Introducing the Academic Essay

The introduction to your essay is critical to successfully communicating your ideas because it will outline and summarize your argument and it identifies the topic that you are going to cover. This component is designed to help you understand what an academic essay is and how it is structured and to write an opening paragraph that contains a clear thesis statement.

Read and think: a few questions

Questions and answers about academic essays

Example: Sharp Ideas

An essay about essays, with annotations

Your turn

A Word document with activities that can be done individually or as part of your class.

Review your work

After you have written your own academic essay these are questions to help you evaluate your work.

Links

Resource on the Web dealing with the academic essay.