<p>What are some general things that should be in the first paragraph?</p>
<p>The first paragraph, which I’ll refer to as the intro paragraph, is where you introduce your reader(s) to the topic at hand. Typically you want to introduce an issue, giving your readers an ample context for the problem, then address it with a thesis statement, which is the main point of your paper, the theme you want readers to take away from reading your essay. </p>
<p>Additionally, if you’re discussing a literary work, you want to mention the author’s first and last name as well as the name of the work itself, with proper quotes or underlining/italics as needed. (Generally, teachers prefer italics in typed essays and underlining in handwritten essays, at least from my experience. Make sure you check with your instructor.)</p>
<p>In short:
- introduce an issue with detail
1a) if needed, mention the author’s name and the name of the literary work - give your thesis statement</p>
<p>The intro paragraph will vary in length. Sometimes you won’t need much detail, sometimes you will need to explain more specifics, so it can be short or long. Just make sure that your reader can clearly understand the issue and your thesis on the issue.</p>
<p>Remember, be detailed in your discussion of the issue. You cannot just state, for example, that abortion is a controversial topic and that you believe it is right/wrong. A good intro paragraph has quite a bit more depth.</p>