A key function of any introduction is to present your argument in such a way that your audience can enter the conversation and properly engage with your paper. Key questions to think about as you ...

For example, you may be asked to ‘explore’ or ‘describe’ or ‘analyse’ a piece of writing. In the introduction you need to outline your answer to the essay question or topic.

For an essay question on theme, you could write this basic introduction: ‘Sonnet 18’ by William Shakespeare is a poem that has an important theme of love. Shakespeare uses different techniques ...