- Make sure your first sentence stands alone and does not depend on readers' being aware of the essay title or an assigned question. For instance, avoid beginning with "This story has a complex plot."
- Provide context and background information to set up the thesis.
- Indicate what claim you will make in your essay, or at least indicate the issue on which you will state a claim.
- Define any key terms that are pertinent to the discussion.
- Establish the tone of the paper: informative, persuasive, serious, humorous, personal, impersonal, formal, informal.
- Engage the interest of your readers to make them want to continue reading.
What to Avoid
- Avoid being overly general and telling readers the obvious, such as "Crime is a big problem" or "In this fast-paced world, TV is a popular form of entertainment" or "Since the beginning of time, the sexes have been in conflict."
- Do not refer to your writing intentions, such as "In this essay, I will..." Do not make extravagant claims, such as "This essay will prive that bilingual education works for every student."
- Do not restate the assigned essay question.
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