The purpose of an introduction is to 'hook' the reader; to grab their attention.

There are many examples of hooks:

• Quote: Start with a relevant quote that captures the theme of your essay.
• Statistic: Use a surprising or interesting fact or statistic.
• Question: Pose a thought-provoking question.
• Anecdote: Share a short story that relates to your topic.
• Bold Statement: Make a provocative or controversial claim.
• Counterargument: Start with the opposite's argument and invalidate it: "Many people think that...but..."
• Statement of fact: Present an interesting fact.

Step 2: Context - After your hook, you should provide some background information, historical context or a summary of the issues you're discussing.

Step 3: The thesis statement - The thesis is the most important part of your introduction. It is a one-sentence summary of the main point or argument of your essay.

Note: Some people prefer an explicit phrasing of the thesis statement that start with something like "In this essay I will demonstrate...", "This essay will evaluate...", others prefer an implicit transition to the main part.

• Too General: Starting with overly broad statements or clichés like "Throughout history..." or "In today's society...".
• No Thesis: Failing to present a clear argument or point of view.
• No Engagement: Using a boring hook or not using one at all.
• Too Much Detail: Providing too much background information in the introduction.