Introduce your topic by guiding the reader through the thought process that led to your thesis. Follow the advice of writer and college instructor Linda Aragoni and organize your introduction like a "funnel." Start by describing a broad subject, like gardening, and narrow down to your thesis about a specific plant. You might also begin with an example that contrasts with your thesis. If your essay shows the difficulties in attending college as a middle-aged student, describe how you assumed returning to college would be easy, or jump straight to your essay's point in the first sentence with a thesis that shocks or corrects a common misconception: Drinking milk may be harmful to your health.
A memorable detail or phrase -- as long as it is accurate and directly relates to your topic -- can hook a reader into reading on. Include a surprising fact about your subject. For an essay on a historical figure, include a detail about his childhood or personal life readers may not know. Ask a question your thesis will answer, such as "Why is 'no' the favorite word of so many 2-year-olds?" Or find a quote that makes the reader reflect or laugh. In an essay on the importance of birthdays, introduce the topic with E. Joseph Cossman's quote, "The best way to remember your wife's birthday is to forget it once."
Introductions should get to their points quickly by providing specific, concrete details about the essay's central problem or conflict, recommends writing instructor Tom Johnson with the American University in Cairo. In an essay on the necessity of vaccinations, draw parents in by starting with descriptions of the symptoms or consequences of contracting a disease vaccinations can prevent. Describe a problem people may be unaware of, such as how often a particular disease goes undiagnosed. Locate a statistic that demonstrates your thesis's importance. To convince people they should neuter their pets, include a statistic about the number of cats and dogs killed in shelters every year.
Create interest with vivid, dramatic details that help readers better understand your topic. Everyone likes to hear a story, says high school English teacher Harry Livermore, so begin with an anecdote, or short personal story that helps readers emotionally connect to your topic. If you argue that people should always wear seat belts, start with a brief story about someone killed in a car crash while not wearing one. Similarly, background information on a controversy or historical topic can bring it to life. In an essay on unions, describe the conditions men and women worked under before modern labor laws.