Craft your thesis, which is the one-line sentence that sums up your entire writing assignment. In an academic paper, it's your opinion on a particular text or idea. An example thesis is, "William Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet' is a story about lust rather than about true love."
Outline all the main points or ideas that back up your thesis. Write them down so that you can clearly see if your argument holds. Find references and sources to support your thesis and main points.
Write an opening sentence that catches your audience's attention. A surprising or shocking first line draws the reader in, but it needs to make sense with the rest of the piece. Sometimes the opening line in an analytical essay is called the topic sentence. For example, an essay about Shakespeare would need a first line that relates to the rest of the paragraph, such as "The protagonist Romeo, in William Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet,' had passion, longing and sexual desire for Juliet."
Add the sentences that support your thesis statement after the opening line. Each sentence is a general summary and doesn't need to go into great detail; the details come later in the paper. The last line is your thesis statement.
Read over your paragraph, checking for grammar, sentence structure and word choice. Vary the words you use, especially for the first word in each sentence. Reexamine the first sentence, which is one of the most important elements of the perfect introduction. Consider the strengths and weaknesses of your entire paragraph.
Read your first paragraph aloud, which can help you determine if it flows well. Rewrite the introduction until it's clear, concise and outlines the rest of the writing piece. Even in journalism, the first paragraph must explain pertinent information about the rest of the article.