Introduction: The Negative Type

The Negative Introduction type of introduction, haha! means merely stating in the first sentence what you are NOT going to write about in your essay, and then stating what you ARE going to write about in the thesis.

Model structure:

This essay is not about/My aim in this essay is not to ...... . Instead I am going to focus on .... . I am also going to ...... . And finally/ And last, but not least I am going to ..... .

The first sentence introduces the negative introduction. The final three sentences illustrate the (positive) points of argumentation.

Inspired by:

Kane, T (2003). Oxford Essential Guide to Writing. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Introduction: The Mini-intro + Maxi-thesis structure

Have you wondered how to write your introduction, in a way that you avoid unnecessary information, yet reflect the structure of your arguments? One way that works particularly well for me, is the mini-intro + maxi-thesis structure, whereby the introduction has been condensed to only half a sentence.

One such example would be the following:

"The discussion of Skidelsky’s argument that the extended welfare system controls economic life covers several topical arguments. Firstly, extended government spending does control market relationships, yet only indirectly. Secondly, state provided welfare is arguably seen as imposing greater control than the one provided by the private or voluntary sectors. Thirdly, welfare restricts economic opinion by leading parties into consensual alliances, yet social policy discussions are not the sole basis for political alliances. And, finally, although welfare indeed restricts economic life, pure Capitalism and Communism are more restrictive."


Here the introduction is as small as the first sentence of the paragraph. The thesis is as big as the firstly-secondly-thirdly-and finally structure.

So, this is one really good way to start your essay.

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