Starting essays

A bad essay with a good start does not exist. But a good essay can become excellent with a good start. It will grab the attention of the reader to start with. There will be a natural incentive to continue reading. Evaluation of essays, which have been read fully, tends to be fairer. You are sure to get what you are due. Hence pay attention to starting an essay properly.

Postpone writing the all important opening sentences, which herald your thoughts impressively. You can do a better job after you have decided how you are going to write in your essay.

Before starting an essay, define the topic, even if it is given. Mostly it may have very broad ramifications.

Do not think of something very vast and end up with an ineffective essay. For example do not select something like “India”. “Use of English in India” can be something prudent! Keep the scope of your essay limited, if you have a choice.

Decide the essay layout. It can be a five paragraph essay, 3 paragraph essay, thesis, term paper or dissertation. Your teacher may have something to say. You can try using appropriate template available in the web, even when you gather facts. Fill them as you fill up tweets or text messages. Do not waste time writing your essay in the templates.

Do not look for structure in the beginning. You are likely to end up with insufficient facts. Gather your stuff randomly.

Write your draft and edit it properly.

Now it is time for “starting an essay”. Think of an appropriate opening paragraph showcasing your line of thought and approach. There are many possible approaches. But beware! The opening is for the essay and not vice versa.

• Overview: I do not need to elaborate this!
• Witty: Start of with a small joke, pun or satire like – The commotion when I told “50% of you are fools”, abated when I retracted to say “50% of you are smart”. But do not force any joke on the reader out of context.
• Referential: Starting an essay with a famous quotation or statistics about something is an age-old strategy. “Einstein once said that the fourth world war will be fought with bows and arrows” can start an essay on weapons of mass destruction impressively. You can begin an essay on healthy lifestyle, stating that 50% of US citizens are stated to be obese.
• Topsy-turvy: Starting an essay with the conclusion upfront is not uncommon. But be very brief and just hint what is your conclusion. Keep something for your formal conclusion. For example “There must be legal controls on the use of hydrocarbon fuels” can be a good start for an essay on global warming.
• Anecdotal: Start of describing an incident relevant to the subject. You can start an essay on excessive automobile usage by saying something like “This morning it took two hours for me to reach the next block”.
• Interrogatory: Star with a question like “What is so great about science education”?