4 Tips for Writing a Strong Introduction to Your Academic Paper
The first impression is the last impression…if you are an academic writer or a student, this little maxim is something to live by. Whatever you write, you need to make sure that it has a nice and strong beginning to capture the attention of your readers.
In this post, we are going to be looking at four tips for writing such an introduction to your academic paper.
Let’s get started.
Tips for Making a Strong Intro for Your Academic Paper
Academic papers can be anything from essays to theses. But regardless of what they may be, there is one thing in common with all of them. They need to have a good start so that the reader can get hooked on reading the whole thing.
1. Don’t Dilly-Dally – Get to the Point
This is one of the most important tips that we can give when it comes to writing a strong introduction. If you want the intro to hit home, don’t dilly-dally with unnecessary information. Get straight to the point and let the reader know what the paper is about.
Of course, some degree of preamble and build-up is necessary, but you can do that after the initial introduction.
For example, if you are going to be writing a paper on, say, covalent bonds and ionic bonds, don’t start the introduction with an ode to chemistry. Start with the topic of chemical bonding, and the main types, and then just say that you’re going to be talking about two of them in the post.
2. Use Active Voice
There are very few cases in the world of content where the use of passive voice is preferable over active voice. The latter is always preferable since it is more direct and clearer.
And this is something that you have to remember when writing the introduction to your academic paper. To illustrate this point better, here is an example of two intros, one written in active voice and the other in passive.
| Active Voice | Passive Voice |
| There are many different species in the animal kingdom. Owing to their vast number, there are a number of classifications used to sort them out. In this paper, we will be discussing the major types of categorizations that these species are usually subjected to. | Many different species are included in the animal kingdom. Owing to their vast number, they are sorted out using a number of classifications. In this paper, the major types of categorizations that these species are usually subjected to will be discussed. |
You can automatically see that the passage written in active voice is more easily readable and stronger-sounding than the other one.
If you have written your introduction in passive voice, and you cannot realize how to shift it to active, you can try taking the help of a paraphrasing tool. Paraphrasing tools, as the name indicates, paraphrase the provided content for better clarity. If you pick the right tool, you will be able to easily convert your passive voice sentences to active voice.
3. Don’t Omit the Necessary Details
Whatever you plan on discussing in your paper, you should refer to it in the introduction. That way, you will be able to effectively reflect the entire theme of the paper in the intro, making the latter stronger and more authoritative.
For example, if you are going to be talking about, say, the seismic activity in the Ring of Fire, you should specifically chalk it out in the introduction. If you lead your readers in by saying that you will just be discussing the “earth movement,” it will sound bland and boring.
On the other hand, if you specifically say that you will be particularly talking about the seismic dynamics of the Earth in the Ring of Fire, it would make your introduction look a lot better. The terminology would show your knowledge and command over the topic at hand, which would subsequently make the introduction stronger.
4. Don’t Let Any Plagiarism in the Introduction
Plagiarism should not exist in any capacity in your paper. But you have to be particular about ensuring its absence in the introduction. If someone decides to check the paper for plagiarism and finds it right at the start, it would make the whole thing look weak and unauthoritative.
That is why you need to ensure that there is no plagiarism in your introduction.
Now, when it comes to finding and fixing plagiarism, there are a couple of different steps that you have to follow.
- First off, you need to find the plagiarism, after which you can take the steps to get rid of it. For this, you will need to use dedicated tools available online.
- If you do happen to find plagiarism in the introduction, there are a couple of different things you can do.
- You can cite the original sources in the references. That way, you will be able to retain the content without any trouble.
- You could remove the plagiarized parts, but that would be a little difficult considering the fact that you would have to replace them with something else.
- Or, you could simply use a plagiarism remover. A plagiarism-removing tool is essentially made to change the provided content to make it look different. However, the meaning remains the same.
Wrapping Up
Writing a strong introduction takes effort and consideration. By following the tips given above, you should be able to come up with a good one without trouble.
