The Introductory Paragraph

                The introductory paragraph is the first paragraph of essay. It includes the topic of the essay and arouses the reader’s interest. There are several ways to write an introductory paragraph. In this article, you will learn to write a “funnel Introduction”. A funnel introduction has two parts: several general statements and one thesis statement.

                General statements give the reader background information about the topic of the essay. They should lead your reader gradually from a very general idea of your topic to a very specific idea. The first general statement in a funnel introduction just introduces the topic. Like the lens of a camera moving in for a close-up picture, each sentence that follows becomes more and more focused on a specific topic. There is no exact rule about the number of general statements you need; however, you should try to write at least three or four, and they should be interesting enough to hold the reader’s attention. It is permissible to sprinkle a few interesting details in the general statements in order to attract the reader’s interest. However, you should not give any details that belong in the body of the essay.

                The thesis statement introduces the main idea of the essay.

·         It states the specific topic of the essay.

·         It may list the subtopics of the main topic.

·         It may also mention the method of organization.

·         It is the last sentence of the introduction.

Read the introductory paragraph below. Notice how the sentences gradually move from general topic of technology to specific topic of two areas that have been changed by personal computers. The introductory paragraph resembles funnel, wide at the top (beginning) and narrow at the bottom (end).

"We live in the age of technology every day, new technology appears, ranging from mini-CDs that contain entire encyclopedias of information to giant space telescopes that can send photographs of distant stars back to Earth. Of all the new technological wonders, personal computers have probably had the greatest influence on the daily lives of average people. Through computers, we can now talk to people in any country, research any topic, work, shop, bank, and entertain ourselves. Personal computers have especially revolutionized communication and business practices in the past twenty years."

·         The first two sentences introduce the general topic of technology. The mini-CDs and giant telescopes are mentioned to attract the reader’s interest.

·         The next two sentences narrow the general topic of technology to the specific of personal computer. The details keep the reader interested without revealing the essay contents.

·         The final sentence is the thesis statement. It names the two subtopic or specific areas changed by personal computers; communication and business.

Bibliography

Oshima, Alice and Hogue, Ann. 1997. Introduction to Academic Writing. Second Edition. White Plains, N.Y: Addison Wesley Longman.