Definition:
The opening of an essay or speech, which typically identifies the topic, arouses interest, and prepares the audience for the development of the thesis. See also:
Etymology:
From the Latin, "to bring in"Examples and Observations:
- "In addition to appealing to readers and helping them to anticipate tone and substance, the opening passage can also help readers read by helping them to anticipate the structure of what will follow. In classical rhetoric, this was called the division or partition because it indicates how the piece of writing will be divided in parts."
(Richard Coe, Form and Substance: An Advanced Rhetoric. Wiley, 1981) - Here are a few possible ways to open an essay effectively:
- State your central idea, or thesis, perhaps showing why you care about it.
- Present startling facts about your subject.
- Tell an illustrative anecdote.
- Give background information that will help your reader understand your subject, or see why it is important.
- Begin with an arresting quotation.
- Ask a challenging question. (In your essay, you'll go on to answer it.)
- "In the early morning there is a city of the mind that stretches from coast to coast, from border to border. Its cross streets are the interstate highways, and food, comfort, companionship are served up in its buildings, the truck stops near the exits. Its citizens are all-night drivers, the truckers, and the waitresses at the stops."
(Introduction to "On the Road: A City of the Mind," by Sue Hubbell. Time, June 3, 1985) - "To make the logic of the paper's structure immediately obvious for the reader, the first or introductory paragraph should provide a 'map' or preview of the structure and content of your paper."
(Mario Klarer, An Introduction to Literary Studies. Routledge, 1999)
Pronunciation: in-tre-DUK-shun
Also Known As: opening, introductory paragraph
