Writing introductions PBS Study Support

Why should I bother to write an introduction?

 When reading your assignment, the marker is looking to establish your understanding of the subject as
quickly as possible. A strong introduction will get your marker’s attention
 Ramsay, Maier and Price (2010) suggest that an introduction can be worth 10-20% of the marks for the
assignment
 A basic, clear essay structure can affect your mark significantly. This means that it is definitely worth
spending time on your introduction!

What should an essay introduction do?

 Explain your interpretation of the question (using key words from the question, where possible)
 Give some context to your topic (brief but relevant background information)
 Provide clear definitions of key terms or ideas which you will be addressing (try to use textbooks or academic
sources rather than dictionaries, as they are more relevant to your subject)
 Clearly demonstrate what you intend to talk about in the essay, how you will address the question, and the
order in which you intend to do this

What shouldn’t you do in an introduction?

 Your introduction is just the “starter”, not the “main course”, so avoid going into too much detail (Cottrell
(2008) suggests an introduction should be around one tenth of your total word count)
 Do not discuss things that are not relevant to the title (always ask yourself whether the point you are making
is relevant to the question at hand)

How can I make sense of introductions?

 Introductions are the place where you define and set your task
 They tell the reader what you will be talking about (and point to your findings and conclusions)
 Don’t worry if you can’t get started. As long as you have a clear plan, you can come back and write the
introduction at the end (if you are struggling to write an introduction, try reading other writers’
introductions and see how they start their work)

Ramsay, Maier and Price (2010), suggest the following model for an introduction which they call the
task/treatment/thesis model:

Task: Clarify the actual task that the question or brief is asking for
Treatment: Outline the key steps that need to be taken to address the task. This might
include:
 Defining a key term, concept or idea (particularly when leading authors have
different views)
 Summarising the theories/models, or the sources of evidence that need to be
Introduction
critically examined to allow the question to be answered
 Summarising the sequence of argument/reasoning that will be taken to answer
the question
Thesis: Identify the direction the argument will take based on the research and reasoning
you have done to prepare for the essay. The thesis statement is often optional, but some
question tasks are aided if you have a clear ‘thesis’ to underpin your argument

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Writing Introductions: example
The text below is an essay fragment. Normally an essay would be much longer and contain far more argument and
evidence, as well as being broken up into logical paragraphs. However, this is just an example.

Does sport merit the kind of interest and attention that it is getting in our society?

Mourniho (2012) suggests that, from a social standpoint, sport plays a positive role in uniting people from different
social backgrounds in support of their favourite team. This can aid people's understanding and tolerance of each
other (Redknapp, 2015). However, Wenger (2015, p.16) suggests that “just as sport unites people so it can divide
them”, as is often demonstrated by crowd violence at football matches.

As far as education is concerned, Ferguson (2015) found that sport is an important part of every child's schooling, as
it plays a big role in both their physical and mental development. It teaches children how to work as a part of a team
and cooperate with others, while at the same time improving physical condition. However, Torres (2015) found that
a drawback to this is that children who are less able to perform well in sport are likely to feel inadequate in
comparison to their more gifted teammates, which may affect their self-confidence.

From an economic point of view, sport can be very profitable, as it attracts a lot of sponsorship and advertising
(Beckham, 2013). On the one hand this creates revenue for the sporting industry which allows for improvement and
expansion. On the other hand large sums of money are often paid to event organisers to promote products such as
cigarettes, which are harmful to one's health.

Here is a suggested introduction for this essay

This essay will examine the arguments surrounding the issue of whether sport merits the interest and attention that
it is getting in our society, with reference to contemporary theories. Whilst sport is a commonly used term, it is vital
to clarify its meaning for the purposes of this investigation. The term has been specifically defined by Di Matteo and
the Olympic body as “a competitive physical activity...governed by a set of rules” (1998, p.342), and this is the
definition which will be used to analyse the literature in the light of this question. This essay will use the arguments
of Mourhino, Wenger and Redknapp to show that sport can play a major role in society by promoting tolerance and
uniting people. The views of Torres, who is concerned about the plight of children who do not excel at sport, will be
balanced against those of Ferguson who found a link between sport and mental and physical development in
children. Beckham’s concerns about the financial issues in sport will also be taken into consideration. However, this
essay will argue that the social and developmental issues raised in the literature provide the strongest justification
for the focus on sport in our society.

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Taking this introduction point by point:
 The first sentence tells the reader what the essay will be doing in a clear and concise way
 The introduction then gives a definition of a key word from the question title, giving justification for the
choice of source
 It goes on to outline the particular schools of thought which will be used to answer the question (note how it
groups the issues to deal with in blocks)
 The final sentence gives a hint as to the outcome of the essay, with a clear link to the original question

Why should I bother to do this?

 It will enable you to communicate to your marker that you understand the question, and the issues involved
 It will allow you to clearly define and set your task
 It lets you show your marker which arguments and areas you think are most important
 It points to the conclusion, and gives your marker an indication of how you will answer the question

How does this fit in with the task/treatment/thesis model suggested by Ramsay, Maier
and Price?

Task:
 The first sentence clarifies the question at hand, and explains how the question will be answered (through
the use of contemporary theories)
Treatment:
 The key term of “sport” is defined, with reference to a particular school of thought
 The relevant theories (social/developmental/economic) are grouped and summarised to demonstrate a
succinct overview of the analysis
 This is done in a logical sequence which is laid out clearly
Thesis:
 The writer clearly identifies the direction that the argument will take, based on the evidence and research
presented, and points to the conclusion

References:
Ramsay, P, Maier P, & Price G, (2010), Study Skills for Business and Management Students, Pearson Education Ltd,
Edinburgh

Cottrell, S. (2008). The Study Skills Handbook. Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan

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