Begin your essay with an attention grabber. This could be an intriguing example, a meaningful quotation or a thought-provoking question. This first sentence should draw the reader's attention to the topic of your essay in an interesting and relevant manner.
Make two or three general statements about the topic of your essay. Use these sentences to give background information about the topic and draw the focus of the reader to the main idea of your essay. Each successive statement should be more specific than the last, flowing from your initial and broad attention grabber to your more focused thesis statement.
End the introductory paragraph with your thesis statement. The thesis statement presents the main idea of your paper and clearly states your position with regard to the topic of the essay. The entire body of the essay should be in direct support of your thesis statement.