How do I write a good introduction?

Your introduction is the cog that gets the others turning in your essay. An introduction to any essay should primarily outline the argument or points that you will make in your essay, while remaining clear and to the point. Since the introduction is the first paragraph the reader will encounter, it must be engaging. It should also be logical, with any points that you make in your introduction corresponding to the points that you will make in the body of your essay.

It is often helpful to start your introduction by discussing any of the key terms or phrases that are outlined in the question or prompt provided. For example, if the question asks, "Do women have substantial control over Odysseus's journey in the Odyssey?" you might decide to structure your argument around the notion of whether women in Homer's epic instead have partial control, as opposed to "substantial control," over Odysseus's journey. After all, the question is there for you to engage with—not to trick you.

(Don't attempt to wrench the question you're asked to answer into something it's not, however! Be thoughtful and engaging in your response.)