The introduction and the conclusion

1. The introduction and the conclusion Granville Lily 2010

2. The introduction and the conclusion are key elements in the structure of your essay writing. They are the bookends that stop the bits in the middle collapsing, if you like.

3. The introduction to an essay has a number of different functions. These are listed below.

4. The introduction • Introduces the general topic • Provides background which puts the topic in a broader context • Indicates the importance of an issue • Identifies something that we do not know • States the position that the author will argue • Provides an overview of what is to come • Defines important terms used in the essay

5. There are some important things you need to do in the introduction: * You need to define what you are going to talk about. Otherwise your marker can't tell if you've talked about it meaningfully or not.

6. * You need to show your marker what you are trying to do with your topic - your direction. * You need to show your marker what you are going to cover (and what you're not, if need to be). * You need to give your marker background information necessary to their understanding.

7. * You need to have a clear and comprehensive statement of your argument in relation to the set topic. In other words, you need to prepare your reader for what follows i.e. signposts how you establish your response and the arguments to be presented.

8. Remember • The most important function of the introduction is to state the position that the writer will argue. If the essay is very short, the introduction may only consist of a position statement, or, as it is often called, a thesis statement. Introductions to longer essays usually fulfill more of the functions on the list above.

9. What is the function of the conclusion to an essay? • The conclusion to any essay generally restates the position that has been presented in a different wording. Drawing a conclusion sometimes involves making a summary of the main points. The final sentence links the essay back to the wider context, just as the first sentence of the introduction indicated the nature of the argument.

10. One’s own opinion or viewpoint may be added, if it is appropriate. A mistake that is sometimes made is to add a conclusion that does not follow logically from what has been written before. This is sometimes called a “non-sequitur”. Do not introduce new argument in the conclusion. Avoid doing this.