Is it essential to Know How to Write a Good Introduction for a Research Paper?

It is essential that your research paper have a good introduction. You have to know how to write an introduction in order for it to be good. The introduction sets the tone for the paper, tells the reader what will be discussed, and gives the background relevant to the topic for the entire paper. Include a hook, background material, and a thesis statement in your introduction to your research paper.


The introduction provides a hook that should pull the reader into the paper. If the hook is weak or poorly constructed, then the paper will have a hard time recovering from that error. It is similar to a long jump skier coming out of the gates. If he or she messes up on the beginning, it is almost possible to recover. The writer must generate an interest in his paper with a strong hook; a vital piece of an introduction.


After reading the introduction, the instructor should know what the paper will discuss. The thesis statement, the driving force of the paper, is in the introduction. It is essential that the thesis statement is strong, has clarity, and is well written. You can have an introduction without a hook or without background material (it would be very weak), but you cannot have an introduction to a research paper without a thesis statement.


The background materials to the topic of your paper are very relevant and important to understanding your thesis statement. The background material is found in the introduction. You would not discuss, Walt Whitman’s “O Captain, My Captain” without discussing Whitman’s life in Washington, D.C. and his role in the Civil War. The background brings clarity and discovery to the reader so he or she can understand your thesis statement and your goals.


A strong introduction paragraph is essential to a successful research paper. Knowing how to write the introduction means you know to include an interesting hook, relevant background material, and a strong and clear thesis statement.

You cannot have a successful paper without a successful introduction. In order to write a perfect introduction for your research paper, include the hook that is like a magnetic, background details to give discovery to your readers, and a well-written thesis statement.

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