add any new reasons for giving the award to your candidate in the final paragraph. Just use that paragraph to summarize. Don’t repeat the exact words you’ve already used; say the same thing a different way (for example: “Sally Smith is the best mom ever and deserves this award.”). A great conclusion also leaves the reader with something to remember.

This strategy for writing a persuasive essay works just about all the time. Keep this organization plan in mind as you write.

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Categories:   Writing Assignments/Prompts Tags:   essay , parent of the year , persuasive , persuasive writing , student of the year , writing assignment , writing prompt

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Brian Wasko Brian is the founder and president of WriteAtHome.com. One of his passions is to teach young people how to write better. View all posts by Brian Wasko

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8th Grade Essay: Examples, Topics, & Writing Tips

If you find yourself on this page, you are probably going to another level of your education – the final year of Middle school!

Isn’t it exciting?

One of the most common assignments in the 8th grade is an essay. Indeed, it gains new features. An eighth-grade essay is not the same as the sixth or seventh-grade one. It has more requirements and needs a deeper level of analysis.

How to write an 8th-grade essay? How many paragraphs should it contain? What is a standard 8th-grade essay format? On this page, you’ll find the answers to these and other questions that might arise. We’ve prepared creative 8th-grade essay topics, examples, and tips to write an A+ informative, narrative, or persuasive essay.

• 🧩 8th Grade Essay 101
• 📑 8th-Grade Essay Types
• 💾 Topics for the 8 th -Graders

🍎 8th Grade Essay Examples

🧩 8th-grade essay format explained.

Once again: the 8th-grade essay format is a bit different from that of the previous years.

Below, we thoroughly explain how long an 8th-grade essay should be and how to write it. We guarantee you’ll have no questions about the format and assessment of this type of work.

What Is the 8 th Grade Essay Format?

In this section, you’ll know which parts comprise any 8th-grade essay.

The first thing to remember: you’ve got onto an entirely new level. So, your writing isn’t as simple and short as it used to be in the previous school years.

Let’s start with the structure. The fundamental parts are the same as in any type of essay:

8th Grade Essay: How to Write & Typical Mistakes

With the help of this section, you’ll get to know the most straightforward and helpful tips for 8th-grade essay writing.

These are the things that any 8th grader should know!

8 th Grade Essay Do’s

• Look for reliable sources to find arguments and evidence.
• Try to arouse eagerness for writing: it surely will ease the whole process for you.
• Choose the topic that is interesting for you if you have such an option.
• Use academic language, special terms, consistent phrases, and correct grammar.
• Use good quotations from reputable sources to solidify your ideas.

8 th Grade Essay Don’ts

• Don’t write dully: an essay is a story. It should be exciting and consistent.
• Don’t make all your examples too similar: diversity is of the essence.
• Don’t let your text look like an unreadable pile of words: use graphic tools to highlight the most critical points.
• Don’t use unreliable sources and websites for citation.
• Don’t be afraid of honest self-expression. Your identity and thoughts are what make your 8th-grade essay unique.
• Don’t forget to revise your text after you’ve finished writing it.

8th Grade Essay Rubric

Meet the assessment strategies for 8th-grade writing. Here you’ll also find some prompts that improve your essay and lead you to a higher score.

So, the assessment pattern of a written piece comprises several main points. These are the things that assessors pay attention to:

📑 Eighth Grade Essay Types

We suppose that you come across different types of assignments during middle school. Among them, there indeed were descriptive and narrative essays.

However, now you are to face other exciting formats of writing. In the section below, you’ll get to know a few new types.

8th Grade Argumentative Essay

An argumentative essay is a piece of writing where you make a claim and prove your point of view with solid arguments. Your aim at this point is to make readers nod in contempt while reading and share your opinion.

The structure may be pretty familiar to you:

In your argumentative essay, you should back up your opinion with some exact data: statistics, figures, research studies, and polls.

To solidify your claim, you can use three types of arguments:

• Aristotelian . The classical way – you make a statement and try to persuade the audience that it is the one that is fair and right.
• Rogerian . First, you display an issue, then present the opposing view. After that, reveal your own opinion and start convincing readers why they should take up your point.
• Toulmin . Present your thesis statement, then provide the audience with the grounds to support it. The final touch is to connect these parts.

PRO TIP: Explain why you disagree with the opposing point of view on your issue.

8th Grade Persuasive Essay

A persuasive essay is very similar to argumentative writing. There you have to pick up a mainly burning issue and establish a firm opinion towards it. The primary goal is the same as in the argumentative essay: to make your readers believe you.

Remember the three essentials of persuasive writing:

• Logos appeals to logic, which is apparent. Deliver your thoughts cohesively and reasonably.
• Ethos is about persuading the readers, appealing to their sense of ethics and morality.
• Pathos helps you convince through emotions.

8th Grade Essay – Informative

An expository essay brings concepts to complete understanding. In other words, you explain something to give a clue about the subject in question. Successful expository writing makes the audience get the whole picture, leaving no questions or misunderstandings.

To familiarize yourself with expository essay structure, check our recently updated guide on writing an expository essay .

And briefly look at six major types of expository essays:

💾 8th Grade Essay Topics

8th grade argumentative essay topics.

• What is the main challenge you’ve ever met?
• What was the happiest moment of your childhood?
• Tell about the accomplishment you’re most proud of.
• What are the personal qualities you like most?
• Write about an inspiring celebrity.
• What does emotional intelligence mean?
• Write about the largest challenge of getting older.
• How is adolescence different from childhood?

Read the list of topics we’ve prepared for an 8th-grade essay. Choose your favorite or use our Free Essay Topics Generator to find the best one.

Persuasive Essay Topics for 8th Grade

• Would limited screen time be beneficial for health?
• Will the global use of electric vehicles save us from the ecological crisis?
• The government should provide citizens with more qualified psychological help.
• What are the pros and cons of buying a pet for a child?
• Should people use paper and textile bags instead of plastic ones?
• Is it necessary to attend PE classes in school?
• Is it ethical to use smartphones during the lesson?
• Should parents forbid their children from watching TikTok?
• Pros and cons of cheating on exams: immoral or beneficial?
• Should there be only healthy snack vending machines at schools?
• Is it acceptable for a teacher to raise the voice at a student?
• Should modern rappers’ songs be put through censorship?
• Is it ethical for students to discuss their teachers?
• Should all cosmetic products become cruelty-free?
• Should we stop the overconsumption of sugar for the sake of our health?
• Should zoos and circuses be banned forever?

8th Grade Informative Essay Topics

• Compare and contrast the environmental policies of the USA and Europe.
• What are the harmful effects of CO 2 emissions on the environment?
• How is the concept of freedom reflected in 20th-century literature?
• Reveal the details of the famous friendship of Hemingway and Fitzgerald.
• Brush off or fight: how to act when you come across bullying at school?
• What are the most significant challenges school attendees usually face?
• How to overcome your fears without getting traumatized?
• How to prepare for the exam period and overcome anxiety?
• Freedom or despair: the history and concept of trailer parks in the USA.
• Explain the concept of sustainability and what benefits it has.
• Provide a classification of American lifestyles based on location.
• A reasonable person: describe the concept and the features.

Look at our 8th grade essay examples. These are mostly just excerpts, but we included the most significant parts. Approach us in case you need a similar paper or have any questions.

8th Grade Argumentative Essay Example (#1)

The most notorious substance in the ecological discourse: is CO 2 really that bad?

Did you know that it’s better for the earth if you work out or jog with your mouth tightly shut? It’s not common knowledge, but professionals know: we need a considerable amount of CO 2 in our blood. In some terms, it’s even more vital than oxygen. Undoubtedly, there has to be a proper balance, and here is the point: CO 2 can be beneficial.

Though what good does it make to nature and the environment?

It’s all the same as with our body: CO 2 is not evil on earth, but there must be a proper balance. Now, this balance is critical, and we must make serious efforts to change the situation.

• According to last year’s research, the USA is in the second place among countries producing the most significant part of CO 2 in the whole world. The website statista.com published striking figures. 4.57 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions were produced in 2020 by the energy consumption sphere in the United States.
• Besides, a recently published report from the IEA agency reveals another piece of statistics. Compared to the previous year, the amount of CO 2 emissions will rise to 5% in 2021. This year we’re facing 33 billion tons of this greenhouse gas.
• These figures mean nothing without context. Here you are: nature suffers greatly from CO 2 influence. Due to the greenhouse effect caused by an excess of CO 2 , the water temperature in oceans and seas is rising. This process is not positive at all because the natural habitat for sea creatures is altering. The changes are dramatic and lead to the extinction of many species.

In conclusion, we need to find an efficient way to improve the ecological situation regarding CO 2 emissions. The key is global social and individual awareness and consciousness. Each and every inhabitant of the Earth has to understand the meaning of CO 2 for global warming clearly. So, try to jog with your lips closed and choose a bike instead of a car.

Example #2: 8th Grade Persuasive Essay

Is it essential to stay away from social media for the sake of mental health?

Nielsen Company conducted research that says that the average US adult spends more than 10 hours interacting with social media each day. Indeed, social media plays a very considerable role in the life of a modern person. Most of us are more likely to spend time watching short videos than reading a good book. But is it harmful to our mental health to the extent that we have to quit using social media platforms?

To my mind, we are greatly dependent on our Instagram and TikTok accounts, and the content posted there. It certainly has a negative impact, too. However, the complete cancellation of social media is not a way out. The key to good mental condition is in the skill of managing your relations with them.

• One of the recent surveys by the Lancet reports that Facebook users who scroll the newsfeed before sleep tend to be more depressed. Apparently, the deprivation of sleep affects mental well-being to a great extent.
• FInancesOnline has recently posted the results of the research. According to this data, Facebook constitutes 72% of people’s FOMO and anxiety. Posts about traveling and active social life create most of these feelings.
• At the same time, healthy rivalry can motivate development and growth. There’s a reasonable quotation saying that one should compare themselves yesterday instead of comparing to others. The best thing one can do to take care of their mental health is to take a digital detox for a while.

Thus, it is vital to trace your obsessions with social media and negative feelings caused by comparison with others on the Internet. Try to get more aware of it, take your time to rest from social media, and plunge into real life.

5 Paragraph Essay Example for 8th Grade (#3)

The Financier and American Tragedy : compare and contrast two main characters of Dreiser’s novels.

Do you know that Theodore Dreiser is sometimes called an American Fyodor Dostoevsky? Both writers touched upon the most sensitive social and existential issues. However, the subject of this paper is not the comparison of the authors but two famous Dreiser characters: Clyde Griffiths and Frank Cowperwood.

Both of these young American men were striving to reach financial and social success in a world of brutal struggle and hardships.

• Clyde Griffiths represents the desperate strive for American Dream. Born in a poor and religious family, he grows greedy for money and status. In his blind obsession with gaining a high social position, he doesn’t notice his spiritual degradation. He is smart enough to struggle his way into high society but not so witty to solidify his standing with decent means. He cheats, lies, and finally commits a murder: Clyde seems to be already born guilty at times. On reading the story, there doesn’t appear any sympathy toward him. On the contrary, he provokes feelings of abomination and disgust.
• Frank Cowperwood also aims to become wealthy and socially firm. He wants to improve his family’s life quality. Still, his ways and means astonish. Frank is a natural-born predator and strategist. His sophistication and sharp wit show up in him since his very childhood. He isn’t a man of high moral standards: Frank doesn’t mind cheating on his wife and manipulating city treasure money. However, he’s a passionate man, honest and open in his heart urges and impulses. That is the reason why fortune favors him.

However, having similar goals but different personalities and mindsets, Griffiths and Cowperwood reach completely different destination points.

How to Write an Essay in 8th Grade?

– You should pick up a good topic and formulate your attitude to the problem. – Write an outline. – Make a clear and brief thesis statement. – Think of at least 3 firm arguments if the essay type demands it. – Impress your readers with a firm conclusion. Voila! Do not forget to proofread!

How Long Is an Essay in 8th Grade?

The length of the 8th-grade essay slightly depends on the format and the particular type of writing. However, it varies from approximately 500 to 800 words. Within this framework, you have to make yourself clear and deliver all necessary points.

How Many Sentences Are in a Paragraph for 8th Grade?

The size of a paragraph in the 8th-grade essay has to be not less than 8 sentences in each. Besides that, mind that the sentences are primarily compound or complex, error-free, and coherent. Also, remember to connect the sentences and paragraphs with particular language means.

How to Write an Argumentative Essay in 8th Grade?

Choose an exciting and acute topic. Make up a thesis statement out of the problem. Draft an outline or a brief plan. Explore some reliable sources for the evidence and arguments for your essay. Organize the facts and information into a cohesive structure.

I’m an 8th grade student at a private school, and my teacher assigns us up to 4-6 pages most to write. First of all we get other essays on top of this, and usually have nearly to a week to finish. Me and my classmates struggle with this. Do you guys think this is too much for an average 8th grade student?

i am writin apaper right now and it is averreding and its about the changes we woud make to our cafeteria it has to be 5 paragraphs long

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Student Of The Year - Free Essay Examples and Topic Ideas

Student of the Year is a Bollywood coming-of-age drama film that follows a group of high school students who compete for the prestigious title of Student of the Year. The story revolves around three characters, Rohan, Abhi, and Shanaya, who forge friendships, make enemies, and fall in love while navigating through the challenges of youth and adolescence. The movie explores themes of ambition, competition, and friendship, and features glamorous sets, catchy music, and stunning dance sequences. Student of the Year is a delightful watch for viewers looking for an entertaining and light-hearted movie.

• 📘 Free essay examples for your ideas about Student Of The Year
• 🏆 Best Essay Topics on Student Of The Year
• ⚡ Simple & Student Of The Year Easy Topics
• 🎓 Good Research Topics about Student Of The Year
• 📖 Essay guide on Student Of The Year
• ❓ Questions and Answers

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• An Overview of the Student Years at Palm Beach Central High School
• Analysis of the current working of Emirates National School
• Challenges Faced by the Graduating College Students of OMSC
• Depicting a Record High Average Student Loan Rate
• Effect Size and Classroom Management
• Effects of the Social Networking Sites to the Study Habits of the 4th year High School Students
• Great Experience as an Intern
• Hand Hygiene and Bacterial Hand Contamination in Medical Sciences Students
• I am a second year student at The University of Chicago double
• Interventions in order to increase the National Achievement Test of 4th Year Students of Malabon National High School
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• A Personal Letter from a Student to a Teacher on School and Future Plans

How to Write Essay On Student Of The Year

Writing an essay on Student of the Year is a good way to get your students to think about what it means to be a good student. It’s a great way to remind them that they are not alone in their struggles, and it provides them with a sense of community.

If aspiring to claim the coveted title of Student of the Year within your university, harness the power of excellence through StudyMoose’s exceptional essay writing service. With a commitment to providing insightful, meticulously crafted academic papers, StudyMoose equips you with the means to stand out in your academic journey. By leveraging their comprehensive resources and expertly written essays, you can elevate your understanding of various subjects, enhance your critical thinking skills, and ultimately position yourself as a distinguished candidate for the esteemed accolade of Student of the Year.

Here are some tips for writing essays on Student of the Year:

• Choose your own topic: You can write about any aspect of this movie that interests you, including the main characters and their relationships with each other; the plot; or even how the film represents social issues such as bullying or school violence. The possibilities are endless!
• Use examples from the movie: This will help your readers understand exactly what you’re talking about when referring to these characters or events. It will also give them something concrete with which they can engage while reading your essay.
• Remember that this is an opinion piece: You should focus more on explaining why you liked or disliked certain aspects of this movie rather than just listing them out without explanation. Your readers want insight into why you feel this way rather than just a list of facts or opinions without much context behind them.

What is Student Of The Year Essay?

Student Of The Year Essay is an essay that is written on a student’s achievements. It is usually written by the student themselves and submitted to their teacher or principal at the end of the year. The essay can be about anything, but it must contain information about the student’s academic achievements and extracurricular activities.

10 ways to be a great student

10 Tips On How To Become Top Student

• Make a plan
• Follow the plan
• Make time for study
• Keep up with your work
• Study in a comfortable environment
• Study when you feel fresh and alert
• Make notes as you read or listen to the teacher
• Do not forget to revise your notes regularly
• Listen carefully in class, don’t be afraid to ask questions if you don’t understand something
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it

The basics of being a good student

How Long Should a College Essay Be?

A college essay is the most important part of your application package, so it’s important to know how long it should be. The average college essay length is between 500 and 650 words, but you may be able to get away with shorter or longer depending on the school’s guidelines. While this answer will depend on the specific requirements of the school, there are some general rules of thumb that can help you decide how long yours should be.

• If you’re applying to a school that has specific word counts for essays, follow their guidelines. If not, here are some general guidelines:
• If you’re applying to a school that requires 1,000 words minimum and no maximum (like Princeton) then 500 words will do just fine!
• A good rule of thumb is that if your essay starts feeling too short or too long then it might be time to reevaluate its content and length.

Tips On How to Pick a College Essay Topic

Choosing a topic for your college essay can be a daunting task. The best advice is to keep it simple and personal. If you’re having trouble coming up with ideas, here are some tips:

• Pick something you’re interested in, or something that has a personal connection for you.
• Don’t pick an overly broad topic like “education” or “the environment.” These topics will likely lead to an unfocused essay that lacks direction and detail.
• Don’t pick something too narrow or specific (like “my high school graduation”) if you’re trying to show off your creativity and range of interests—it’s better to choose something more open-ended like “my favorite memory,” which might lead to a story about your first day at school, or a summer vacation with family members who have since passed away, etcetera!

10 ways to be a good student

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Student Life Essay

500 words essay on student life.

Student life is one of the most memorable phases of a person’s life. The phase of student life builds the foundation of our life. In student life, we do not just learn from books. We learn to grow emotionally, physically, philosophically as well as socially. Thus, in this student life essay, we will learn its essence and importance.

The Essence of Student Life Essay

Student life is meant to help us learn discipline and study. Despite that, life is quite enjoyable. The struggle is low in student life. One must get up early in the morning to get ready for school or college.

Similarly, rushing to the bus stop is very exciting during student life. The mothers constantly remind us to hurry up and not be late. It is no less than a mantra for all mothers.

In addition, there are other exciting moments in student life. We sometimes forget to complete our homework and then pretend to find the notebook when the teacher asks for it.

With the examination time around the corner, the fun stops for a while but not long. One of the most exciting things about student life is getting to go on picnics and trips with your friends.

You get to enjoy yourself and have a  lot of fun. Even waiting for the exam result with friends becomes fun. The essence of student life lies in the little things like getting curious about your friend’s marks, getting jealous if they score more, and so on.

The excitement for games period or learning about a new teacher. While student life teaches us discipline, it also gives us a lot of fun. It is a memorable time in everyone’s life.

Importance of Student Life

Student life is a vital part of everyone’s life. The future of the students and the country depends on how we are as students. Thus, getting the right guidance is essential. Student life builds the foundation for our life.

Thus, if your foundation is strong, the building will be a strong one too. However, a weak foundation cannot make a building stand. In other words, student life helps us embrace human qualities.

People don’t realize how lucky and privileged one is to even get a student life. Many children dream of having it but never get one. Thus, if one gets to attain education, one must make the most of it.

Student life won’t always be filled with happiness but it will be worthwhile. It helps us grow in the path of life and acquire qualities such as honesty, patience, perseverance, and more.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Conclusion of Student Life Essay

All in all, student life is no less than perfect. Even though it has many ups and downs, it is all worth it in the end. Our student life determines a lot of things in our lives later on. Therefore, we must strive to be good students not just academically but also in other aspects. It is like a backbone to have a successful life later on.

FAQ of Student Life Essay

Question 1: What is the essence of student life?

Answer 1: Student life’s essence lies in the little things such as getting ready for school early in the morning or running late. It also lies in the positive attitude that we develop due to good discipline.

Question 2: Why is student life important?

Answer 2: We call the student life ‘golden life’ as students learn many essential things. The period of student life brings joy and happiness to our lives and builds a strong foundation. It also determines our successful life.

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How to Write an Introduction Paragraph: Examples and Guide

There are times when an introduction predicts what your entire essay will say—it’s essentially a reflection. If done successfully, it grabs the reader’s attention and entices them to read further into the essay. As a writer, I know the importance of a strong and engaging introduction, and with practice, I have excelled in the art of writing a good intro. Here’s how you can write a compelling introduction with examples.

The Purpose of the Introduction Paragraph

A good introduction serves as a roadmap for your essay, setting the stage for what is to come. Its primary purpose is to grab the reader’s attention, provide necessary background information, and clearly state the main argument or thesis of the essay. By doing so, it helps the reader transition from their own world into the context of your analysis, making them interested in reading further. A well-written introduction also outlines the structure of the essay, ensuring that the reader knows what to expect in the body paragraphs. This initial section is crucial for making a strong first impression, establishing the tone, and demonstrating the quality and direction of your work. A good introduction paragraph should be able to:

Engage the Reader: Capture interest with an intriguing opening sentence or a compelling story.

Provide Context: Offer background information needed to understand the topic.

State the Thesis: Clearly present your main argument or thesis statement.

Outline the Structure: Briefly mention the main points or sections covered in the essay.

Establish Relevance: Explain why the topic is important and worth discussing.

Set the Tone: Establish the style and tone of your writing.

Write an Introduction Paragraph

An introduction paragraph sets the tone for your entire essay, shaping your reader's expectations and mood. It's like the gateway to your ideas - a good one hooks the reader, compelling them to continue, while a weak introduction might make them lose interest before they've even begun. That's why learning how to start an introduction paragraph for an essay is crucial for students and writers alike.

With tools like WPS Office at your fingertips, you're not just getting a word processor, but an AI assistant to guide you through the entire journey of crafting that perfect opening. In fact, I'll be using WPS Office for this tutorial to demonstrate its features. So, let's dive in and explore how to write an essay introduction step by step:

The hook is the opening sentence or a few sentences of an essay designed to grab the reader's attention and entice them to keep reading. It serves to engage the reader by presenting something intriguing, surprising, or relevant to the essay's topic.

The main purpose of the hook is to spark the reader's interest and make them want to read more. It's the first impression the reader gets, so it needs to be compelling and relevant to the essay's subject.

1.Start with a Surprising Fact or Statistic: Begin with an interesting or shocking fact that relates to your topic. This immediately grabs the reader's attention.

Bad Example: "Drunk driving is a serious issue."

Good Example: "Every year, over 1.25 million people die in car accidents, many of which are caused by drunk driving."

2.Use a Quote: Introduce your essay with a relevant quote that encapsulates your main point.

Bad Example: "Drunk driving is defined as driving while impaired by alcohol."

Good Example: “At eighteen, Michelle had a lifetime of promise in front of her. Attending college on a track scholarship, she was earning good grades and making lots of friends. Then one night her life was forever altered…”

3.Pose a Rhetorical Question: Ask a question that provokes thought and engages the reader.

Bad Example: "Have you ever driven a car?"

Good Example: "What if every time you got behind the wheel, you risked not only your life but the lives of others?"

4.Tell an Anecdote or Story: Share a brief, compelling story that relates to your topic.

Bad Example: "I once heard a story about a drunk driver."

Good Example: "At eighteen, Michelle had a lifetime of promise in front of her. Attending college on a track scholarship, she was earning good grades and making lots of friends. Then one night her life was forever altered..."

If you need ideas to help you improve on the hook for your introduction, consider providing WPS AI with a prompt such as:

"Write an introduction on the topic 'Risks of Driving Intoxicated' and provide four individual hooks: one with a surprising fact, one using a quote, one with rhetorical questions, and one through telling an anecdote."

WPS AI will produce a catchy hook statement that you can use for your introduction, such as:

Background Information

Background information provides the reader with the necessary context to understand the essay's topic. This may include historical, geographical, or social context, definitions of key terms, or an outline of the debate surrounding the topic.

The background helps to bridge the gap between the hook and the thesis statement. It gives the reader the context they need to understand the main argument of the essay and why it's important.

1.Provide Context: Explain the broader context of your topic to show its significance.

Bad Example: "Drunk driving is bad."

Good Example: "Michelle's story is not isolated. Each year, over 1.25 million people die in car accidents, many of which are caused by drunk driving."

2.Introduce Key Terms and Concepts: Define any terms or concepts that are crucial to understanding your thesis.

Bad Example: "Drunk driving is when you drink alcohol and drive."

Good Example: "Drunk driving, legally defined as operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08% or higher, is a preventable cause of many fatalities."

3.Set Up the Problem: Briefly discuss the scope of the issue or debate you will be addressing.

Bad Example: "People drive drunk sometimes."

Good Example: "Despite strict laws, drunk driving continues to be a significant problem worldwide, leading to devastating consequences for victims and their families."

To give an effective and detailed background information in your introduction consider proving WPS AI with a prompt like this:

“This serves as the background to my introduction: 'People frequently choose to drive under the influence of alcohol.' Please enhance it to address the problem and discuss its scope."

WPS AI will produce a detailed background passage for your introduction, give as:

Thesis Statement

The thesis statement is a concise summary of the main point or claim of the essay. It usually appears at the end of the introduction and states the essay's central argument or position.

The thesis statement guides the direction of the essay by informing the reader what the essay will argue or discuss. It sets the tone and focus of the entire paper.

1.Be Clear and Specific: Clearly state your main point and how you will support it.

Bad Example: "This essay will talk about drunk driving."

Good Example: "Drunk driving laws need to include stricter penalties for those convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol to reduce accidents and save lives."

2.Make an Argument: Present a claim that requires evidence and can be debated.

Bad Example: "Drunk driving is bad and should be stopped."

Good Example: "Implementing harsher penalties for drunk driving will deter offenders and significantly decrease the number of alcohol-related accidents."

3.Outline Your Main Points: Indicate the main points you will cover in your essay to support your thesis.

Bad Example: "I will discuss the problems with drunk driving."

Good Example: "Stricter penalties are necessary because they act as a deterrent, they can prevent repeat offenses, and they provide justice for victims."

You can take help from WPS AI to extract the thesis statement of your essay using the WPS AI chat box.

Step 1: Click on the WPS AI widget at the top corner of the WPS Writer interface.

Step 2: The WPS AI pane will open on the right side of the screen. Type in your prompt to extract the thesis statement of your essay and then paste the essay.

Here is a prompt example that you can use:

"Extract the thesis statement from the following essay:"

Step 3: WPS AI will provide the thesis statement. To refine it further, engage with the WPS AI chatbot by asking more questions or queries.

The summary or road map briefly outlines how the essay will be structured. It provides a preview of the main points that will be covered, giving the reader a sense of the direction of the argument.

1.Summarize Main Points: Briefly mention the key arguments or points you will discuss in your essay.

Bad Example: "I will talk about drunk driving laws, penalties, and justice."

Good Example: "This essay will first examine the current state of drunk driving laws, then explore the impact of stricter penalties on reducing incidents, and finally discuss how these penalties can bring justice to victims."

2.Be Concise: Keep it short and to the point, providing a clear outline without going into too much detail.

Bad Example: "I will write about drunk driving and why it is bad."

Good Example: "By examining the effectiveness of current laws, the potential benefits of stricter penalties, and the importance of justice for victims, this essay argues that harsher punishments for drunk driving are essential."

“Write a concise summary for the introduction of an essay on the topic "Risks of Driving Intoxicated." The summary should briefly mention the key points that will be covered in the essay, without going into too much detail."

The summary should briefly outline the main points covered in the essay, emphasizing the societal impact, legal ramifications, and personal consequences of driving under the influence. Ensure clarity and coherence, setting the stage for a comprehensive exploration of the topic in the subsequent sections.

Examples of Different Essays

Essays come in various forms, each serving a unique purpose and following specific structures. Understanding these different types can help you write an essay introduction more effectively. Let's explore three common types of essays: Argumentative, Expository, and Literary. Each example below demonstrates the key elements of its respective essay type, including the hook, background information, and thesis statement.

Argumentary

An argumentative essay aims to present a position on a topic and support it with evidence.

An expository essay explains a topic in a clear and concise manner without arguing a specific position.

A literary essay analyzes and interprets a work of literature, focusing on elements such as theme, character, or style.

More Examples of Different Topics

Let's take a look at some sample introductions of essays in different disciplines. This will further help you in writing an effective essay introduction.

Example #1 Medicine

Example #2 literature, example #3 social sciences, example #4 engineering, example #5 business & marketing, using wps ai to perfect your introduction.

With WPS Office, you have access to a comprehensive suite of tools designed to support your academic writing needs. Its AI-powered features enhance your writing process, from initial drafting to final proofreading. Specifically, WPS Office AI will help perfect your introduction, ensuring it captures attention and sets the stage for your paper. Plus, WPS Office is available for free, making it an accessible and indispensable resource for students and academics alike.

1.Check the Grammar and Syntax

Your introduction sets the tone for your entire essay, so it's crucial that it's grammatically correct and free from syntax errors. WPS AI careful checks for any grammatical mistakes and syntax issues, ensuring that your introduction is polished and professional. It provides suggestions for corrections, helping you present a clear and error-free first impression.

2.Rewrite Your Statement for Clarity

WPS AI can improve the clarity and coherence of your introduction by rewriting complex or awkwardly phrased sentences. It identifies areas where your writing may be ambiguous or convoluted and offers alternative phrasing that enhances readability. This feature ensures that your introduction is clear, concise, and compelling.

3.Automatically Expand Content

When you need to elaborate on a point or expand your introduction, WPS AI can automatically generate additional content. This feature helps you add relevant information that aligns with your essay's theme and tone. It’s particularly useful for developing a strong hook, providing context, or setting up your thesis statement.

4.Give an Outline for Your Paper

Writing a strong introduction often involves giving your readers a brief outline of what to expect in your essay. WPS AI can assist in structuring your introduction to include a concise overview of your main points, providing a roadmap for your readers. This feature ensures that your introduction effectively sets the stage for the rest of your essay. Here is an example of an outline generated using WPS AI Writer for an essay:

If you find this outline suitable for your essay, simply scroll down and click on "Insert" to use the outline for your essay.

1. What is the structure of an essay?

An essay is divided into three main parts:

Introduction: This section introduces the topic and presents the main idea (thesis). It provides some background information and outlines what the essay will discuss.

Body: The body forms the essay's core, where you develop arguments to support your thesis. It is organized into several paragraphs, each presenting a distinct point backed by evidence.

Conclusion: The conclusion summarizes the main points covered in the essay and strengthens the thesis statement. It wraps up the discussion and may offer final insights or suggestions.

2. Why do I need a thesis statement?

A thesis statement plays a crucial role in academic essays and research papers by presenting the central argument or idea to be explored and developed. Here are several key reasons why a thesis statement is essential:

It provides clear direction and focus for your writing.

It summarizes your main argument for the reader.

It maintains clarity and coherence throughout the essay.

It serves as the foundational basis for structuring the entire essay.

3. How long should the introduction paragraph be?

The introduction paragraph for a research paper typically spans one to two paragraphs. As a general rule, the entire introduction section—which includes the opening paragraph, literature review, and research questions—should constitute approximately 10% to 15% of the paper's total length. This structure allows for a comprehensive yet concise setup of your research topic, providing readers with the necessary context before delving into the main body of your work.

Beyond the Hook: Building a Strong Introduction Paragraph

Writing an introduction is perhaps the most thought-provoking and critical task in crafting any assignment. With the myriad features offered by WPS Office, you can effortlessly create a phenomenal essay introduction. WPS AI enhances this process with tools that ensure clarity, coherence, and creativity. Whether it's organizing your thoughts or refining your language, WPS Office empowers you to craft introductions that captivate readers from the start. Download WPS Office today and experience firsthand how it transforms your writing process into a seamless and impactful journey.

• 1. 10 Best Self Introduction Template PPT: To Write Great Introductions
• 2. How to Use Transitions to Start a Paragraph [Tips with Examples]
• 3. How can we change the spacing before and after a paragraph in WPS Writer
• 4. How to remove paragraph marks in WPS Writer
• 5. How to replace "space” with "paragraph mark”
• 6. Show or hide format marks and paragraph layout buttons

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Welcome to Turnitin’s new website for guidance!

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Hong Kong DSE: 8 elite schools produce 10 top students in university entrance exams – as it happened

• Culmination of hours of hard work for the 49,026 candidates in this year’s Diploma of Secondary Education exams

Secondary school pupils across Hong Kong received their results on Wednesday for this year’s university entrance exams.

There was a wave of relief for the 18,392 pupils, or 37.5 per cent, who met the general entrance requirements set by these universities. But they will still be waiting to see whether they have obtained the about 12,000 publicly funded undergraduate places for DSE students via Jupas.

The 10 students who obtained perfect scores in this year’s DSE exams came from eight elite schools.

Eight of them were “super” top scorers as they scored perfect grades in all subjects and an extended maths module: Wong Shue-hei and Au Yeung Cheung-wai from St Paul’s Co-educational College; Yip Shiu-yuen from King’s College; Lau Hok-yau from Ying Wa Girls’ School; Ander Liu Chun-cheung from St Joseph’s College; Chung Pak-lun from La Salle College; Titus Kwong Wang-chit from Pui Ching Middle School; and Jonathan Chan Yiu-sang from Diosecan Boys’ School.

The remaining two top scorers, Josh Chan Chak-fung from La Salle College and Jenny Iu Chun-yi from Hong Kong Chinese Women’s Club College, did not sit the extended modules.

This year’s cohort was also the first to sit exams for the new citizenship and social development core subject, which replaced liberal studies. Pupils will receive a grade of either “attained” or “unattained”.

Authorities said on Tuesday 93.7 per cent of day-school students and private candidates passed the course, slightly higher than the pass rate for liberal studies last year.

More from our coverage of DSE results day:

Reporting by William Yiu, Emily Tsang, Kelly Fung, Tom Shuai, Vivian Miu, Kathryn Giordano, Joanne Yau, Alice Kong, Crystal Wu, James Modesto, Eric Jiang, Kamun Lai and Yijing Shen.

Highlighting the Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) course

Ever wondered how you can enrol in the Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) course? Dianne Whittle has all the answers and information for you to excel in your career!

Written by Dianne Whittle

I began studying a Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology) with the aim to transfer to a Bachelor of Psychology (Honours), working my way towards practising as a Psychologist.

The requirements to enter the Honours program are a completed three- or four-year bachelor’s degree in the health or science disciplines, and a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 5.0.

Towards the end of my final year of study I applied through the Charles Sturt Interact 2 site to transfer to the Honours program.

The Psychology faculty holds an interactive tutorial in your final year about Honours and study progression in Psychology. I’d recommend attending. 

You can also email the Psychology faculty for guidance or advice, or to ask questions. They have infinite patience.

Honours is full-time (1 year) or part-time (2 years). I did mine part-time and during my first year I completed two subjects per semester including psychological assessment, psychological interventions, contemporary topics in psychology, and counselling.

I finally felt that after years of the heavy and general theory subjects I was beginning to learn and apply the practical skills I would need to practice as a Psychologist.  

The prospect of your thesis in second year is new and daunting. It involves designing your own research project, developing a research proposal, applying to ethics for approval, conducting your own research, analysing the data and, of course, writing the paper.

A couple of weeks before the semester starts students are provided with a list of supervisors and subject topics.

Some supervisors have firm projects in mind, some involve continued research on projects already in progress, others are open to discussing a topic that interests you.

This is where you can start reading up on supervisors and their research papers, and email supervisors to discuss your ideas.

Some supervisors are external from Charles Sturt, others are Charles Sturt lecturers you may know. You submit your ten choices and then Charles Sturt allocates projects and supervisors.

Doing your own research project is a great way to get an idea how research is done, albeit in a much shorter time frame than how research is usually conducted.

It’s a great opportunity to study a topic that interests you and engage in deeper research. It’s demanding but not as intensive as the study you may be used to.

You’ll receive great support from Charles Sturt during your thesis. There are regular tutorials and resources to help you with every aspect of your research proposal, ethics application and research project, and ‘assessments’ that correspond with important times in your project which are designed to keep you on track and up to date.

This ensures you don’t leave everything till the last minute and fall into a blind panic at the end. Your supervisor also guides and supports you every step of the way.

I love the self-paced learning and researching a subject that I love. My supervisor is great to work with and it’s good to learn from someone with so much experience in Psychology and research.

It’s a tough, full-on year but it’s rewarding. For more information, click here .

Want to hear another student voice?

How i prepare for online study, further reading.

Week 1 Essentials

Move out Harvard, Charles Sturt offers Law!

An introduction to essay writing as a first-year student

What are intensive schools?

How to reference like a pro

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Breaking news, emotional prince harry delivers powerful pat tillman award speech at 2024 espys despite backlash: ‘we will leave no one behind’.

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A visibly emotional Prince Harry formally accepted the Pat Tillman Award for Service at Thursday night’s ESPYs after days of outcry over the honor — including from Tillman’s own mother.

The Duke of Sussex, 39, was introduced by veterans and past Tillman Award winners and Invictus athletes Marine Sgt. Kirstie Ennis, Army Sgt. Elizabeth Marks and US Air Force Master Sgt. Israel Del Toro Jr, for his work with the Invictus Games, which he founded in 2014 and provides athletic and healing opportunities to wounded veterans from around the world.

“I stand here not as Prince Harry, Pat Tillman Award recipient, but rather a voice on behalf of the Invictus Games Foundation and the thousands of veterans and service personnel from over 20 nations who have made the Invictus Games a reality,” said the father of two, who quit royal life in 2020. “This award belongs to them, not to me.”

He attended the star-studded ceremony in Los Angeles with wife Meghan Markle, 42, a close friend of this year’s ESPYs host, tennis legend Serena Williams.

Despite Harry’s best efforts to drown out the noise over the controversy, ESPN’s announcement didn’t sit right with many, including Pat Tillman’s mother Mary, who slammed the sports network and  claimed she was never consulted  about the decision to give the award to such a “controversial and divisive individual.”

He reportedly considered declining the award ahead of the ceremony.

But ESPN defended its decision  to honor the royal, saying his co-founding the Invictus Games and continued work as a  patron of the organization  “is a cause worth celebrating.”

During his speech, Harry acknowledged Mary Tillman, who was in the audience.

“The bond between a mother and son is eternal and transcends even the greatest losses,” he said, appearing to reference the 1997 death of his own mother, Princess Diana, when he was just 12 years old.

Later in his speech, the prince explained that the word “invictus” comes from Latin for “undefeated,” and was made famous by poet Ernest Henley in a poem beloved by South African leader Nelson Mandela.

“Like that poem, the spirit of the Invictus Games transcends race, times and borders,” Harry said, noting that thousands of veterans from 20 countries have participated with his foundation.

“This year we’re celebrating 10 years of witnessing life-changing impact and healing through sport,” he said, to applause.

Another common Latin phrase known in the military translates to “leave no one behind,” and is particularly known among the Army Rangers, with whom Pat Tillman served.

“I have no doubt Pat Tillman and his comrades lived by those words. It is fitting that I end with them and make a promise from all of us at the Invictus Foundation: we are here for you. We will leave no one behind,” Harry concluded.

Harry’s appearance comes as he was reportedly left “stunned” and “quite sad” over the backlash following ESPN’s decision to honor him.

The father of two, who quit royal life in 2020, was handed the coveted award for his military experience and work on the Invictus Games.

Earlier in the evening, the royals were given a shout-out welcome from Williams.

“Prince Harry and Meghan are here. Let’s give it up for them,” Williams said to loud applause.

“But please, Harry and Meghan, try not to breathe too much tonight — because this is my night and I don’t want to be overshadowed by accusations you are taking up too much oxygen,” the tennis star quipped.

Sgt. Del Toro had said earlier this year that the Prince was a worthy recipient of the award.

The award is handed out to individuals who have made significant contributions in the world, which echo the legacy of Tillman, who gave up his NFL career to enlist in the armed forces after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Tillman, a former safety for the Arizona Cardinals,  served in Iraq and then Afghanistan  before he was killed by friendly fire in 2004.

He was posthumously awarded the  Silver Star  and  Purple Heart  for his service.

Harry, for his part, launched the Invictus Games in 2014 as multi-sport Paralympic-styled games for wounded or injured servicemen and veterans.

In addition, he served in the British armed forces for 10 years, including two tours of duty in Afghanistan as an Apache helicopter pilot and a forward air controller.

Elsewhere, former NFL safety Steve Gleason received the esteemed Arthur Ashe Award for Courage.

Gleason played a total of seven seasons with the New Orleans Saints from 2000 to 2006 before hanging up his cleats in 2008.

The retired athlete was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, in 2011.

University of South Carolina basketball coach Dawn Staley received The Jimmy V Award for Perseverance.

The awards show was delayed by half an hour after President Joe Biden delivered a live press conference an hour later than scheduled, angering many sports fans .

In January, Harry  received the Living Legends of Aviation award , handed to him by host John Travolta.

The younger son of King Charles was subsequently inducted into the Living Legends of Aviation Hall of Fame.

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Guest Essay

Something Big Just Happened in Kenya

By Carey Baraka

Mr. Baraka is a writer based in Nairobi, Kenya.

President William Ruto knows he’s in trouble. A few weeks ago Mr. Ruto was barricaded inside his official compound in Nairobi, Kenya, while thousands of young Kenyans marched on the streets. Since then, nationwide protests that started over a potential tax hike on basic goods and services have evolved into something much bigger: a demand for Mr. Ruto’s ouster — and an end to a culture in which Kenya’s political class enriches itself at the expense of the social and economic needs of its citizens.

From the start, this movement felt different from other protests. Most of the demonstrators were part of the country’s young majority, spreading information about where and when to show up on TikTok, Instagram and WhatsApp. No central political figure or unifying political party stood behind the crowds, and no common ideology united them beyond anger at the government’s plan to increase taxes while social services collapsed, public university fees soared and an unemployment crisis deepened. Even as the street action has faded, more Kenyans are now openly following graft cases on social media, circulating excerpts from the constitution and calling and texting legislators.

This marks a seismic shift in a nation where young people have been accused of political apathy. During general elections in 2022, most young Kenyans didn’t even register to vote. Now, for the first time since the country adopted a new constitution in 2010, the country’s youth are a critical part of a movement in which people are risking their lives to fight for the democratic gains they have been promised. It is clear Mr. Ruto senses his tenure is in danger; on Thursday he sacked all but one of his cabinet secretaries , bowing to public pressure.

Mr. Ruto is a protégé of Daniel arap Moi, the dictator who ruled Kenya between 1978 and 2002. From the beginning of his political career, Mr. Ruto appeared to share his mentor’s disregard for democracy. Some of his early political work involved organizing teams of university students to work for Mr. Moi during their school holidays; he later helped disrupt opposition rallies during the 1992 elections, Kenya’s first multiparty voting in decades.

When Mr. Moi left office, Mr. Ruto became a key member of the opposition, slowly building up his reputation for a presidential run. In 2007 he sought his party’s nomination for the presidency but lost in the primaries. Waves of violence erupted in Kenya after those polls, killing more than 1,200 people and displacing 600,000 from their homes. Mr. Ruto was one of six Kenyans indicted by the International Criminal Court in 2011, on charges that he had a role in the violence, which he has denied. He was accused of “murder, deportation or forcible transfer of population and persecution.”

Since then, Mr. Ruto has fought the democratic reforms that millions of Kenyans support. In 2010 he opposed the country’s new constitution, which sought to reform the political structure that enabled Mr. Moi’s dictatorship, give rights to people who had previously been disenfranchised, introduce new laws to prevent graft by government officials and prevent those with criminal convictions from assuming political office.

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• Press Release

New Relic Releases ESG Impact Report for Fiscal Year 2024

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New Relic , the intelligent observability platform, published its third annual environmental, social, and governance (ESG) Impact Report . The report highlights the company’s progress in executing its ESG strategy amidst its continued growth and transformation. New Relic has made strides across various initiatives, including a notable expansion of the New Relic for Students program, which concluded the year with more than 1,400 students.

“Our commitment to ESG principles is integral to our desire to build performant software and a better world, and we share these principles with a growing number of leading enterprises we work with on a daily basis,” said New Relic CEO Ashan Willy . “I am incredibly proud of our team's achievements and remain committed to fostering a technology ecosystem that grows ethically and sustainably.”

Key achievements in fiscal year 2024 include:

Driving environmental sustainability 

• Moved out of data centers and into the public cloud : New Relic completed its migration to more energy-efficient cloud technologies with Amazon Web Services (AWS) Graviton processors; and implemented other operational changes that will help reduce carbon emissions and energy use. 
• 100% renewable energy use : In FY24, New Relic achieved 100% renewable energy use in all of its offices through the purchase of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) and Energy Attribute Certificates (EACs). 
• Scope 3 emission offsets : The company offset 100% of its scope 3 employee work-from-home electricity consumption through the purchase of EACs. 
• Scope 1 emission offsets : New Relic offset 100% of its scope 1 emissions by purchasing carbon removal credits from Trees for Global Benefits.

Strengthening our security

• Adoption of CIS 18 controls: New Relic adopted the CIS 18 Controls Framework, a comprehensive set of best practices for securing IT systems and data. This framework allows New Relic to better measure the maturity of its security posture, prioritize improvements, and proactively mitigate emerging threats.

Empowering our employees

• Disability inclusion training : The company launched new disability inclusion training sessions aimed at equipping managers with essential knowledge and skills needed to support Relics with disabilities. These sessions cover crucial areas like performance management, ensuring confidentiality, facilitating accommodation requests, and recognizing barriers.

Expanding access to technology 

• Democratization of New Relic to developers : Overall the company has reached nearly 620,000 lifetime free tier users and continues its commitment to ensuring all developers have access to making observability part of their developer toolkit.
• Support for nonprofit organizations : New Relic provides eligible nonprofit organizations with three standard users and a terabyte of Data Plus per month at no charge, facilitating greater access to powerful observability tools. 
• Support for students : The New Relic for Students program continues to grow, with over 1,400 students accessing  essential observability tools. 

To learn more about our approach to ESG, please visit the New Relic website . Read more about our journey to reduce carbon emissions here .

About New Relic

As a leader in observability, New Relic empowers engineers with a data-driven approach to planning, building, deploying, and running great software. New Relic delivers the only unified data platform that empowers engineers to get all telemetry—metrics, events, logs, and traces—paired with powerful full stack analysis tools to help engineers do their best work with data, not opinions. Delivered through the industry’s first usage-based consumption pricing that’s intuitive and predictable, New Relic gives engineers more value for the money by helping improve planning cycle times, change failure rates, release frequency, and mean time to resolution. This helps the world’s leading brands including adidas Runtastic, American Red Cross, Australia Post, Banco Inter, Chegg, GoTo Group, Ryanair, Sainsbury’s, Signify Health, TopGolf, and World Fuel Services (WFS) improve uptime, reliability, and operational efficiency to deliver exceptional customer experiences that fuel innovation and growth.  www.newrelic.com .

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World of 1898: International Perspectives on the Spanish American War

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• The Changing of the Guard: Puerto Rico in 1898
• The Spanish-American War of 1898: a Spanish View
• American Perspective
• Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy
• Russell Alexander Alger
• Thomas McArthur Anderson
• Basilio Augustin y Dávila
• Ramón Auñón y Villalón
• Román Baldorioty de Castro
• José Celso Barbosa
• Clara Barton
• Segismundo Bermejo
• Ramón Emeterio Betances
• Ramón Blanco y Erenas
• Andrés Bonifacio
• John Rutter Brooke
• Jules-Martin Cambon
• Pascual Cervera y Topete
• Grover Cleveland
• Stephen Crane
• George W. Davis
• Federico Degetau y González
• George Dewey
• José de Diego
• Manuel V. Domenech
• Enrique Dupuy de Lôme
• Oswald Herbert Ernst
• Maximo Gómez Baez
• John Milton Hay
• Guy Vernon Henry
• Eugenio María de Hostos y Bonilla
• Tulio Larrinaga
• Fitzhugh Lee
• William Ludlow
• Antonio Maceo
• Manuel Macías
• William McKinley
• Nelson Appleton Miles
• Luis Muñoz Rivera
• Whitelaw Reid
• Lola Rodríguez de Tió
• Manuel Rojas
• Theodore Roosevelt
• Práxedes Mateo Sagasta
• William T. Sampson
• Juan Manuel Sánchez y Gutiérrez de Castro
• Theodore Schwan
• William Shafter
• Martín Travieso
• Joaquín Vara de Rey y Rubio
• James Franklin Wade
• Richard Wainwright
• Valeriano Weyler
• Walt Whitman
• Henry H. Whitney
• James Harrison Wilson
• Coamo and Aibonito
• Mayagüez, Hormigueros, and Arecibo
• Cienfuegos Bay
• Abolition of Slavery in Puerto Rico
• American Ships in the Spanish-American War
• Balzac v. Porto Rico
• Foraker Act (Organic Act of 1900)
• Grito de Balintawak
• Grito de Lares
• Hurricane San Ciriaco
• Anti-Imperialist League
• Military Government in Puerto Rico
• Olmsted Amendment
• Peace Agreement in Puerto Rico
• Reconcentration Policy
• Rough Riders
• Spanish Ships in the Spanish-American War
• Teller and Platt Amendments
• Treaty of Paris of 1898
• U.S.S. Gloucester
• Additional Resources
• Acknowledgements

Guide Editor: María Daniela Thurber, Reference Librarian, Hispanic Reading Room, Latin American, Caribbean, and European Division

Content Authors: Please visit the Acknowledgement page for information on all authors and contributors to the original The World of 1898: The Spanish-American War web project.

Note: This guide is adapted from The World of 1898: The Spanish-American War , the first online collection mounted on the web by the Hispanic Reading Room.

Created: Spring 2022

Last Updated: February 28, 2023

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The war of the United States with Spain was very brief. Its results were many, startling, and of world-wide meaning. --Henry Cabot Lodge

On April 25, 1898 the United States declared war on Spain following the sinking of the Battleship Maine in Havana harbor on February 15, 1898. The war ended with the signing of the Treaty of Paris on December 10, 1898. As a result, Spain lost its control over the remains of its overseas empire -- Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippines Islands, Guam, and other islands.

Beginning in 1492, Spain was the first European nation to sail westward across the Atlantic Ocean, explore, and colonize the Amerindian nations of the Western Hemisphere. At its greatest extent, the empire that resulted from this exploration extended from Virginia on the eastern coast of the United States south to Tierra del Fuego at the tip of South America excluding Brazil and westward to California and Alaska. Across the Pacific, it included the Philippines and other island groups. By 1825 much of this empire had fallen into other hands and in that year, Spain acknowledged the independence of its possessions in the present-day United States (then under Mexican control) and south to the tip of South America. The only remnants that remained in the empire in the Western Hemisphere were Cuba and Puerto Rico and across the Pacific in Philippines Islands, and the Carolina, Marshall, and Mariana Islands (including Guam) in Micronesia.

Kurz & Allison. Destruction of the U.S. battleship Maine in Havana Harbor Feby 15th. Havana, Cuba, ca. 1898. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

A view of our battleship MAINE as she appears today. Havana Harbor, ca. 1900. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

Raising of battleship Maine. Havana, Cuba. 1911. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

Following its declaration of war against Spain issued on April 25, 1898, the United States added the Teller Amendment asserting that it would not attempt to exercise hegemony over Cuba. Two days later Commodore George Dewey sailed from Hong Kong with Emilio Aguinaldo on board. Fighting began in the Phillipines Islands at the Battle of Manila Bay on May 1 where Commodore George Dewey reportedly exclaimed, "You may fire when ready, Gridley," and the Spanish fleet under Rear Admiral Patricio Montojo was destroyed. However, Dewey did not have enough manpower to capture Manila so Aguinaldo's guerrillas maintained their operations until 15,000 U.S. troops arrived at the end of July. On the way, the cruiser Charleston stopped at Guam and accepted its surrender from its Spanish governor who was unaware his nation was at war. Although a peace protocol was signed by the two belligerents on August 12, Commodore Dewey and Maj. Gen. Wesley Merritt, leader of the army troops, assaulted Manila the very next day, unaware that peace had been declared.

In late April, Andrew Summers Rowan made contact with Cuban General Calixto García who supplied him with maps, intelligence, and a core of rebel officers to coordinate U.S. efforts on the island. The U.S. North Atlantic Squadron left Key West for Cuba on April 22 following the frightening news that the Spanish home fleet commanded by Admiral Pascual Cervera had left Cadiz and entered Santiago, having slipped by U.S. ships commanded by William T. Sampson and Winfield Scott Schley. They arrived in Cuba in late May.

War actually began for the U.S. in Cuba in June when the Marines captured Guantánamo Bay and 17,000 troops landed at Siboney and Daiquirí, east of Santiago de Cuba, the second largest city on the island. At that time Spanish troops stationed on the island included 150,000 regulars and 40,000 irregulars and volunteers while rebels inside Cuba numbered as many as 50,000. Total U.S. army strength at the time totalled 26,000, requiring the passage of the Mobilization Act of April 22 that allowed for an army of at first 125,000 volunteers (later increased to 200,000) and a regular army of 65,000. On June 22, U.S. troops landed at Daiquiri where they were joined by Calixto García and about 5,000 revolutionaries.

U.S. troops attacked the San Juan heights on July 1, 1898. Dismounted troopers, including the African-American Ninth and Tenth cavalries and the Rough Riders commanded by Lt. Col. Theodore Roosevelt went up against Kettle Hill while the forces led by Brigadier General Jacob Kent charged up San Juan Hill and pushed Spanish troops further inland while inflicting 1,700 casualties. While U.S. commanders were deciding on a further course of action, Admiral Cervera left port only to be defeated by Schley. On July 16, the Spaniards agreed to the unconditional surrender of the 23,500 troops around the city. A few days later, Major General Nelson Miles sailed from Guantánamo to Puerto Rico. His forces landed near Ponce and marched to San Juan with virtually no opposition.

Representatives of Spain and the United States signed a peace treaty in Paris on December 10, 1898, which established the independence of Cuba, ceded Puerto Rico and Guam to the United States, and allowed the victorious power to purchase the Philippines Islands from Spain for $20 million. The war had cost the United States $250 million and 3,000 lives, of whom 90% had perished from infectious diseases.

What's included in this guide

This presentation provides resources and documents about the Spanish-American War, the period before the war, and some of the fascinating people who participated in the fighting or commented about it. Information about Cuba, Guam, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Spain, and the United States is provided in chronologies, bibliographies, and a variety of pictorial and textual material from bilingual sources, supplemented by an overview essay about the war and the period. Among the participants and authors featured are such well-known figures as Presidents Grover Cleveland, William McKinley, and Theodore Roosevelt, as well as Admiral George Dewey and author Mark Twain (United States), together with other important figures such as Antonio Maceo and José Martí (Cuba), Román Baldorioty de Castro and Lola Rodríguez de Tió (Puerto Rico), José Rizal and Emilio Aguinaldo (Philippines), and Antonio Cánovas del Castillo and Ramón Blanco (Spain).

Related Research Guides by the Library of Congress

Spanish-American War: A Resource Guide

The Spanish-American War (1898) was a conflict between the U.S. and Spain, ending with the loss of Spain’s overseas empire and the U.S. emerging as a world power. This guide compiles digital material, external websites, and a selected print bibliography.

Spanish American War: Topics in Chronicling America

A guide for researching the topic of the "Spanish American War," which took place from April 25 until December 10,1898, in the Chronicling America digital collection of historic newspapers.

Spain: Hispanic Reading Room Country Guide

This guide provides curated Library of Congress resources for the study of Spain, including digitized primary source materials in a wide variety of formats, books and periodicals, online databases, and tips for searching.

Cuba: Hispanic Reading Room Country Guide

This guide provides curated Library of Congress resources for researching Cuba, including digitized primary source materials in a wide variety of formats, books and periodicals, online databases, and tips for searching.

Philippine-American War: Topics in Chronicling America

After the Treaty of Paris, the Phillippine-American War occurred from February 1899 to July 1902. This guide provides access to materials related to the “Philippine-American War” in the Chronicling America digital collection of historic newspapers.

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• Last Updated: Jan 12, 2024 2:02 AM
• URL: https://guides.loc.gov/world-of-1898

How to Ace Your First Year of Teaching

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When I began this essay in May, there were only 22 days left in the school year. Some were calling it the end of the year, but I called it 22 opportunities to grow as an educator.

Just kidding. I am not that teacher, and this is not that essay.

I am a teacher, though, and now I’ve finished my 10 th year in an 8 th grade classroom in the Philadelphia school district. Back in 2013, I completed my delightful-suburban student teaching and received a delightful-suburban wooden plaque that said “Student Teacher of the Year.” I was convinced I was the next big thing in education. I fantasized about my own TV show: a “Nanny 911”-style show, except with teaching, where I go into struggling classrooms and transform them into education showplaces.

Three months later, I started my actual career in Philadelphia. If I deserved an award, it would have been a yearbook superlative simply saying “worst.” Everything from my classroom culture to my instruction spiraled out of control my first few months, and the reality of having my own classroom in an underresourced community hit me hard. I crashed and burned because I thought I could waltz in from a suburban high school, where entire teams of seemingly well-rested staff members dedicated their resources to ensure every child attends college, and deliver that exact type of lecture-style instruction to 8 th grade children in a school that didn’t even have enough desks.

But now it’s 10 years later, and I’m still here. I’ve turned it around and I want to help you do the same. I’ve worked closely with many student-teachers, graduate students in yearlong mentorship programs, and first-year teachers. All these teachers have used at least some of the practices I’m going to share, and I’ve personally witnessed shifts take place within a month.

Before we get to the good stuff, it must be stated that there’s no monolithic urban classroom. However, most schools that enroll predominantly children of color from low-income families struggle with the same core problem—a lack of adequate resources for students, families, teachers, administrators, and even the building you’ll be walking into. Behavior concerns and lower academic achievement are not the root of the problem. Instead, those are the symptoms of a school’s lack of resources. Once you accept this, you can begin adding to the resources by improving the culture and performance of your classroom.

I’ve turned it around, and I want to help you do the same.

Be prepared to have just four walls, 28 desks, and 34 students all with different strengths and needs. If you’re struggling with classroom management, there won’t be a magical “office” where kids can be sent—just a secretary and a principal trying to figure out how to resolve an overflowing toilet when the school’s only custodian is out sick. There aren’t “assistant principals” running around to break up an escalating argument in your classroom. And there’s probably not even a well-stocked “supply closet.”

The only resource you can truly count on is yourself, and my goal is to help you personally create a welcoming, safe, and educational environment for your first year. Here’s what I’ve learned:

1. Teach with kindness. Teach with kindness and you’re more likely to receive it in return. Treat your students like rational adults, and that’s what they’ll eventually become. A simple “Can you have a seat real quick so I can go over this? Thank you!” is significantly more effective and better for everyone’s mental health (including yours) than barking “Sit down, NOW!”

2. Avoid getting into power struggles . When you “demand” a child do something, they’re either going to ignore you, hate you, start arguing, or most likely, all the above. Give each child a choice. “I need you to sit down or else I won’t be able to give you credit for this assignment.” This shows the truth: “Our teacher technically can’t force us to do anything, but there are consequences, and we get to make a choice about those.”

3. Communicate with families . If you’re anxious about calling, just text them. No matter how “tough” a kid might seem or no matter what you think you know about their home life, almost all of them have someone in their life that they want to make proud.

4. Establish rules and consequences . To this day, I still have three rules: Stay in your seat, keep your hands to yourself, and don’t talk across the classroom. If a rule is broken, have a clear and immediate consequence (incorporating the tip above is easy).

5. Stop yelling. Yelling is just exhausting yourself. I’ve never had a “good scream” in my life nor have I ever thought while being screamed at: “I’m going to work harder now to please this person.”

6. Face your classroom at all times . Whether you’re answering your classroom phone, taking attendance, or helping a student, turn your body to get a clear view of all children at all times.

7. It’s OK to ask your students to wait. If a student needs help, has a concern about their grade, or wants to tell you about their birthday, make sure that your classroom is completely safe and calm before giving students individualized attention. You’ll learn early on that it helps teach students patience and it’s not a human-rights violation to tell your frequent flier students “Ask me again in 10 minutes” when they ask to use the restroom.

8. Don’t stress about your administrators. It’s OK if your administrators don’t always like what you’re doing. You don’t need to wow them—this isn’t a corporate job, and you won’t get fired, especially if you’re in a union. Instead, your relationship with your administrator should be collaborative. Ask their opinion, hear it out, then do what’s best for you.

9. Enjoy yourself. There’s a teaching adage that says “Don’t smile until December.” Smile on the first day of school, and if you can, smile the next day, too. If a kid says something funny, you’re allowed to laugh. Students will match your energy and your mood, and if you create a positive classroom, you’ll feel the impact when you go home and so will they.

Every teacher, child, class, and school is different, but I believe these are universal tips that can help any teacher, even the ones who won’t crash and burn at the start of the year the way I once did. I wish you luck in your journey!

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