writershelp

Stating your position in your introduction

A-52

In an argument essay, your introduction should contain a thesis sentence that states your position on the issue you have chosen to debate. Use your introduction to do the following:

Set the context for the argument. Establish the importance of the issue, provide some background, limit the scope of your concerns, and identify interested readers.
Establish your credibility (ethos) with readers by showing that you are knowledgeable, logical, and fair-minded.
Build common ground (pathos) with readers who may not be in initial agreement with your views and show them why they need to consider your ideas. Show that there is room to argue and that it is possible to reach a better position than is commonly held.
Lead up to a thesis statement that takes a clear and reasonable stand on a debatable issue.

Sample introduction to an argument

In the first sentence of his introduction to an essay on prayer in schools, student writer Kevin Smith shows that he is familiar with the legal issues and sensitive to the positions his audience might hold. His next sentence reveals him to be fair-minded, as he presents the views of both sides. Even Smith’s thesis builds common ground: “Prayer is too important to be trusted to our public schools.” Because Smith introduces both sides of the debate, readers are likely to approach his essay with an open mind. His thesis surprisingly reverses common logic, setting up an engaging argument.

A-53

Although the Supreme Court has ruled against prayer in public schools on First Amendment grounds, many people still feel that prayer should be allowed. Such people value prayer as a practice central to their faith and believe that prayer is a way for schools to reinforce moral principles. They also compellingly point out a paradox in the First Amendment itself: at what point does the separation of church and state restrict the freedom of those who wish to practice their religion? What proponents of school prayer fail to realize, however, is that the Supreme Court’s decision, although it was made on legal grounds, makes sense on religious grounds as well. Prayer is too important to be trusted to our public schools.

—Kevin Smith, student

Annotated introduction to an argument

Effective introduction: argument paper (citizen journalism)

Effective introduction: research paper (government regulation of food choices)

Argument paper: Jacobs, “From Lecture to Conversation: Redefining What’s ‘Fit to Print’”

Hammond, “Performance Enhancement through Biotechnology Has No Place in Sports”

TIP: A good way to test a thesis while drafting and revising is to imagine a counterargument to your argument. If you can’t think of an opposing point of view, rethink your thesis and ask a classmate or writing center tutor to respond to your argument.