Introductions and conclusions
Starting strong and finishing well can make or break your writing. A clear introduction sets the tone and shows where you’re heading, while a solid conclusion ties everything together and leaves a lasting impression.
What is an introduction for?
When we prepare an assignment to submit at university, we always write as if for a stranger who is unfamiliar with the topic. This stance ensures that we are focused on being clear and thorough in our writing. Your reader should be able to understand your context and argument without knowing anything about the topic in advance.
Therefore, it is critical that you clearly introduce your reader to the topic you are going to explore and outline what you are going to cover. There should be no surprises in academic writing - show your reader right from the start that you are in control of your argument.
The introduction creates an opportunity for you to demonstrate this.
Introduction structure
Although each introduction will look unique, you don’t have to invent the structure every time.
Here is a formula you can use for every introduction you write. Generally, your introduction makes up approximately 10-15% of your total length. So, if you were asked to write a 2,000-word essay, your introduction would be about 200–300 words, as a general estimate.
An introduction typically contains four parts.
Four parts of an introduction
What is a conclusion for?
The conclusion is where you wrap it all up.
This includes your thesis statement, and an outline of your arguments from the body. You then close with a general statement such as any recommendations about further research (if that’s appropriate), or a general summary sentence.
There should be no new information in the conclusion and no references. If a point is important, it should be in the body. The conclusion is your own summary of your essay and what it has achieved.
Conclusion structure
Like the introduction, you don’t have to invent the structure of your conclusion.
In fact, the conclusion follows the same four steps you used in your introduction, just in the opposite order.
That is, your conclusion will be structured like this:
[1] Reiterate your thesis statement or argument [2] Remind your reader of the main ideas covered in the Body [3] Remind your reader of the focus of your argument [4] Concluding statement – background or broad context for topic
Let’s look at each of these in more detail.