Introductions in a Persuasive Argument Paper

Write Good CONTENT for an
Argumentative Essay INTRODUCTION




A good introduction in an argumentative essay acts as a good opening statement in a trial. Just like a lawyer, a writer must present the issue at hand, give background, and put forth the main argument -- all in a logical, intellectual and persuasive way.

Start With a Hook
Start your introduction with a sentence that gets the reader interested in the topic. To pique the reader's interest, you can begin with a quote, a personal story, a surprising statistic or an interesting question. For example, if you are arguing that smoking should be banned from all public places, you can start your introduction by referencing a statistic from a verified source: "Tobacco use kills more than five million people every year -- more than HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria combined, according to the World Health Organization." This strategy grabs the reader's attention while introducing the topic of the essay.  {You can use source content as your HOOK.}

Include Background
Providing readers with background on the topic allows them to better understand the issue being presented. This information provides context and history that can be crucial to explaining and arguing your point. For example, if you are arguing that there should never be a military draft in the United States, your introduction can include information about the history of the U.S. draft and the events that led to it being abolished.  {You cannot use source content in the BACKGROUND.}

State Your Thesis
The thesis is the essence of an argumentative essay. In a single, clear sentence, it sums up what point you are trying to make. The thesis statement should assert a position on a particular issue -- one that a reader can potentially argue against. Therefore, the thesis cannot be a fact. For example, if a professor assigns the general topic of war, you can formulate the following thesis statement: "The United Nations must be redesigned because it is currently incapable of preventing wars." The rest of your essay serves to explain and provide evidence in support of your thesis statement. {You MUST NOT use source content as part or all of your THESIS.}

What to Leave Out
A good introduction should not describe arguments or provide analysis that belongs in the body paragraphs. Your introduction should introduce and set up your point, rather than lay out evidence to support it. Also, while your intro is a road map for the rest of the essay, you shouldn't explicitly announce what and how you will be arguing: "I am going to prove to you that ..." This type of set up does not add any pertinent information and only serves as filler. 







NOTE!!! The example is written in 1st person voice—which is a BIG no-no in academic writing.

All academic writing--especially argument writing--must be in 3rd person voice.

See the Essay Structure links for more assistance with your INTRODUCTION.]




SAMPLE THESIS STATEMENTS

Proposal Argument:

  1. Drug companies who manufacture opioid-based pain killers must take responsibility for the opioid crisis in America by paying for Public Service Announcements (PSAs) to educate the country, using part of the revenue from such medications to pay for free or reduced clinics to assist those addicted, and providing overdose-reversing medications to first responders to help save lives of those who overdose.
  2. To combat the opioid crisis in America, Public Service Announcements (PSAs), public school curriculum about opioid abuse, and overdose prevention medications must be provided to bring awareness and lifesaving precautions to the public.

These sample theses contain the argument as to 'what needs to be done to alleviate the opioid crisis in America,' and they are addressing this issue from the proposed steps for change.  The sentences clearly delineate the progression of argument for the body paragraphs and assert a very precise argument viewpoint.


Ethical Argument:

  1. Christians in America must oppose all genetic modifications in the scientific communities because it unethically engages in murder, idolatry, and coveting.
  2. Americans must oppose embryo genetic modification yet allow free-will choices for adults to receive personal genetic modification based on the ethical beliefs of equality and the pursuit of happiness.
These sample theses contain the argument as to 'how far scientists should be able to go in genetic modification,' and they are addressing this issue from the ethical standard of Christianity or Americanism.  The sentences clearly delineate the progression of argument for the body paragraphs and assert a very precise argument viewpoint.


Cause/Effect Argument:

  1. Social media has altered reality for young generations through false popularity, cyberbullying, and increased sexuality, resulting in a more devious and depressed culture of Americans.
  2. The culture of the American family has been altered by social media through a lack of personal communication and device addiction.
These sample theses contain the argument as to 'the cause/effect relationship between social media and cultural changes in America,' and they are addressing this issue from the cause/effect style argument layout.  The sentences clearly delineate the progression of argument for the body paragraphs and assert a very precise argument viewpoint.





Some of the content was modified by J. Dick from Soheila Battaglia’s article at  https://education.seattlepi.com/write-good-argumentative-essay-introduction-1484.html

SAMPLES and additional guidance created by J. Dick

Go to
https://learnessaywriting.blogspot.com/p/everything-you-need-to-know-about.html
for a detailed handout about the INTRODUCTION created by me—J. Dick!





References
Utah State University Writing Guide: Introduction and Conclusion
Clark College: Writing Strong Argument Papers
Purdue University: Introductions, Body Paragraphs, and Conclusions for an Argument Paper
World Health Organization: 10 Facts on Second-hand Smoke
About the Author
Soheila Battaglia is a published and award-winning author and filmmaker. She holds an MA in literary cultures from New York University and a BA in ethnic studies from UC Berkeley. She is a college professor of literature and composition.
Photo Credits
Jupiterimages/Goodshoot/Getty Images
Related Articles
1How to Write an Essay About a Novel
2Teacher Tips: How to Write Thesis Statements for High School Papers
3How to Write a Sense-of-Place Essay
4How to Write a College Expository Essay





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