How should I structure an introduction to my coursework essay?

Don't finalise your conclusion until you have decided exactly what you are arguing. Once you have done this, write your argument into a thesis statement. A thesis statement is what will run throughout your entire essay. Write it in bold or highlight it by another colour and then develop your introduction around your thesis. List any important context that will be relevant to your entire essay. Remember, don't put anything in your conclusion that isn't relevant to the entire essay.

Also remember not to reveal everything! Your introduction should be brief but enticing. Begin with a statement that draws your marker in. For example, if you are writing an essay about Scout as a narrator in 'To Kill a Mockingbird', you may say: "Scout is both a concise, and a complex, narrator of Harper Lee's 'To Kill a Mockingbird'". This makes your argument sound interesting, meanwhile leaving space for plenty of expansion. Once you have your thesis, an introduction, and any context you need, read it over again so that it flows. Don't worry if you rewrite your introduction a couple of times, that's a good thing!