by The Open University
Available in 34 free installments
Owner:
a brief definition of important terms or concepts, for purposes of clarity
highlights of the important debates that lie behind the question; an essay title often acts as a doorway to an area of controversy or debate
a signpost to the content and shape of your argument or response to the question.
Look back at Section 1. It is longer than the introduction that will be required for one of your assignments: our constraint was the number of pages, not the number of words. But does it fulfil any of the above criteria? We have certainly outlined our aims and objectives; we have indicated the limits to the unit ? our writing assignment; but we haven't provided much background information or context.
At what stage should the introduction to an assignment be written?
A group of students attending a writing workshop were asked to identify the first task in preparing an assignment. Some answered ?Writing the introduction?.
Do you agree that writing the introduction should be your first priority when working on your first draft? If you disagree, why?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of beginning your first draft with the introduction?
People vary in whether they prefer to write the introduction at an early stage or when they have almost completed your assignment.
Here is a list of the pros and cons of beginning the first draft with the introduction.
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| It gets over the barrier of being faced with a blank piece of paper. | The main body of the assignment is far more important and needs to be given your full attention. |
| It clarifies the approach you are adopting in answering the question. | The introduction may constrain what you subsequently want to write; once you begin the more detailed drafting, you might find that it takes off in a different direction. |
| Having set out your approach, it is easier to check that you are adhering to it. | |
| It can help stimulate your thoughts or imagination. |
Presenting an argument
Students generally understand that they are required to ?present an argument in an assignment? but can feel unsure about what this means and how to go about it. Is this how you feel? Though an assignment is an exploration of a topic, it requires a sense of direction, of building a case or argument in a logical manner.
Imagine you need to ask your tutor for an extension to the cut-off date for an assignment. You need to persuade him or her that you have a good case. (In practice, of course, you would not be under so much pressure to explain. We have chosen this as an example because the situation may be familiar to you.)
What might a good case be?
(a) I have been called away on business at short notice.
(b) I have had a lot of visitors recently.
(c) I have just not had the time.
(d) My daughter was taken into hospital last Monday after a car accident, and I have had to spend a lot of time there with her.
